The weekend has rolled in, and you and your friends are in the mood for a dorm movie night. You pull out a list of movies, or to be more precise, A-list movies. Is it because you prefer familiarity over spontaneity? Or because A-rated movies are just better than B-rated ones? Then again, B-list movies don’t exactly have the best reputation.
In this decade, B-movies have become synonymous with low-budget films that lack any artistic talent. With this definition in mind, it is no wonder why people ridicule them. If Hollywood is supposed to be about quality films, then why do B-list movies even exist? Simple — they’re so bad that they’re actually good.
To elaborate, let’s take “Sharknado.” The trailer itself lacked good CGI, compelling plot and top-class actors, yet it still caused quite a bit of hype. “Sharknado” isn’t exactly an Oscar-worthy movie, but it is highly entertaining to watch a ragtag group of people fight a tornado full of sharks and defy the laws of physics so blatantly that Newton must be rolling in his grave.
Directors like Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Francis Ford Coppola and actor Jack Nicholson started out with B-list movies. Famous directors and actors often start out with B-list movies. A career in the entertainment world is like any other career; you need to start somewhere. If it happens to be in a B-list movie, then that’s how you’re going to get the ball rolling.
B-list films have an advantage over A-list films in that they can explore new territory more freely. While A-list films are required to follow certain guidelines, B-list movies can bypass those and maybe even oppose them. That’s because they are not meant for the global audience. Instead, they appeal to different people with differing tastes.
Enjoy “creature feature” films? You have movies like “Tarantula.” Prefer something with a more humane feel? There’s “Mysterious Skin.” Interested in some over-the-top thrills? Why not give “Sharknado” a try? It is because of their limitless variety that they are still going strong to this day. As long as people are interested in them, the revenue from such films will continue to flow and companies will keep making them. Why else would they be working on “Sharknado 2: The Second One” already?
If you plan on exploring B-list movies after this, be aware that they might be out of your comfort zone, but I guarantee that they will be refreshing to watch, for a change. I went around asking students on campus whether they would watch “Sharknado,” and most were willing to give it a shot. And why not? You might just find yourself enjoying it, absurdity and all. So next time, don’t be afraid to pull out the B-list on a movie night. Maybe “Attack of the Crab Monsters” might be just what you’re looking for.
