B movies have always been considered the ugly stepchildren of Hollywood. But I believe that they are in fact integral to the evolution and success of cinema. The term originally meant a low-budget quickie "destined for the bottom half of a double bill", but since the 1950's, when double features bit the dust, it has come to mean a low budget quickie, period. (The B List Intro). The term has evolved since and now has numerous contradicting definitions. I've taken the term B movie in the broadest sense for my Senior Year Project, referring to any and all kind of movies made with modest means, maverick sensibilities, and a knack for bending familiar genre's into fresh and unfamiliar places. (Sterritt David)
Everything from “Plan 9 from Outer Space” to “Reservoir Dogs” shall be examined in my paper. The elements that make a B movie such as eccentric characters, mixing of genres, cheesy dialogue, surreal imagery, and extreme violence. (Zacharek) How these elements had an impact on more mainstream films like Robocop. And others like Eraserhead and Videodrome that had a large impact on the horror genre as a whole with their surreal imagery and unconventional storytelling. (Dennis Lim)
I will also discuss the opportunities that these movies created and allowed legendary directors like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola to come into prominence. Also, the directors like Quentin Tarantino that love these films and apply elements from them to their own films with critical praise. That by using B movie elements such as unusual genre mixing (i.e.horror comedy) and extreme violence are able to create new and exciting films. (Jami Barnard)
Work Cited:
Zacharek, Stephanie. ""Grindhouse" - Movies." Salon.com. Salon .com, 6 Apr. 2007. Web. 10 Feb. 2012. <http://www.salon.com/2007/04/06/grindhouse/>. Sterritt, David, and John Anderson. "Introduction." Introduction. The B List: The National Society of Film Critics on the Low-budget Beauties, Genre-bending Mavericks, and Cult Classics We Love. Reservoir Dogs by Jami Bernard." The B List: The National Society of Film Critics on the Low-budget Beauties, Genre-bending Mavericks, and Cult Classics Eraserhead by David Sterritt." The B List: The National Society of Film Critics on the Low-budget Beauties, Genre-bending Mavericks, and Cult Classics We Love. "Videodrome by Dennis Lim." The B List: The National Society of Film Critics on the Low-budget Beauties, Genre-bending Mavericks, and Cult Classics We Love.