Despite budget, British Cinema's old guard are still trying to make sure the British film bizz misses the boat.
The budget, along with changes in the National Lottery, have spawned a host of Film Biz articles in the press. But most of them miss the point. For example, Derek Malcolm, The Guardians erstwhile film critic, writes there there's no point in financing British films is the multiplexes aren't going to screen them. True enough. At the same time, Derek argues that most recent British films haven't been very good, and that producers are pretty dozy when it comes to marketing their product. But does Derek put two and two together and come up with the obvious answer that the British Film Industry needs to start making some mainstream film that the cinema audience actually want to go and see? No. Instead he calls for the imposition of quotas, for yet more film and media education focusing on 'Art' as against 'genre' film, and for a drive to encourage the over-30's to go to the cinema (maybe he should be calling for the multiplexes to organise baby-sitting).
Let's get some things straight. Ken Loach and Mike Leigh, grand old auteurs of TV drama in the world as they are: do not, in commercial terms, represent the high point of the British industry. The high points have been marked by genre films- Hammer House of Horror, Carry On films, The Rocky Horror Show, and of course James Bond.
But just try approaching the likes of Film on Four, or the National Lottery with a commercial script and you can bet your bottom dollar the reply will be "we won't finance mainstream and genre-based productions". We know 'cos at the moment we're trying to get into production what's got the potential to be the "British Scream". Why don't they cut the crap and admit what they actually are- C4's drama department, operating within the remit of their own license, whilst not wanting to turn their noses up at a bit of art-house exhibition and the chance of bumping into Jane Campion at the odd festival or two.
Of course the paradox is that these cultural elitists are just as likely found round the after dinner table avidly discussing the likes of Tarantino, Rodriguez, Sam Raimi, Cronenberg and cinemas debt to Roger Corman; whilst seemingly doing their utmost to make sure that British cinema does not produce films that the cinema audience actually wants to go and see.
This was originally published in Reel Scene - the newsletter of independent film-making, produced by Raindance *Aug 5, 1997 Raindance commented "ReelScene never publishes anything that we do not agree with!"
