Matt Shea
RubySoho
Morgan Bell
Cibbuano
David O'Connell
Mountain Fog
What is a movie worth?
September 17th 2007 23:45
Of course, there are things in life that aren't easily priced. The life of a loved one, for example, seems priceless compared to commercial products.
But what is the price of joy? Or sorrow? Or any sincere emotion?
Art tries to reflect those human conditions, allowing us to stimulate emotions without actually having to experience the situation ourselves. We're lucky to be human, and have access to the gift of creativity that allows us to produce works of art.
I'd argue that cinema has had more of an effect on the human population than any other medium. While literature has been around longer, the world is more populous now, and more people have access to cinema than ever before.
Movies are incredible... they allow you to feel pain, pleasure, lust, horror - all without risking any part of your actual life. I think Bryn would agree with me that the world would be a duller place without horror movies to play with our imaginations.
In fact, it's Bryn's review of La Grande Bouffe that inspired me to write this post.
It's a 1973 movie from France/Italy, and summarized by Bryn:
"Four affluent middle-aged men arrange a weekend of utter indulgence; primarily the consumption of food, but sex rears its urgent head from time to time. They’ve had enough, disgusted with their lot, intent only on the devouring of the culture that has made them who they are. You are what you eat, more or less. "
I've heard of this movie before, and immediately was struck by the premise, which I thought to be deliciously witty. After reading Bryn's review, I wanted to watch it immediately.... but it's not the type of movie that you can find in your vanilla-ice-cream video stores like boring-ass Blockbuster or your regional equivalent.
Naturally, I went on Amazon to see if I could track it down.
Amazon doesn't sell it new... you can only buy it from a third-party vendor starting at $39.98!
Can you imagine? A movie from 1973, for almost $40? You could go to the theatre 3-4 times and see a new movie.
Why would anyone want to pay that much for La Grande Bouffe?
The answer is simple economics: supply and demand. It's a movie that has intrinsically high value, even this long after it's been released.
Of course, I didn't buy it. For forty dollars, I could buy 4 movies on Amazon, right?
What's in the $9.99 and under section of Amazon?
Sure, there's a John Wayne collector pack, but the rest is all random detritus, repackaged into quick-selling items.
In Australia, I usually look at EzyDVD for good deals, and the under $10 section has some interesting titles, but nothing outstanding: Easy Rider, Starship Troopers, Zoolander. All obvious stuff.
If you want to get great, rare titles, you'll have to fork it up: $30 for Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill! and it's currently out of stock. Bergman's Scenes from a Marriage, $20. Dario Argento's Deep Red, $30. Even fairly big-selling movies, like Annie Hall, still go for $15, and it's all sold out.
How can movies from the 60s and 70s be more expensive than new titles coming out today, with bigger budgets and more hype? Obviously, the demand for those select titles outweighs the supply, raising the price.
This leads us to assume that these movies, usually cult classics, didn't make it mainstream, but years after, still have the power to create enthusiasm and emotions in a generation of people that weren't even around when the films were released.
Luckily, we live in a digital age, so these rare movies are still accessible to us, even at their high prices. It wasn't so long ago that the only way to see these films was at a drive-in or a midnight theatre.
It's a powerful concept, if you think about it. Like works of art in The Louvre, these films, now preserved digitally on DVD, able to be duplicated at will, have dug deep roots in our collective conscience and are an intrinsic component of our social behaviour.
What a wonderful world, eh?
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Comment by Damo
There are some movies I would like to see again and even own.
Akira was well worth paying full price to own.
So would a non Directors Cut of Bladerunner but I cannot find it anywhere.
I will be waiting for the new cut extended coming out later in the year. All 3 versions are going to be in one box set.
Any way I think that all the major video chains have reduced their stock to suit the lowest common denominator. So what was once hidden on their shelves no longer exists.
Good points.
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by Damo
I keep going to the video store to rent Ninja Scroll only to have my agenda hyjacked by kids who would rather hire Terminator 3.(Again)
Comment by Chic Critique
Having said that, I don't think we should EVER have to pay more than AUD$20 for a DVD. Those things are SO cheap to make!
Cheers
CC
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
I had never thought of the consumer as having the ability to set the price of art, in any form... and yet I have to stop and think again. Of course supply and demand is the switch here, so that the consumer has full control (in a way)... the RRP is always initially set by the supplier and producer though - firmly costed on costs - I gues it starts the bidding... which in time could even see some of the high budget Hollywood crap of today becoming more valuable in time as awareness changes.
I'm not aware of the films you mention, but what has always fasciinated me, is the Star Wars legacy. In about 150 - 250 years time, legend will probably mis-tell how Lucas produced it 'backwards.' ... or will it?
My point is that the fashins and CGI of the (last three) films, made in the 70s and 80s may well end up becoming thought of as the hieght of fashion, as time progressed from the first three films - especially things like the Princesses hair bagels....the thought always cracks me up...
Lilla ...
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
chic, yeah, $20 for a DVD seems ridiculous.... for me, even more so: when I lived in China, DVDs are $1, and the selection is unbelievable...!
Lilla, have you never seen Annie Hall? Give it a shot... it beat Star Wars for the Oscar in 1977!
The Star Wars legacy is interesting, for sure. In 15 years, will the prequels be as influential as the original trilogy was to my generation?