Films that look cheaper than they are

[colacentral]

It's not though, is it? It had funding from Studio Canal and a proper cast and crew. It might have been shot on a shoestring budget, but it was a proper film and it doesn't look like it. The lighting and (particularly) the sound give it an air of a student film, and not a good one.

It's not what?

It began with Lynch shooting bits and bobs just to use the camcorder with no script, and as it went on it became more and turned into an actual film. That's why the rabbits from his website are in there. It only became a real film shoot after he'd spent time pissing about, so it uses the same SD digital camera to match the footage together.

[Sin Agog]

I dunno what the budget was compared to his other films, but Psycho always had this look of being shot on the cheapest film stock available.  It totally worked in the film's favour, and was no doubt a conscious decision, but it does have that drive-in movie look.

[Mister Six]

It's not what?

It's not just Lynch pissing about with his camcorder.

[PlanktonSideburns]

Imagine if he'd stuck to his guns and shot all of the return on his camcorder too

[George White]

I dunno what the budget was compared to his other films, but Psycho always had this look of being shot on the cheapest film stock available.  It totally worked in the film's favour, and was no doubt a conscious decision, but it does have that drive-in movie look.

Well, it was. Shot on the Universal lot with leftover stock and crew from Alfred Hitchcock Presents, but yes, it does feel like a William Castle movie without the giddiness.

[Sin Agog]

Did the studio make him do that because they weren't comfortable with the material, or was that Hitch's choice?  Also, what's that word again for when you use the last thirty seconds or so of old film stock?  It's not offcuts... Shorts?

I always forget that element of tension only having so much film in the camera must have added to filming old movies.

[colacentral]

I think most Del Toro films look weirdly shit, but particularly Pacific Rim which looks almost made for TV, not helped by the uniformly terrible acting. I think the Hellboy films look pretty poor too.

[chveik]

the marvel films (especially the fight scenes). I have nothing against blockbusters per se, but with the money (and the fanbase) disney has, it really looks like they're taking the piss. (the dc films look a lot worse to be fair)

[buzby]

Also, what's that word again for when you use the last thirty seconds or so of old film stock?  It's not offcuts... Shorts?

Short ends