by Elliot Grove
Incredibly, you can get this entire library of astonishing and fantastic debut films delivered to your own front door for less than forty quid. Many of these films have a strong Raindance connection.
Check these out:
***Blair Witch Project 1999
This film swept away box office record after record following it's premier at the Raindance Film Festival in 1999.
Hard to beat it's Official Website
Did the Blair Witch Project fake it's online fan base?
The Last Broadcast 1998
A lot of people think that BWP was heavily influenced by The Last Broadcast, 1998, a film made by Cultural Hacker (the official website of director Lance Weillor) and Stefan Avalos
Cube 1997
Vincenzo Natali's Cube, 1997, is Canada's contribution to the no budget realm, and was a stunning success, winning a series of international accolades at film festivals and industry awards.
Reputedly made for a paltry $100,000 (Canadian) at a time when the currency was nearly worthless, this film makes compelling watching.
Pi 1997
Darren Aronofsky's debut feature won the best first feature at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival and a fistful of other awards.
His film is made following the principles of Raindance's own Lo-To-No Budget Filmmaking class.
He's done rather well out of it.
Clerks 1994
In 1993, Raindance could have screened Clerks as a work in progress, except Kevin Smith's debut feature came in days before we were due to start. As a result, it went to Sundance, and the rest, so they say, is history for this no-budget feature.
Night of the Living Dead 1968
George Romero, the king of slash, launched his career with this '12 kids in a house and chop 'em up' classic
El Mariachi 1992
Robert Rodriguez' $15,000 debut follows the trail of a wandering minstrel who is mistaken for a murderous criminal.
Living In Oblivion 1995
Writer/director Tom DiCillo got inspiration for the film from the frustrations he experienced when making the film Johnny Suede (Brad Pitt's first movie), and his long struggle to make his next intended film, Box of Moon Light. Living in Oblivion was rejected by all producers but the actors and friends of the director felt so strongly about the project that they financed it.
Living in Oblivion is divided into three parts. The first part was shot in five days and after DiCillo realized that it was too short to be a feature and too long to be a short he expanded it into a full feature film with parts two and three.
Own it for $24.21
***London To Brighton 2006 (Screened at Raindance)
Paul Andrew Williams broke through with this no-budget feature which cleaned up the Best British Film at raindance that year, and then waltzed off with a coveted BIFA.
Producer Ken Marshall is a Raindance regular, and several of the other cast and production team have circled around the festival and our training programme for years.Paul and Ken have just finished The Cottage starring Andy Serkis, which has just been sold to sony for American distribution. Top that!
Own it for £4.98
***Following 1998 (Screened at Raindance)
Chris Nolan's debut, made on 16mm for just over £15k remains one of the most astounding debuts ever, although it didnt get the marketing and publicity that Blair Witch got.
There is a strong Raindance connection to this film: Our office was used as a storage centre, and most of the film is shot within a couple of hundred metres from the office.
Lead actors Lucy Russel and Jeremy Theobald used to be seen as guinea pigs in various Raindance directing courses. Chris' wife, Emma Thomas, produced.
Their latest project is The Dark Knight starring some of my favourite actors: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Gary Oldman
Own it from $9.56 or With MEMENTO for $19.35 (Director: Christhopher Nolan a Raindance Alumni)
***3 of the 10 films were discovered at the Raindance Film Festival
*The Following and London To Brighton were made by Raindance students
Notice that only London To Brighton ws made in the last 5 years. Who is going to create the next no budget classic? And from which city is it coming from?
Do you agree/disagree with this list? Have you got an addition?
Send it to live@raindancecanada.com
About The Author
Elliot Grove founded Raindance Film Festival in 1993, the British Independent Film Awards in 1998 and Raindance.TV in 2007. He has produced over 150 short films, and 5 feature films. He has written eight scripts, one of which is currently in pre-production. His first feature film, TABLE 5 was shot on 35mm and completed for a total of £278.38. He teaches writers and producers in the UK, Europe. Japan and America. He has written two books which have become industry standards: RAINDANCE WRITERS LAB (Focal Press 2002) and RAINDANCE PRODUCERS LAB (2004). His first novel THE BANDIT QUEEN is scheduled for publication in 2008.
If You Liked This, You'll Really Like...
Free Article: Hollywood's 4 Bigget Lies
TO OWN ANY OF THESE FILMS CLICK ON THE PICTURES ABOVE
© 2007 Raindance Film Festival Ltd.
Reproduction of this article without written permission is strictly forbidden. For information on reprint rights please email info@raindancecanada.com