The art of making movies is incredibly challenging. From the creation of a story to the actual act of filming, there is a massive crew of people who often don’t get the credit that they should. The final product can be great or it can be an absolute disaster. Still, many films become iconic, whether they are good or bad.
It’s always interesting to find out the stories behind movies, especially ones where you wonder what exactly happened behind the scenes. Well, some filmmakers have taken the liberty of pulling back the curtain to show you what the development process was like for many iconic movies. These movies also manage to be riveting themselves, telling interesting stories about the real-life people who brought their visions to life. Here are seven great movies about the making of great movies.
Baadasssss!
Baadasssss!is the story behind the making ofSweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song,a film fromMelvin Van Peeblesthat heavily influenced the creation of the Blaxploitation genre.Baadasssss!is directed byMario Van Peebleswho also plays Melvin, his real-life father. Mario also had a role in the original film that created controversy as he participated in a graphic sex scene at the age of 11.
This film is treated largely as a dramatic comedy and portrays many of the controversial decisions that Melvin made while making this film.Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Songis an unapologetic movie and it’s interesting to see how Melvin brought this movie to life. Melvin didn’t back down to corporate pressure as he wanted to create a film that portrayed what he called “ghetto realism”. There is a level of authenticity toBaadasssss!as well since Mario was there at the actual filming and knows how to accurately portray his father.Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Songmay not be a movie everyone knows but its creation is fascinating andBaadasssss!may lead you to check out the original.
For a story about the legendary directorAlfred Hitchcock, it only makes sense that an actor likeAnthony Hopkinswould portray him.Hitchcockmainly focuses on Hitchcock’s development ofPsycho. It shows Hitchcock going through the many corporate hoops he had to jump through with such a provocative movie at the time, considering the movie had violence and killed off the main character in the first act.
It also shows Hitchcock in his element with a behind-the-scenes of the shower scene fromPsycho. However,Hitchcockstill remains a great character piece as it focuses a lot on the drama and tension between Hitchcock and his wife, Alma (Helen Mirren).Hitchcockdoes deliver on showing the difficulty Hitchcock had with makingPsychobut it is still an intriguing character piece that shows an aging director trying to create his most ambitious work yet.
RELATED:10 Best Black & White Films Of The Past Decade, Ranked
Dolemite is My Name
Rudy Ray Moorewas an African American comic who made a name for himself under the stage name of Dolemite, a crude and wise-cracking personality. Moore wanted to bring this character to the big screen in a film directed and written by him simply calledDolemite.Dolemite is My Namerecreates many of the moments from that film while also showing the extreme dedication that Moore put in to become successful.
Eddie Murphycame back after a long hiatus from acting for this role and delivers. He perfectly embodies who Moore was and what he strived to bring to life. Murphy is joined by a cast that includesCraig Robinson,Mike Epps,Keegan-Michael Key, andWesley Snipes.Dolemite is My Nameis itself a hilarious movie but it also manages to honor Moore and the impact he had in bringing an underrepresented group to the big screen, even if the movie itself could’ve used some work.
Ed Woodwas an incredibly unique director whose odd choices led to what some consider to be some of the worst movies of all time. So, aTim Burtonmovie about his life just seems like the perfect fit. Burton brings his unique direction here to create an atmosphere that makesEd Woodfeel like we are in the mind of the actual director. Everything is just perfectly awkward and odd here, includingJohnny Depp’s fantastic performance as the director.
For the Wood fans out there, the film does show Wood filming some of his most well-known works including the cult classicPlan 9 From Outer Space. In addition, there are some appearances from classic Hollywood actors as well, including horror legendBela Lugosi(Martin Landau). Burton’s biopic feels like one that Wood would not only be proud of but one he might actually make himself (thankfully, he didn’t).
Manktells the story ofHerman Mankiewicz(Gary Oldman), a co-writer ofCitizen Kanewho fought with director and starOrson Welles(Tom Burke) to receive credit for his work. WhileMankdoesn’t contain any scenes with characters filmingCitizen Kane, it mainly focuses on Mank’s writer’s block, his struggles with drinking, and the real-life inspiration he had forCitizen Kane.
However, directorDavid Fincherstill paid homage toCitizen Kanethrough his direction.Mankis shot in black and white and features similar storytelling where it continuously switches between the present and the past. The film also has a dazzling nostalgic score fromTrent ReznorandAtticus Rossthat takes you back to this era of Hollywood.Citizen Kaneis considered to be one of the greatest movies ever made and it’s fascinating to see what inspired its inception.
The Disaster Artist
Fans ofThe Roomknow it as one of the worst movies ever but that’s what makes it amazing. What’s more fascinating than the creation ofThe Roomis the man behind it all,Tommy Wiseau. Wiseau directed, starred in, produced, and wroteThe Roomafter struggling to make it in Hollywood.
James Franco, who also directed this film, does a great impression and while there is a lot of fun made at Wiseau’s expense, it does understand that Wiseau is someone who was tired of being laughed at and wanted respect.The Disaster Artistmanages to be a hilarious comedy but it also tells a charming story about the friendship between Wiseau andGreg Sestero(Dave Franco), who starred inThe Roomand wrote the book thatThe Disaster Artistis based on. Fans ofThe Roomwill love seeing many behind-the-scenes looks at scenes from the cult classic, including the rooftop scene.
Saving Mr. Banks
Mary Poppinsis an absolute Disney classic. What many may not know is that making the film was no easy task as it took a while for Disney to even obtain the rights to film it.Saving Mr. Bankstakes a look at this battle betweenMary PoppinsauthorP.L. Travers(Emma Thompson) andWalt Disney(Tom Hanks). Travers is a no-nonsense, stubborn woman who doesn’t want to see her creation turned into Disney fluff. As the movie progresses, we see flashbacks that show Travers’ childhood and how her relationship with her father (Colin Farrell) became an inspiration for the book.
We don’t see the filming ofMary Poppins, but we do get a look inside the creative process as Travers works with Disney creatives to create this film, denying most of their requests. We even see theSherman Brothers(Jason SchhwatzmanandB.J. Novak) imagining the songs for the film. Thompson is electric as Travers and it’s fascinating to see her in a battle of wits with Disney as the two so desperately want to get their way.
What’s also impressive aboutSaving Mr. Banksis that it gives you a new perspective onMary Poppins. The magical nanny didn’t come to save the children, she came to save Mr. Banks. It’s interesting to rewatchMary Poppinswith this point-of-view as you can see this in various moments.Saving Mr. Banksis an emotional look at a Disney classic that ends up having its own brand of Disney magic.
