For this article, we will look back over other sequel examples that have changed genre from the first. We will analyse whether Joker: Folie à Deux can succeed and look at other franchises that could benefit from taking a different track.

Changing Beats

Film franchises regularly shift focus over time. By King Kong’s third feature appearance, the series had morphed from a fantasy horror adventure to sci-fi-inflected action. Aliens famously changed its series from horror to more of an action focus. Many serious series have also become more comedic and vice versa (the Evil Dead trilogy and the recent Ghostbusters films).

These genre shifts happen for many reasons (creative and financial) but do these changes land well at the box office? After all, it can be alienating for fans to see a movie series built on one genre’s principles suddenly shift to another. While also seeming confusing for general audiences.

Generally, it’s impossible to say. Sometimes a genre shift can go down well if the prior film was already successful (Alien and Aliens) or if it shakes up a fairly predictable franchise (Ghostbusters). However, even films with solid fanbases can see a genre change undercut their success financially (Return To Oz) or in terms of reception (Halloween 3). So there’s no guarantee that a genre change would automatically yield failure or success for a sequel.

A Different Devil

But regardless of financial success will this change suit Joker’s dark world? Well from a talent perspective, it could certainly work. Both Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix have experience with singing and dramatic roles (A Star Is Born and Walk The Line). Director Todd Phillips and cinematographer Lawrence Sher also have experience making films based on music. Phillips directed Phish’s concert movie Bittersweet Motel and Sher shot a Dua Lipa music video. So the talent is there to make the film work.

Additionally, the series change can work tonally. One of the first film’s highlights was the stair dance sequence, which shows that music and theatricality are nothing alien to this Joker. Joker also trades on us not knowing whether something is real or in Arthur Fleck’s head, making for a perfect excuse to make the film a musical.

This doesn’t mean it will definitely be a success. Musicals are struggling to draw box office numbers, genre changes are unsure things in franchises and the conceit could not work from a story perspective. This merely means a genre change isn’t necessarily a bad idea.

Change The Record

Lastly, for fun, here are three film franchises that could benefit from a genre change. 

Batman (Main Series)

For decades, it feels like DC has been afraid to let Batman have some fun in his main cinematic releases (only seeming to lighten up in spinoffs). With every new adaptation upping the Bat-misery a comedic Batman film would be very welcome now. All they would need to do is have Batman and a version of Robin fight a villain without the fate of Gotham being at stake and have a laugh with the universe.

Knives Out

The Knives Out series has successfully updated the murder mystery formula for modern audiences but unlike other franchises it hasn’t gone outside its genre wheelhouse (like A Haunting in Venice). Writer/director Rian Johnson has often upended expectations, and with the series having fantastic casts and social commentary the films could easily switch to another sub-genre while keeping it based in modern times so long as it has something to say. Imagine Benoit Blanc investigating a musician’s death leading into a musical story about how the music industry exploits radical images for profit. Who wouldn’t watch that?

Halloween

After so many lacklustre sequels and requels that all boil down to Michael Myers stabbing people Halloween should return to its long-abandoned anthology idea. Just give the brand name to an up-and-coming creative team and let them do something different in any horror sub-genre they want.

Do you think Joker Folie à Deux’s genre change will work well or hinder its success? And what film franchises do you think would benefit from a genre change?

Also Read: The Perfect Batman: A Look At The Actor & Director Duos Behind The Films

The post Reinventing the Franchise: Will Joker: Folie à Deux’s Musical Twist Succeed? appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

Christmas Classic: How The Grinch Stole Christmas

If by chance this modern classic isn’t a fixture of your Bluray collection then you can catch it on Netflix. It isn’t the best adaptation of Dr. Suess’ story but this update of the Grinch still holds up today. With great commentary on consumerism, fantastic set design, and two great lead performances from Jim Carrey and Taylor Momsen.

Family: Paddington

Paddington is the perfect film to warm you up on these cold nights. Following the eponymous bear as he moves in with the Brown family and is hunted by Millicent (Nicole Kidman) this movie is some of the purest, good-natured fun to have been released in the last decade. There’s a lovable character at its centre (Ben Whishaw provides Paddington’s beautiful voice), pitch-perfect comedic timing, inventive set-pieces, and a heartwarming message about taking care of those in need no matter where they come from. Paddington is a good-natured pallet cleanser for all the cynicism of modern filmmaking. 

Drama: Boiling Point

No film captures the intensity of working in a restaurant during the Christmas run-up better than Boiling Point. Clashes with customers, interpersonal team drama, and personal issues intruding into work play out brilliantly and flowingly in this extraordinary drama shot entirely in one take. It will definitely give everyone a newfound appreciation for what hospitality workers have to put up with.

Animation: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

This hotly anticipated stop-motion reimagining of Carlo Collodi’s classic tale of a wooden puppet who wants to be a real boy from horror master Guillermo del Toro and stop-motion mainstay Mark Gustafson does not disappoint. The stop-motion is a marvel, the voice acting is outstanding and it takes the classic tale in interesting new directions. Plus its central exploration of family, faith, and how fascism perverts them makes for perfect viewing right now.

Romance: I Believe in Santa (14th December)

Sometimes we all want a bit of festive cheese. I Believe in Santa focuses on a woman (Christina Moore) who has to come to terms with the fact that her partner (John Ducey) is obsessed with her least favourite holiday, Christmas. And still believes in Santa. Undoubtedly the film will be sickeningly saccharin but hey, occasionally we all need a bit of Christmas schlock.

Mystery: Knives Out & Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (23rd December)

Finally, for those who love watching a mystery tale during the holidays, you’re in luck. Both Knives Out and its sequel Glass Onion will be arriving on Netflix just in time for Christmas. Both movies revolve around unconventional mysteries being investigated by Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc. Rian Johnson’s series (Netflix has ordered another sequel) revels in the genre’s trappings and not only subverts what’s expected but updates the genre in very satisfying ways. And both films feature great performances from absurdly talented casts. Please give them a watch so we can encourage Johnson and Craig to make as many sequels as they want.

That does it for our seasonal Netflix recommendations. We hope our suggestions provide some enjoyment for you. Please feel free to recommend anything we should add to our watchlist. And from our family to yours we hope you all have a Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Also Read: Best Christmas Movies of the Past Decade

Your contribution to Big Picture Film Club will allow us to continue to produce content. No matter the amount your contributions are greatly appreciated.

The post Christmas 2022 Netflix Recommendations appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

Today, we will analyse the common elements of murder mystery films, how the genre has changed over time, how the detective archetype has contributed to the genre’s popularity, and provide you with some great mystery films to watch.

Making A Murder Mystery

Generally, a murder mystery focuses on the investigation of a murder/series of murders, committed during the opening act. A detective (professional/private/amateur), or someone else, will try to solve the case. Throughout the story evidence about the killer’s motives and identity is compiled through crime scene examinations and hearing testimony from the supporting cast, (with several red-herrings trying to fool the audience). The film will end with the killer’s/killers’ identity being revealed. Chiefly the genre invites audiences to guess the murderer’s identity, using the evidence before the reveal.

The Little Things

Despite the genre’s common narrative elements still being prominent, not everything remains the same. The murder mystery formula has been used to tell many different stories in different styles since its inception. From period adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie’s work to seedy film noirs, fluffy comedic capers, spectacular action thrillers, disgusting horror thrillers, giallos, and more. It’s a genre that has proven it can be used to tell any story. 

And the genre has continually updated itself. Not just by using increasingly modern crime-solving techniques and technology in their stories, but also by changing its attitudes and content. For example, after the release of Psycho, based on Ed Gein’s crimes, the genre began to further explore the killer’s mindset and the impact of their crimes. This, coupled with censorship relaxation, led to a greater emphasis on violence, sex, and psychological analysis. Making the genre feel more true to life. The genre has equally been willing to critique and break its own rules. Sometimes films will have the killer not be caught or identified and even the detectives have been shown as villainous or corrupt, again making the genre feel more real.

This infinite malleability with such a simple formula allows creatives a huge canvas to play with. And it gives audiences something comfortably familiar but never wholly the same. It’s easy to understand why the genre has stuck around. 

Poirot to Blanc

Interestingly the new wave of cinematic whodunit’s use of the detective exemplifies the genre’s comforting familiarity while also being modern in its implementation.

Investigators like Hercule Poirot (Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and Death on the Nile (2022)), Benoit Blanc (Knives Out), and Inspector Stoppard (See How They Run) feel like classic gentlemen sleuths and hard-boiled detectives. They have their familiar attitudes, as well as the star power expected from the genre. Kenneth Branagh, Daniel Craig, and Sam Rockwell play each character respectively. And they serve as our good-humoured guides through the investigation. Allowing us to not become overwhelmed by the murder’s morbidity.

But these figures also offer a lot to modern audiences. Poirot and Blanc offer an authoritative figure not tied in with the bad practices of the police. Which has received understandable derision lately. They are also a lot more sympathetic when listening to the perspectives of suspects. For example, Blanc ultimately helps Marta to prove her innocence. Both offer relief from concerns about policing. And while Stoppard is a police detective his surly nature shows that this life is not a happy one. Thus some can argue acting as a critique of the detective role.

Ultimately the use of familiar genre staples for whodunit detectives allows audiences to easily become invested with the mystery. But they can also serve as a great springboard to tackle many different questions about our relationship with the law. Thus giving audiences more to engage with.

And Then There Were Many

To conclude our look into the murder mystery genre here are some great examples for you to watch:

Historical: The Hound of The Baskervilles (1939)

Contemporary: Knives Out

Noir: The Third Man

Neo-Noir: Memento

Giallo: Don’t Torture A Duckling

True Crime: Zodiac

Also Read: Seven Creative Movies Dealing With Memory Loss

Your contribution to Big Picture Film Club will allow us to continue to produce content. No matter the amount your contributions are greatly appreciated.

The post The Evolution of the Murder Mystery appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.