Wednesday, July 14, 2010

What makes a good double feature?

I guess what I am looking for here more than anything is a little feedback. I have been brewing in my head lately what makes a good double bill... specifically with genre cinema.

Should the two films be related thematically?
Two films about cars?

Actors?
Coffy and Black Mama/White Mama?

Should they always be of the same genre?
Like a sci-fi event?

Should they be a complete contrast?

Or should they be some mix of these?

I'm open to any and all ideas and suggestions here. Let me know what you feel works. Give me some examples of genre films that work together if you want.

Being the OCD collector-type that I am, I lean more toward creating some sort of theme between the two films. The easy answer is to match the genres. If I were to put on a show, I'd go toward a Blaxploitation night... or a Zombie night for example. While this would entertain me (and calm that always screaming OCD voice in my head), I'm not sure it would be the best solution to entertain the most number of viewers.

6 comments:

Aylmer said...

I'll take MARTYRS and INSIDE for an utterly gut wrenching, draining experience.

pickleloaf said...

very cool double feature

Anonymous said...

I think theme, actor, director or genre all work for pairing films up.
I'm usually director orientated. ie: The Fog/Prince of Darkness or Sunshine/28 Days Later.
I think mood and personal attachments have a lot to do with double features.
Like why would The House on Haunted Hill and The Birds seem like an obvious match for me? Weird associations I guess.

pickleloaf said...

OK, i didn't even think of a director double bill, and i do that all the time. nice

deadlydolls said...

I'm a fan of the double feature connected by style or overall effect. I saw the perfect matchup last summer at a local arts theatre: Big Trouble In Little China & Army of Darkness. It worked so damn well.

pickleloaf said...

cool. yeah, i think that may be an ideal double feature. two films that compliment one another thematically OR contrast well

theyre just a lot harder to choose! :)