Innovative movies don’t always reign supreme. Sometimes, they are simply too unique for their own good and fail to land with wider audiences. Other times, they can resonate with the independent market and become cult classics as a result.
However, there are a handful of examples of innovative movies that were so trailblazing that they kickstarted a whole new genre or sub-genre in film. These movies flipped the lid on what people came to expect from a certain genre and cultivated a unique cinematic experience that was then emulated by countless other filmmakers. Here’s our pick of 5 movies that started new genres.
5. Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
The found footage genre boomed after the release The Blair Witch Project in 1999. This unique approach to low-budget filmmaking proved successful as the movie grossed $248.6 million worldwide against a budget of $60,000, making it one of the most profitable independent films of all time. As a result, a plethora of found footage movies followed suit, such as Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity, and Rec. While The Blair With Project undoubtedly pushed this sub-genre into the mainstream, 1980’s Cannibal Holocaust is often credited as the first of its kind.
Whether the makers of Blair Witch found inspiration from Cannibal Holocaust is up for debate, but there are some striking similarities. Both films tell a horrifying tale captured through the lens of footage that is played to come across as being found in the wake of terror. Ruggero Deodato‘s disturbing 1980 flick was banned in many countries upon release. This means that at first, it was very much unheard of. However, as with many banned movies, this added a layer of mystery and morbid curiosity to the cinematic event that caused many horror lovers to seek out a copy, in turn becoming a cult classic in the horror department. The plot follows four documentary filmmakers who experience brutal deaths at the hands of a savage South American tribe. Although it is still considered an underground movie, it’s impossible to not give it credit as a trailblazer in the found footage genre.
4. A Better Tomorrow (1986)
John Woo is widely considered to be a master of action cinema. He has delivered iconic movies like Face/Off, Mission: Impossible II, and Hard Target. Yet, long before he crossed over to Hollywood, he made massive waves in Asian cinema, particularly in the kung fu realm. Today, the gun fu sub-genre of action has catapulted to worldwide fame with the likes of the The Matrix franchise and the John Wick universe. However, many praise John Woo with title of the man who started the genre with his 1986 movie, A Better Tomorrow.
Starring iconic martial arts star Chow Yun-Fat, Woo’s relentless action epic follows a reforming ex-gangster who tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but finds that the ties to his former gang are not so easy to walk away from. What Woo did so differently with this movie was blend kung fu with epic gun battles. Prior to this, action scenes were typically split into fist fights and gun fights, whereas Woo fused the two together to create an exhilarating and frenetic spectacle. Some may argue that Woo’s 1992 movie Hard Boiled was the real trailblazer in gun fu movies, however, he laid the foundation with A Better Tomorrow. The budget was larger for Hard Boiled, meaning the action scenes could be much more grand and awe-inspiring. Yet, Woo still pulled off a remarkable feat with his earlier film, A Better Tomorrow.
3. Godzilla (1954)
Today, Godzilla has become a massive pop culture icon. Its enduring popularity can be traced back to Ishirô Honda‘s originally titled, Gojira, released in 1954. For its time, this movie was epic in proportion and stands as the first ever onscreen telling of Godzilla. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, it is clear that this was something unlike moviegoers had seen before as word of mouth spread and the film became a box office smash.
As of writing, there have been countless remakes, re-tellings, and sequels that followed Honda’s movie, but the original 1954 picture is often credited with starting the kaiju genre. Before Godzilla, monsters on screen did exist and can be traced back to as early as 1915, but it is Godzilla that introduced the method of using a plethora of practical special effects, which in turn laid the foundation for many sci-fi, horror, and fantasy films thereafter. While overshadowed by bigger productions with more notable stars, Honda’s movie is still a trailblazer in not just horror cinema but action, fantasy, and sci-fi.
2. Pulp Fiction (1994)
When it comes to the conversation of filmmakers who have crafted innovative movies, Quentin Tarantino‘s name will likely pop up nine times out of ten. The stylistic writer/director first emerged on the scene with 1992’s Reservoir Dogs, a crime movie that both shocked and enthralled audiences worldwide. However, it was his sophomore effort Pulp Fiction that really put him on the map and told the world what kind of a filmmaker he was.
Technically, Tarantino didn’t create a specific genre with Pulp Fiction, but what he did was flip the crime genre on its head. Just like he did with Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino told the story of Pulp Fiction with a non-linear approach. Jumping back and to in time, the film somehow managed to never feel confusing or muddied. What’s more, his use of dialogue was so unique that it felt like a novel being laid out on screen. Characters didn’t just talk about their mission statements – they conversed thick and fast about pop culture, societal norms, and general everyday life. This style started a new wave of crime movies that told their tales out of order and allowed their characters to talk more freely, creating a wave of copycat movies in the process. There is no specific name for Tarantino’s genre, but his movies truly stand out to other films in the realm – blending crime, fast-paced conversation, brutal violence, and slickly dark comedy.
1. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Edgar Wright is a shining example of a true cinema lover who has thrown all of his favorite movie tropes together to create his own cinematic style. For example, he did not invent jump cuts, but he popularized them and used them in a way that hadn’t been done before. He did not invent foreshadowing, but many would say he mastered it.
Shaun of the Dead was Wright’s first feature film after becoming popular with British audiences with his zany TV series, Spaced. Upon release, many anticipated a zombie spoof movie due to the title’s play on words of Dawn of the Dead. However, this title was merely a way to pay homage to the iconic film and genre. Instead, Wright delivered a movie that blended comedy, horror, over-the-top violence, and romance – all under the umbrella of the zombie genre. After the monumental success of the film, zombie horror comedies boomed with flicks like Zombieland, Warm Bodies, and Life After Beth following a similar structure. So, did Wright create the zombie genre? No. Did he build on it and breath fresh life into it? Yes. With his use of fast-paced editing, a juxtaposing soundtrack, and musically choreographed scenes, Wright emerged as a true trailblazer in horror comedy.
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