TV Movies Versus Theatrical Releases
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
February 21, 2010 2:08am CST
I don't recall who said it but recently a movie critic was discussing the Oscar nominees and he made the remark that one of the best picture nominees "played like a TV movie".
I thought to myself, "So, what's wrong with TV movies?"
I know most made for TV movies don't have the type of huge budgets some of the big theatrical films do but that doesn't mean there aren't some darned good TV movies, does it? I realize Lifetime Movies take a bad rap now and then since there are a lot of movies with kind of similar themes, but aren't there plenty of movies that are show in theaters that seem like clones of many others before them?
When I see a movie that I enjoy, that has a good plot, good acting and directing and it holds my interest I really don't care if it was made originally for theatrical release or if it was made for TV. If I'm entertained, I'm entertained!
How about you, do you more or less turn up your nose at TV movies or do you agree there are some that are of very high quality while there are some real losers in the theaters?
Annie
2 people like this
5 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
21 Feb 10
I am not that snobbish. I like a film because of the plot , not which medium it was made.I liked the mini series of the 80's . The best was The Thorn Birds. It couldn't have been shown as a movie in the theater. It was way too long.Another was Small Sacrifices. It was too much of an intimate story for any of the suits to ok to be shown in the theaters.But then these is Usual Suspects. This film could never be made for t.v. , It would had been cut so much it would lose it's essence. A good movie is a good movie. It shouldn't matter if it was made for t.v. or the theater.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
23 Feb 10
And there are many movie stars that got their break on t.v.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
22 Feb 10
I agree. As you said, there are movies made for TV that couldn't have been shown in the theaters and vice versa. That doesn't mean one medium is better than the other or that one is automatically of better quality. I think even the snobbishness among many actors against TV is disappearing as there are many top film starts who have had great success in TV series, mini-series and movies.
Annie
1 person likes this
@thedailyclick (3017)
•
21 Feb 10
I couldn’t care if a movie was a big budget cinema release or a made for TV one as long as I find it entertaining. I agree there are some seriously good made for TV movies and a couple which spring to mind our “The Ron Clark Story” or “Triumph” as it is also known and also “Knights of the South Bronx”. They may both be movies based on true stories but the story, dialogue and performances are superior to many bigger movies.
The trouble with some critics, mainly those who get a comfortable paid job as a critic for some well known publication, is that they get this superiority thing and turn their nose up at anything which isn’t either artsy or different.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
22 Feb 10
My thoughts exactly. There have been so many movies that the critics have loved that I couldn't understand what was so great about them. Then again, they often dismiss movies that I find quite entertaining even if they don't have some hidden "message" or whatever else it is the critics are looking for.
Annie
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
26 Feb 10
I'm not crazy about TV movies but then, I don't see many movies in a theater or watch many videos either these days. I have to say that if I see something I really do enjoy, I wish I'd had a chance to see it in a theatre. All of my all time favorits (ET, Annie Hall, Another Country etc) were seen in theatres at some point and have that movie theatre experience attached to them. Of course, that experience didn't cost $10 in those days but the prices were inching up even then I guess.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
21 Feb 10
I agree. If a movie entertains me me I do not care where or how it was made. The same goes if I don't like it.
1 person likes this
@jewels49 (1776)
• United States
23 Feb 10
I agree that a tv movie can be as intriguing and good as a theatrical release, and as you point out, better than some, even some of the lifetime movies have been very good. I would have missed some very good entertainment had I snubbed my nose at tv movies, Who among us doesn't have a couple favorite Hallmark presentations..made for tv movies?
