The release of Clerks III has convinced actress Rosario Dawson that the sequel is arriving right when it was meant to. The new film focuses on the continued trials and tribulations of the original cast, but this time, Quick Stop employee Randal Graves decides that he wants to make a movie inside the store. The entirety of Clerks III is a movie within a movie, a concept that isn't a new one, but which historically has found a considerable degree of success.
Movies about filmmaking might seem like a risk. After all, very few people actually work within the film industry and understand its frustrations and challenges. But there are many truths about filmmaking that are widely known, and even without a clear understanding of what it means to make a film, audiences everywhere understand the concepts of stress, frustration, and inspiration, the likes of which affect everyone in their own way. Redditors have gotten together to list their favorite movies about movies, providing insight into some classic films in the process.
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Considered by many to be one of, if not the greatest films about life in Hollywood and the film industry, Sunset Boulevard is widely hailed as a masterpiece. Redditor ahmadinebro feels it’s definitely worthy of this list and was first to respond with “Sunset Boulevard.”
Acclaimed director Billy Wilder’s tale of struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis and his odd relationship with former starlet Norma Desmond remains a must-see, 72 years after its initial release. The film casts a sympathetic eye on just how fleeting fame can be in Hollywood and how the constant struggle to remain famous can end in tragedy.
The Player (1992)
Robert Altman’s The Player received three Oscar nominations, but its real triumph was establishing itself as a cult favorite. The 1992 black comedy gets Redditor callmelilbit’s vote for a great example of a movie about movies.
As satirical as it might be, The Player digs deep into Hollywood, offering audiences a cast with 12 Oscar winners, more than any other film in history. That’s also more than enough talent to keep the film engaging, and the fact that The Player was made by one of the most acclaimed directors of all time really adds a sense of authority to it.
Bowfinger (1999)
Though this Eddie Murphy and Steve Martin comedy didn’t exactly rule the box office upon its 1999 release, it did find decent reviews from audiences and critics alike. The film is also Redditor Stinkydaddio’s pick for a great movie about a movie.
Bowfinger isn’t like most films about movie-making, however. The film within the film is being made without its lead actor having any idea that he’s taking part in a movie. This results in fairly humorous situations that were perhaps a bit too implausible for some. Nonetheless, Bowfinger captures a silly yet entertaining side of filmmaking.
Day For Night (1973)
Legendary French filmmaker Francois Truffaut delivered this dramedy one decade before directing his final film. Day For Night found considerable acclaim, and shockingly, it was the only Truffaut film to ever win an Oscar. Redditor Any-Walrus-2599 casts their vote for the film.
The hectic realities of filmmaking aren’t spared in this classic, and Truffaut reportedly was aiming to show audiences the importance of loving cinema with the film. Whether Day For Night succeeds in doing just that is hard to say for certain, but the film has cast some sort of spell on audiences and critics over the years, making it a must-see in the process.
Ed Wood (1994)
Today, filmmaker Ed Wood is known as the worst director of all time, an award he officially received in 1980. This 1994 Tim Burton effort showcases Wood’s career, with Johnny Depp as the filmmaker. Redditor ahmadinebro makes the film their pick.
Watching Depp portray the highly eccentric filmmaker is definitely a highlight, but so is the remaining cast of characters, the likes of which breathe life into a side of Hollywood seldom seen in films. Martin Landau is a particular stand out as Bela Lugosi, even going on to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his efforts.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
Often described as a love letter to Hollywood of the 1960s, Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood is unlike any of the acclaimed filmmaker’s other work. Redditor WiserStudent557 appreciates this, citing “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” as their pick.
Though not entirely about the act of making a film, Once Upon a Time tends to focus on actors and the world they inhabit. It’s a lot of fun to watch, especially as the relatively non-violent film tips into some trademark Tarantino mayhem within it final minutes. Heavily fictionalized or not, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood takes on the movies in a very different way.
Hugo (2011)
This Martin Scorsese adventure saw the iconic director switch gears and deliver a family film. Hugo won five Oscars and featured A Trip to the Moon, a 1902 short film that tremendously impacted cinema. Redditor CrushyOfTheSeas says, “Hugo is a great movie that involves some of the early days of movie making as a plot point.”
Unlike the other titles on this list, Hugo isn’t specifically about making a movie or the business of making movies. However, as previously mentioned, A Trip to the Moon remains a very influential point in the history of cinema. Among other things, it marked the first use of fantastical storytelling, a colossal turning point for cinema and filmmaking. Hugo’s use of the seminal short celebrates and adds to the magic of cinema.
Shadow Of The Vampire (2000)
John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe joined forces to deliver this fictionalized account of the making of the classic 1922 vampire film, Nosferatu. Redditor Sirepilot sums up their pick with, “Shadow of the Vampire would be my choice, it’s got such fantastic characters. It really involves you in the process of movie making.”
The film was praised upon its release by many critics and ultimately landed two Oscar nominations. Filled with genuinely frightening moments, Shadow of the Vampire does do a great job of portraying the process of movie making, a process that might go to extremes at times, but which highlights just what it can take to get the desired end product.
Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
Arguably known as the most famous musical of all time, Singin’ in the Rain is a beloved romantic comedy about the effects of talking pictures on silent movie stars and the studios that employed them. Gene Kelly steals the show as Don Lockwood, and Redditor DrXenoZillaTrek offers this classic up as their pick.
Because the film takes such a unique angle and explores what the arrival of sound at the movies would have meant to so many, Singin' in the Rain managed to immortalize one of the most pivotal moments in cinematic history. Few films have tackled the subject, thanks to how uniquely and most importantly, how perfectly Singin’ in the Rain managed to do it all.
Boogie Nights (1997)
Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson gained his first Oscar nomination for this dramatic and often hilarious look into the world of the adult film industry in the 1970s and 80s. Redditor ExoticPumpkin237 offers “Boogie Nights” as an excellent example of a movie about making movies, even if these movies aren’t quite Oscar-worthy.
Despite the fact that Boogie Nights details the adult film industry’s dying days with the theatrical release model, what the film really is about is family. In the strangest places, in the strangest ways, the characters of the film come together and form bonds to replace the family they’ve lost. There’s a unity here that parallels the efforts of filmmaking, however, the likes of which makes Boogie Nights a sprawling, must-see epic.