Creating a universally loved film

Cafe Society
1

What does it take to make a universally loved film? A film that is both popular and critically acclaimed; and also both appreciated immediately and in the future?

  1. Is this even possible? Is this even desired?

  2. Assuming it’s possible/desired, or close to, what films have come closest either overall, or by a particular metric, and why/how?

  3. What makes a film popular?

3b) Assuming you have an otherwise amenable to popularity film, how do you inject deeper meaning or other elements to make it critically acclaimed?

  1. What makes a film critically acclaimed or otherwise considered important or meaningful or truly moving?

4b) Assuming you have an otherwise amenable to critics film, how do you inject whatever pushes a film into popularity / financial success?

  1. What makes a film speak to its time and/or is topical/generational?

5b) Assuming you have a film that speaks to its time and/or is particularly topical/current generational, how do you make it more universal and/or standing the test of time or classic, or still worthy decades later?

  1. What makes a film universal and/or standing the test of time or classic, or still worthy decades later?

  2. Assuming you have said universal film, how do you make it more specially currently appealing / topical / etc.?

2

Shawshank Redemption fits the bill. The worst criticism you can give it is that it’s a tad overrated by its rabid fans.

Maybe Casablanca.

3

Maybe I should add another category - rewatchability - in addition to naming some highly rewatchable films (I nominate Groundhog Day, Shawshank, and Galaxy Quest).

7b) Assuming an otherwise ideal film, what can we do to make it rewatchable?

  1. Is rewatchability a worthy goal? Or is there something to be said for the film which is amazing but you never need or want to see again?
4

Most of Pixar’s films qualify, I think. And The Princess Bride.

No movie is without its detractors, though. And inevitably every movie will lose lustre as the years pass.

Nobody who sets out to make a universally loved film manages to do so. It’s always a happy accident. Making a film by ticking all the boxes is almost guaranteed to fail.

The key seems to be to competently film a good story with likeable relatable characters. Apart from that it’s an open field.

5

[QUOTE=GuanoLad]
Nobody who sets out to make a universally loved film manages to do so. It’s always a happy accident. Making a film by ticking all the boxes is almost guaranteed to fail.
[/QUOTE]

Possibly/probably. But it still might be interesting to try and determine what factors accidental classics have in common.

6

Abraham Lincoln’s Doctor’s Dog

I’ve heard this joke for years. So I was amazed to learn that, unless I’m the victim of an internet hoax, it actually exists:

7

Edit - Nevermind, I’m being too literal.

8

In the 70s English writer Alan Coren used a similar principle, publishing a book of essays using the 3 most popular items on a book cover to come up with Golfing for Cats. Great gag.

9

1) Is this even possible? Is this even desired?
Certainly possible and desired.

2) Assuming it’s possible/desired, or close to, what films have come closest either overall, or by a particular metric, and why/how?
In addition to the films already mentioned, there was The Godfather, Lord of the Rings, Gone With the Wind, Star Wars, Jaws, Singin’ in the Rain, etc.

*3) What makes a film popular? *
No one knows. If anyone in Hollywood figured that out, they’d be billionaires. You need the basics – good plot, interesting characters, good lines – but that’s only the start.

3b) Assuming you have an otherwise amenable to popularity film, how do you inject deeper meaning or other elements to make it critically acclaimed?
You don’t inject it. It has to be there organically. And you don’t have to add deep meaning to be critically acclaimed. Star Wars was loved critically from the beginning; any deep meaning in it was purely accidental.

**4) What makes a film critically acclaimed or otherwise considered important or meaningful or truly moving? **
The basics (mentioned in #3) are all there, and it has to have some sort of emotional connection with the viewer.

4b) Assuming you have an otherwise amenable to critics film, how do you inject whatever pushes a film into popularity / financial success?
You don’t inject it. It has to be there organically. You get the basics right and tell a good story.

*5) What makes a film speak to its time and/or is topical/generational? *
Impossible to say. The subject matter is part of it, but it also has to have the basics.

5b) Assuming you have a film that speaks to its time and/or is particularly topical/current generational, how do you make it more universal and/or standing the test of time or classic, or still worthy decades later?

It has to be there organically from the start. And, frankly, trying to figure out what will speak generations later is a crapshoot. Casablanca, for instance, was not made to be a classic film – it was a studio system picture, with the actors not even sure of what the ending would be. Somehow, it worked.

6) What makes a film universal and/or standing the test of time or classic, or still worthy decades later?

Impossible to say. Again, there’s Casablanca. I don’t think anyone involved in it ever thought it would be considered that highly, or even remembered a year after it was released. Singin’ in the Rain is considered on of the best films of all time; Adolph Green, who co-wrote it, found that absolutely amazing. The film was simply a way to write a story around a catalog of songs.

6) Assuming you have said universal film, how do you make it more specially currently appealing / topical / etc.?
If the film is universal, it will have topical appeal, too.

10

before I get slammed, I will note that it was not universally beloved BUT - I believe Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” movies fit most of the criteria in the OP

11

I would say that one of the conditions to reach to the mot people would have to be keeping it archetypal. Clearly defined, morally unambiguous good and bad guys and so on. You know, like Star Wars.

That won’t make it necessarily good. Just easier to understand for everybody. Let’s take, for instance, Dark Knight.

12

It’s a good thing there isn’t a foolproof way to make these films because we’d get three of them a week.

It’d get old.

They are pleasant surprises and don’t underestimate the need for the right release date including year. JJ Abrams said he couldn’t make Star Trek till the national mood changed to a more hopeful one. Look at the films of the 80’s and how many of them go well with Reagan. Top Gun, Wall Street etc. Then again Platoon came along when a deeper understanding was needed and wanted on it’s subject matter. A little distance from the war made that possible.

Then you have Titanic. (yes some people don’t like it) but it was very popular in all the demographics. NOT JUST TEENAGE GIRLS. Maybe that was because there were people in all age groups in the film. (just about)

In short, who knows? Just make the best movie you can.