Prestige picture

"Prestige film" redirects here. For the 1932 film, see Prestige (film). For the 2006 film, see The Prestige (film).

A prestige picture is a film produced to bolster the film studio's perceived artistic integrity, rather than to turn a large profit;[1] the studio may even expect the film to lose money.[2]

History

Prestige pictures are largely the province of major Hollywood film studios — such as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Warner Bros. — that produce numerous films every year.

In the 1930s, such studios might release one prestige picture per year.[2] The films' screenwriters drew material from historical events, well-known literary classics, or popular novels or plays.[3]

Notable examples

In many cases, Hollywood film studios have enlisted British actors and directors for the production of prestige films.[4] One producer of prestige pictures within the United Kingdom's own film industry was Alexander Korda (1893–1956).[5]

Recent examples of prestige films include Ad Astra, The Fabelmans, Armageddon Time, She Said, and Tár. In many cases, these films were greenlit despite being expected to make a loss.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Cinema: Prestige Picture". Time. August 16, 1937. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  2. ^ a b Harmetz, Aljean (2013). "The Studio, 1938". The Making of The Wizard of Oz. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-61374-832-9. OCLC 837180455. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  3. ^ Balio, Tino (1995). "Production Trends". History of the American Cinema, Volume 5: Grand Design—Hollywood as a Modern Business Enterprise, 1930–1939. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 179. ISBN 0-520-20334-8. OCLC 32738211. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  4. ^ Giannetti, Louis D. (1981). Masters of the American Cinema. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. p. 213. ISBN 9780135601020. OCLC 7197462.
  5. ^ Jackson, Russell (2006). "Remembering Bergner's Rosalind". In Holland, Peter (ed.). Shakespeare, Memory and Performance. Cambridge University Press. p. 247. ISBN 978-0-521-86380-3. OCLC 70883148. Retrieved February 5, 2017.

Further reading