What Is an Impossible Film?
A Theoretical New Sub-genre of Film
On a night in March off 2022 as I sat in front of my desk talking to a friend online, he asked me a question. “Warren, have you seen Freaked?” Although I had heard of the film a few times in the past as this rather obscure gem from 1993 starring and directed by Bill and Ted star Alex Winter, I had yet to see it. So my friend showed me the movie, and as I watched it I began mentally comparing it to a few films, almost none of which had a clear thru-line at the time. I began discussing this with my friend when I finally formed an idea of what exactly connected these movies — that being the improbability surrounding their existence, creation or execution. I eventually came around to a title for these types of films: Impossible Films.
But what exactly does that mean? Is it just a movie that is weird or surreal? Could it perhaps be only reserved for passion projects, or even only for movies that are considered good but relatively under the radar? To that I say no; although none of these things are antithetical to the idea. At their core Impossible Films are often artistic expressions whose existence is improbable due to either the massive unlikelihood of a studio picking them up, the amount of effort that went into it, or the state in which each film exists. Impossible Films can be low budget student films with massive amounts of ideas and passion put into them, but they can also be big budget box office hits that just happened to make their way to the top against all odds. The best way to explain these films is by using examples of them, so allow me to share with you some examples. Some of these films are great, and some are terrible, but what unites them is the idea that against all odds they exist when they by all means should not.
Dick Tracy (1990)
Between the insanely troubled production history, the all star cast, the heavy makeup and expensive set design involving a heavy use of bright, comic-book-styled coloring, it is not only a wonder that Warren Beatty’s adaptation of the long-running detective comic strip Dick Tracy got made, but even more so that it was able to be as successful as it was. This film was not only a huge box office success, but also resulted in the release of a successful toy line, soundtrack, chart topping single from Madonna, multiple awards including an Oscar, and even video games. The effort sunk into this movie can be seen in every single frame, and it’s expertly crafted visual style and mystery story are pulled off so well that it’s unbelievable this film was able to be made.
Wizards (1977)
Notable animation legend Ralph Bakshi set out with this film on an attempt to branch out from his vulgar adult roots and create a fantasy film that he wanted to be known as his definitive “Family Picture.” What resulted from this was Wizards, an overwhelming fantasy nightmare that although great is certainly not something many would call a family film. Using heavy Nazi imagery as a backdrop for the villains of the film (even directly showing propaganda footage from World War II featuring Adolf Hitler), and experimenting with the ever-developing technology of rotoscoping, Wizards is a feverish nightmare of an adventure film that carries its strong anti-war message to horrifying heights. It is a violent, dark film that still managed to be marketed to families despite its content and continues to draw viewers in to this day.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Likely the most famous Impossible Film, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a film made during a perfect storm. Not only does this movie capture lightening in a bottle, it manages to be one of the most beloved to this very day. The amount of strings pulled to ensure the rights to characters from both Warner Brothers and Disney alike, the amount of painstaking effort put into making sure each of the films’ thousands of animated characters blended seamlessly into the real world, along with the talents of directors, producers, writers and actors alike made this film one to sit in awe of for the rest of time.
The Boondock Saints (1999)
Though my personal opinion of this film has diminished over time, and I do believe that those who outright hate it are entirely justified in feeling that way, there is something so unique about the existence of this movie beating all the odds it did (especially when doing so is probably worse for everyone involved). Troy Duffy’s insane rise to prominence after writing the script for this movie is documented well in the film Overnight, but the best way to sum up his story is by plainly stating the truth: this film’s production was horrific. Duffy treats people terribly and is one of the most hated men in Hollywood for a reason, and it is a wonder that amidst all the controversy, hatred, butting heads, and anger involved with the creation of this movie, it still managed to get made and become a sleeper success that spawned a sequel that is not only worse, but impossible in its own right.
The Other Side of the Wind (2018)
There is perhaps no film more impossible than The Other Side of the Wind. Production for the movie began in the 1970s as Orson Welles’ big comeback to Hollywood and continued on and off, halted multiple times by financial, legal and political issues, until Welles’ death in 1985. As a result, The Other Side of the Wind would not see the light of day until 33 years after the death of its creator. Filming was completed after Welles’ death, but never assembled until 2018, and the final production is one that is scarily similar, narratively, to its own creation. The story follows an aging film director played by John Huston as he desperately attempts to finish a movie he believes to be his magnum opus, only for it not to be finished due to his mysterious untimely death after a screening party for the unfinished film. The Other Side of the Wind was filmed in a documentary style despite being fictitious, and the film in the state it is in is incredibly haunting.
In conclusion, I hope those who read this will have at least somewhat of an idea of what makes a film impossible. Films not already mentioned here — like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Vanilla Sky, Repo Man or even Zack Snyder’s Justice League — may come to mind. They don’t even have to be films of quality. The American President or Fanboys are others I would consider with impossible qualities that I can’t stand to watch. What I can say is that for almost all of these, regardless of how I feel about them, I’m glad they managed to beat the odds and exist.