Running Time: 90 Minutes
Starring: Anthony Frith, Eric Roberts, Danny Philippou, Michael Paré, Glenn Campbell, Rachel Lee Goldenberg, Paul Bales, David Latt, David Rimawi, Brendan Petrizzo
If you have ever browsed a supermarket's DVD section, it is likely that you have come across a movie from The Asylum. For anybody unaware, The Asylum are known for releasing films with tiny budgets that are based on public domain works, or to capitalise upon a big-budget release. These are commonly known as mockbusters. An example is Transmorphers, a giant robot film released at a similar time to 2007's Transformers. Their output is a great example of quantity over quality.
These films are also the guilty pleasures of Anthony Frith, a father and husband who dreams of being a film director. His aspirations to become one of the greats have been flattened by an unfulfilling job making corporate videos. Determined to try once more to chase his dreams, Frith reaches out to The Asylum to work on one of the features. To his surprise, the studio accepts his proposal and hires him to direct The Land That Time Forgot. With a documentary crew following him, Mockbuster details Frith's experience directing a "six-day special", which means that he has only six days to shoot the movie.
In a moment of self-reflection, Anthony shares that there is no shame starting at the bottom, but he does worry that this might kill his career before it actually starts. These fears are understandable, as setbacks have long stalled his tries at building a career. A humorous moment where he reads through previous rejections highlights the obstacles that he has faced. While he initially sees The Asylum's process as chaotic on paper, he also discovers a fine-tuned efficiency from the studio's production line approach to filmmaking, and sees potential within their rules.
Their process for making numerous films is explained to viewers, hinging upon the knowledge of how much their next film will sell for. This lets them limit the budget for that film, and then use the revenue to find their next film. It is a savvy way to build their output, although it has done no favours to their reputation. From a partner admitting they are barely above porn, to recalling Brian Grazer labelling the studio as "the pollution of Hollywood", it's clear they know about their standing.
A memorable moment involve Anthony asking an Asylum employee about the studio's balance between art and commerce, with the response being laughter. While they seem to approach their criticisms with a sense of humour, one also gets a sense of smugness nestled within some responses. A claim that people do not enjoy watching foreign films feels particularly defensive, overlooking the likes of One Cut of the Dead, Versus, or The Raid: Redemption. While also being films from other countries, these low-budget works manage to generate enjoyment without sacrificing quality.
In comparison with large Hollywood studios, a justification is made that The Asylum reaches the same quality in a shorter runtime and by spending less money. When a cinematic embarrassment like The Electric State costs $320 million, it is endearing to see low-budget workarounds, like a multi-purpose use of a single location. But the miniscule budget does not stop an uphill battle against studio whims. Whether it is the lengthy time before the script is ready, hastily rewritten pages, or shooting delays due to costume approval, there are times when professionalism feels as low as the budget.
Admittedly, there are moments when the documentary feels like it repeatedly covers the same points. But that does not take away from this intriguing struggle, as a wannabe filmmaker tries to deliver a product despite not having the time or budget to achieve it with. Helping to rise above his self-doubts is a meeting with director Rachel Lee Goldenberg, whose filmmaking career started with The Asylum. It shows that a path forward is achievable after working for the studio behind Sharknado, but also how there isn't only one path to doing what you love.
Despite numerous lows across the difficult production, Anthony also experiences the highs that he longed to achieve. Regardless of the film's quality, he was able to have fun doing what he loves, and made an actual movie. A humorous and heartfelt insight into low-budget filmmaking, Mockbuster is a fascinating documentary about chasing your dream. Be sure to stay through the credits, as it is lovely to see the audience's varying reactions to Anthony's film.
Mockbuster is now available in U.S. Cinemas, and is available in the UK on digital from 27th July
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