If you haven't heard of Sharknado that's okay.It's a SyFy Network movie.SyFy is responsible for great TV like the reboot version of Battle Star Galactica and this year's new Defiance series.I love both of them to death.I love the 5 seasons of BSG because I easily fell in love with Grace Park who now stars on CBS's Hawaii Five-O.However, Defiance is another hit series which has no famous actors and it simply has a huge deep story with character build up.
Sharknado takes us in a different route.It's cheesy and it's simply stupid.The name says it all.It's a tornado which carries sharks inland and the people are left to fight for their lives against the Great Whites.And yet people loved it.It had more viewers than the season ending Mad Men.Why was it a huge hit?
Well because stupidity works.The worst thing a director can do is try to make a serious film with really bad plots or bad actors.That's why most movies are bad.They attempt to hit home runs but don't do the homework to get it done right.And others have very huge stars and huge budgets but lack the creativity to convince audiences.That's why Lone Ranger was a huge flop but Sharknado isn't
I'll be the first one to tell you that I love cheesy movies.I loved Swamp Shark.It had all the bad elements and yet the shark was the star.They made it so that fish lovers could enjoy the film.They knew their audience well.In terms of other hits, I also loved Frankenfish.That was about a new fresh water species that swam inland and ate up hot babes.
And of course I love fish documentaries like Jeremy Wade in River Monsters or some of the other more subtle shows like National Geographic's"When a Whale ate Jaws".I mean to see an Orca tear a White Shark apart was awesome.It's something we would talk about over a camp fire right?
So it's not a stretch to say that these movies work.Of course the real reason why Sharknado worked was because it's unseen in Hollywood.The big executives would never go for it.The movie was on a $2 million dollar budgets and could have easily made huge money.SyFy definitely got their money back in ratings.
The reality is that these movies work because stupidity works.I remember the old series Gilligan's Island where the unthinkable was the premise.A rich guy who washed his money.A gorgeous actress and a farm girl.A very important professor and a dork as a deck hand.And yet they lived in harmony in huts.No crimes, no hardships.Just sheer island luxury.And that was what made the show a success.
Sharknado maybe stupid, but it's definitely on my watch-list.
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