What are Underground Films Like?

Underground films represent a unique genre that has been characterized in several different ways. Depending on who you talk to, you might get a different overall explanation of what underground films are like. While there are certainly plenty of filmmakers and enthusiasts that believe underground films represent a dark, cult-like culture of cinema, most believe these films have more than just a cult-like following that make them special.

What are Underground Films?

The Underground film era, or underground cinema, originated as a subgenre that was not like mainstream film. Underground film financing, style and characteristics were different than the mainstream films that were common in Hollywood and they still are.

In fact, today’s most common depiction of underground films is that they are unique. Created with techniques and tools that are not typical of mainstream film production. And often feature skills or special interests that might be considered radical if they were to be introduced mainstream.

In the past, the underground film movement occurred primarily in the 1950s and 1960s. It represented a period of dark cinematic programming.

Underground filmmakers of this time largely depicted politics, religion, and other taboos of society or corruptions of reality that would not be viewed as “acceptable” by mainstream viewers. 

Characteristics of Underground Films

Although underground films are not necessarily cult-like the way they may have been in the 1950s and 1960s, many do find a cult-like following. The underground cinema world was once very avant-garde-esque.

But today it’s consists of a healthy mix of technique, expertise, and visual effect that varies as greatly as those producing the films.

Financing 

Characteristically, today’s underground films include a mix of topics that range from the taboo, mildly disturbing, to absolutely acceptable. Filmmakers in underground cinema tend to have independent financing, and work on significantly lower budgets than a typical, mainstream film.

Due to low budget, the effects will vary and, although once subpar, are often incredible. Advances in technology, and a move toward more accessible filmmaking products and equipment for those even with miniscule budgets has greatly altered the way underground films are produced.

Avant Garde

There are certainly plenty of Avant Garde style films in underground cinema. But there are also a lot of films that are certainly deserving of greater audience interest.

Underground cinema was once very experimental. Today it is more about financing. Versus individual characteristics that make underground films what they are.

Lower budget, lower resource films often find their way into underground film festivals. But this doesn’t make the stories and outcomes anything less than amazing.