The Secret to Our Success
Every few years a company comes along to compete with The Asylum. I’ve actually read their comments on websites that said things like: “We’re going to make movies like The Asylum… only good.”
They’ve all failed because they never really understood what an Asylum movie is.
Asylum movies aren’t derivative, unoriginal, low budget genre films designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator…
Oh, wait…
But that’s not really what makes an Asylum film.
The real definition of an Asylum movie is a movie that has already been sold before we ever make it.
It’s as simple as that. The Asylum has been around for more than a decade because we have always followed the market. For years we were known as a “horror company,” because, at the time, that’s what buyers wanted. Then we became the “mockbuster” company, because like it or not, movies that are similarly themed to other movies, do really well on DVD. And now we’re in a transition period again. I don’t know whether we’ll become the “Syfy” company, or the sexy comedy company, or the “company that only makes movies that start with numbers,” but I can promise you that the bottom line is that we’re going to make the films that our buyers want us to make.
So our critics and competitors can keep talking about “quality,” and keep assuming that they’re smarter than all the people who actually buy and rent films.
We’re just going to keep making movies.
Recently
May 2nd, 2010 at 6:19 pm
No one beats the Asylum. Though if I might say: Less Sex Comedies, More Mega movies!
May 2nd, 2010 at 11:17 pm
Glory to You!!! We will always watch The Asylum’s movies!
May 2nd, 2010 at 11:27 pm
IF you call this “success,” give me a stunning failure.
Stop patting yourself on the back for shit like “Mega shark vs. Gi-normous Octopus.” It’s sickening.
You justify sinking to the lowest common denominator by saying “that’s what the ‘masses’ want?” Let’s make shit because…that’s what everyone, including the pimply-faced development geeks at “SyFy” want? Maybe if they had the balls to develop more series along the lines of Battlestar and stopped shoving shit down the audiences’ gullets, they’d get more acclaim and better ratings. And even if they didn’t, couldn’t you guys have a heck of a lot more self-respect if you DID deliver quality goods instead of crap?
Good way to contribute to the dumbing down of society, buckaroos. Why is that something you’re BRAGGING about? For shame! I think you have a responsibility to deliver product that in its own way asks questions and challenges audiences. Why not have the guts to make films you really want to make? You know, Roddenberry said he trusted the audience’s intelligence…and look at the millions of dollars he made for Paramount.
Asylum movies have no coherent storylines, zero characterization, zero level of foreshadowing, no escalating tension, no plot points, pitiful CG, etc. etc. ad infinitum. You ought to be ashamed of what you crank out. Period.You probably are. Harlan Ellison says “writing is a holy chore.” That makes you heretics and phonies. Yeah, yeah, I know, you’re “laughing all the way to the bank.” Yeah, you and all the other corporations that fuck the public up the ass. Congratulations. I bet it tastes like ashes.
May 2nd, 2010 at 11:33 pm
You guys work for those reasons, but also because, generally, even with the low budget and such, your movies are fun, and made pretty damn well, when the limited resources are taken into account, and sometimes, they are damned good by anyone’s account and becomes some of the best of the year (last year’s brilliant “Haunting In Winchester House” for example).
Also, because even with the cheese, you guys embrace it, and make it fun (usually)!
May 3rd, 2010 at 11:07 am
I just recently started watching Asylum Films and found them to be creative, fun and very entertaining. I have not watched all of them, but I can say even the largest of all film companies make really bad films.
Asylum makes entertainment worth buying, and for those who have to insult, or use negative feedback to critique other people’s art, expression, and work you obviously have no understanding to creative expression, but I guess that’s just how you express.
As a writer, I hope to one day write for a studio or at least break into the business, and Asylum Entertainment is one place I hope to get acquainted with. I believe they produce a variety of high quality entertainment for everyone, so shame on those who use the word buckaroo! Laugh out loud. Who uses that word?
Keep up the good work Asylum.
May 3rd, 2010 at 11:29 am
I can’t believe how angry some people get about your flicks. Hell, they’re a great time! Not every movie has be Oscar bait.
May 3rd, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Alex, I’d nominate a movie or two of theirs for a few Oscars- “Transmorphers” = best cinematography. “Princess Of Mars” = Make-up. “King Of the Los World” = Original Score.
May 4th, 2010 at 9:22 am
I’ve been an Asylum fan for years! My favorite is Merlin and the War of the Dragons! Low budget yes, but the charm came through. I loved the cast (especially Carys Eleri) who I had a crush on while watching and it has a fantastic score! One of my favorites right up there with Highlander
May 4th, 2010 at 9:25 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by The Frugal Filmmaker. The Frugal Filmmaker said: The Asylum (they make the knockoff flicks) shares the secret of success: http://www.theasylum.cc/blog/2010/05/the-secret-to-our-success/ [...]
May 4th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
@J. Morgenstern Fishmonger
It’s not what the masses want it’s what the BUYERS want. Reading comprehension fail.
Also you act like you as a consumer has no choice in what you consume, which patently false. If you don’t like the Asylum’s movies…don’t watch them!
May 5th, 2010 at 7:47 am
Great post, probably the best i’ve read here.
May 6th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
J. Morgenstern Fishmonger needs to remove the stick from his ass. I wonder what he pats himself on the back for? Making a complete ass of himself, perhaps?
Keep fighting the good fight, Asylum! These films are still better than hollywood SHLOCK. Now that’s the crap that exploits “the masses”. If only the studios had the balls that you guys do!
May 7th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
only make CREATURES movies cuz this the only GREAT thing u do….just keep going………
May 7th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Become like SyFy and show them how to do this genre right!
May 7th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
Yo,Been to Amazon.com lately ? The Asylum rocks on so many levels,LEAVE this website ” NOW” If you don’t agree Ya wuss !
May 8th, 2010 at 8:59 am
you could become “the company that only makes movies that start with MEGA”
your movies are wonderful, fortunately someone is also distributed in Italy (Merlin and the war of the dragons)
May 9th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Just don’t forget us horror fans when you’re a big successful sexy comedy company.
May 19th, 2010 at 12:19 am
Yeah…and don’t forget the boobs ! Boobs is what made Asylum big. All of the SciFi Flicks don’t have boobs cause SciFi doesn’t want boobs. But you could shoot the nudity-scenes for the DVD-Releases. Your fans would appreciate.
Boobs for the win !
May 20th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
You should become a Sexy Horror Comedy Company.
May 20th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
dont people realize there are SO many great low budget movies out there other than Asylum?
Moon ($6 million), District 9 ($20 million), Napoleon Dynamite ($400,000), Imganiaruim of Dr. Parnassus ($3 million), Saw (1 million), primer ($7,000), Do you know why all those movies where so popular even though they were low budget? They where well made! thats why. and you people choose to watch stuff like Mega shark vs Giant Octopus? your CGI is of a 2001 video game, your story/script where whipped in a few hours, your actors are washed out actor “veterans” or no-name no-talents. and then whats with randomly putting machine-guns, monsters, random sex scenes in your random movies? Your movies have no soul, no originality. When are you going to make a movies thats not out to steel away people’s money and actually give them a great movie like bladerunner?
May 21st, 2010 at 6:47 pm
I’ve just seen The 7 Adventures of Sinbad and I was honestly stunned. Forget all the ‘labels’ like mockbuster etc., that was a seriously excellent movie. By any standards. I loved all the creatures – I’ve always loved your creatures, from your War of the Worlds films onwards – the action was unrelenting and all great, the way you were cut from scene to scene, country to country was surreal, gave the movie a slightly dreamlike feel which worked totally well – and it was all held together by one of the best written scores I’ve heard on any movie in a very long while.
You’ve gotta start getting these movies into the cinemas. Forget straight-to-DVD, when something like Sinbad comes along, surely you have to see it’s a cinema movie, not just a buy-to-forget flick.
I don’t care what IMDB or any of the other sites say, I’ve just seen a movie that everyone put their hearts into and it totally paid off. There was SO much heart in that, that it transcended budget, transcended everything and became a rock-solid hit film.
Please, if you’re not going to get this one into the cinemas, the next time you come up with one this good, at least give it a go at general release. Sinbad, Terminators and War of the Worlds 2, of all the ones of yours I’ve seen, definitely deserved cinema release.
Is it possible to buy the soundtrack? I legitimately own the movie on DVD, but I’d love the music by itself to listen to because it’s the best I’ve heard on any of your films.
Thanks for Sinbad.
Yours rsspectfully
Christopher Burke
May 26th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Sir John,
You are entirely dead wrong. The difference between The Asylum’s films and the ones you mentioned are thusly- Yes, while Napoleon Dynamite (a film that is truly god awful, and you mentioning it as a better product than the Asylum’s stuff speaks volumes to your depressingly bad taste), but while the movie itself only cost $400,000 (which is around the budget of an Asylum film) and where that film cost (roughly) the same as 100 Million BC, which one has mostly static shots, and isn’t that visually engaging, and which one has effects, a full epic score, action, and some dynamic camera moves? Oh, that’s right, it’s not Napoleon Dynamite!!
Also, yes Napoleon Dynamite only cost that to make it, but it was then bought by a much bigger studio that had the money to roll out a multimillion dollar ad campaign; most of the movies you named, are like that, but ND was the best example.
The Asylum, only spends the $400,000 and even then, their stuff has already been sold! So, for the exact same price, you get a more ambitious, and smarter film (I despise NDm, it’s amazingly dumb), that actually utilizes many aspects of filmmaking on a cheap budget, and are (for the most part) really fun, and deliver exactly what is promised to us.
Also, every single “independent” film you named had a bigger release than most indies because of a variety of factors including, but not limited- the director has a niche appeal that would make it worth it (Imaginrium), critical acclaim to back it up (Moon), had the help of Peter Jackson’s name to promote it (that guy doesn’t lose money, plus D9′s budget was closer to $30 million, not $20), and most of them all had award potential, and when that potential is there, studios are much more apt to release a smaller film in a wider distribution in order to capitalize on the movie’s supposed/ hoped awards season high life.
And finally, every movie you named was either made under, or picked up by, the “indie arm” of a much larger studio, and thus, they had more money at their exposal, if needed for like, let’s say, marketing!
So please, learn of some none studio ‘independent’ films, like the Asylum films, or Dark Maze Studios, or some such.
Thanks for not knowing a thing, it was a good laugh!
May 28th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
honestly, the special effects in your films are worse then some student animations I have seen around my campus. No soul to them, no creativity and no fun. Honestly, when I go into a movie (or pick up one at the bottom of a dvd bin for this matter), I dont expect to watch a movie that will be so bad its good, I just want to watch a movie that is good! And you guys crank out 10 movies a year not to entertain, but to get a quick buck out of it. Honestly, if you guys where out to make good movies you would try harder and not have:
The Land of the Lost rip off: The Land That Time Forgot
Journey to the Center of the Earth rip off: Journey to the Center of the Earth
Fast and the Furious/Speed Racer rip off: Street Racer
The Invasion rip off: The Invasion of the Pod People
Halloween rip off: Halloween Night
Exorcism of Emily Rose rip off: Exorcism: The Possession of Gail Bowers
Universal Soldier rip off: Universal SoldierS
War of the World rip off: H.G. Wells The War of the Worlds
King Kong rip off: King of the Lost World
The Da Vinci Coad rip off: The Da Vinci Treasure
Pirates of the Caribbean rip off: Pirates of Treasure Island
Snakes on a Plane rip off: Snakes on a Train
Alien vs. Predator: Requiem rip off: AVH: Alien vs. Hunter
Transformers rip off: Transmorphers
I Am Legend rip off: I Am Omega
The Hills Have Eyes rip off: Hillside Cannibals
When A Stranger Calls rip off: When A Killer Calls
Eragon rip off: Dragon
I.J. and the Kingdom of the Crystal rip off: A.Q. and the Temple of Skulls
High School Musical 3 rip off: Sunday School Musical
Cloverfield rip off: Monster
Death Race rip off: Death Racers
The Day the Earth Stood Still rip off: The Day the Earth Stood Stopped
10,000 BC rip off: 100 Million BC
Terminator Salvation rip off: The Terminators
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen rip off: Transmorphers: Fall of Man
Avatar rip off: Prince of Mars
Prince of Persia rip off: 7 Adventures of Sinbad
Parana rip off: Mega Parana
Paranormal Activity rip off: Paranormal Entity
honestly, you can not tell me with a straight face that you guys are not cashing in on other movie’s success. When are you going to do something so original so well made, that even people on the theatrical release movies will praise it?
June 3rd, 2010 at 9:07 pm
I really do find myself enjoying the Asylum films. I don’t put them up as cinematic masterpieces, but films like Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus and Mega Piranhas are really fun little monster movies. To that end, I can’t help but wonder when you guys are going to get around to making a Godzilla-type film or series. It seems like coupling that sort of giant monster action (or rather, people in giant monster costumes in a scale-model city) with a somewhat goofy human-based secondary story would get SyFy viewers weak in the knees.
June 4th, 2010 at 5:11 am
ohhh, how come you guys didn’t make a mockbustor of the A Nightmare on Elm Street Remake? I would of loved to see your version on it. Please make it!
June 4th, 2010 at 11:32 pm
You guys who actually enjoy Asylum movies must be nerds.
June 14th, 2010 at 12:49 am
I’ve always enjoyed your horror entries the most and wish you’d make more of them. It would be interesting to be in on one of your development meetings where you decide the next movie to make as you’ve been very successful for years and thus obviously are doing something right.
June 27th, 2010 at 12:00 am
If you’re a troll that actually takes the time to seek out an article on Asylum’s website just to tell Asylum what they already know (they make cheap, shallow, mostly knock-off titled films) and to tell the people that enjoy Asylum’s films that their experience wasn’t valid and their opinion is “wrong,” then the only course of action you leave me is to quote Buzz Lightyear:
“You are a sad, strange, little man . . . and you have my pity.”
July 4th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
i’d be wary of someone who tells me “wer’e here in order to provide only one prespective: the one you want, dear audience-member”. that is unhealthy both to individuals and the society thei’re part of. nobody ever said that any and all desires should be catered to.
as far as the asylum’s repertoire is concerned, the only film i know of that showed originality and respect to the source material is sherlock holmes. and don’t tell me you can’t tell the difference between emulating a pre-existing story out of love and emulating it while using an approach different from the one that matters to YOU. society is sufficiently varied and diverse to contain as many perspectives as usual. if you regard your work as art, you should know that art as a whole is a world thad tolerates no form of intolerance and herd-mentality.
August 1st, 2010 at 2:17 am
I have read the justifications on how these films don’t “suck”. The problem is that the vast majority of the issues with these films aren’t budget based. It honestly looks like someone wrote the scripts in one session on the can.
I honestly cannot find a single redeeming quality in these things at all. If I were to put out any product that bad, I would be ashamed to be associated with it. And just because some moron at SyFy is dumb enough to buy this crap, doesn’t mean that it is good. They spent all of their money on the Stargate shows and BSG. This crap is just cheap filler to keep the station on air.
Oh and just a little advice for you guys, you can get better costumes from a rental place for about $20 than some of the crap you guys have used. Oh and when you are trying to pass off a water treatment plant as NASA, try taking the pictures of the plant off of the walls.
It is really sad to know that I can make better quality films by myself on my home PC in a few days than the garbage you guys sell as “films”.
Oh and if you want an example of an Indie film that was actually good and well received on a tiny budget, look no further than Clerks. It only opened on a handful of screens and grew to be much more. Although they actually took the time to actually write a script rather than just go by notes scrawled on a napkin.
August 6th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
[...] How can you not admire these guys? and the movies they produce. [...]
August 21st, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Dude, this article received some of the most retardedly idiotic comments I’ve ever seen…… Yo guys the Asylum DOES NOT CARE one bit if YOU PERSONALLY like their films. They have a large and specific fan base that they cater to. They don’t intend for their movies to be taken as seriously as you idiots are taking them. This is what they do! They make mostly cheap knock-offs or Mega SyFy channel quality movies. If you are on here just to bash them or us the fans than you truly must lead a sad and pathetically insignificant life. The Asylum doesn’t care what you think of them and will continue pumping out movies in spite of you so that people like me can watch. I realize that every single movie of The Asylum I have ever watched (about a dozen now) has SUCKED….BADLY. The acting is so bad and over dramatic and the props suck and the CGI sucks. But that’s what gives them their charm. It’s just how it is. I watch bad cinema. The Asylum are geniuses! Keep making those movies!
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Yeah I know Asylum doesn’t care, but man it must be embarrassing acting or even being involved in any of the movies you guys make. I don’t know what your budget is, but for once maybe you could try making one really good movie, instead of a hundred bad ones.. And anyway, you can download all of them online, I wouldn’t pay $1 for your movies. I just watch them for a laugh, thats how bad these movies are..
April 5th, 2011 at 5:39 am
Does anyone think that the only real reason this company can produce so many films and keep running is the fact that the films are SO awful its funny and creating a fanbase where the majority consists of believing it is a ‘Mockbuster’ company, not aiming to please its audience but to create poor budget films with bad effects and no creativity?