Fan Films can sometimes stir up more excitement than their Hollywood counterpart – creating a buzz that often testifies what the real fan wants to see. The majority of the broader audience know their superheroes through the vast media these days, with an endless array of superhero movies extended into commercialized toys, memorabilia and lots of other commercial options. It goes so far that even casino sites have been taking the endeavor to feature them in titles such as “Batman & The Joker Jewels”, a massive success in the mainstream gambling industry. But the hardcore fans are looking for something deeper, typically darker that lurk from the bottom roots of the comic books themselves.
Here is where some fans take things into their own hands and create some of the best fan films . But for each outstanding superhero fan film out there, hundreds of others go unnoticed. The main reason is easy to spot and quite simple: budget. Comic book universes like DC Comics are often set around supernatural or undeniably rich characters, which can be hard to recreate with a shoestring budget. We will often see cosplay enthusiasts attempt the impossible, and while they may have impressive costumes, they often lack the cinematic skills to display intense scenes and stories with vigorous characters.
The best example may be Batman, the most popular DC character with by far the most Fan Films created out there. But even with thousands of fans dressing up as a bat and taking out their handicams, only a good handful really stand out to be exciting films that will stand the test of time. Our favourite Bat-Film is probably one of the oldest which predates YouTube itself, Batman Dead End – where the Dark Knight not only faces the Joker, but also unexpectedly the Alien and Predator.
Batman Dead End
Surprisingly, some of the best Fan Films may come from some of the most obscure characters in comic books, the anti-heroes or even villains. These films usually put aside the superhero aspects, and reveal the darker, psychological entailments of the characters – which often can be created with little budget without any extravagant costumes. The Hallivis Brothers’ The Laughing Man may be the perfect example – and probably one of the best Fan Films of the last few years.
The Laughing Man
