Dicks: The MusicaldirectorLarry Charleshas expressed his dislike for high-budget blockbuster films in Hollywood. Especially when they’re being made with the world “in the state that it’s in.” In a recent interview on theWTF With Marc Maronpodcast, Charles discussed why he prefers making lower budget movies like Dicks: The Musical, a musical about two business adversaries who realize they’re identical twin brothers. See what Larry Charles had to say about the state of movie-making below:
“I try to make things likeDangerous Comedyor this movie — this movie’s a very low-budget movie. Politically for me, ethically for me, I find it offensive when movies cost $250 million and the world is in the state that it’s in. So I’m also looking to make a statement in the way these things are made.”
For decades, Charles has worked as a writer-director on several shows (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm) and films (Borat, Bruno, The Dictator). Charles’ statement speaks volumes, given that big-budget films have dominated the screen in recent years, specifically superhero films from Marvel and DC Studios. However, these superhero films have garnered criticism from fans due to their low quality.
One of the most infamous examples is DC’sThe Flash,whichflopped tremendously at the box office, only making $270 million worldwide with a $300 million budget. As for his own film,Dicks: The Musicalis estimated to have a budget of $8 million (viaWired) and is the first film musical produced by A24.
Based on the off-broadway musicalF–king Identical Twinsby Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson, the film surrounds two twin brothers who attempt to reunite their divorced parents and become a whole family. Sharp, Jackson, D’Arcy Carden, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Bowen Yang, Megan Thee Stallion, and Nathan Lane star in the film.
Exclusive: Dicks: The Musical Cast and Director on Pulling Off A24’s Raunchiest Movie Yet
We interviewed Larry Charles and the cast of A24’s Dicks: The Musical, a raunchy yet heartfelt film with Megan Mullally, Nathan Lane, and Bowen Yang.
Charles Says That Hollywood Is an Unfair System
In addition to his criticism of big-budget films, Charles explains that a “media monopoly system” allows for such unfair treatment of independent projects.
People make their art in the way they can, and they reach each other in the way they can. We have such a media monopoly system here that that in itself is kind of an authoritarian Big Brother sort of thing that we — they’ve figured out over the years, they don’t have to make you, they don’t have to scare you, they have to seduce you. So we’re all seduced by great TV shows and great movies, and we’re distracted by those things, and we’re then indulging in that same capitalist system and there’s no way it’s going to change as long as we do that… I struggle with that.
The 66-year-old writer-director believes that the only way to combat the Hollywood system is to make films as cheaply as possible.
The way I can make a radical work is by saying that I could do it for a little money, and the way [producers] say yes to it is they think, ‘Oh, that radical little work that’s not going to cost any money is going to make money.’ Absolutely. That is the system.
Dicks: The Musicalis out in select U.S. theaters. Check outour review of the film here!
