U.S.-Argentine Co-productions, 1982-1990: Roger Corman, Aries Productions, "Schlockbuster" Movies, and the International Market

Abstract

Introduction A series of low budget films were made jointly by U.S. producer Roger Corman and Argentine director-producer Hector Olivera in the 1980s. Produced primarily for the direct-to-video and cable market, these commercial entertainment films with titles such as Deathstalker (1983), Barbarian Queen (1985) and Two to Tango (1988) were markedly different from the typical art house co-productions made in Argentina. For one, they were not destined for the international film festival market. Second, in contrast to other Argentine co-productions, these films for the most part had no bearing on Argentine (popular) culture, history, or current events. Third, few were geared toward both the Argentine and U.S. markets. This essay examines how co-productions as dual (or multilateral) cultural collaborations between countries may potentially be plagued by unequal power dynamics that could have negative consequences on the productions. This case of Argentine-U.S. coproductions poignantly illustrates this tension. Despite the financial gains these films brought to the Argentine film industry (such as employment, use of resources, etc.) I argue that the films ultimately worked counter to the spirit of Argentine filmmaking due to either the absence of Argentina from the cinemascape or the distorted representations and/or stereotypes of Argentine culture in the few times it was depicted. For example, some of the sword and sorcery films co-produced by Corman and Olivera were shot entirely in Argentina, yet erased all cultural or geographic references to the country. Instead, the Argentine landscape served as a backdrop and double for forests in medieval Europe. In other cases, images were depicted in stereotyped ways (e.g. tango dancing, Latino 'macho' men, etc.) designed for the U.S. and other English language market consumption. Finally, all of the films were shot in English, with the exception of Cocaine Wars (La muerte blancd) where both English and Spanish versions were produced. By examining the dynamics and processes of coproduction between these two countries, one can see how the relative size and wealth of film markets play a determining role in the shaping of film content and the formation of cultural products in general. Why Co-production between the United States and Argentina? During the 1980s, due to massive hyperinflation, the Argentine economy was in a shambles. The film market accordingly had shrunk, and within the film industry community, new strategies for encouraging international investment and film export were being considered. In 1982, around the time the transition to democratic rule occurred, Hector Olivera and a producer named Alejandro Sessa contacted Roger Corman about producing low-budget cinema in the Pampas. Corman, who had previously experimented with co-production in countries such as the Philippines, Mexico, and Yugoslavia, decided to produce a series of films to be shot principally in the outskirts of Buenos Aires. He had encountered problems in some countries where he had filmed,1 and thus did not have one specific place he felt comfortable making movies. Argentina was ideal for him because not only were labor and other prices extremely low, but also the technical skill of the crew was excellent. With the possibility of state subsidies in Argentina, as well as the prospect of exhibition and distribution in Latin America (two channels that were ultimately underutilized), this co-production venture seemed rife with opportunity for Corman. For Olivera and producer Sessa, it made sense to seek international partners during this difficult period in time. Hector Olivera, coowner of Aries Studios, one of the most successful film studios in Argentina, was aware that prices were low for foreign spending in Argentina, and thus sought ways to encourage filmmakers from other countries to shoot films in Argentina. he recalls: At that moment, we were the owners of the Estudios Bai res Films of Don Torcuato, and we needed to keep the studio in motion. …