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it comes down to the actors really ..
1) most no budget films cannot afford A list actors. Most horror no budget films employ pitifully untalented nobodies and try to make do.
occasionally a good no budget film is made by a clever filmmaker who knows how to make the most of what he has available to him.
2) most A list actors will review a project and have enough brains to avoid it if it's shit. Occasionally a good actor will make a bad film when fallen upon hard times/in need of work/doing a favor..etc
Shitty actors will do absolutely anything to be in absolutely anything.
3) great actors are respected - bad actors aren't.
this translates directly to the films they are in.
the other huge factor is music. I cannot stress this enough.
80's direct to video horror has either shitty synth music .. a la Richard Band,
or terrible metal music - usually provided by a friend of the filmmaker.
I dont know which i hate the most - probably the Richard Band style keyboard garbage - just because absolutely everyone does it - to this day still.
it has ruined more horror movies for me than any other element.
Last thing : Lighting.
Shitty movies always have this god awful lighting .. in labs/spaceships/the woods, where there is a green or red glow emanating from ... wherever.
A sad attempt to create atmosphere ...all it does is stamp yet another CHEAP ASS label all over the film.
Gregory Peck was in The Omen for chrissakes ... that commands respect.
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