[log in to unmask] asks:

>can someone give me a good definition of a B-Movie?

A type of film produced to fill a defined slot in a mainstream cinema
programme before the emergence of television and the contraction of the
Hollywood distribution infrastructure ended the practice of so-called
'double-feature programming' from the late '40s onwards.  A typical
programme would consist of two features, commercials, trailers, newsreel
and possibly a live stage performance of some description.  Of the two
features, the 'A' picture had a major budget expended on it, it usually had
a known star, featured higher production values and ran 90-120
minutes.  The 'B' picture very rarely featured well-known cast members,
often used a restricted number of studio sets, were produced on tight
production schedules and usually ran 60-90 minutes.  'B' pictures were
often block booked as part of packages, i.e. cinemas could book a programme
based on the A-picture, and would get whatever B-film the distributor chose
to give them.  B-films usually received little or no marketing (e.g.
trailers, posters) in their own right.

A 'double A' feature was one which had such a long running time as to
preclude any other feature being shown in the same programme (e.g. 'Gone
With the Wind') and was usually shown with an interval.

Leo

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