In recent years, the success of big budget blockbusters such as Kung Fu Panda and Wall-e has raised the bar of artistic and financial achievement in the animation field quite high; however, many audience members are unaware that there are smaller production companies attempting to climb the ladder of accomplishment. Without an excess of financial freedom, the objectives of these studios are harder to attain.
Opening Weekend Blues
Delgo opened in wide release on December 12, 2008. An animated fantasy directed by Jason Maurer and Marc F. Adler, Delgo was produced by Atlanta’s Fathom studios, and is credited with garnering the lowest wide release opening figures of all time. With a budget of $40,000,000, Delgo opened on just over 2100 screens, and grossed under $512,000 in its opening weekend. Such numbers leave it up to DVD sales to give Fathom Studios the capability to achieve even minor success with a production that took years to bring to fruition.
Prior to its release, Delgo had a number of factors working in its favor. The voice acting capabilities of performers such as Eric Idle and the late Anne Bancroft, a well-crafted plotline, appealing characters and vivid environmental designs provided the film with a powerful start. It was screened at a number of festivals, receiving recognitions that included Best Feature Film at Anima Mundi, Spotlight Feature at the Rome International Film Festival and Showcase Presentation at the Red Stick Animation Festival. With all of these preliminary attributes, it is hard to understand how this small film could have ended up as large a flop as it did.
The Power of Marketing
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, director Marc F. Adler stated that the film’s advertisements were played on children’s networks, barely giving parents, the ultimate decision-makers, the opportunity to give it a solid glimpse. Solely targeting the children’s market may have been an error in and of itself. Delgo is comprised of complex characters existing within an intricate storyline. We are also discussing animation-a medium that has, since its inception, been pitched toward, children; however, not only children appreciate and gravitate toward animated films.
Delgo.com states that it is the story of “a rebellious boy and his clandestine love for a Princess of an opposing race to stop a war orchestrated by a power-hungry villain. “ Adult-oriented themes of love, race, war, power and evil flow throughout this picture – not necessarily ideas with which children are explicitly familiar. Its elements of world building and fantasy are reminiscent of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings; however, Tolkien’s story is so familiar, it has become an entertainment staple in today’s society. Delgo was the attempt of a group of unknowns to build a new world for 21st Century fantasy fans to enjoy, and had the potential to provide a fresh perspective within an already well-established genre. Granted, the film was circulated throughout the festival scene, but could have benefited if had been given more time in such circuits. Having built up a base of fantasy and animation loyalists, it could have then been sent into wide release, possibly receiving better box office returns.
Delgo aimed high and fell short. The true merit in such a film, however, is not in its marketability or financial success, but in its desire to deliver a new spin on a familiar tale. Directors such as Maurer and Adler are little guys in a vast ocean, who got eaten by the expectations of the mainstream. Perhaps, with time, they will see their work praised for its talent, and its DVD release will help Delgo to eventually become a cult favorite.
Join the Conversation