What constitutes a 'little' film?

[Toyboy like a hole in the head Find all posts View Profile Close Toyboy]

I was reading Stephen Thrower's liner notes for the Andy Milligan box set and he uses the adjective "little" twice in one paragraph to describe SEEDS...

"...an astoundingly bitter little melodrama..."

"...an electrifyingly nasty little gem..."

This is very much a film critic-type thing to say and whenever I see it used I picture Leonard Maltin grinning ear to ear, saying "This is a great little film!". The only time I've ever heard anyone other than a film critic say it was when a co-worker once told me I should watch THE SILENT PARTNER, saying "it's a great little picture." This person was a big fan of Maltin's film guides so I always assumed that's where he got it.

What I've always taken it to mean was that the film in question was small in scale, production wise: very few people in the cast, low budget, limited locations, simply shot and edited, character driven, tightly scripted and with a short run time. Is that the general thought there? Obviously nobody would ever say "TITANIC is a fun little film" and two movies that spring to mind that would be considered "little" are GREGORY'S GIRL and MY BODYGUARD for all the reasons I listed above. TITANIC = big film, GREGORY'S GIRL = little film

That said, does anyone know who first popularized this usage? Am I right in leaning toward this being a Maltin led trend?

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

I think you answered your own question. You certainly could argue that based on the limited sets, small cast and nearly non-existent budget you could argue most of Milligan's films are small in scale and scope compared to other pictures.

No idea if Maltin started it or not but it sounds kind of Matlin-esque.

[Toyboy like a hole in the head Find all posts View Profile Close Toyboy]

No idea if Maltin started it or not but it sounds kind of Matlin-esque.

It's very cinema-specific. I'm not sure I've ever read an album review that said "this is a great little record" or have seen a book reviewer say "this is a fun little read" but I'm sure it's happened. It sometimes feels like the reviewer is patting themselves on the back for recognizing greatness in less ambitious stuff.

[Scott Intellectual Carrot Find all posts View Profile Close Scott]

These days it sounds like a put down.

"Leonard Maltin's little film reviews."

It sounds like a back handed compliment you'd give to a child.

"Scott's little lemonade stand with his little friends was a neighborhood success!"

[Matt H. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt H.]

"Scott's little lemonade stand with his little friends was a neighborhood success!"

Hahaha

[Roderick Butthorn Find all posts View Profile Close Roderick]

It's very cinema-specific. I'm not sure I've ever read an album review that said "this is a great little record" or have seen a book reviewer say "this is a fun little read" but I'm sure it's happened. It sometimes feels like the reviewer is patting themselves on the back for recognizing greatness in less ambitious stuff.

It might also be seen as a gentler way of saying "low budget".

[Roderick Butthorn Find all posts View Profile Close Roderick]

Or maybe shorthand for "adjust your expectations accordingly.".

[Dom D Spoon! Find all posts View Profile Close Dom D]

I suspect I've used the term a bunch in the past. I don't think it's intended to be condescending. I see it as a term of affection for when a film is made on a small scale but with a lot of love.

[Toyboy like a hole in the head Find all posts View Profile Close Toyboy]

This little thread is really just a passive/aggressive way for me to complain about my old coworker saying that because it really irritated me at the time. I thought "Who the fuck are you talking to? Am I watching Entertainment Tonight?"

[Toyboy like a hole in the head Find all posts View Profile Close Toyboy]

I suspect I've used the term a bunch in the past. I don't think it's intended to be condescending. I see it as a term of affection for when a film is made on a small scale but with a lot of love.

That makes sense.

[Scott Intellectual Carrot Find all posts View Profile Close Scott]

My low budget friends and my low budget lemonade stand. Adjust your expectations accordingly.

[Scott Intellectual Carrot Find all posts View Profile Close Scott]

I'm sorry, I'm in a silly mood today.

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

What I've always taken it to mean was that the film in question was small in scale, production wise: very few people in the cast, low budget, limited locations, simply shot and edited, character driven, tightly scripted and with a short run time.

I used to have a Maltin guide back in the day but regardless, it was common to hear a film described by my parents/grandparents' generations as a 'little picture' or 'small film' when I was growing up - the adjective used to denote a film that, as you say, is small in scope and made on an equally small budget - the same way you'd talk about a 'nice little restaurant' or 'cosy little pub'. The use of the word 'little' in such contexts was more complimentary than derogatory, usually accompanied by positive qualifiers ('nice', 'cosy'). Seems fairly common in my part of the UK (North/Midlands, about 100 miles away from the Manchester region, where Thrower grew up); not sure how common its usage in such a context is elsewhere.

It's very cinema-specific. I'm not sure I've ever read an album review that said "this is a great little record" or have seen a book reviewer say "this is a fun little read" but I'm sure it's happened.

Again, these are phrases that you hear all the time in my neck of the woods.