Follow the jump for an image from HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY, the Guillermo del Toro-helmed fantasty actioner about to come out on DVD. I got a chance to check it out early, one of the fantastic perks of this business, and it was…kinda okay.
You never had any doubt where it was going — I spent most of my time wondering what it must look like inside the director’s head in the isolated dead of night. But I did come away from the experience with another filmmaking lesson learned, and another clearly demarcated difference between Hollywood and the Independents: A passion for production design without limits, be they of taste, scope or budget.

During one of the special features, del Toro takes the viewer on a tour of one of the larger sets used on the film - the Troll Market. A massively-detailed space built in a rock quarry, the Market was seen for perhaps three total minutes of screen time. Del Toro (almost apologetically) points out several areas of the set that weren’t seen at all in the film, as well as such minute details as the many-sized sandals arrayed in bunks outside the Troll Bathhouse. It’s not hard to imagine the countless hours and dollars spent by the production design team crafting this over-the-top set. Now, I’m all for realism in film (especially important in a fantasy — the look must be coherent and as physical/tangible as possible), but with all the talk of fiscal responsibility and concern about the financial stability of the film industry…perhaps letting the production design team pull out every tool in the kit is a bit of a waste of resources?

The argument is, this level of preparation gives the director opportunity to adjust in production — to shoot what’s best the day of, all planning aside. But on the other end of the spectrum, there’s incredibly talented filmmakers slaving over microscopic budgets in the attempt to realize their own modest vision. Isn’t del Toro, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker, capable of the same? Sometimes money, and more money is a necessity, sometimes it’s a self-satisfying replacement for innovation and problem solving. For the kind of cash it must’ve taken to craft two dozen pairs of Troll-sized booties, a savvy Indie director could’ve shot a festival-worthy short film. Where are our priorities? What message do we send as consumers when we lavish our spending cash on hundred-million-dollar opulence as opposed to work forged on creative dedication and responsibility?

I dunno….I’m just sayin’…

PICTURE HERE!