This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
From YKTTW Working Title: Took the bad film seriously
Earnest: This trope has been put on the Cut List for the following reasons:
- Ethereal Mutation: Either it's using "bad" as synonymous with "camp" (which would make the title misleading as hell) or it's just a way of saying "a bad film but with one performance that has effort put into it". Also suggests with such a title and writeup that actors are supposed to predict a doomed product and just sleepwalk through it. Either way, it should be dumped back to YKTTW.
The title is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin, campy movies with straight performances is something else and doesn't count for this trope, that's why the Doctor Strangelove example in the YKTTW wasn't included, neither would a funny film with a completely "straight" performance (in hindsight, perhaps the Marx Brothers example ought to go too).
As to the writeup and title implying they're supposed to know it's a dud and sleepwalk through the role, it already mentions that it's hard to predict, might happen after filming, and some may even go in knowing it's going to be a bad movie (see Old Shame). The writeup isn't chastising them for acting well in a bad film, just noting that they're out of place for doing so.
Anonymous Mc Cartneyfan: Someone, noticing that this trope is still here, put it back on the Cut List claiming it isn't a trope and succinctly defining what this trope is (an actor giving a good performance in an otherwise bad film)....
thatother1dude: OK, what basis is there for this? What is a "bad" film?
Earnest: What is a "good" actor? We can argue about subjectivity all day, which, not to be pedantic, the trope is already tagged as being. To answer your question, the basis here is that an actor who can act (not just a big name) performs to their standard while starring in a movie that is considered by most critics to be poor.
thatother1dude: Then how is this article not just when two completely random events happen at the same time? And sticking the Subjective Tropes tag on something does not make an article that is based on Complaining About Shows You Dont Like OK.
Earnest: For the simple reason that a good actor has a choice: they can choose to eat some Ham and Cheese with their bad film, or Take The Bad Film Seriously.
