How ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ succeeded through word of mouth
Upon its release in 2004, Jared Hess’ coming-of-age comedy Napoleon Dynamite enjoyed unrivalled success in the realm of early 21st-century independent cinema. It was an outcome that undoubtedly relied on the power of word of mouth, and the film simply became a pop culture phenomenon following something of a modest initial theatrical run.
Starring Jon Heder in the lead titular role, the movie tells of a young, nerdy and awkward teenager who traverses the many pitfalls of modern high school life. In a comedic style of true irreverence, Napoleon befriends an immigrant student with class president ambitions and experiences romantic pursuit and several obscure moments with his eccentric family.
It was that quirky sense of humour and unique narrative that saw the film become a resounding success, with audiences looking for a new style of comedy around the turn of the new millennium. Rather than adhere to the widely accepted conventions of the genre, Napoleon Dynamite’s peculiar style felt fresh at the time, though there have surely been imitators since its release.
Looking into the minutiae of small-town life, focusing on the strange characters of Preston, Idaho, also lent Hess’s film an air of reliability. This, combined with themes of friendship and isolation, led to an appeal to a wider audience while feeling somehow focused and specific.
The result was that Napoleon Dynamite suddenly began to gain traction via word of mouth, and the film’s producers employed a grassroots marketing campaign that centred on early championing members of its audience to spread excitement and buzz via internet forums and in-person conversation. “Have you seen Napoleon Dynamite?” was suddenly the question on everyone’s lips in offices and on playgrounds across America and into Europe.
It was this unique charm, this excitement and air of alternative comedy, that led to unprecedented commercial success, something that no one had really expected to occur. Shot on a $400,000 budget over just 23 days before a debut at the Sundance Film Festival, it was purchased for wider distribution by Fox Searchlight, leading to a small theatrical release.
Eventually, though, Hess’s movie played in cinemas for eight months, earning $1.6million on its seventh weekend at 210 venues. It was all down to the early screening campaigns of free merchandise, that initial buzz of excitement, and that initial success continued as the film enjoyed yet further appeal in the home entertainment market.
Reflecting on the independent origins of Napoleon Dynamite, Hess once told Rolling Stone, “It was a bunch of friends getting together to make a movie. It was like, ‘Are people going to get this? Is it working?’”. Well, what happened next certainly worked, and following a positive reception at Sundance, Napoleon Dynamite went on to become a global sensation. However, there was still a hefty lawsuit to contend with.
Check out the trailer for the film below.
