For good published writing on the aesthetics of schlock take a look at
J. Hoberman's article on objectively bad films (in Vulgar Modernism) and
Jack Smith's essay on Maria Montez (first published in Film Culture but
also in the anthology of his writings I think edited by Hoberman). This
stuff certainly influenced many filmmakers and other artists: Ken Jacobs
(who was especially with Oscar Michaux), Smith himself, probably the
Kuchars, John Zorn (who wrote an unpublished article on the influence),
John Waters, Andre Breton, the various schools of the theatre of the
ridiculous, etc.
There's an argument that can be made that schlock more shares properties
with (some) high art -- disruption of expectations for one thing -- than
with middle-brow art.
John M.
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