Badmovies.org Forum

I was just looking at trailers and saw the "DAWN OF THE DEAD" remake

Remaking classics only teaches the younger generation to avoid watching old movies. I work with a younger girl who hasn't seen stuff like "Airplane", "Superman", films that I think are somewhat american staples and pretty recent. God forbid if many of the youth have even seen movies prior to 1970...mostly because today's society discourages kids from watching classic movies, remakes only reiterate that sentiment.  And that's been in the making for sometime, but when I was growing up, we loved old movies and not just the popular classics. We would go to the video store and go straight to the genre section vs the "new releases". Of course I can still remember vhs and beta sections..hehe, and even then the new releases as I recall weren't always recent films. And I guess the video collection we owned was a very diverse one, we didn't have alot of new releases - mostly stuff people taped off of HBO for us. (because we were po' folk back then, we could afford an $800 vhr but not a new vhs tape..heh)

I guess it just shows how we cater to kids.
"look timmy, you dont' have to watch that bad old movie..we'll make you your OWN version because not only does it make you feel special but we make alot of money without having to do much but copy off of someone elses idea". plus they can throw in the tagline "This is not your parents movie".

And that ladies and gentlemen is why I have no desire to see the TCM remake. If you have the original out there and it's good, why do i want to see a copycat?  I guess it just burns me everytime I have to endure yet another remake. I can understand remaking a film that sucked to begin with if your spin is better.



Post Edited (10-17-03 20:08)

I think you make some valid points here.  However, on the flip side of the coin, what's so challenging about remaking films that sucked?  Say I gathered a thousand dollars and remade Plan 9 from Outer Space.  Of course I'm going to make a better movie.  As everyone here knows, I am a simply superb writer, and a damn fine director.

...

I mean, everyone can tell by my plethora of witty and wise posts on this board that I'm a better writer than Ed Wood.

Right?

...

Right?

...

Huh.  Tough crowd.

My fool attempts at humor aside, if the remake of, say, Night of the Living Dead, were to disappear into a ball of green fire, there would still be people who wouldn't watch the original.  It's in black and white.  The acting's not up to standard.  This reason, that reason.  It's not just remaking films that's the problem; it's the whole idea of new being better.  I would blame decades of commercials before remakes.

---

>>However, on the flip side of the coin, what's so challenging about remaking films that sucked?<<

Well by sucked I more or less mean a film that didn't do well but still had the potential. Some examples might be "the 10 Commandments", where the remake actually becomes the classic itself and demonstrates that it's not following in the success of a film that's important but making your own movie the one everyone remembers because it stands on it's own feet.

>>it's the whole idea of new being better<<

It's a throw away society. New isn't better, it's just new..and people pay to see it for only that reason. Kind of like the way sequels offer the promise, we like the original so much that we want to experience that feeling again so we rush to teh sequels which basically steal alot of moments and just rehash the same storyline again and again until your sick of it and teh characters (which in itself somehow makes the original less...special - for lack of a better word)

You're old, aren't you?

Seriously, I think you may want to look at it as not for the benefit of the younger generation, but rather a way for movie producers to bang out a quick buck by copying a previous success.  Like those sequels you mentioned.

A lot of people go to movies for some quicky entertainment.  They may not love movies like the rest of us, they just want to see something at the theater.  And what's playing at theater?  Whatever's new.  It's not just the younger generation who will go see remakes.  How many people, young and old, go and watch remakes of movies like AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER?

I'm with you.  A remake (or re-imagining) for no reason seems a pointless, money-grubbing venture, but don't blame the kids.  Blame the people grubbing the money.

People who love movies are going to seek out the classics and enjoy them, no matter the age (of the people or the movies).

Not like those no-good punk teens!

I heard about a producer who wanted to remake NORTH BY NORTHWEST with more action. I guess it's for people who wanted that movie to be excruciatingly god-awful. You can't do the infamous Mt. Rushmore scene with computers without Alfred Hitchcock turning over in his grave. Or rather, screaming in agony. Did it ever occur to anyone that a bunch of mindless explosions don't make a movie great? Preying on your last vestige of reality in a world like this does. And that's exactly what The Master did. But audiences these days won't sit still for it. So therefore, blasphemy to the greats of cinema sells. It's a sick mass culture we live in, folks. Thank goodness for badmovies.org.

"You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!"

I'm sixteen so that makes me a no-good punk teen. I LOVE classics and i've changed my mind, i'm not going to go see TCM I realize now that I was jeaslous that my mom got to go to the orignial TCM in theaters because she missed out on a Classic Horror Movie, the new TCM is not a classic (I'm sure of this) and thus is no reason for my kids (I'm just saying in the future) to be jeaouse of me. If they get into horror movies they'll say "YOU Passed on a chance to go see Texas Chainsaw Massecre(2003)" and I'd say "Yep same as your grandma but for your grandma that was ACTUALLY a waste. If I saw TCM(2003) that would have been a waste of my time."

-the first rule of fat club-

I think people should stop remaking classics. What they should do is remake more of the unsuccessful movies of the past . . . but try to make them BETTER.

Not all of us "young people" hate the originals.  

I myself am 20 y/o and I believe that the new TCM remake is actually a good idea.  Yeah, a good one.  I hated the original TCM, not because of the fact that it is old, but because I did not find it entertaining.  The film was not scary, and was boring.  The sequels on the other hand were great, especially for their camp value.

I will not be going into the new TCM thinking that it is a remake.  To me it will be a sequel.  The story will be different, as will be the characters (except for the family, natch).  I'm actually quite excited about the flick being as it's been a long time since we're actually had a disturbing horror film released.


As for other original flicks, I love them.  If you were to look at my DVD collection you would notice that most of my horror films are from the very early 80s or earlier.  I love the original Night Of The Living Dead and it is one of the absolute best horror films ever made.  I also love Savini's "remake" of NOTLD.  Both are great films!  But I have never watched Savini's version thinking to myself that it is a remake.  Just think of it as a continuation of the story.  Forget phrases like "reimagination".  


I also feel that some of the best comedies came in the 80s or before.  Take Cannonball Run for example.  It's a hilarious flick with quick lines and cheesy acting.  One of my favorite comedies ever made.  I would certainly go see a remake of the film just because.  Hopefully it would be better than Speed Trap AKA Cannonball Run 3.

Hopefully I made my point that not all of the newer generations are mindless when it comes to film.  Sometimes you just have to take what is given.  If they want to give me a new TCM film, then I'll take it.  Looks like a blast.

"Thank goodness for badmovies.org."
no kidding, i love this site! all of us true film lovers should start and armed movement. anyone up for the idea? i've always wanted to be a mercenary!! oh and the Dawn remake is most likely gonna suck a fat one.

 "Here are the young men, a weight on their shoulders
Here are the young men - well where have they been?
We knocked on doors of Hell's darker chambers
Pushed to the limits, we dragged ourselves in." -Joy Division



Post Edited (10-18-03 10:43)

>>You're old, aren't you?<<

Yep, 29 seems over the hill these days ;-)


>>I'm with you. A remake (or re-imagining) for no reason seems a pointless, money-grubbing venture, but don't blame the kids. Blame the people grubbing the money.<<<

If the kids didn't seen it (and they don't know better) the movies wouldn't keep coming. It is a money churning machine and it's very sad that it seems like in the past 10 years especially almost every film that hits theaters is a remake or sequel of some sort. That has steered me clear of many Hollywood films and turned me towards indy and foriegn pictures where I always seem to get the most suprise and enjoyment from the "little guys". I don't like to seem so cynical but these days it's hard not to. I guess after 100 years of cinema it's to be expected.


>>'m sixteen so that makes me a no-good punk teen. I LOVE classics and i've changed my mind, <<

Good for you! Just say no to the hollywood recycling bin! I'm sure there's no harm if it comes on cable. I think alot of younger folks have been exposed to so many "new" films that the overall look and feel of older films (even going to black and white) have no appeal to them. You have to realize that time changes the way movies look but not the way they impact. (with the expection of culture desensitization to violence perhaps..the more we see the less of a shock an older movie may have from the 30's. But entertaining nonetheless) Seek out movies of your generation that will be the "classic" of tomorrow. At my age I spend less time going to movies that I always have that feeling about beforehand that I'm just not going to really like, it'll be that "mindless entertainment that isn't really that entertaining". Promotion can brainwash people into thinking they have to see something. Ever notice after walking out of a well hyped up movie that everyone looks pretty jaded? New isn't always bad, I'm just wise to the marketing campaigns...and with movies being so pricey these days.

And Skaboi, I know not all young kids hate classics (god I don't wanna be one of THOSE people who puts everyone in a box). But I can easily see how growing up in today's world can shape the mind. I mean someone in a previous thread actually said "classics" and "grosse pointe blank" in the same breath". I'm desperately working on exposing my godson (who is now 10) to older movies, because he once said to me "it's old, it's not even color!" and realized that he somewhere picked up that an old movie must suck. Who can blame him when he was raised by watching nothing but cartoon movies, disney dvd's and cartoon network. When I was his age I flipped stations (all 5 of them) and watched lots of old saturday night flicks..and I'm mean old and bad..so bad they were good. Because during weekdays we had to watch whatever mom and dad wanted to watch which was usually stuff like Bionic Man, Dance Fever and holy crap it's a wonder I survived the 70's. At his house the tv is on cartoon network 24-7. I think the oldest animated film he's ever seen was one I showed him "the secret of nihm" when he was about 6. I can't WAIT till he's a teenager..hehe

I guess all people like us can do is pass it on to the next coming generation. Just a simple appreciation for all kinds of films and not limiting yourself by preconceived notions.

Because you just wait, right now they're on the bandwagon with remaking horror classics. I can already foresee them remaking "The Philadelphia Story", "dirty Harry"...it's coming



Post Edited (10-18-03 11:02)

Dirty Harry starring "The Rock" of course.  :o)

Not much to say from me other than I purely hate remakes (night of the living dead was good by Savini though) I agree it's a quick way to make a buck without much thought to it.

Oh 15 I beat you and classics rule from old Universal Monster to George's "Dead" trilogy to the origional Alien and Mad Max. Even Deathwish was cool. I also love new classics from Evil Dead trilogy and the some of the Carpenters movies even his last three are enjoyable to a degree. The new Dawn of the Dead( the classic is my favorite of the three) looks good buts seems stupid the first was kinda even though the zombies are slow they still kinda are scary because they're everywhere and you can't fight them all. What could be really disturbing is that they might be friends relaitives. Hopefully my doubts on the remake are false.

Yay!

Who's up for "Megaforce 2003 - The Return"?



Ah.  Okay, back to the pitching-board, then.  Let's see "It's ET - with aliens!" or "It's Jaws - with aliens!" or "It's Aliens - with aliens" ... no, nobody can be that stupid ...

Remakes are fine when there is some real way to improve them.  Dawn of the Dead was close to flawless, brilliant film.

>>Remakes are fine when there is some real way to improve them.<<

I wonder why they thought adding color would improve "PSycho"?

Schindlers list next in color? B&W sometimes has impact, I think hitchcock avoided it for years ..probably thought it was a silly effect that didn't do much for the film.  Some remakes can be done well, but most don't. And when everyone gets on the bandwagon it's enough to make me scream.

If I won the lottery I would want to open my own classic theater, where the rooms would be styled differently. Some in red with curtains, others with tables for dining. But all sharing one thing, no new films. I would love a saturday matinee where one theater room would show 2 movies back to back all day and you could pay one fee (perhaps a little extra) and stay all day if you want. Show everything from all the popular titles like Godfather, alien, even have a family day on sunday with Old Yeller, Dumbo. Sure some of these are owned on dvd, but I think it  would be a great novel idea to be able to go to the movies and see Fright Night, or back to back b-movies. I think teens would like it, because it would give them a chance to maybe see a bunch of flicks they've never seen before, and others a chance to see it once again on the big screen. Old fashioned popcorn boxes, and a FAMILY ROOM, yes you heard me. A soundproof room in the back for the screaming baby (i saw one of these overseas once and it was fantastic) But I digress...

If you build it, they will come.





I know I would :)

For the most part I don't mind remakes at all.

I see them as maybe a new way to look at the subject matter.
I actually look forward to seeing them depending on who stars in them and who's directing.

ONLY if they are good however!  Which is rarer than finding a diamond in my driveway.

Unfortunately, most remakes are made for the goddam MTV type crowd who are into superficiality, material possessions and a general ignorance of not only the REAL world around them but more importantly, the original source material for the film.
And let's not forget that most remakes include my absolute HATRED for hip hop.
It seems that there's some demand to make them ethnically, racially and politically correct these days which I feel is a load of bull.  In my opinion, if I were given a film to remake, I would make it how I wanted to and NOT how I THOUGHT the audience wanted it.  
f**k what the audience wants I say!
Most of the Bfilms we love were made from directors with such a mentality.  They didn't give a s**t about fads, trends and all that other bulls**t and made the film how they wanted to.   They basically said to themselves.."I don't give a flying f**k what the general public thinks, I'll make this film the way I want it."  If only more directors had this mentality....then we wouldn't be exposed to garbage films that have been recently released.
Why do you think films like Evil Dead & Bad Taste are so well loved by us all?  It's because their directors had the aforestated mindset going into it.

Most of these people who remake films are ONLY concerned with making money and not the eventual legacy and possible cult following the film will have in the future...which SHOULD be their reason for making it but they are inevitably blinded by dollar signs.

A successful remake stays true to the original style and overall feel to the original while still being original itself.



Post Edited (10-19-03 03:06)

Ash, I usually don't agree with your posts, but today is different.  You are spot on with your last post.  

I also see remakes as being somewhat of a new way to tell a story which sometimes works out great (NOTLD '90).  But alas most remakes turn out s**tty.  

Remakes should follow closely to their originals without stepping on their toes.  And if it is a film that is being brought up to date to modern times, I see no reason why there shouldn't be rap in the film, as long as it fits the overall film.  To say that there shouldn't be rap in film is actually kinda racist.  We ARE an ethnically blended country and all....but I digress.

But you do have to think about something.  If you were a director and you felt your film should be one way and the studio felt it should be another and there was millions of dollars in the agreement, you wouldn't be thinking about cult status.  Your vision would go right out of the window, as would anyone else's.  That is why most cult films are DIY.




(Steps Down From The Soapbox)

>Most of the Bfilms we love were made from directors with such a mentality. They
>didn't give a s**t about fads, trends and all that other bulls**t and made the film
>how they wanted to. They basically said to themselves.."I don't give a flying f**k
>what the general public thinks, I'll make this film the way I want it." If only more
>directors had this mentality....then we wouldn't be exposed to garbage films that
>have been recently released.

On the other hand, that's the attitude that lead to Batman & Robin being inflicted on the world...

>Why do you think films like Evil Dead & Bad Taste are so well loved by us all?
>It's because their directors had the aforestated mindset going into it.

Both those films were original though, so nobody really had any pre-conceived notions about what they would be like.

In my case, it's not that there shouldn't be rap in film, it's that I don't care for music that distracts from the action on screen.  I want to see a movie, not a music video.

I don't see anything racist about not liking a form of music and not wanting to hear it.

>>In my case, it's not that there shouldn't be rap in film, it's that I don't care for music that distracts from the action on screen. I want to see a movie, not a music video.<<

Yeah but then how could they profit if they don't push a soundtrack? It's all about $$

Why do you think Disney songs aren't so "cutsey" anymore like they used to be. No more "Whistle while you work songs", not as long as elton john or billy joel can sell those cd's to adults

Which is a big reason I dislike most recent films....instead of a real soundtrack of music composed for the film, they select a bunch of random songs and slap them together.....

And yeah, it's damned sad what's happened to Disney over the last few years.

Don't get me started on "old movies."

I used to work in a video store and people would always come in looking for new releases. If we didn't have what they wanted, I would suggest several other movies. They would often say . . . "no, those movies are OLD." (In many cases, they were only a year or two old!!!!).  I would say, "have you seen them?" They would reply, "no." Then I'd ask, "well, if you haven't seen them, why not give them a try?" They would reply, "no thanks, I want something NEW."

One time, a woman came in and was looking for the movie MANNEQUIN, which was a new release. We didn't have any copies on the shelf, so I made an alternate selection. She said, "no, I want something NEW." So I asked, "You'd rather rent a new movie that isn't very good than a movie that is a couple of years old that is VERY GOOD?"

She paused for a moment, then said "yes."

I don't understand this. I just don't understand.

Even if a movie is "old," if you haven't seen it, isn't it new to YOU????

So many so-called "movie fanatics" don't know what they're missing by refusing to watch "old" movies, which might even be (God forbid) in black & white.



Post Edited (10-21-03 11:57)

>>"no, those movies are OLD." (In many cases, they were only a year or two old!!!!). I would say, "have you seen them?" They would reply, "no." Then I'd ask, "well, if you haven't seen them, why not give them a try?" They would reply, "no thanks, I want something NEW."
<<

we live in a throwaway society where we are always upgrading, updating, supersizing, making things newer and better. So..people associate new, with "better".  This social conditioning must stop!

It's called...brainwashing!

I just foudn this site and scanned the board - and sure enough - Dawn of has a mention.  One of the greatest bad films - and I also hear of a remake.  Why would they?  If it's this broke, don't fix it.