When did Hollywood go into "Hyper Remake Mode"?

[daveblackeye15]

For the last few days I've been trying to figure out when Hollywood started this Remake Extravaganza. I'm sure it was before "Dawn of the Dead" and I'm not positive if it began with The Ring but I think the a factor could have been Peter Jackson announcing his desire to remake "King Kong". Differnt ideas anyone?

[Eirik]

I think this current (and hopefully short-lived) explosion of remakes is an outgrowth of the rash of TV shows adapted into movies we've seen in the last 5-10 years.  I believe Payback and Get Carter were two remakes that led the tide.  Like TV-show-movies, remakes avoid the creative process (which apparently causes severe pain to Hollywood film producers).  They also both take advantage of a pre-sold idea and hence instant buzz.  We hear there's a Bad News Bears or Manchurian Candidate remake in the works and we pretty much know instantly what to expect and can even talk about how it and its cast will compare to the source material.  On the other hand if you heard that an actual original movie was in the works (the Usual Suspects for example) and you wouldn't know what to think about it... it certainly wouldn't be water cooler material.