Some thoughts triggered by the fact that Marky Mark Wahlberg is soon to star in a remake of 'The Italian Job'. He's already ruined 'Planet of the Apes', and needs to be stopped. There has been been a recent trend in remakes (Get Carter, Oceans 11, Mean Machine, the two above and I'm sure many more that slip my dysfunctional memory).
Are there any remakes at all that are better then the original?
What remake do you wish had never happened?
What film would you most like to see remade?
What film would you least like to see remade?
Are people who remake films just too damn lazy to make an original?
Pete
Hummm....good one, Pete.
....#1.Can't think of any off hand.
....#2. P, of the Apes.....Godz(Growl)-"Deanzilla"......
....#3. Giant Claw, Black Scorpion,Giant Behemouth,Reptilicus,..lots of Kaihu in this list.....Deadly Mantis,.....
....#4. Them (leave it alone). C. from the Black Lagoon....humm...
....#5. For the most part, yes. But, as per my line#3, there are some flicks that could be improved with modern tech. As per script work, that leaves room for argument......
For the most part Hollywood tries too hard to improve on it rather then stay faithful. Think about when a rock band remakes a classic song. What makes it a hit? When the artist stays faithful to the original yet adds just enough flair to make it his/her own.
Godzillia could have been a lot better if they remembered what made him famous, his movies were fun. And also to me that's one of the major things that has been missing today, the fun in movies. It's all about money and no longer about the art. I have no faith in anything Hollywood does anymore.
Add both creativity and good stroytelling to that list, Erik, for those are also missing from that list of movies that need good ingredients to make them work.
And,I think that Guillemero Del Toro will really make sure that the soon-to-be-remade "Creature from the Black Lagoon" will be a really great remake,one that expands upon the original ala "The Thing" and "The Blob",and not become another La-Hoo-ZaHer "redux" flick like last year's "Planet of the Apes" and that Roland Emmerich/Dean Devlin giant lizard flick(you know,the one that stars with the letter G).
I usually avoide remakes like the plague, but that INSOMNIA remake looks interesting.
The remake of THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH was probably better than the original, but it most likely doesn't count since Hitchcock remade his own film.
The TEXAS CHAINSAW remake is one I'm not happy about, but I could actually maybe live with a remake of DAWN OF THE DEAD, provided it was done seriously and jettisoned a lot of the stuff that weighed down the original [you know, the half hour or so in the middle of the film where nothing really happens...]
John Carpenter's The Thing is superior to the original.
Unlike seemingly everyone else, I enjoyed the new Apes. But I do wish Godzilla had never reared his new phallic-shaped head. And Matthew Broderick?!
I don't want to see Dawn Of The Dead or Texas Chainsaw Massacre remade, but both are already happening.
The remake of Ocean's ii was much better than the original. And an all around cool movie, regardless of source material. it's examples like that that prove that remakes can be worthwhile.
I wouldn't say it was Marky Mark who ruined the PLANET OF THE APES remake. He was just an actor. Blame Tim Burton.
The problem with most remakes is that they always decide to remake the classics. Of course, it's stupid reasoning because classic films are considered classic because people still enjoy watching them today. They don't need to be remade, the originals are still doing their job.
Now there are plenty of movies that could be remade. Movies that had some interesting ideas, but never quite pulled them off. Or movies that didn't have the budget to fulfill their own promise could be remade. I can't think of any off the top of my head, but they're out there.
One practice I don't usually appreciate is when somebody takes a foreign film and remakes it for local audiences. Like Cameron Crowe with VANILLA SKY, or the new SOLARIS movie. But I think that's because I think most Americans should get off their asses and watch a foreign film. Why not? The rest of the world watches our movies.
America is the best and everything we make is better, so there.
There are lots of films that had interesting idaes that couldn't be followed through. George Romero's original Day of The Dead script, for example, was much more ambitious that what ended up being made, due to budget constrictions. Lots of horror and sci-fi films had the same problems.
USA ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!
well, not that i doubt the competence of american filmmakers, as im sure some are capable at improving already succesful, quality foriegn films, but i get the feeling that isnt why we remake . . . perhaps (gasp!) its because americans cant read subtitles! . . . yes, its shameful, but true
I think it's because we don't like seeing beastly people foreign countries consider beautiful shot on ugly film speaking in an odd language. I can't watch French films; Gerard Depardeu and Jean Reno are mutants and the women are always really skanky and French is just a very disgusting language. I'm an arrogant American and proud of it.
I like some foreign films, but I don't automatically assume all foreign films are better. I really hate those Merchant-Ivory films [THE ENGLISH PATIENT, REMAINS OF THE DAY, etc.] I refuse to watch the American remakes that are obviously just dumbed-down versions [like the American version of THE VANISHING.] However, I've heard that the INSOMNIA remake isn't like that, so I'm going to give it a chance next time I head to the theater.
Carpenter's THE THING was less a remake of the original and more an adaptation of the short story on which the original was very loosely based. So I see them as two very different films, not really competing with each other.
The OCEAN'S ELEVEN remake was similar, but I ultimately found it disposable. I would rather watch the original any day. The Rat Pack had style. It didn't really matter what the movie was about, they just had a charisma that the likes of Clooney, PItt, et. al. just don't have.
Personally, I think DAY OF THE DEAD would have sucked even if Romero had been able to go with his original vision.
jmc wrote:
>
> I like some foreign films, but I don't automatically assume
> all foreign films are better. I really hate those
> Merchant-Ivory films [THE ENGLISH PATIENT, REMAINS OF THE
> DAY, etc.]
I'm with you on this one. I've seen really cool foreingn flicks and I've seen sucky foreign flicks. Anybody who thinks a movie is great and way better than everything else just because it's European, or Asian, or some place like that is a damn moron.
>
> Carpenter's THE THING was less a remake of the original and
> more an adaptation of the short story on which the original
> was very loosely based. So I see them as two very different
> films, not really competing with each other.
>
Couldn't have said it better myself. So I won't try.
>
>
> Personally, I think DAY OF THE DEAD would have sucked even if
> Romero had been able to go with his original vision.
EEEHHHHMMM....It might have been good or it might have still sucked(look at Romero's track record), but I guess we won't know. His script for Resident Evil(while having some good elements) was pretty bad(Anderson did alot better). I'm still iffy about Dead Reckoning, just doesn't seem like it will turn out good.
Mark Walhberg DIDN'T ruin planet of the apes. i could actually sit down and watch it, instead of wanting to eat my own head off with the original. and he's just an actor doing his job, like you're gonna stop him from making films. what's your problem with remakes? you don't like them? watch the originals and shut up.
Pete B6K wrote:
>
> Are there any remakes at all that are better then the original?
John Carpenter's The Thing is a superior adaptation of Who Goes There? than the rather standard monster on loose 50s era The Thing from Another World (which still rocks, BTW)
Philip Kaufman's remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers was better in some ways than Siegel's original (it holds up to repeat viewers a lot better)
> What remake do you wish had never happened?
Psycho (what the hell is up with that?)
> What film would you most like to see remade?
The Car is a dream project of mine.
> What film would you least like to see remade?
Jaws
> Are people who remake films just too damn lazy to make an
> original?
Short answer: No. Projects get funded on the perceived ability of that project to rake in cash. Projects based on pre-existing media that has a proven fan base will get funded more so than an unkown. Which is why you see so many titles with numerals after them or remakes of cult classics, there is an audience out there willing to pay a certain amount of money to see it, then add on a star's core audience and...you can see the mindset at work already. Just base your decision entirely on how to maximize your profit based on what is currently making money and you can see how the Hollywood machine spits 'em out one after another. Believe me, in three years we are all going to be SICK of Super Hero movies!
But the actual making of a movie is a lot of hard work and stress. Irregardless of where it came from.
Adjust to normal. The message board is for us to discuss movies, whether we like them or not.
The remake I'm really dreading is the made-for-TV Rocky Horror. Not only is the idea COMPLETELY pointless, but having it go straight to TV eliminates the whole "audience participation" appeal.
I think a remake of Tod Browning's Freaks could be pretty cool. Don't get me wrong, the original was a classic, but it has undeniable flaws, mostly due to studio tampering and the novelty of talkies. If they still cast actual deformities, restored the aspects the studio once found too shocking (like the infamous "soprano" ending), and focused more on the freaks as characters, it could be really good. Of course, if any one of those elements was missing, it would have potential to be complete and utter crap.
A couple of remakes I wouldn't mind seeing--I think it would be interesting to see a remake of THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE updated to where an American soldier is brainwashed by terrorists to become a "sleeper."
Also wouldn't mind seeing a remake of JOE [the 70s Peter Boyle hardhat vs. hippies classic] updated with hip-hop types replacing hippies.
The problem I have with remakes is that it's like Hollywood is eating itself. If fewer original movies are being made, what will happen when there's nothing left to remake? I mean, I know it's a bit of an exaggeration, but even so it's still bad for the movies if there's less room for new ideas, or at least newer takes on old ideas.
Even a more optimistic scenario would have things like movies based on TV commercials....wouldn't surprise me a bit if something like that happens within the next five years, if it hasn't already. Heck, the last time I went to the movies they had a commercial for a TV show at the beginning! I couldn't believe it....
And I'm willing to give the DAWN and TCM remakes a chance, depending on what I hear about them. To be honest, I probably won't listen to what people say from the horror film community, because I know quite a few people who will hate the movies no matter what, simply for the fact that they're being made.
For what it's worth, I'm already sick of superhero movies.....
jmc wrote:
>
> Even a more optimistic scenario would have things like movies
> based on TV commercials....wouldn't surprise me a bit if
> something like that happens within the next five years, if it
> hasn't already. Heck, the last time I went to the movies
> they had a commercial for a TV show at the beginning! I
> couldn't believe it....
>
I'm hoping the COUPON: THE MOVIE gets a distribution deal. (Obligatory Mr. Show (http://www.bobanddavid.com/) reference.)
>
> Are there any remakes at all that are better then the original?
Sure- The Maltese Falcon, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and The Fly. I'm still torn over wether or not the remake of The Blob is superior to the original. The reamke features a tighter script and more suspense, but it just isn't as much fun.
> What remake do you wish had never happened?
The Thing, and not just because I still consider the Hawks-Nyby film far superior. I have nothing against people liking Carpenter's film, but I do resent the fact that fans of the remake feel a compulsive need to knock the original off its "classic" pedestal.
> What film would you most like to see remade?
The Black Hole-by a writer who actually knows what a black hole is.
> What film would you least like to see remade?
I've had enough of American directors trying to remake Kurosawa's samurai films as Westerns, gangster films or space opera.
> Are people who remake films just too damn lazy to make an
> original?
No, it's because they're greedy.
>I'm still torn over wether or not the remake of The Blob is superior to the original.
>The reamke features a tighter script and more suspense, but it just isn't as much
>fun.
I like the remake, but I preferred the original gob of red Jello. I just didn't believe that the new one could squeeze through tiny holes like the original.