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Movie Remakes

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Brianator:
I recently read that there's plans for a remake of the 1983 Scarface movie which itself was a remake of the 1932 film of the same name.  So basically they're planning on doing a remake of a remake.  I've also heard that there's going to be a remake of Splash, Cannonball Run, Jumanji and possibly Big Trouble in Little China.  I've already seen the terrible Total Recall remake and I absolutely refuse to watch the Robocop and Ghostbusters remakes.  I realize Hollywood has been churning out remakes for decades but it seems like it's happening more and more in recent years.  It just seems like Hollywood is out of ideas and are basically saying, "Fuck it, let's just put out another remake and call it a day."  However, Comic Book Girl 19 has an interesting take as to why there's so many remakes, etc.

In addition, I realize that not all remakes are bad (for example, the 1982 version of The Thing is considered to be much better than the 1951 version).  But generally speaking more thought needs to be put into what should and shouldn't be remade.  They shouldn't just be made willy-nilly.  There has to be a good reason why the remake is being put out.  The remake has to in some way, shape or form find a way to improve upon the original, otherwise there's no point (The 1998 version of Psycho is a good example of a pointless remake).

On another note, one that bugs me besides all these incessant remakes, is when people say you can't judge a movie that's in theatres until you watch it.  So basically you want me (or someone else) to pay to watch a film just to see if I'll like it.  The problem is that by doing so you're potentially enabling Hollywood hacks (i.e. Michael Bay) to make more shitty movies.  If I know that I'm not interested in something, I'm not going to pay or have someone else pay for me to watch it.  For instance, I have no interest in watching the planned Big Trouble in Little China remake.  James Rolfe also mentions the concept of not paying to watch a movie you know you won't like.

Rijst:
Personally I like different types of movies for different reason. I like shallow action movies with spectacular special effects and cheeky punch lines and sometimes I want to see something that leaves me amazed and gives me food for thought for a week.

I count re-makes under the first category. I might watch them but I'm not really missing out if I don't. Superhero movies are similar, there's very little connection with reality in them for me but I still enjoy watching them.

Comic Book Girl 19 is probably right that re-making so many movies is a business decision and I can't really blame them, although occasionally there will be one that takes a slightly different perspective on things and perhaps provides a critique of contemporary society and focuses on that rather than on an original story. Think the musical Jesus Christ Superstar (a bit older than what we're focusing on here, but ok). Clearly a re-make of a story that's been told many times, but from a completely different perspective (Judas'). It's the perspective that makes it interesting I think, which contrasts it with Passion of the Christ, which didn't tell me anything new at all.

Adam Dravian:
That ComicBookGirl19 (I imagine that being her original AOL username from the '90s that she never let go of) video was interesting. I'm aware of China's growing consumption of Hollywood movies and our resulting pandering by shoe-horning short Chinese-focus scenes into some of our blockbusters, but I never considered that the increased number of remakes would have anything to do with that. I had no idea that Hollywood movies were banned in China until the mid-90s, but I'm not surprised.

But even without considering China, remakes make great business sense. Without a huge marketing campaign, it can be mega hard to make people aware of a new original movie, but it's guaranteed that people will talk about a remake. Also, many fanboys will go see a remake regardless of it's quality, so the studios don't feel they need to worry about appealing to them--they're considered a sure thing. So instead they pander to the younger generation that probably never experienced the original and who tend to be less critical in general.

It's hard for me to imagine a remake that I could be excited about. Jessica and I didn't bother to see the remakes of Robocop or Total Recall or Ghostbusters, because none of them looked looked appealing to us. I can't remember the last remake I watched and really enjoyed. Oh, Jessica just reminded me that we really liked the new True Grit.

Rijst:
There was an old True Grit?

Adam Dravian:

--- Quote from: Rijst on August 19, 2016, 11:41:03 AM ---There was an old True Grit?

--- End quote ---

Yeah, it was famous John Wayne movie from the late sixties. I think John Wayne won an award for it. Jessica and I watched a few John Wayne westerns and we weren't too into them, although The Searches was pretty good. We're definitely more in the Eastwood camp.

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