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What Do You Think Of Movie Remakes?
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So often movie remakes seem to be a pale imitation of the original so I wonder why the makers bother. I watched a recent version of 'Little Women' - well, I tried to watch it and after about 20 minutes gave up on despair. When something is a classic, like the 1949 version of the story which stuck faithfully to the book, I have my doubts that any other production can ever out-perform it. I feel the same way about music. New versions of classic songs are rarely an improvement.
Now a new version of the supreme classic West Side Story is hitting our cinemas. The wonderful Spielberg is in the driving seat and it's reputed to be better than the original. Wow!! Can that really be? Fingers crossed.
Now a new version of the supreme classic West Side Story is hitting our cinemas. The wonderful Spielberg is in the driving seat and it's reputed to be better than the original. Wow!! Can that really be? Fingers crossed.
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Not a big fan of movie remakes. I remember watching a TV film some years ago, Susan Hill's Lady in Black which was absolutely terrifying and extremely well acted and then along came Hollywood with their version, which was nothing like the original and all hyped-up Hollywood rubbish. It had a totally different ending too ! I love West Side Story and have seen two stage versions which were brilliant. I suspect Spielberg would stick to the original script and make a damn fine film !
I honestly don't think i have ever seen a remake that even stands up to the original, Naomi, let alone better it. Two examples spring readily to mind. The Wicker Man with Edward Woodward was a quite chilling thriller while the remake starring Nicolas Cage was mind-numbingly dull. The Mean Machine, with Burt Reynolds, was amusing in parts and good entertainment throughout. The British version with Vinny Jones was absolutely dire.
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Remakes are rarely a good idea.
The notion that the original attracted an audience, therefore a new version will attract the same audience and / or a new one is a serioulsy shakey premise, and as has been pointed out, it is hardly ever successful.
Nicholas Cage's Wicker Man is famous for one of the most stupid lines of dialogue ever, made all the more hilarious for the OTT manner in which he delivered it - "Step away from the bicycle!!!!!!!"
If anyone has subjcted themselves to the remake of Get Carter with Sylvester Stalone, they will have observed that the entire thrust of the film - a local hard man returning from London - and the appropriate cultural clashes, are competely absent, as is the laconic cold murderous personality Michael Cane delievered so perfectly.
As for The Avengers - the 'Steed and Mrs Peel' Avengers that is, the less said the better, and similarly The Stepford Wives.
With the possible exception of Planet Of The Apes, I am unable to think of a single re-make that has been worth the price of a ticket, or the time to view it on television.
The notion that the original attracted an audience, therefore a new version will attract the same audience and / or a new one is a serioulsy shakey premise, and as has been pointed out, it is hardly ever successful.
Nicholas Cage's Wicker Man is famous for one of the most stupid lines of dialogue ever, made all the more hilarious for the OTT manner in which he delivered it - "Step away from the bicycle!!!!!!!"
If anyone has subjcted themselves to the remake of Get Carter with Sylvester Stalone, they will have observed that the entire thrust of the film - a local hard man returning from London - and the appropriate cultural clashes, are competely absent, as is the laconic cold murderous personality Michael Cane delievered so perfectly.
As for The Avengers - the 'Steed and Mrs Peel' Avengers that is, the less said the better, and similarly The Stepford Wives.
With the possible exception of Planet Of The Apes, I am unable to think of a single re-make that has been worth the price of a ticket, or the time to view it on television.
I think part of the problem is, if a film is well-made and successful, then audiences embrace the original cast and atmosphere as the definitive version, and therefore a re-make is almost always doomed to failure.
In the same way that you can't re-write a novel, it is almost impossible to improve on a successful film - but studios try because they are looking at dollar signs, rather than reality.
In the same way that you can't re-write a novel, it is almost impossible to improve on a successful film - but studios try because they are looking at dollar signs, rather than reality.
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