Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of originality

Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

Remakes and repeats of the same story have been done since the silent film days. It's just easier for us to see it now because they're remaking recent classics, rather than one of 40 something Dracula films.
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

Honestly don't see the problem with remakes. Well in theory. As one of the horror fans on here I have seen a decent amount of remakes; enough to notice when it will or won't work. For a remake to work it has to done of a few things...

1- Don't take on a well known movie/cult classic. Given all movies have a fanbase thanks to an internet but hear me out. Take for example the Friday the 13th remake. Despite a strong start (The opening would have been a great short) it quickly becomes just as bland as any other slasher flick in the 2000's. It's average at best. Now take My Bloody Valentine. While cliche it wasn't as bad due to not having heightened expectations or unreachable goals. It can also help you let loose on what you do with it. While not an exact remake Django Unchained is a good example of this. It isn't like the original but it doesn't have to be because it doesn't have scenes it has to have like if it were a remake of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

2- If you do a known story bring something new to the table. The easiest and most common one to do is a change in genre. This is probably most famously done with the Kurosawa films Seven Samurai (The Magnificent Seven) and The Hidden Fortress (Star Wars). The outline is generally the same but the change in genre can give it enough to make the movie it's own. It doesn't have to necessarily be a change in genre though. Piranha 3D is a fun, schlocky exploitation flick. While still horror it is more in on the joke than the original which was a Jaws knock off. Lastly, and least used, is a change in the way it is filmed. The best example is Frank Khalfoun's remake of Maniac which is done from a first person view. By changing to this it makes the movie scummier and more visceral than it would be if it were a straight remake.

3- The most obvious, and hardest to pull off, is to just take the original and improve upon it. This is usually done via special effects. The most recent example I can think of is the Evil Dead remake from last year. While the original is a classic of indie horror there is no doubt it is lacking in the special effects (admittedly a part of its charm). What the remake did was tell the same story but with the effects amped up. It really feels like it is what Sam Raimi would want the movie to be as opposed to a cheap cash-in.

Of course these doesn't always work and opinions differ. Regardless I think there have been enough good remakes (I generally stuck with horror and really didn't get into movies like True Grit or The Departed) to dispute the whole "all remakes suck" bit. If you want to bitch about Hollywood lacking originality, fair enough. I just think you should be looking at sequels instead of remakes. I mean did we REALLY need more than 1 Resident Evil movie?
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

The stupidest remake I've ever seen was "Death At A Funeral". Don't get me wrong, both are pretty funny. However that's because they are exactly the same movie. One was done in 2007 and the other done in 2010. I'm pretty sure that the 2010 version was only made to be more approachable to black people who don't want to watch a movie with only white guys in it (as bad as that sounds).
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

Zim said:
The stupidest remake I've ever seen was "Death At A Funeral". Don't get me wrong, both are pretty funny. However that's because they are exactly the same movie. One was done in 2007 and the other done in 2010. I'm pretty sure that the 2010 version was only made to be more approachable to black people who don't want to watch a movie with only white guys in it (as bad as that sounds).
Click to expand...
I assume being a foreign film (even if it is still English) also played a factor. At least Peter Dinklage was in both of them.
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

remakes are okay when the original is horribly dated in some way or another, and because of that, it's lost on newer generations who are missing out on a great story because they really can't connect with it. By that same token a remake of a foreign movie makes sense (Let the Right One In, The Departed, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" etc..)

but when you're making it for no other reason than you'll almost surely make X amount of money from the existing films built-in fanbase, it's kind of shitty.
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

Some JERK said:
remakes are okay when the original is horribly dated in some way or another, and because of that, it's lost on newer generations who are missing out on a great story because they really can't connect with it. By that same token a remake of a foreign movie makes sense (Let the Right One In, The Departed, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" etc..)

but when you're making it for no other reason than you'll almost surely make X amount of money from the existing films built-in fanbase, it's kind of shitty.
Click to expand...

I disagree. Many a shitty remake has been made on the premise that the original film is old and we're not allowed to like old things. Take the Total Recall reboot for example. Or, a few years ago, some clever executive expressed a desire to remake American Psycho with references to Twitter and Facebook, apparently completely missing the point of the film/book it was based on. Fortunately it never got made.

Films are time capsules. Look at Bond. James Bond films are insanely popular and yet every Bond film and the books they were based on are dated specifically to the decade in which they were written/made.
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

Batman said:
Some JERK said:
remakes are okay when the original is horribly dated in some way or another, and because of that, it's lost on newer generations who are missing out on a great story because they really can't connect with it. By that same token a remake of a foreign movie makes sense (Let the Right One In, The Departed, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" etc..)

but when you're making it for no other reason than you'll almost surely make X amount of money from the existing films built-in fanbase, it's kind of shitty.
Click to expand...

I disagree. Many a shitty remake has been made on the premise that the original film is old and we're not allowed to like old things. Take the Total Recall reboot for example. Or, a few years ago, some clever executive expressed a desire to remake American Psycho with references to Twitter and Facebook, apparently completely missing the point of the film/book it was based on. Fortunately it never got made.

Films are time capsules. Look at Bond. James Bond films are insanely popular and yet every Bond film and the books they were based on are dated specifically to the decade in which they were written/made.
Click to expand...
I agree with all of this and also what the hell is so hard about reading subtitles in foreign films? The remake of Let the Right One is awful and the remake of the Korean horror Tale of Two Sisters is an affront to the original film and everyone involved in it, i don't understand why people would want to be on spoonfed the plot of an original film processed and repackaged into something more culturally recognizable.
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

^Agreed. I have zero interest in seeing Let Me In, the original is perfectly fine as is. People who whine about subtitles because "BAWWW I HATE READING" are pathetic. It's not that fucking hard, people.
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

I'm not mad because Robocop was remade. If it was directed by Darren Aronofsky and rated R (which was a real possibility at one point), I could accept it.

What I don't like is that it was remade as a watered-down PG-13 movie that is more inspired by the current wave of shitty superhero movies than the original Paul Verhoeven film. We've seen PG-13 Robocop before and it sucked. Horribly. This new remake doesn't look like it'll break that mold, especially since it's probably been run through the Hollywood cliche mill more than a few times (ugh that shit in the trailer with Robocop and his kid). I know it hasn't come out yet (in the US at least), but I'm thinking this movie will be exactly what jaded filmgoers think it will be. Call it a hunch.

There's just so much product out now yet so little variety. I think the problem here is that movies cost so much to make these days, they almost have to try to make them all things for all people if they want any chance of recouping their investment. And a good percentage of them don't, even after tons of pandering (which always fills me with glee). We'd be better off if studios made movies with smaller budgets that can afford to take more risks and not try to tone themselves down (as much) and god forbid, cater to more adult audiences. I'm one of those people who are rooting for the Hollywood system to go tits up just to see what rises from the ashes.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: ghost886
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

The "Robocop" remake is PG-13, eh? So we won't be seeing Alex Murphy die a horrible death I guess?
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

bungholio said:
The "Robocop" remake is PG-13, eh? So we won't be seeing Alex Murphy die a horrible death I guess?
Click to expand...
Worse.

In the trailer it's clear Alex Murphy didn't die at all. He even asks "What did you do to me" in the trailer.

In the original movie he isn't aware that he was a human being at one point. He only gets told about it and talks about "Murphy" in the third person right until the end. It was a part of his arc, how he was becoming more human.

The recent Robocop remake is just a cash grab to get money. It lacks any of the subtly the original movie had.
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

Exactly why I'm hoping this is a massive financial flop. Not that I expect Hollywood to learn anything from it but fuck PG-13 Robocop all the same. It will have to at least gross $200 million worldwide in order to break even so here's hoping the gullible filmgoing public find something else to occupy their time. Maybe a CGI talking animal movie, they seem to have a raging boner for those.
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

Cuddlebug said:
bungholio said:
The "Robocop" remake is PG-13, eh? So we won't be seeing Alex Murphy die a horrible death I guess?
Click to expand...
Worse.

In the trailer it's clear Alex Murphy didn't die at all. He even asks "What did you do to me" in the trailer.

In the original movie he isn't aware that he was a human being at one point. He only gets told about it and talks about "Murphy" in the third person right until the end. It was a part of his arc, how he was becoming more human.

The recent Robocop remake is just a cash grab to get money. It lacks any of the subtly the original movie had.
Click to expand...

Robocop had subtlety?

I thought the whole point of watching Robocop was the LACK of subtlety.
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

Batman said:
Many a shitty remake has been made on the premise that the original film is old and we're not allowed to like old things. Take the Total Recall reboot for example.
Click to expand...
You know what bothered me most about the Total Recall remake? In the original story, both the written work and the film, the whole point was that the main character never really knows which side is telling the truth, so he just has to make a choice and live with the consequences. The audience is right with Arnold in not knowing what the full truth is. But we can't have that in the remake! No, audiences are full of morons with no attention spans, we have to spell it out for them! So there's no guessing to be done about the characters' allegiances, it's just a boring action movie.
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

When I saw Pompeii a few hours ago, I was reminded of my hatred for the Spider-Man reboot when the trailer for its sequel was shown. God, just why? The cast is so horrible. Harry looks like he's terminally ill. :cryblood:
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

Honestly, I really enjoyed The Amazing Spiderman, and I hope the sequel is as good as the 1st. I also really like the 1st 2 Sam Raimi ones, so the reboot was a pleasant surprise. I loved that it added a layer of realism (well realistic for a movie about a guy with super powers, and a lizard man). What with captain Stacey, and how it let Peter Parker make mistakes, but also have heroic moments as well. Amazing Spiderman, gave me a Batman Begins vibe.

That was a great reboot (in my opinion). But a really bad remake I watched recently on Netflix instant, was that dumb ass Red Dawn remake. For one thing, the premise was fucking moronic, and also raised questions that aren't addressed, (So was the rest of the world cool with DPRK taking over? Hell what were they doing? were other countries taken? was it all of North America that was taken? How the fuck did North Korea get the resources and manpower to take over? How did a bunch of teenagers learn perfect military combat skills so damn fast? Why did the military just comply without a fight at all?)
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

It seems hollywood lately is trying to make money from 80s franchise reboots ( Alvin and Chipmunks, Robo cop, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, etc. etc.)

In the meantime, there have been no new memorable action series created or any real iconic characters or movie series that are original, which have been made lately
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

So I am not going to argue about big names getting remakes. I mean, a remake of Robocop? Admit it, your ears pipped up when you heard it. Maybe it wont suck, yknow? I mean, the recent Dredd movie was pretty good or so I heard dispite nobody watching it because it might be related to that schlaucky one with Sly in it.

What I dont get is remaking things that are not as well known. Did I Spit on your Grave need a remake?

(Incase you dont want to watch, its a movie that is infamous for having a pretty graphic rape scene, and from there simply becomes a rape-revenge movie in the most literal sense)
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

everything is a remake. it's been happening forever.
heck even wizard of oz is a remake/book adaptation.
 
Re: Remakes and Reboots: Or how Hollywood ran out of origina

Woody Chan said:
So I am not going to argue about big names getting remakes. I mean, a remake of Robocop? Admit it, your ears pipped up when you heard it. Maybe it wont suck, yknow? I mean, the recent Dredd movie was pretty good or so I heard dispite nobody watching it because it might be related to that schlaucky one with Sly in it.

What I dont get is remaking things that are not as well known. Did I Spit on your Grave need a remake?

(Incase you dont want to watch, its a movie that is infamous for having a pretty graphic rape scene, and from there simply becomes a rape-revenge movie in the most literal sense)
Click to expand...

Moreover, did the remake really fucking need a sequel?

....I ask the same question about the Night of the Living Dead 3D remake, the Halloween remake, and the Texas Chansaw Massacre remake since the sequels/prequals to these turkeys constitute some of the worst hours of movie I have ever sat through
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back