This is a subject I have ranted about on many occasions – just ask my Husband – and seeing as a particular subject has brought it into the foreground again, I feel compelled to comment.
If it’s not broken – don’t fix it!
I don’t see the point of remaking a perfectly good film. Seriously. If a film has been made so well, why would you try to recreate that success years later with new actors/directors etc… it won’t and does not work. And what has brought about this latest set of ranting from me? This week it was announced that Baz Luhrmann is to direct a new 3D version of ‘The Great Gatsby’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
COME ON!!!
This is a 1974 film classic! Why would you try to remake that masterpiece? (bearing in mind it is a re-make itself) What’s the point? Do you really think Leo is going to be any better than Robert Redford (and I just want to point out I am a Leo fan). Is 3D really going to enhance this film? (do not even get me started on everyone using 3D at the moment, it’s like the people who think it’s a great idea to make every musical now ‘actor-musician’ but I digress…) Was the 2000 TV Film successful – no – so why bother? It just makes me mad. What is the point of re-making films when there are so many great stories out there to be told! So many classic books that have never made it to film, new works that deserve some screen time. What about converting some plays? Seriously people use your imaginations!
Films that have been overly successful are usually due to a number of factors – right timing for the piece, great cast/crew that have a great bond/chemistry, lots of factors. And producers/directors come along thinking ‘hey let’s remake this film from 20 years ago – it was successful then, it will be successful again and we will make money’ WRONG! Do you really think you can make an Alfred Hitchcock film BETTER than Alfred Hitchcock?
I mean there are exceptions to this rule. For example ‘Little Women’. It was originally made into a film in 1933 starring Katherine Hepburn – but does anyone really remember this version? No because it was the 1949 remake that was far superior and the ‘definitive’ version in my opinion. Starring June Allyson, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Lawford, Margaret O’Brien and Janet Leigh it was a beautiful film. So yes, sometimes re-makes can be better, but Hollywood, not satisfied with this then went and did 2 more re-makes of this film – one in 1978 starring Meredith Baxter (has anyone ever seen this??) and then the 1994 version with Susan Sarandon and Winona Ryder – why???
Here is a list (just for you Richard) of some notable films that were re-made and did not live up to their originals:
12 Angry Men
Alfie
It’s A Wonderful Life – remade in 1977 as ‘It Happened One Christmas’
The Karate Kid
King Kong
Little Miss Marker
The/A Little Princess
An Affair To Remember - remade in 1994 as 'Love Affair' (although 'AATR' was a re-make of the 1939 film 'Love Affair')
Miracle on 34th Street
The Nutty Professor
Annie
Oceans 11
The Parent Trap
Dial M for Murder
Planet of the Apes
Psycho
The Time Machine
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane - !?!?!?!$*##;@#$%^%%!!!
Yours, Mine and Ours
One re-make I didn’t mind was ‘The Italian Job’. I liked it because they brought it into the present day, they were able to incorporate modern technologies to make it their own film, without trying to be the original and they paid homage to the original. And also Hairspray – the musical version is SO much better than the original!
And then you get films like FAME! Well the original was woeful – nothing could possibly save it, so….I know, let’s re-make it and it will be much better – no people, have you never heard of the saying ‘you can’t polish a turd’?
Next they will be re-making ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ or ‘The Godfather’ – could you imagine anyone else other than Marlon Brando? What about ‘The Sound of Music’ or ‘Mary Poppins’ without Julie Andrews? Of course not! But 20 years from now some ‘bright spark’ will think it’s a good idea….
I am not saying all re-makes are bad, they aren’t. Especially if has been over 50 + years since the original and they can be updated and portrayed in a new way. It’s the classics, the Oscar winning, world renowned films, that are of a time/place, that just shouldn’t be touched. Leave them as they are and go discover something new. Go find or write your own ‘Gatsby’ and let’s not even talk about ‘sequels’…..
Rant over.
5 comments:
Dare I say, the problem with your rant is you acknowledge that some remakes ARE better. If that possibility exists then someone will always try and remake a film. Remember, no-one sets out to make a bad film.
So it's either no remakes whatsoever and you live with the loss of the odd few that might have been *gulp* better or you just deal with the fact that Hollywood is always going to re-make films that they think has a pre-existing audience.
ps you DO like a nice list though
Yes I do like my lists:) I think it's never ending circle, or course movies are going to be re-made - but I just think there are so many other stories out there - explore those first before re-doing ones that are fine as they are:)
I have lots of books sitting my shelves that would make great films! Maybe I need to explore that lol
2 things: I think remakes have a time and a place, but as a general rule I'm against them. The scariest possible remake other than the ones we joked about today is the fact that they are talking about a remake of My Fair Lady. This baffles me on so many levels.
Also, Richard you said no-one sets out to make a bad film, but I came across this little chestnut the other day:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109770/trivia
nice peiec of trivia there Steve! But MFL?? *hangs head and looks for nearest wall*
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