Actually, I have seen a show where they explained the reasoning behind this.
And I don't remember the exact claim, but it was something like this:
The companies give the go ahead with remakes and recreations, because they have more faith in them to succeed than an original concept.
So in other words they get an almost guarantee that the remake or recreation will make money, while there is no guarantee that an original concept would.
I, myself, would rather see something new and original.
Yep, money in the bag, tried and tested formulas as opposed to new, untested ideas. And your pretty much assured all the old fans, who are probably saying "arhh, they are murdering the classics, this will be awful, I don't know why I am going to go" will in fact go, just so they can be proven right.
And of course there is the logic that something that was popular in the past will obviously be popular in the present, especially as one can play with all the nice modern technology (I'm looking at you, Dawn of the Dead remake, although it wasn't to bad.) Of course this often isn't the case.
And then there is the whole "kudos" aspect. When a director is successful enough or whatever he or she might decide to honor something they liked in the past by remaking it today with a modern age makeover. Of course once again this can be touch and go, although someone like Tarentino can pull something like that off with Kill Bill, a movie that managed to be fresh, good and unique while at the same time incorporating many aspects from bygone classics (Tarentino honoring the past and so forth)
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From even the greatest of horrors irony is seldom absent.
Very true! Most production companies are a bunch of pussies who rarely put out an original film. They just keep rehashing stuff that's already been done.
While this statement is generally true, in my recent case of seeing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I went in wanting to like the movie. I am such a fan of the story and the original movie that I actually went in with good expectations. Unfortunately it went horribly bad. I can't believe that piece of shit has Burton's name on it. *shrug*
Too often the remakes don't have the 'magic' that the originals had. They tend to rely on special effects and what not. Like you said, Dawn of the Dead wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't as good as the first one.
Now this is key. I don't mind remakes so much when the director, writer, producer, or whomever is willing to pay homage to the original. While Burton, because he didn't like the original movie, decided to bash it to promote his own lesser version of the film. This is unfortunate. While I may not like every classic book, movie, musical score, or whatever. I don't deny it's place in history or that it may be a great piece of work that is considered a classic by many. Just because I don't like it, doesn't make it any less of a classic. In the case of the '71 Wonka, it has been around for 34 years with many generations loving the film. But obviously Burton felt it needed to be redone because he didn't like the original. Very selfish, and very Hollywood. What a dickhead.
A lot of times there is an outcry for a movie to be redone. In the case of King Kong (done in the 30s), Peter Jackson was a long time fan of the original movie and the lore. He heard many ask if he was considering doing the remake. There is no better person to helm the project because he will try and keep true to the essence of the material and pay homage to the classic '33 film. He doesn't set the picture in the modern day, but back in time when it was set.
To sum this all up. Hollywood will continue to remake films because someone came along and did all the hardwork before them. The ideas were already thought of, the story already written, and the public decided it was good. So, as Samura stated, 'money in the bag." This will not stop, unfortunately. Some movies just don't need to be redone. But money is King, regardless of the shitty product that comes out because of it.
All that said, in my opinion, there have been some good remakes, a whole lot of bad ones, and some that just shouldn't have been made...
__________________ Appeasement only makes the aggressor more aggressive.
I know.I wish they would stop.They screw it up almost everytime.The Brady Bunch,Lost In Space,Dukes Of Hazzard,Starsky and Hutch,The Beverly Hillbilles.Yeah I plan on skipping Charlie and the chocalate factory since Burton is directing it.Especially after what he did to the Batman movies.You hit the nail right on the head about him Erazmus.Willie Wonka is a classic and should have been left alone.
KMC Community Forums
Jul 20th, 2005 01:31 AM
