Many people think that the way to make a quick buck in the movie industry is to cash in on a good film and put out countless number of sequels or prequels. Indeed some movies do deserve the ‘trilogy’ treatment. Some even go as far as doubling that number. But what to do when after the 7th movie of a franchise has become slightly redundant? Why not remake the original and see if we can cash in on an already famous brand.
In the last 10 years it seems that less and less original ideas have been popping out of Hollywood to make place for ‘remakes’ ‘re-imaginings’ ‘re-toolings’ and what not. If you think of a movie right now, there is a chance that it has been remade while you thought it was the original. Some 590 and counting movies have been remade as of today. Not only have they been remade, but for some, they have been made three, four, five, six and even seven times.
The only reason films are meant to be done again is to make it better..or is it? By the sixth time if the studio hasn't found the perfect way to make it, it probably means they never will. Remaking a movie usually consists of taking what was good in the original and making that better. In some cases they get very close i.e. The hills have eyes. And for most cases they miss the point completely i.e. Psycho(1998). Does anyone really want to see a remake of a classic shot for shot? It is the same movie except that with the later version, it is in color and has bad acting.
For some reason or another the horror genre seems to be addicted to being remade. In the past couple of years how many Japanese ghost movies have been remade for North American audiences? Are we so closed minded that we cannot appreciate the art of movie making from all over the world? Do we absolutely have to have an American name attached to it so that we feel we might understand something?
As desperate as it seems, it gets worse. Not only are horror fans tired of re-imaginings. But in the last century every movie go-er who likes comedy’s, drama’s, suspense are getting the ‘lets remake this one, it did pretty well at the box office in it’s original run.’
What is even more bizarre, is that most of the time, a remake of a remake of an original is rarely well received by critics and the public. There are surely many scripts waiting to be read that would make good if not wonderful movies. But they are tossed aside because remaking Ocean’s 11 is more important.
Also, have no worries, if your thinking to yourself that you are safe because your favorite movie has not been remade yet, there is still time. As long as there will be lazy cash-ins in mind, there will be re-toolings. For those who think re-working old long lasting movies is good, you can ask yourself; Is a remake ever going to be a classic…
