View Full Version : Remakes
The way I see it, in stage and theatre the same stories are told 100 times over by different actors in different ways on different stages. Hamlet, for example. There are a dozen film adaptations, and it's been told on stage thousands of times over.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a great film. And I enjoyed seeing it retold in 2003. The Amityville Horror. If I hated anything about the remake, it's that the end "explained" shit. When, in fact, what makes the story so great is that there IS no explanation. In any case, I was able to enjoy it. I hear Near Dark is getting a remake. I highly doubt they can pull anything off better than the original. But Near Dark is a fantastic story that I could appreciate seeing retold. Bill Paxton IS Severen, but I can't help but be curious to see other adaptations of the character. Or Jesse, Mae and Homer for that matter.
I don't see the downside of seeing a great horror film reenvisioned. It doesn't take anything away from the original film. The worst a bad remake of a great film can do is... be bad. (The Fog)
Often the only reason some of these films are remade are for... financial gain. Film production companies raking in dollars recycling old ideas. Not a lot of people really, actually care about retelling the story so much as they do about using an old, fan-favourite moneymaker to make even more. Freddy vs. Jason was a terrible movie by most standards. I love it, but it was such a hack production it hurts my abdomen. Ronny Yu didn't know what he was doing, with FvJ OR Bride of Chucky. But that's "the biz". It didn't matter. The names Freddy, Jason and Chucky would be enough to ring in ticket sales. But I don't believe that's always the case. Based on interviews I've seen, articles I've read, etc., the makers of 2003's TCM were really, truly attempting to retell the story effectively. Whether they pulled it off successfully or not, I can't help but commend a fan of the original story for trying.
Thoughts to expand on?
TMACDaddy
10-28-2006, 03:35 PM
My feelings exactly, lemme be honest first of all, I'm 19 years old, I love horror movies, but I can honestly say, growing up with all this new technology and much better quality in movies, it's really hard for me to go back and watch older movies, but I do, I try, I enjoyed the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but I enjoyed the remake more, Dawn of the Dead, same story, I'll even go as far as saying House of Wax, but I do enjoy both the originals and the remakes, and when I here a new horror movie is being remade, I'm extremeley excited, and ready and always will be waiting to jump on it.
By the way this is my first post, so don't be to harsh, lol.
the_real_linda
10-28-2006, 03:58 PM
i know what you mean....being of the same generation but ive always watched horror films so i rember the quality of halloween and elm street or evil dead and such and have seen how films have progressed so love the older films more....blame my mother for letting me watch them since i can remember.
Elvis_Christ
10-28-2006, 04:02 PM
I thought Ronny Yu did a great job with Bride of Chucky and Freddy vs Jason.
the_real_linda
10-28-2006, 04:12 PM
i love them!!!! jen tilly :D :D
Fred Krueger
10-28-2006, 04:26 PM
With remakes it depends on their intention. For instance, rob Zombie is going to "reimagine" Halloween. However, are they going to leave it at that, or restart the series anew from the remake, making the other films pointless? Although i loved it, I'm the first to admit that Halloween:Resurrection was chaos, but it did give one thing to the makers of the next sequel: Myers' mask was burnt to his face. It could have been a new direction, making it a bit more gruesome, who knows?
I was a fan of TCM 2003, i'm a fan of many remakes, but only if they don't render an entire series of films obsolete.
What i don't want to see is what has happened to a non-horror series: Batman. The fourth film in the original series was terrible (although i love Arnold as Mr. Freeze) so they go back to the beginning. It could have been fine, except they mention the Joker at the end of the film thus rendering the first Batman useless!!!
So if you can derive a point from all that blather, its that i enjoy remakes that don't sacrifice a whole series in the name of saving a franchise.
Oh, and just as a side note, Freddy vs Jason is, in my opinion, one of the bext old school horror films to come out in a long time.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the blue hell out of FvJ and BoC. It doesn't get much better than when Jason storms the cornfield rave, slicing and fucking dicing. First class Jason Voorhees. But I don't understand some things about Yu's approach to these classic horror icons. Opening and closing the films, or orchestrating fight scenes with death metal. Everybody's smoking pot all the fucking time. Maybe it's just his attempt to bring the characters into the 21st century, surrounding them with pot and Slipknot. Whatever the case, too much change and "updating" to a classic horror franchise irritates me. As far as the characters, they were spot on. Chucky was still Chucky in BoC. Jason was as great as ever. But the story and setting surrounding them made both films feel... cheaper.
the_real_linda
10-28-2006, 05:25 PM
i dont quite know hoe but i know what you mean....bout the cheapness.....im not sure how or why i perceive them like this....perhaps its because we've seen these characters so many times before and its a little worn....im not saying i dont love some of these films
alkytrio666
10-28-2006, 06:28 PM
To wrap my opinions on the subject up shortly:
By supporting remakes we're also supporting an already abundant and ignorant refusal by the general population to watch anything made before 1990.
Elvis_Christ
10-28-2006, 06:36 PM
By supporting remakes we're also supporting an already abundant and ignorant refusal by the general population to watch anything made before 1990.
Not going to remakes isn't going to change that.
Not going to remakes isn't going to change that.
Exactly what I was about to say.
People are generally too ignorant to see anything old, remade or not. People would rather be in the movie store on a friday night clearing the shelves of The Benchwarmers than take one step in the old release aisle. I guess it's too much effort reading the backs of cases, searching for a decent flick when they could just pick up the latest hot commodity starring Napoleon fucking Dynamite.
alkytrio666
10-28-2006, 06:54 PM
Not going to them isn't going to change that, you're right. But it sure isn;t helping anything. It's just making it easier for people to be ignorant about their films.
I mean, why watch a black and white version of Psycho when we can see Vince Vaughn do it in color?
It just sickens me, I guess.
It's true.
My x-girlfriend couldn't watch Abbott & Costello with me because she couldn't stand the black and white.
Notice how I said "X" girlfriend.
Elvis_Christ
10-28-2006, 07:02 PM
I've got the colorised version of Night Of The Living Dead. It must've been made for people like that haha
I bought that too. But only for the commentary by Mike Nelson.
Elvis_Christ
10-28-2006, 07:04 PM
I bought that too. But only for the commentary by Mike Nelson.
Didn't know that was out on DVD. It looks really fucked up anyways. I've got the 30th Anniversary DVD with the extended version.... I think thats the only version Romero gets any royalties from these days.
slayer666
10-29-2006, 05:56 AM
It is sad that some people would rather watch crappy remakes than great originals simply because they think the originals are too old. Of course, I also find it sad that anybody thinks it is necessary to do American remakes of great recent Asian horror. If the American public is too stupid to handle subtitles or black-and-white, screw 'em. Of course, the film studios will keep doing it as long as it makes them money.
pt447
10-30-2006, 11:12 AM
i think chainsaw and the hills have eyes were excellent remakes!!! especially hills! that trailer attack scene still makes me uncomfortable, which is hard for any movie to do to me!
PhilnEdee
10-30-2006, 11:20 AM
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the blue hell out of FvJ and BoC. It doesn't get much better than when Jason storms the cornfield rave, slicing and fucking dicing. First class Jason Voorhees. But I don't understand some things about Yu's approach to these classic horror icons. Opening and closing the films, or orchestrating fight scenes with death metal. Everybody's smoking pot all the fucking time. Maybe it's just his attempt to bring the characters into the 21st century, surrounding them with pot and Slipknot. Whatever the case, too much change and "updating" to a classic horror franchise irritates me. As far as the characters, they were spot on. Chucky was still Chucky in BoC. Jason was as great as ever. But the story and setting surrounding them made both films feel... cheaper.
Jason Vs Freddy
"What the hell is going on?!"
"I don't know man...but that goalie is pissed!" -classic :p
I personally thought the Amytiville and TCM remakes were both top notch...same here, I enjoy the old and the new-usually...House of Wax is totally different story so as a remake its really not a remake...updated tech and gore and the music score now can make a movie be great...can't top Carpenter's music in Halloween I, The Fog, or The Thing though.
PhilnEdee
10-30-2006, 11:22 AM
It is sad that some people would rather watch crappy remakes than great originals simply because they think the originals are too old. Of course, I also find it sad that anybody thinks it is necessary to do American remakes of great recent Asian horror. If the American public is too stupid to handle subtitles or black-and-white, screw 'em. Of course, the film studios will keep doing it as long as it makes them money.
Those aren't remakes...I'm not sure what the Japenese word is, but in America the term is RIP-OFFS!
Vodstok
10-30-2006, 11:27 AM
I think the openeing post for this thread is about the most well thought out, well executed explanation of the remake "phenomena" i have seen. You can't really hate them for much more than being a bad movie, it doesnt reflect on the original in any way.
I think what most people seem to hate about them isn't even immediately apparent to them. They may hate it because it is a bad movie, btu there is the underlying feeling that something they enjoy and maybe have some emotional investment in is being used for some lesser purpose, kind of like finding out a couple of football player got the girl you liked in highschool drunk and got head from her, it cheapens the experience.
Another part is that a LOT of people these days are personally offended that there seems to be a lack of originality in the entertainment industry these days, especially amongst those of us who want to make a break for ourselves with some truly original ideas, but can't sell shit because the people writing the checks want something that has sold in the past.
braider31
10-30-2006, 11:34 AM
I don't have a problem with remakes but, if I've seen the original then a remake usually has little to offer in the way of surprise. Whereas when I watched Saw the first time it was a real treat, a horror film that I could watch without having the faintest idea what was going to happen.
freddy69
10-30-2006, 11:40 AM
i dont care for remakes they suck:D
Phalanx
10-30-2006, 11:43 AM
I'll weigh in on this one...it's been revisited numerous times.
I am not against the remake, however, I will say that I much prefer what you may call a complete "reinvisioning" that a straight up remake.
The new Dawn of the Dead, for example...I don't even compare it with the original, but I think it was a great film only on it's own merits, style, and storyline.
However, most remakes keep at least a few things fresh, which is why I'm not entirely against them...I mean hey, I think the 'Ultimate' universe in marvel comics is the best thing to happen in ages, and that whole range of comics is essentially a remake.
So, it's not limited to just film, comics and music come into play too, not to mention tv series...I mean, how GOOD is that new Galactica? No way anyone can shit on that "remake".
I think as long as there's creativity involved, it's ok by me.
I agree with only one aspect of the "anti-remake" argument...there sure does seem to be quite a lot of them, and certain things, I just don't see the point of remaking. Eg - Halloween...not saying that it's going to be good or bad, just something that I don't personally see a need for. So yeah, quantity of remakes vs original films these days, especially in horror, I'd like to see shift a bit more towards the original side...however, the remake isn't something I for one see the need to rip into.
aimforthehead
10-30-2006, 12:33 PM
The psycho remake was pretty pointless...it was shot scene-for-scene to the original.
Also rthe remake the italian job, which replaced the old crappy minis, with state of the art cars is just silly. Ruins all the charm the original had.
TMACDaddy
10-30-2006, 01:13 PM
K, let me come back into this convo, first of all I would have never watched the originals of some of these had it not been for the remakes, I just came into the horror genre a couple of years ago, and appreciating it for the first time for me, I saw the remakes to Dawn of the Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre before the original, and because I enjoyed them so much, it made me want to go back and see the original which I did and I enjoyed as well, having not seen the original to Phsyco or the remake I can't really comment on that, but having loved all of the other Hitchcock films he has made I would love to see Birds remade, I would love to see how someone could turn that into a great remake, and I think it can be done, if it's not cheapened up to much.