Remakes.

[gnomon]

I'm sure there has been a thread on this but I'm bored.

We all know that The Day the Earth Stood Still has been remade. I have not seen the original and when it comes to movies I really like to watch the earlier versions before watching the remake.

A coworker just loaned me Capricorn One and fumbling around the net I just found in imdb that there appears to be a remake in the works for that!

I don't know what happened to the rumored remake of Evil Dead.

Why?

I'll admit I really liked The Thing. But as Dopp and Storm highlighted in another thread it seems that the modern technology for special effects leads to a lack of development in the story. Remakes are prone to losing any sight of the original for the sake of dazzling special effects.

Planet of the Apes.
Stepford Wives.
The Nutty Professor.
The Time Machine.
I Am Legend. This one especially ticked me off in losing all meaning from Matheson's story for me.
War of the Worlds.
Vanilla Sky.Of course, then there are some movies like Funny Games which take the original scene for scene and just produce it in another country in another language. I've seen the original:areyoucra. Creepy. Worth watching. Then there's Insomnia which is so close to the original but made within a few years after the original which was good enough with Stellan Skarsgard great as the police officer. Though I did enjoy Robin Williams in the remake.

And speaking of Insomnia and Vanilla Sky I wonder what is it with taking non-English films that are good and having to remake them in America. This will probably lead to another thread regarding dubbing verses subtitles.

 

[Watchmen]

Have you seen the alternate ending for Will Smith's I Am Legend?

 

[gnomon]

Have you seen the alternate ending for Will Smith's I Am Legend?

No and I keep telling myself to rent it again. I heard the alternate ending brings the movie closer to Matheson's.

I should pick it up next time I stop by the video store.

 

[stacey bo bacey]

There is going to be another adaptation of East of Eden in 2009. Or maybe 2010. I cannot wait for that. :bounce

 

[cardero]

gnomon writes: Why?

Because Hollywood knows that people will go see them and depending on how long ago the original was made they know that other people do not know it is a remake, have not bothered to see the original and won't bother to see the original because now Hollywood has produced a more modern version and why should they track down a cinema relic when they have a product that is newer?

A good way to halt the remakes of classic films is to not patronize them. Do not go to any movie that is in theaters that is a remake. That will stop Hollywood from producing them. When they find out that box office returns are repeatedly lower than what it cost to make the film, they'll eventually stop making them. If a film company thinks a movie is worth remaking and targets a specific audience, stay home with the person who can't wait until this movie comes out and treat them to the original.

 

[gnomon]

A coworker told me today that apparently there is a remake of Cannibal Holocaust in the works.:no:

 

[Magic Man]

I generally hate remakes. Sometimes they're called for, and can be good. Many times they're just an example of Hollywood being plum out of ideas. My thing is, if the movie isn't at least 40 years old, why are you remaking it? I don't need to see a new version of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (something that has been talked about).