What Do You Think of Reboots and Remakes ?

[BAYLOR]

I've seen the original film, read the Campbell novella, read the ADF adaptation of Carpenter's film. They were all good but the Carpenter film is the best.

The 1951 Howard Hawks film is a good 50's Science fiction film . The 1982 film is a great film.

 

[Vince W]

Hawks' film is pure cold-war era paranoia on film. Carpenter's film is demented Lovecraftian horror brought to life.

 

[BAYLOR]

Hawks' film is pure cold-war era paranoia on film. Carpenter's film is demented Lovecraftian horror brought to life.

H P Lovecraft would loved the John Carpenter film for that reason.

 

[BAYLOR]

Some films largely considered classics were remakes; the best example being the 1941 Maltese Falcon which was a remake of The Maltese Falcon (1931) - the story had also been reworked as Satan Met a Lady in 1936. So what we know as the noire classic is the third attempt. (There was a further spoof version in 1975.)

The trouble with modern remakes is they remake really good films that DON'T need a remake (because they were hits made a lot of money and have recognition value) - but ignore all the ones that didn't quite work (and therefore flopped and no one has heard of and are harder sells) that DO.

Studios figure (wrongly in most cases ) that there is a built in audience for original and, that this audience will come to see the remake. Even when such films fail at the box office (as most of them do) The studios persist in doing remakes.

 

[BAYLOR]

I was amongst the panners of Total Recall. The new Dune? Hmm, I'll wait and see.

The Paul Verhoeven film with Arnold is quite good . The remake was unimpressive.

 

[paranoid marvin]

The Paul Verhoeven film with Arnold is quite good . The remake was unimpressive.

I really enjoyed the Arnie movie. Funny, exciting and fast paced. The newer version was very disappointing.

 

[Rodders]

Two pretty different movies.

As a B5 fan, I’m looking forward to that reboot and I hope that it’s the success that the original should’ve been. I’m less excited by the thought of a Firefly reboot, though.

 

[Mark_Harbinger]

This topic evokes some strong emotions for me. Y'know, the sort of thing my sons and I can stay up 'till 3am discussing...

A few $.02 thoughts/random examples.

Reboots: Some 'historical' heroes (The Three Musketeers and Zorro) are so episodic in nature that they really lend themselves to reboots. Also true with superheroes in comics, right? (Google Umberto Eco's essay "The Myth of Superman" for a deeper dive)

My personal favorites are the ones that actually do end up moving the character along through life-stages and creating different generations of the legend; so, like, in those above examples, I would first point to—one of my stranded-on-an-island-movies—"The Mask of Zorro" (1988), or "The Musketeers" (2014-2016, BBC television series, 30 episodes). But, like everyone has said, for every one of those, how many cash grabs do we have to sit through?

Remakes: These tend to go down less well with me. This is especially true of those that have original works that are so well done nothing thereafter really even has a chance of coming close (e.g., IMO, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", "Ghostbusters", "Robocop") so what you end up with are either 'cover band' efforts or outright abominations.

On the other hand, someone mentioned the latest Dune. IMO, Some remakes are of such quality that I would consider them all-time greats in their own right. Dune will be there, I think. When it's done.

 

[Mark_Harbinger]

As a B5 fan, I’m looking forward to that reboot and I hope that it’s the success that the original should’ve been. I’m less excited by the thought of a Firefly reboot, though.

There's a Babylon Five reboot coming? Hm, don't know how I feel about that. The original was impressive.

Total Agree on Firefly+Serenity. Go ahead and carry the story forward, but no need for a remake. Funny story—I actually saw Serenity at a time when I didn't have cable; consequently, I'd never even heard of Firefly. So, the entire movie I'm like, "Who the hell is this crazy girl kicking everyone's ass?"

 

[BAYLOR]

This topic evokes some strong emotions for me. Y'know, the sort of thing my sons and I can stay up 'till 3am discussing...

A few $.02 thoughts/random examples.

Reboots: Some 'historical' heroes (The Three Musketeers and Zorro) are so episodic in nature that they really lend themselves to reboots. Also true with superheroes in comics, right? (Google Umberto Eco's essay "The Myth of Superman" for a deeper dive)

My personal favorites are the ones that actually do end up moving the character along through life-stages and creating different generations of the legend; so, like, in those above examples, I would first point to—one of my stranded-on-an-island-movies—"The Mask of Zorro" (1988), or "The Musketeers" (2014-2016, BBC television series, 30 episodes). But, like everyone has said, for every one of those, how many cash grabs do we have to sit through?

Remakes: These tend to go down less well with me. This is especially true of those that have original works that are so well done nothing thereafter really even has a chance of coming close (e.g., IMO, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", "Ghostbusters", "Robocop") so what you end up with are either 'cover band' efforts or outright abominations.

On the other hand, someone mentioned the latest Dune. IMO, Some remakes are of such quality that I would consider them all-time greats in their own right. Dune will be there, I think. When it's done.

One reboot thats kind of grown on me is the 2002 version of The Time Machine with Guy Pierce . I didn't initially like this film when I saw it but, repeated viewing it have given me appreciation of it . In it own own right it's a very good film , well written , produced and acted .

 

[Mark_Harbinger]

One reboot thats kind of grown on me is the 2002 version of The Time Machine with Guy Pierce . I didn't initially like this film when I saw it but, repeated viewing it have given me appreciation of it . In it own own right it's a very good film , well written , produced and acted .

I'll check it out. Thx!

 

[Anthony Grate]

Personally I'm tired of Hollywood's obsession with reboots. Even so, I can think of some films, particularly some '80s films, that I wouldn't mind seeing on the screen again with updated FX and better writing.

 

[BAYLOR]

Personally I'm tired of Hollywood's obsession with reboots. Even so, I can think of some films, particularly some '80s films, that I wouldn't mind seeing on the screen again with updated FX and better writing.

At one point , we supposed to get a remake of Quatermass and the Pit

 

[Anthony Grate]

I wouldn't mind seeing updated versions of The Black Hole or Outland.

 

[Randy M.]

Personally I'm tired of Hollywood's obsession with reboots. Even so, I can think of some films, particularly some '80s films, that I wouldn't mind seeing on the screen again with updated FX and better writing.

They usually show up with better FX and worse writing/directing.

 

[Droflet]

I agree that remakes are usual crap but one poked into my head. The remake of A Guy Called Joe remade by Spielberg as Always. Not necessarily better but a very different take of the original even though they used some of the original dialogue. Both wonderful, in their own ways.

 

[Anthony Grate]

They usually show up with better FX and worse writing/directing.

Agreed. If they can't make a project happen with both, then just leave the property alone.