Why does Hollywood bother?

[Omaha Steve]

Red Dawn from 84 just popped up on my TV. Why does Hollywood even try to remake a classic?

[spanone]

1. m o n e y

[BainsBane]

2. exactly

They know enough people who liked the first one will go to check it out, and if they put in enough special effects the kids will go too.

[Javaman]

20. +1000

I'd also like to add, that Red Dawn, which I saw in the movie theaters when I was 21 and thought it was an okay movie, not great, but kind of schlocky, has always been a fav of the right wing wanna-be's who want to play army man but not actually serve.

my right wing nephew is of that ilk. He loves to play at ROTC but when it came to signing on, he said no way.

[Quantess]

3. for money.

[bluedigger]

4. How come James Bond had a flying jet pack in 1965 and I don't?

[MrSlayer]

5. They've run out of ideas for the most part.

That why you're seeing remakes of movies that aren't even thirty years old.

[abelenkpe]

7. Untrue

there are many talented writers and directors who would like nothing else than to make an original film or tell an original story. However, current copyright laws make this unprofitable and/or undesirable for major media corporations. This is what you get with corporate consolidation.

We have anti trust laws. No one thinks to enforce them though because those in the position to consider enforcing such laws are too busy being bombarded with money from the same self serving corporations.

[MrSlayer]

8. It sure seems like it to me.

Red Riding Hood? Hansel & Gretel? All the terrible movies made from bad tv shows? For every Django or Argo there are fifty of these terrible ideas and remakes.

I think it's a dearth of ideas.

[Orrex]

10. If that's so, then there has always been a dearth of ideas

Hollywood's been making adaptations and remakes since its very earliest days.

There is nothing new in this.

[MrSlayer]

14. Yes but they used to be good or worthwhile.

Most of it today is utter garbage.

[Orrex]

15. Hard to say

You're cherry-picking the best from previous decades.

I'd wager that the utter garbage consistently outnumbers the good or worthwhile in any given year, remakes and otherwise.

[MrSlayer]

16. You're probably right.

A large percentage of movies that get green lighted are out of the theater in a week or used for tax write offs.

[Orrex]

17. Heh. I have several DVD collections of craptacular horror films from decades past

I think it's somewhere around 200, and that's just the ones that I own! Think of how many have sunk without a trace (thank goodness)!

[Javaman]

22. I call it the "british invasion" syndrome.

When the Beatles hit the scene, every record producer in the country wanted a piece of that gold, so they churned out one bad knock off after another, some hit most didn't.

with retreading old movies the same holds true but this time it's a bit different. Right now there is a giant spike in zombie and alternative history stories.

They are going back to a mediocre movies and revive them for a modern generation.

The zombie and alt history fascination is based upon several premises that, in our current state of affairs, finds an audience among the disenfranchised.

zombies represent a society whose purpose has become lost and with no direction and the alt history stories tap into the mentality of "what if" which is heavily based in pro-gun NRA mentality. Which in turn feeds into the unfounded belief that anyone with a gun and a belief can "turn things around". Hence the explosive rise of militia's in this nation over the past 10 years.

While I, myself really enjoy zombie and alt history as a story telling narrative, I do find it fascinating at how wide spread it's interest has become in society and as a sociological statement. There is a reason why any trend becomes popular and usually it's a reflection of the general populations disposition.

I will only truly become hopeful again about the economy and our congress when the zombie/alt history fad runs it's course and something else takes it's place.

On a side note, noticed that during the economical crash of our country, prior to Obama taking office, Vampires were really popular. Interesting metaphor, no?

If congress would finally pass jobs bills, etc, I predict the zombie/alt history fascination would subside.

Just my two cents.

[uponit7771]

25. +1

[JHB]

28. What specific alt history stories are you thinking of?

[Javaman]

29. Dang, I've read dozens...

It's really endless. But as far as contemporary authors: Conroy's various takes on history with his 19XX series of books or Harry Turtledoves American Civil war series of books; for example.

But many of Philip K. Dicks alt history have seen a revival as well as many others from the golden era of Sci-Fi.

Are you looking for something specific?

[JHB]

33. The ones that lead you to characterize the genre as...

..."heavily based in pro-gun NRA mentality. Which in turn feeds into the unfounded belief that anyone with a gun and a belief can "turn things around"."

Certainly there are examples of historical axe-grinding and wet dreaming (*cough*Newt Gringrich*cough*), but I've read some of the same Turtledove and Conroy books, an I simply haven't arrived at your rather sweeping description.

[Javaman]

34. And here I thought you were interested in the genre.

I was talking about the alt history topic in general not the particular trash which inhabits the right wing mentality.

Those I usually dump after the first chapter screed against the US and or crappy production of the actual book which feels like a watch tower pamphlet.

If you are looking for a type of screed, "War Days" comes to mind right off the bat. Or if you want something old, "StarShip Troopers by Heinlein (which is not a alt history as it is a commentary on how society should be run) is a biggy in the libertarian circles.

So rather than answer my question that I left you with in my previous post, which ask you, "Are you looking for something specific?", you choose to criticize my answer to your very very general question.

[JHB]

36. Let's see if we can back up and take this from the top...

in #22 you characterized the genre, or at least part of it, as "heavily based in pro-gun NRA mentality"

In #28 I asked which ones you were thinking of (I thought it was implied that I was referring to the characterization you gave in 22, but your response in #29 made me wonder if that point was actually clear)

I've read at least some of the same books that you have, and your characterization seems odd and overly broad to me. Since what you have gotten from the genre is rather different than what I have gotten from it, I was curious as to which stories were instrumental in shaping your opinion.

[Javaman]

40. We're done. I just don't have the energy.

Cheers!

[MrScorpio]

6. Trust me, the Detroit Metro area need the money. nt

[dsc]

9. I wouldn't call it a classic

but as a gay kid back then I did like the eye candy.

[Orrex]

11. A classic?

I thought you were talking about that crappy Patrick Swayze movie.

[Javaman]

23. it's a sad state on society when a mediocre movie is considered a classic...

when it's only reason for such is a crazy cheer of "wolverines!" is it's only basis for such.

[davidn3600]

12. There is nothing new under the sun

"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
-Ecclesiastes 1: 9

[LeftInTX]

13. I thought the remake of The Nutty Professor was better

I also like the remake of Gypsy with Bette Midler. Bette is a better singer than Rosalind Russell. But I agree most remakes are a huge disappointment.

There is even a made for TV version of Dr. Zhivago...Dr. Zhivago without Omar Sharif and Lara's Theme is pure sacrilege I tell you.

[Warren DeMontague]

18. classic?

crap-pic, more like.

[Omaha Steve]

24. At the time it was made...

There was a Berlin Wall. And the USSR existed. Raygun had started spending huge amounts. And we came the closest to nuclear war since Cuba. A totally different atmosphere from today.

September 26th, 1983: The day the world almost died: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-505009/September-26th-1983-The-day-world-died.html

[Warren DeMontague]

27. I remember. Shit, I remember Watergate.

the Reagan Administration basically funded Red Dawn as a propaganda pic.

It was ridiculous. The entire premise was just fucking goofy.

[Egalitarian Thug]

19. It's called show BUSINESS!

BTW, was the remake as bad as expected? So bad it's worth watching for a laugh?

[el_bryanto]

21. The Maltese Falcon was a remake of a remake

The Humphrey Bogart classic had already been made twice. There are a few other examples where the remake is at least interesting. Cronenburgs the Fly is another example. Herzog's Bad Lieutenant.

I think it depends on if they are doing something interesting with the material or are just cashing in on a popular name.

Bryant

[randome]

31. King Kong (2005).

[Jamastiene]

26. They got it right the first time with Red Dawn.

I honestly do not see how they think they can do it better nowadays, unless they want to add a bunch of unnecessary special effects or something. It was the acting that made the first one so good. They didn't need any great special effects.

[Blue_Tires]

30. $$$$$, of course

which is why we also see so many comic book movies...

Years ago there was this great analysis where some studio insider spilled the beans...Any movie project that isn't budgeted as a zillion-dollar summer blockbuster only needs a good first week at the theaters to make a profit (sometimes it can be done in a good opening weekend)...Popular classic TV shows, old movies and comics already have "built-in" audiences of fans who will buy tickets just out of curiosity/loyalty...

[MindPilot]

32. Why, there oughtta be a LAW!!

There are certain films that should not be remade. Red Dawn is one. Rollerball is another. And absolutely no TV show should ever be made into a movie. That worked exactly one time and that was Star Trek.

[Javaman]

35. We used to have a running joke about the "film cops" when I worked

out in L.A.

perhaps such a force should exist to save us all from horrible remakes of mediocre movies. LOL

[kentauros]

37. What's interesting,

is that I caught most of an Australian movie with the same kind of plot, and based on some YA series of books. The movie was called "Tomorrow, the War Began"

It was good, not great, and too reminiscent of Red Dawn, just with Australian accents

[edbermac]

39. And Howard Stern wanted to remake Porky's.

Thank God that never happened!!