A Solution to the Remake 'Problem'
I recently read that there is a remake of Dario Argento's classic 1977 horror Suspiria in the works with Natalie Portman highly touted to play the Suzy Bannion role and Pineapple Express helmer David Gordon Green writing the screenplay. This is the latest in a long line of pointless remakes that includes the dreadful re-imagining of The Wicker Man, the pointless and ultra-violent Halloween and almost shot- for-shot remake of The Omen. The list is huge as there are myriad remakes, re-imaginings and 'inspired by' films that do nothing that the original didn't do better years ago.
Of course remakes in the horror genre are nothing new as horror began with the third version of Der Golem in 1920 (the earlier two have been lost in the ages) and Frankenstein, Dracula and the Mummy have had many incantations through the years. There is also nothing intrinsically wrong with going over old material as David Cronenberg proved with The Fly (1986), a far superior version of the human/fly hybrid story than Kurt Neumann managed three decades earlier.
Recently though, it seems that the remake factory has gone into overdrive with just about every successful horror film from the '60s, '70s and '80s being revamped for the big screen and Hollywood screenwriters seemingly waiting for something to come out of Asia that they can begin reworking for domestic consumption. Even when it isn't a remake, it feels like one with films containing so many homages/references/citations that it doesn't appear fresh, just a mash-up of remade scenes from films you have seen before.
This is where my novel idea comes in that would see filmmakers struggling for new material but audiences, both those who know and love the originals and those who haven't seen them, both winning: re-release a remastered version of the original film. This would keep the technical wizards who pour over the negatives and take out the blemishes, scratches and grain in business and give horror fans the chance to see films they love but have only seen at home on the big screen in pristine condition. I was lucky enough to catch a packed-out screening of The Wicker Man (1973) but only the theatrical version, not the far superior director's cut. Imagine a nation-wide re-release of Halloween, rather that the remake or the initial versions of Night of the Living Dead, Psycho or The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - how good would that be? Rather than watching them on DVD or Blu-ray at home, you could go to the cinema and watch them again and again.
This isn't limited to horror as the same could be done with the first three Star Wars or Indiana Jones movies, Ghostbusters or even cult classics like Blade Runner. Even with the Final Cut of that on Blu-ray sitting on my shelf and with a pretty decent home cinema, I'd pay to see that at the cinema. It seems that every year a series of classic films are shown at certain cinema chains for one night only - this year includes Spartacus, The Thing and The Blues Brothers which will undoubtedly have massive audience figures. Why only one night and not a week?
I suppose this is a long way round of saying 'Don't remake - re-release' and stop treating cinema audiences as idiots as there will be a market for classic films on the big screen.
Of course remakes in the horror genre are nothing new as horror began with the third version of Der Golem in 1920 (the earlier two have been lost in the ages) and Frankenstein, Dracula and the Mummy have had many incantations through the years. There is also nothing intrinsically wrong with going over old material as David Cronenberg proved with The Fly (1986), a far superior version of the human/fly hybrid story than Kurt Neumann managed three decades earlier.
Recently though, it seems that the remake factory has gone into overdrive with just about every successful horror film from the '60s, '70s and '80s being revamped for the big screen and Hollywood screenwriters seemingly waiting for something to come out of Asia that they can begin reworking for domestic consumption. Even when it isn't a remake, it feels like one with films containing so many homages/references/citations that it doesn't appear fresh, just a mash-up of remade scenes from films you have seen before.
This is where my novel idea comes in that would see filmmakers struggling for new material but audiences, both those who know and love the originals and those who haven't seen them, both winning: re-release a remastered version of the original film. This would keep the technical wizards who pour over the negatives and take out the blemishes, scratches and grain in business and give horror fans the chance to see films they love but have only seen at home on the big screen in pristine condition. I was lucky enough to catch a packed-out screening of The Wicker Man (1973) but only the theatrical version, not the far superior director's cut. Imagine a nation-wide re-release of Halloween, rather that the remake or the initial versions of Night of the Living Dead, Psycho or The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - how good would that be? Rather than watching them on DVD or Blu-ray at home, you could go to the cinema and watch them again and again.
This isn't limited to horror as the same could be done with the first three Star Wars or Indiana Jones movies, Ghostbusters or even cult classics like Blade Runner. Even with the Final Cut of that on Blu-ray sitting on my shelf and with a pretty decent home cinema, I'd pay to see that at the cinema. It seems that every year a series of classic films are shown at certain cinema chains for one night only - this year includes Spartacus, The Thing and The Blues Brothers which will undoubtedly have massive audience figures. Why only one night and not a week?
I suppose this is a long way round of saying 'Don't remake - re-release' and stop treating cinema audiences as idiots as there will be a market for classic films on the big screen.
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