The death of originality: Remakes

[MulligaN Stew]

Remakes are not a bad thing if the new interpretation isn't simply a retread, but infuses new ideas and approaches to the subject matter.

I do agree that originality is sorely lacking, but I do not believe in its extinction. Marketing, and/or the ability to market a film, is irrevocably harming the industry, and denying funding to creative projects.

 

[SolidSnakeMGS]

Remakes have been going on forever. In fact, in the golden age of Hollywood, directors would remake their own work! Cecil B DeMille remade Ten Commandments, and Howard Hawks remade Rio Bravo (where John Wayne was in both and of course played the same character!) into El Dorado, which was nowhere near as good as the original.

Not to mention Yojimbo, which was remade into Fistful of Dollars; and Seven Samurai which was remade into The Magnificent Seven. Although the originals are superior, it isn't by a terribly wide margin...nowhere like today where remakes are highly crapized bastardizations.

 

[Shuley]

Very rarley can a director remake a movie that is better than the original...I liked the 1983 Scarface remake more than the 1932 original,I liked King Kong more than the original,The Departed is excellent,but haven't seen the original but I know people who have and they all said that the remake is better than the original...It's these damn ******ed horror movie remakes that are pissin everyone off cause they all suck!

 

[MulligaN Stew]

The Magnificient Seven is an excellent remake, but I still enjoy Seven Samurai because it was so ahead of its time. It had no discernable main villain[just hordes of enemies], but pointed to the internal conflict or villain within. The remake had a clear villain, but only because American audiences need a classic 'good guy' / 'bad guy' scenario to enjoy it.

The Departed is excellent,but haven't seen the original but I know people who have and they all said that the remake is better than the original

The Departed is a quality film, but it's not IA. They follow similar plotlines, but I'd wager people were claiming that the Departed was better, because they're more familiar with the cultural procedures or overall feel of Boston crimelife - very similar to Scorcese's other famous flick. IA's still a great conceptual work and it has nothing to fear from any remakes.

 

[ToddIsDead]

The Magnificient Seven is an excellent remake, but I still enjoy Seven Samurai because it was so ahead of its time. It had no discernable main villain[just hordes of enemies], but pointed to the internal conflict or villain within. The remake had a clear villain, but only because American audiences need a classic 'good guy' / 'bad guy' scenario to enjoy it.

I love both Samurai and Magnificent too. Nothing is better than watching those movies back-to-back. I think Samurai is better overall, but I still love the heck out of Magnificent.

 

[MulligaN Stew]

I love both Samurai and Magnificent too. Nothing is better than watching those movies back-to-back. I think Samurai is better overall, but I still love the heck out of Magnificent.

Oh definitely. The Magnificient Seven is one of my favs. . .Brynner and Eastwood in the same film. Bad*** Classic.

 

[mister Lennon]

Eastwood wasnt in the magnificient seven, you must be mistaken him with Charles Bronson or James Coburn, or with the same Steve Maqueen.