Movie remakes

I guess we've run out of original ideas. Really, there are a finite number of stories to be told. Romeo and Juliet has been remade, and reimagined upteen times. Pride and Prejudice appeared as Bridget Jones' Diary, and was given a Bollywood twist in Bride and Prejudice. We need to rely on Woody Allen to come up with an original screenplay, and in the end, he is probably telling his same story over, and over.

I just watched Death at a Funeral. The original is a British film, but it was redone recently by Chris Rock. I have not seen the remake. I do not understand why people remake films in the same language. Maybe it is different for Canadian culture versus American culture because we have sensibilites closer to the British. Do Americans really not get British humour? When is the American version of Love Actually coming out? Or, was that Valentine's Day?

Reading reviews, most preferred the first Death at a Funeral, but some liked the second better. Maybe it is "demo"itis. You know, the phenomenon when you like the thing you see or hear first. I am a bit of a snob that way. I often try to watch the original, and tend to prefer it. I especially dislike American remakes of French films. I preferred La Femme Nikita to Point of No Return. Three Men and a Cradle was infinitely better than Three Men and a Baby. I did, however, only see the American version of A Dinner for Schmucks. Maybe I will like it better than the French film, since I saw it first.

I understand why Americans remake foreign films, though. They are trying to make the film more accessible to their audience. The majority of North American movie goers do not like to read subtitles. Most dubbed films are horrible, so redoing the foreign film in English is the next step. Plus, people are more likely to see the movie if it is starring famous Hollywood actors. Like I said, I prefer to see the original film, but I know I am probably losing some of the nuances in the text translation, and missing some of the visuals while reading.

And, why are older films being redone? It is a similar problem, but instead of cultural differences between countries, we are dealing with cultural differences between generations. The Russians are no longer a threat to us, so why would anyone relate to the original Red Dawn. Of course, we all fear the North Koreans are going to take over our country. Hmm, bad example. The thing is, the film makers needed to pick an enemy they did not think would truly be capable of harming our country. Considering the reactions in the Middle East this week, they were probably safe in picking North Korea as the Big Bad in Red Dawn redux.

Why was Total Recall remade? Colin Farrel is better looking than Arnie? Special FX technology is superior now, and the movie can be a lot prettier. Maybe it is such a good story, it needed to be told again. How many other 80s movies should they remake? Goonies? Back to the Future, where they go back to Back to the Future? That could get a little confusing. The Breakfast Club! I guarantee you someone is out there pitching these old stories to movie executives. They'll hire Judd Nelson as the principal.

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