Today I learned that one of my favorite Sci-Fi films will be remade soon. Total Recall, directed by the amusing Paul Verhoeven and based on the Phillip K. Dick story named "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", was a long waited summer movie event in 1990. I was a teen when I saw it on the big silver screen. I came out of the theater on a natural adrenaline high. I saw this movie again about a month ago on one of the TV networks, and I enjoyed it as much as when I saw it 19 years ago. To me, this movie looks very current and so far has stood the test of time, and its special FX still look good in 2009. I am saddened to learn that it will be "updated" by an "adaptation" under Kurt Wimmer.
Remakes have always existed. They existed in the golden age of film, in the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's...But...they are being produced like crazy during this current decade!!! I am not being able to count how many remakes Hollywood has produced in the last 10 years. These have also included remakes of 70'/80's TV series and films. One trend that I'm noticing is that remakes are being done from films that are not so old. for example, Paul Verhoeven's Total Recall, and many films that will be remade from 1980's and 1990's classics.
Globalization of the film industry is also fueling the Remake Trend. This is because, there are currently great movies produced all over the world. Since studios want the American audicence to be lazy about reading subtitles, and be reluctant to see movies with no famous Hollywood A-listers, they seek to "Westernize" or "Americanize" many foreign language movies. "Vanilla Sky" is the case. The original was an awsome and inventive thriller. Tom Cruise and Cameron Crowe made a crappy american version, so that Tom could date Penelope Cruz. In 2006, we saw perhaps the first remake win an oscar for best film. "The Departed", winner of several Academy Awards, including Best Film...was a remake of a Hong Kong film called "Infernal Affairs". Thank you Globalization!
According to the website upcominghorrormovies.com, over a dozen horror films are in the works for remakes. These include Nightmare on Elm Street, More Friday the 13th, More Texas Chainsaw, and more Halloween. The most heart-breaking one is the planned remake of the 70's classic, "Rosemary's Baby", which will have Lindsey Lohan carrying satan's child. "Footlose", "The Karate Kid" and many other beloved 1980's classics will be back to the theaters soon in an "Updated Form".
Don't be surprised if we see "Scream" being remade soon with Vanessa Hudgens. Don't be surprised either if there's Top Gun remake with Zack Ephron playing Maverick (and one of the "wolfpack" kids from Twilight playing Iceman or Duck)...I hope no studio exec. who reads this and gets funny ideas about the HSM or Twilight kids starring in any remakes...Now a "Showgirls" remake with Kim Kardashian would be an extremely wise idea.
I personally don't dissapprove of all remakes. I though Peter Jackson's King Kong (2005) was brilliant and Oscar worthy and not only for its technical virtues. It was a beautiful film, that was very true to the original. It served the purpose of introducing audiences of our current generation to an early film classic, and in the end, I believe the 2005 remake helped the original conserve its historical importance.
Please check out the originals before you see the remake. If you know of a remake that was better than the original, please let me know in the comments section.
Good Night.
Alex.
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