# Movie Remakes



## Xue Sheng (Dec 22, 2008)

I was just reading about the Karate Kid remake that will be filmed, at least in part, in Beijing the home of many Martial arts and not one of them Karate ad I went looking for other abominations and I found a site that listed 5 that should be stopped that are in the works

Red Dawn
Weird Science
The Karate kid
Friday the 13th
Top Gun

But then I found this site

55 movie remakes currently in the works

Please tell me most of these are just jokes because otherwise Hollywood must still be in the writers strike or originality is dead :deadhorse

EDIT

No reason for this icon other than I wanted to use it becuase it is from Dr Who and very cool:dalek:



By


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## Nolerama (Dec 22, 2008)

Hmm...

I'd like to see a live-action _Akira_. 

_Red Dawn_ fascinated me as a child so I'd like to see a new spin on that; maybe a Chinese/Euro invasion of the US (_Red Dawn: USA Foreclosure_). Logan's Run would be wonderful, with all respect given to the original movies. 

I don't think one should mess with _My Fair Lady_. The Standard American English vs. Ebonics thing is sooo 1998. Let sleeping dogs lie.

You can't make _Flash Gordon_ any more campy than the original movie. So I think the remake would be a horrible replacement. A remake of that would call for a remake of _Barbarella_, and a 21st century remake would probably just be hardcore porn.

*Footloose*.... Seriously? There's going to be a remake of *Footloose*?? What's the world coming to??


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## Tez3 (Dec 22, 2008)

What on earth do they want to remake films for? I can see the point of a more modern Fame, with new characters in, up to date music etc but really can't see why they'd want to redo the others. Another Karate Kid perhaps, they should chose new characters though not rehash the old fims. when Hollywood remakes French films they very definitely loose something in translation! Look at Cage Aux Folles! A brilliant film in the original French, a dire remake in Hollywood called Birdcage.


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## exile (Dec 22, 2008)

Tez3 said:


> What on earth do they want to remake films for? ...when Hollywood remakes French films they very definitely loose something in translation! Look at Cage Aux Folles! A brilliant film in the original French, a dire remake in Hollywood called Birdcage.



Another one that was embarrassingly bad: _Cousin, Cousine_, a wonderfully low-key, quirky 1975 French sex/romantic comedy, catastrophically remade in 1989 with Ted Danson and, inexplicably, Isabella Rosselini (who normally bats 1.000 in her choice of productions). It was just ghastly&#8212;kind of like watching a fourth-rate ballet company trying to do an experimental version of _The Nutcracker_ in a contemporary setting with a sleep disorder clinic as intended catchy gimmick. If that idea makes you cringe and feel like burying your face in your hands, you've gotten my point about _Cousins_ perfectly.  

And let's not even get started on what happened to _La Femme Nikita_ en route to being gutted and sliced up en route to its sausage-factory Hollywood remake version as _Point of No Return_.

As to _why_ they do it... terminal lack of imagination, I'd say. The Hollywood movie-idea production line hates anything involving risk, ambiguity or defiance of tried-and-true cliché premises. Only when they've seen that it works (i.e., someone has expended the ingenuity and enterprise to try the idea out) do they feel really happy. The number of BBC ripoffs on US TV (with 10% or less of their original value, as a rule) is a case in point. _The Office_. _What Not to Wear_.... But why go on? The list is _endless._


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## Flying Crane (Dec 22, 2008)

Nolerama said:


> You can't make _Flash Gordon_ any more campy than the original movie. So I think the remake would be a horrible replacement. A remake of that would call for a remake of _Barbarella_, and a *21st century remake would probably just be hardcore porn*.


 
I'm sure it's out there somewhere.

Of course *Flesh* Gordon has already been done...


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## Cryozombie (Dec 22, 2008)

Flying Crane said:


> I'm sure it's out there somewhere.
> 
> Of course *Flesh* Gordon has already been done...



There were TWO of those.  Ahem.


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## arnisador (Dec 22, 2008)

Xue Sheng said:


> Red Dawn
> Weird Science
> The Karate kid
> Friday the 13th
> Top Gun



Hmmmm...none of these call out for a remake, and Top Gun was good enough the first time around that it doesn't make sense.

From the list, I wouldn't mind seeing these:
*Arthur*
*They Live* 
*Metropolis 
**Logans Run 

*


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## MA-Caver (Dec 22, 2008)

Hollywood definitely needs a jump start on their brains when it comes to ideas for movies. Having to re-hash everything I'm sure the original film-makers and studio owners did NOT want. 
Film was supposed to provide ongoing entertainment with new stories all the time. Many MANY films were great their first incarnations and yes many were better 2nd time around (Ocean's 11 comes to mind). 
Eventually you're going to get some dunderhead thinking they can do BETTER than the original and remake some that are just blasphemous to true film lovers 
My list of definite DO NOT TOUCH! 

Casablanca
Citizen Kane
Ben Hur
10 Commandments
Jeremiah Johnson 
Shane
High Noon
Sgt. York
Gone With The Wind (though they're already talking about that) 
Godfather Trilogy (oh yeah they'd seriously would consider it) 
Wizard Of Oz (the Wiz doesn't even count mmm'kay? ) 
*anything* by Kurosawa 
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (and the two films related to that -- Fistful of Dollars Yojimbo was a remake of that -- & For A Few Dollars More )
Films by John Houston
Giant 
Forbidden Planet (how can ANYONE replace Leslie Neilsen in his most for real serious role??) 
African Queen 
Chinatown

Many are dated it's true and thus hard to translate into current times/themes but even going back to the day would just ruin the feel of the originals because they made statements that still ring through to today. 

If they want to waste money remaking bad movies then okay... but even some of those should've been left alone. 

Sigh...


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## Xue Sheng (Dec 23, 2008)

MA-Caver said:


> anything by Kurosawa


 
To late, they already did that and called it the Magnificent 7 

But I do agree with your list and I will not joke about Casablanca again since the last time I made myself ill. 

I have to admit that some of the movies on the link I put up I would not mind seeing a remake of but it still screams "We're out of ideas" or as previously mentioned "We're afraid to take chances anymore" as far as Hollywood goes.


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## chrispillertkd (Dec 23, 2008)

Xue Sheng said:


> To late, they already did that and called it the Magnificent 7


 
The Bruce Willis film _Last Man Standing_ as well as the original _Star Wars_ were also based on Kurosawa films. _Last Man Standing_ was OK, but I did like _Yojimbo_ (much) more. I will give Lucas this, he took _Hidden Fortress_ and translated parts of it rather wll into Space Opera. I remember the first time I saw _Hidden Fortress_ when I was in high school and thought to myself, "Have I seen this before?"

Pax,

Chris


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## Kreth (Dec 23, 2008)

Um...


> *The Thing*
> This one&#8217;s still in the script stages, where we hope it gets stuck. The original is a flat-out classic, but given how many John Carpenter movies are getting the remake treatment, we suspect it&#8217;ll get to the screen in the next three years.


I wonder if the author knows that the John Carpenter version wasn't the original?


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## Xue Sheng (Dec 23, 2008)

Kreth said:


> Um...
> 
> I wonder if the author knows that the John Carpenter version wasn't the original?


 
James Arness would know


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## girlbug2 (Dec 23, 2008)

I suspect that most of those remakes (if not all) are being done with one main motive, that being the profit motive. However The Karate Kid may be an exception here. It's a PERFECT story (yes, flaws and all) that needs no updating. IMO Will Smith is proud papa going overboard with his star influence and money to secure his son the best of everything, including roles, even though Jaden is far too young to play teenage Daniel. Shame on Mr. Smith for being an overindulgent "helicopter parent" and for spoiling his kid like that. Apparently it's okay for him to ruin a much-beloved classic if his son can be the new Karate Kid.


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## JadecloudAlchemist (Dec 23, 2008)

Last house on the left is a classic. However if someone is going to remake it I guess having Wes Craven who did the orginal is not a bad idea.

The Live Jetsons might be ok to do. They did Live Flintstones that was ok for the kids.

Akira live action might not be to bad and if Leo is producing it may be good if he has help from his pal Martin Scorsese.

Everything else I could do without like I don't need another Arthur or Romancing the stone or Child's play.


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## Xue Sheng (Dec 23, 2008)

JadecloudAlchemist said:


> Last house on the left is a classic.


 
As I use to say when it came out

Last house on the left or the first house on the right depending on which direction you are going


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## Big Don (Dec 23, 2008)

Apparently for all the billions of dollars we throw at them, there is not a single worthwhile new idea in Hollywood. The next strike ought to be held by US, the movie and TV viewers. We ought to boycott movies, TV shows and their sponsors until Hollywood starts putting out a product worth viewing.
Screw Hollywood! Read a book!


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## Hand Sword (Dec 23, 2008)

I always wanted to see a remake of the martial art movie Force 5. We have some great modern artists that could do some great fight scenes. (if egos could be checked at the door-lol!)


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## Gordon Nore (Dec 23, 2008)

I didn't want to start a new thread on this, but last night my son and I went to see the remake of *The Day The Earth Stood Still*. I was so disappointed. There seemed to be an inordinate focus on a sub-plot revolving around Jaden Smith's character, which distracted the whole film. By the end of it, I honestly didn't care if the earth was saved.


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## Hand Sword (Dec 23, 2008)

Is that where Keanu reeves comes to destroy us?


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## Gordon Nore (Dec 23, 2008)

Hand Sword said:


> Is that where Keanu reeves comes to destroy us?



Yep. His character Klaatu is on a mission to protect the planet by destroying the human race and its works. Jaden Smith's tears help him change his mind.

That's the movie.


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## Hand Sword (Dec 23, 2008)

After the Bill and Ted stuff and the surfing movie with Swayze, I just can't buy him-lol.


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## MA-Caver (Dec 24, 2008)

Big Don said:


> Apparently for all the billions of dollars we throw at them, there is not a single worthwhile new idea in Hollywood. The next strike ought to be held by US, the movie and TV viewers. We ought to boycott movies, TV shows and their sponsors until Hollywood starts putting out a product worth viewing.
> Screw Hollywood! Read a book!


That'd be nice if we could get millions of movie lovers to do that. Likewise to stop buying DVD's for a week (too bad not before Christmas ... maybe 2009?) that should send a message. 

Then again we could do it to Washington as well. 

Could start a (on-line) petition and try to encourage folks from NOT going to the movies... best time (and the most difficult) would be just before the Summer Season which is a good moneymaking period for all of Hollywood... :idunno: Got to see if enough people care.


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## Cryozombie (Jan 4, 2009)

Some of the best films coming out are the Lower Budget and Indie films, plus a lot of foriegn films. If we could get more people to support those and fewer to support Hollywood we would see a shift, I am sure.

I'll reccomend a pair of Korean Films that are so worth checking out...

The First is "*Attack the Gas Station*" a dramatic comedy about a group of bored, disfranchised youth who attempt to rob a gas station but since there is no money wind up working there instead... 

The second is a "Blade Runner" clone (same basic premise, NOT a remake) that I feel BLOWS blade runner out of the water (and not because of the high tech graphics and stuff, it's just well made) called "*Natural City*"


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