Unnecessary Remakes: Why Fix What Ain't Broken?

[smitten]

TWOP has a photo gallery devoted to this topic today. I had completely forgotten about the ridiculous Psycho remake.

One thing I hate about all the horror movie remakes is that they are turning them into gorefests because of all the advancements in special effects and makeup, etc. I happen to think the best horror movies are the ones that deal more in suspense than gruesome violence.

[FotoStoreSheila]

Jun 10, 2010 13:52:19 GMT -4 smitten said:

TWOP has a photo gallery devoted to this topic today. I had completely forgotten about the ridiculous Psycho remake.

Heh, I remember when it was released the movie critic at Entertainment Weekly hated it, and went so far as to say, the best use of Hitchcock source material in 1998 was not the Psycho remake, but Busta Rhymes' song 'Gimme Some More'.

I am begging the Hollywood gods to leave my favourite 80s movies alone. Get your greedy paws off anything made by John Hughes, or anything starring Goldie Hawn!

[Deleted]

Do you consider The Fast and the Furious series to be action? I know they're not to everyone's taste, but they inspired a sub-genre of racing/ car-porn movies, and stuff like "Pimp My Ride".

Yeah I didn't really like them but I can see how they were influential at least.

One thing I hate about all the horror movie remakes is that they are turning them into gorefests because of all the advancements in special effects and makeup, etc. I happen to think the best horror movies are the ones that deal more in suspense than gruesome violence.

I shudder to think how they will up the violence in the I Spit On Your Grave remake.

[CAgirl]

Jun 10, 2010 14:56:23 GMT -4 FotoStoreSheila said:

I am begging the Hollywood gods to leave my favourite 80s movies alone. Get your greedy paws off anything made by John Hughes, or anything starring Goldie Hawn!

There's a remake in the works of Private Benjamin with Anna Faris. So lame.

[Deleted]

"Private Benjamin"s premise has changed so much in 30 years that I could see how it could support a remake. Thirty years ago, women in the army were a novel thing (as regular troops, not WACs). Now, women are in combat roles in wartime. Thirty years ago, a muscular woman on the cover of "Time" provoked controversy. Women running army obstacle courses was played for laughs. Nowadays, pampered princesses like Pvt. Benjamin do cardio classes, have rock hard abs, and do bootcamp workouts. There's room for some new twists on the story. But they'll probably just crank out something lazy.

[Deleted]

With Anna Faris and her blonde screwball act I'm sure it's going to be a lazy remake. Jessica Simpson's "reimagining" of Private Benjamin, Major Movie Star, went straight to...I don't know where. I'm still waiting for it to show up on cable because it looks like unintentional comedy gold.

I really hope they don't remake Heathers, and not just because I think that movie sucked. The whole storyline is completely outdated in the post-Columbine era.

Really? The reason I wouldn't want a remake of Heathers is because I think it stands the test of time and would be unnecessary. It's a straight up black comedy full of cartoon violence and teen stereotypes, and it's still funny (to me and my sick mind anyway). I don't see how the real life violence of Columbine should change anything when it comes to "it sucks to be a teen" type movies.

[carrier76]

Wasn't "Jawbreaker" sort of a lame remake of "Heathers" anyway? Sort of?

[FotoStoreSheila]

Jun 13, 2010 13:03:59 GMT -4 carrier76 said:

Wasn't "Jawbreaker" sort of a lame remake of "Heathers" anyway? Sort of?

But the "Heather #1" in that movie was actually well liked and admired. The "Veronica" and "Jason Dean" characters were kind of dull milquetoasts who didn't decide to do anything until the last 5 minutes of the movie. Ugh, Jawbreakers was awful.

[CAgirl]

Jun 13, 2010 5:15:14 GMT -4 @dguzpy said:

"Private Benjamin"s premise has changed so much in 30 years that I could see how it could support a remake. Thirty years ago, women in the army were a novel thing (as regular troops, not WACs). Now, women are in combat roles in wartime. Thirty years ago, a muscular woman on the cover of "Time" provoked controversy. Women running army obstacle courses was played for laughs. Nowadays, pampered princesses like Pvt. Benjamin do cardio classes, have rock hard abs, and do bootcamp workouts. There's room for some new twists on the story. But they'll probably just crank out something lazy.

You're right. The women in the military today are completely different from 30 years ago. Hopefully they write a good story. But with Anna Faris as the lead? I'm not so sure. I'm imagining her character from The House Bunny (yes I saw it...on tv though!) being Private Benjamin. That would be awful.

[magazinewhore]

Ah, Heathers..."Teenage Suicide...don't do it!"

The Women was an awful remake, there's no way Mildred Pierce should be attempted.

The remake of "The Women" truly has to be one of the most painful things I have ever witnessed. It made me physically angry. Annette Benning was ok as a wealthy woman, but Debra Messing was sooo bad as a Earth Mother type, as was Jada Pinkett as a lipstick lesbian, and the three of them inexplicably hung out with Meg Ryan. It was just one stereotype after another. It makes me mad now just thinking about it.