Reboots and Remakes

[Sidhenearlahi]

Reboots and remakes are a concept that is very clearly here to stay, for better or for worse. I've known some remakes to be better than the original, I've known some to be infinitely worse. So I have no preconceived notions of whether or not they are, as a concept, good or bad. It's all really up to how they're treated by their writers, directors, and studios, when it all comes down to it.

I usually won't instantly resist the idea, I'm not one to get outraged when a favourite movie or franchise from my adolescence gets the treatment. I never condemn the idea outright.

But of course this doesn't mean I don't have opinions on whether or not I think it's likely a good idea to do so.

Are there any reboots/remakes you love? Any you hate? Any you're looking forward to, that you want to happen, or hope that they never do?

I hope Back To The Future is never touched, personally.
I actually wouldn't mind a reboot of the Matrix franchise, I feel the concept could be executed so much better.
And I hear that Flight Of The Navigator, and the Neverending Story are both in talks, perhaps even in production for remakes. Both were childhood favourites, and both are also deeply dated and kind of hard to watch and enjoy as an adult, or a youth of the modern world. I would love to see both of these movies updated and brought to the youngin's of today! So I'd say I'm looking forward to both of those.

[yell0wf0x]

There is also the concept of reboot/sequel/prequel as was done with terminator and xmen. In my opinion, I think those are good moves for franchises that's become quite stale and really needs it to be fresh again. I think the matrix franchise would benefit from something like that since it's basically looped itself at the end of the third movie. That and Keanu really needs to get back to where he is good at. Look at John wick. It's regarded as his return to form. And it was a really good movie too. Keanu would do well to reprise his role if a matrix reboot/sequel/prequel came to be.

As for other movies that I want to have a reboot, I think tomb raider and resident evil needs these so bad. Resident evil became a shitty franchise after the first movie (so did the games after 5 but ye get what I mean)

As far as remakes go, poltergeist was a really bad one. They really should've left the classic as it is. 

Top of my head at the moment. I'm sure there are more.

 

[Kaizy]

Resident Evil is a fucking disaster of a movie series. There wont be a remake of those until they burnout the current series, which iirc, is going to have another installment. But yeah don't get me starts on Resident Evil, I'll be here all night.

Most of my experience with movie remakes is in the horror department, and they're always fucked. Halloween (feat. Rob Zombie) was so fucking try-hard edgy and shat all over the original movies. The Nightmare on Elm Street remake focused WAY too much on Freddy being a pedo and didn't even remotely come close to being as creepy as the original. My sister saw the Poltergeist remake and said it was shit, so I didn't even bother wasting my money. The horror movie genre has enough issues right now, it doesn't need to be flooded with these awful remakes of classic movies that never needed to be remade. If they even try to remake Alien, I'm going to lose my collective shit. They already botched The Thing with a god awful remake, which is my favorite horror movie.

A Matrix remake could be cool, especially with the FX they have these days, but I never trust remakes in general. They rarely ever leave me feeling satisfied.

[LazerMaster5]

There are many movies that are made in a certain time and place, and a remake would miss the mark. Remember Red Dawn? The original is hailed as a classic, chronicling a group of teenagers fighting a Russian invasion and dying. The remake was mediocre at best, with a stupid modernization of plot that involved North Korea getting aid from Russia and invading. First off, this is highly improbable and laughable. Second, North Korea is alone in this world. Anyway, back to the film. Let's have a bunch of pretty faces muck around for a few hours, and let's make some cliche ending involving them rounding up fighters. The movie was a tank, proving just how unnecessary remakes really are. If they were to ever remake Demolition Man, Back to the Future, or Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, all the charm, magic, and historical sense would be lost. It's like if Metallica found their classic albums sounded too old and decided to redo them with electronic instruments and make them sound poppy. It wouldn't work.

[Maug]

All I know for every Batman Begins there is there is a dozen or so 'teenage mutant ninja turtles (2014)'.

But apparently it is successful because people keep paying to see such crap.

[Skylar Husky]

Total Recall was my biggest gripe with remakes.

The first one had an invincible secret agent on Mars who was part of a conspiracy to steal his identity and make him think he was a nothing living on Earth until he was "activated."

The new one was a fine movie, don't get me wrong, but had nothing in the hell to do with secret agents on Mars. I was so pissed. The only thing wrong with the remake was the title. The film company should have asked the writers for a new title.

 

I haven't seen the Robocop remake. I don't know how the remake could top that brutal senseless slaying of Officer Alex Murphy in the first part of the original. I am told it was alright but notably different and darker themed.

 

Some remakes do okay. The Star Trek remakes (Albeit, altered timelines) so far are really great. I like how the cast was handpicked and trained to act like the original actors. I could see a lot of potential from further sequels in the series.

[Zytan]

Looking forward to the next Spiderman reboot... Wonder if it'll feature Uncle Ben's Rice as a product placement this time

[Taralack]

The Star Trek remakes (Albeit, altered timelines) so far are really great. I like how the cast was handpicked and trained to act like the original actors. I could see a lot of potential from further sequels in the series.

RIP Nimoy, no more original universe Spock ):

[Skylar Husky]

RIP Nimoy, no more original universe Spock ):

Yes, that was a sad, sad day. But he did live a full, long life to age 83. My grandfather made it to 81. 

[Sidhenearlahi]

Total Recall was my biggest gripe with remakes.

The first one had an invincible secret agent on Mars who was part of a conspiracy to steal his identity and make him think he was a nothing living on Earth until he was "activated."

The new one was a fine movie, don't get me wrong, but had nothing in the hell to do with secret agents on Mars. I was so pissed. The only thing wrong with the remake was the title. The film company should have asked the writers for a new title.

Fair, but neither of the Total Recall movies have really 100% nailed the short story that they're both supposed to be based on. From what I've heard, the remake is technically closer in a few aspects, though the original had the Mars element which was present in the short story.

But nobody even knew there was a short story, probably because it isn't called anything even similar to "Total Recall" so I can't imagine that's a factor anybody really weighs

[Skylar Husky]

Fair, but neither of the Total Recall movies have really 100% nailed the short story that they're both supposed to be based on. From what I've heard, the remake is technically closer in a few aspects, though the original had the Mars element which was present in the short story.
But nobody even knew there was a short story, probably because it isn't called anything even similar to "Total Recall" so I can't imagine that's a factor anybody really weighs
 

Yes you are correct.

The original short story by Philip K. Dick was called "We Can Remember it For You Wholesale." The original Douglas Quaid or Hauser in the story was a banker who paid for a memory implant of a trip to Mars. He tried to remember who he was after the fact and in looking through his desk he found he even had souvenirs of his trip to Mars (A dead, preserved sand-worm specimen) 

I like and have the collected works of Philip K. Dick.

 

[Little_Dragon]

I rather liked the 1998 American remake of Godzilla, myself, though I can understand how kaiju enthusiasts aren't big fans.

[Zeke]

I wouldn't mind seeing a Labyrinth remake as long as David Bowie is in it and recasts his role as Jareth.

[Revates]

I think Underworld is similar to Resident Evil's terrible franchise and would be great with a reboot.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Revates

[Maug]

I rather liked the 1998 American remake of Godzilla, myself, though I can understand how kaiju enthusiasts aren't big fans.

Because, while the design of the kaiju is cool, It's has little resemblance to the original Godzilla. In fact Toho, the creators of Godzilla, consider it a totally different character named 'Zilla'. The reason that people didn't like the movie might also have to do with the terrible plot, awful acting, and lackluster finale.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Maug

[aeroxwolf]

Some movies reach cut classic status and are loved by its fans despite their age and flaws. A lot of cult classics turned out to be box office bombs, but gained a following over the years after its initial release. 

These movies are loved so much because they did not follow the trends of their time. Instead, they pioneered the way we look at movies in its storytelling, characters, theme's, art style and fantasy worlds.

Remakes are simply Hollywoods way of making a quick buck, by using the title of a beloved movie with a half assed attempt in film production. They believe by telling the same story with a different spin, adding a load of CGI - to make visuals or sinarios not at the time of the original - will be enough to please it's fans and draw in a new generation of followers. Wrong 

Look at the original robocop. Cheesy as hell (totally 80's), aged CGI, hilarious dialogue, doesn't take itself serious, funny character design. But despite all its flaws, it's a fun and entertaining movie. The universe feels futuristic because of all the nonsense future tech and architecture of the 80's vision of the future.

Now let's look at the robocop Remake. Boring one dimensional characters, no futuristic visionary direction (it looks like it's set in the present), takes itself way too serious, one generic shoot out, no violence, and predicable plot.

There was no love or passion going into the making of this movie. No visionary or artistic flare. No humour or fun moments. Just bland and boring.

Hollywood need tounderstand: if they're going to touch their greedy hands on classic movies, they're going to need more than just fancy CGI and lense fares to make Remakes good. 

[Zeke]

Including the spandex?

Including the spandex.

[Maug]

 

Hollywood need tounderstand: if they're going to touch their greedy hands on classic movies, they're going to need more than just fancy CGI and lense fares to make Remakes good. 

The trouble is, Hollywood knows that flashy effects and a franchise's popularity is all that is needed to bring in the masses.

[Joshi]

There are many good games that deserve a reboot and many did, like Elite or any other game in the last 2 years >.<

But also many movies like Stargate and Star Wars or if it's just Tron.

[Skylar Husky]

I wouldn't mind seeing a Labyrinth remake as long as David Bowie is in it and recasts his role as Jareth.

OH GOD! WHY?! Why remake that one? No one remade the Wizard of Oz! It is like my generation's Wizard of Oz, It can't possibly live up to the spontaneity and off beat qualities of the original. It would be almost certainly an abortion of the original, like many of the remakes are (Many not all, mind you.) 

They won't recast David Bowie. They will probably have the "Goblin Queen" to be politically correct and it will be someone nauseating and disgusting like Lady Gaga or Miley Cyrus, It would have disgusting auto-tune musical numbers and electronica beats and it will have an over-reliance on CGI instead of having a creature shop actually use their imaginations and make fantastic puppets. Nothing about that sounds good at all.YUCK!  (I am teasing a little Ozriel so don't take me too seriously.)

Side Note:

According to the extras I have watched on my version of the DVD's The Henson's Jim and his son, Brian Henson, wanted to cast a pop culture figure at the time in the role and were seriously considering Michael Jackson as Jareth, the Goblin King. That would have been a very different soundtrack and dance scenes for sure.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Skylar Husky

[Zeke]

 

Side Note:

According to the extras I have watched on my version of the DVD's The Henson's Jim and his son, Brian Henson, wanted to cast a pop culture figure at the time in the role and were seriously considering Michael Jackson as Jareth, the Goblin King. That would have been a very different soundtrack and dance scenes for sure.

I read about that in a magazine at work. I am sure it would have been good either way. And if they did it with Micheal Jackson and decided on a recast to try to stay similar, they would have a very hard time,

[Skylar Husky]

No doubt the movie would be as neat, offbeat etc. but could you imagine a whole troupe of goblins dancing in a choreographed group dance like the monsters in the thriller video? It would be a very different movie by a long shot.

they would have a hard time either way recasting the Goblin King. The only other person who would have really been interesting as the Goblin King would have been Freddie Mercury. If he had done it, I think the movie would have been a rock opera.

And i know of no artist or musician today with the talents of any of these people I mentioned. I think it would be a pale imitation to remake it.

 

Edited October 10, 2015 by Skylar Husky

[Sidhenearlahi]

And i know of no artist or musician today with the talents of any of these people I mentioned. I think it would be a pale imitation to remake it.

 

Not saying it would necessarily be as good, or that I even think it should be done

But

Lady Gaga as the goblin queen, perhaps. I feel as far as artists with definitive styles/personalities to them go these days, she'd be the only one I feel could bring a unique weirdness to the role. And she also has American Horror Story under her belt, so we know she can act at least.

Outside of that. I mean, idk, Corey Taylor? Just go full Slipknot with it all.