Your thoughts on remakes, in general

[Kelliezgirl]

Prequel revisionism has been going on a lot longer than the recent show.

If anything, it started as soon as Disney bought the property and we started seeing tons of articles about how the prequels are "misunderstood" and then the whole "ring theory" of watching all the 2 trilogies in a specific order.

What you describe, has happened with every piece of Star Wars media that Disney releases. In the disappointment of The Last Jedi, fans were quick to say "the prequels aren't that bad now". Rinse and repeat.

It wasn't the actual fans claiming the prequels were "misunderstood". It was the corporate media trying to suck up to Disney to get access for the new properties.

They were quick to say that, and it was always meant as a joke, acknowledging that things had gone from bad to worse.

 

[cadeauxxx]

the Exorcist was dead on. Blatty wrote the first script, Friedkin trashed it, then they went through the book line by line together and nailed every part of it. All that's left out is details from the medical exams, and some of karras' research on wondering if she were possessed or mentally ill.

The only controversy was leaving out the priests discussing the point of possession. Blatty wanted it, Friedkin said the audience could figure it out. As a concession to Blatty they did put it in the extended version released in the late nineties. That and the spider walk scene.

Friedkin made some great stuff. Check out Killer Joe if you're into fucked up crime movies lol.

 

[SimonDoom]

Scarface (1982) with Al Pacino. Written by Oliver Stone and directed by Brian DiPalma. A remake of the 1932 movie with Paul Muni, but only in a very loose sense. This is an example of a very good remake because it takes the basic plot arc but recreates the setting, the criminal background, and the characters, and it updates the story in a way that ir relevant and compulsively interesting for a modern audience. I think of it as one of the most watchable movies I've ever seen. Any time it's on, I sit down and get hooked. Full of 80s style and excess and Al Pacino chewing up the scenery. "Say hello to my little friend." Good stuff.

 

[lovecraft68]

Friedkin made some great stuff. Check out Killer Joe if you're into fucked up crime movies lol.

He'll forever be known for Exorcist and French Connection, but Bug and Live and Die in LA are great. I'll have to check out Killer Joe.

There's a documentary on the making of the Exorcist-well a bunch, but this is the best-Fear of God, and this man was an absolute lunatic as a director.

 

[lovecraft68]

Scarface (1982) with Al Pacino. Written by Oliver Stone and directed by Brian DiPalma. A remake of the 1932 movie with Paul Muni, but only in a very loose sense. This is an example of a very good remake because it takes the basic plot arc but recreates the setting, the criminal background, and the characters, and it updates the story in a way that ir relevant and compulsively interesting for a modern audience. I think of it as one of the most watchable movies I've ever seen. Any time it's on, I sit down and get hooked. Full of 80s style and excess and Al Pacino chewing up the scenery. "Say hello to my little friend." Good stuff.

They are talking remake-because of course they are.

The scene at the end, where he's just so gone on cocaine and rage to where he's dead ten times over and somehow still standing is one of the most bad ass I've ever seen, and the first time I saw it in my teens it really left an impression on me as in "Man, I want to create something like that"

To this day, not sure that I really have. I've done some glorious gory death scenes, but the feel to that still eludes me.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Scarface (1982) with Al Pacino. Written by Oliver Stone and directed by Brian DiPalma. A remake of the 1932 movie with Paul Muni, but only in a very loose sense. This is an example of a very good remake because it takes the basic plot arc but recreates the setting, the criminal background, and the characters, and it updates the story in a way that ir relevant and compulsively interesting for a modern audience. I think of it as one of the most watchable movies I've ever seen. Any time it's on, I sit down and get hooked. Full of 80s style and excess and Al Pacino chewing up the scenery. "Say hello to my little friend." Good stuff.

It's kind of a timeless story, not that society often wants to admit it.

ETA

I work with a retired DEA agent from time to time. He made a comment one day about how many of the criminals he dealt with loved that movie. They'd have Scarface posters on the wall and all the rest. So, I asked him, "They know he died at the end, right?" Said, "yeah, they just don't seem to care."
People are strange.

 

[cadeauxxx]

He'll forever be known for Exorcist and French Connection, but Bug and Live and Die in LA are great. I'll have to check out Killer Joe.

There's a documentary on the making of the Exorcist-well a bunch, but this is the best-Fear of God, and this man was an absolute lunatic as a director.

To Live and Die In LA is a fantastic movie.

Controversial opinion, but I enjoyed Cruising despite how disturbing it is.

 

[cadeauxxx]

They are talking remake-because of course they are.

The scene at the end, where he's just so gone on cocaine and rage to where he's dead ten times over and somehow still standing is one of the most bad ass I've ever seen, and the first time I saw it in my teens it really left an impression on me as in "Man, I want to create something like that"

To this day, not sure that I really have. I've done some glorious gory death scenes, but the feel to that still eludes me.

Check out White Heat with James Cagney. The ending to that is the ultimate one before Pacino's Scarface.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

To Live and Die In LA is a fantastic movie.

Controversial opinion, but I enjoyed Cruising despite how disturbing it is.

https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/best-movies-you-cant-stream-anywhere/

Unfortunately, not available on streaming anywhere.

 

[lovecraft68]

Check out White Heat with James Cagney. The ending to that is the ultimate one before Pacino's Scarface.

I'm sure I can find the clip on you tube cause you can find everything there.

Eastwood's death in Gran Torino has a bit of that feel, where he knew he was dying and let the gang members gun him down in front of people so they'd get arrested and his friends would be safe.

Different medium, but one the most bad ass deaths was in a horror novel They Thirst by Robert McCammon where a character gives their life to kill the head vampire, and was getting clawed and torn to shreds as he did it.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I think we can agree that there are many cases where books were brought to the screen successfully. There are also some great movie remakes. But what is obvious to me is that almost all of these modern remakes stem from an absolute lack of creativity in today's Hollywood. They can't come up with anything fresh and that is why they do all these remakes. Not because they have something new and different to say in comparison to the old version. These are all money grabs aimed at the emotions of viewers who remember those old movies fondly. Memberries, as Parker and Stone call them.

 

[lovecraft68]

https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/best-movies-you-cant-stream-anywhere/

Unfortunately, not available on streaming anywhere.

Pink Flamingos....Saw that not long after it came out. Why? I still don't know.

 

[Voboy]

ETA

I work with a retired DEA agent from time to time. He made a comment one day about how many of the criminals he dealt with loved that movie. They'd have Scarface posters on the wall and all the rest. So, I asked him, "They know he died at the end, right?" Said, "yeah, they just don't seem to care."
People are strange.

There's been quite a bit of sociological work done on the cartels and their view of death. It's a fascinating topic. Santa Muerte is involved; there are many VERY deep folk beliefs about death in Mexico, and combine all that with the virulency of their mindset, the violence of their lives, an idealized view of masculinity, and the overall world in which they're immersed, and you definitely do get a sense that "yeah, they just don't seem to care."

Many central American street gangs share a lot of this, as well.

It's the kind of thing that's interesting enough that I might want to explore it in a story someday. So much out there to look at. Makes you wonder why people bother with remakes when there's so much still unexamined.

 

[lovecraft68]

To Live and Die In LA is a fantastic movie.

Controversial opinion, but I enjoyed Cruising despite how disturbing it is.

Cruising was ahead of its time in a lot of ways. Nothing's changed though as far as what 'real men' would think about it.

 

[lovecraft68]

There's been quite a bit of sociological work done on the cartels and their view of death. It's a fascinating topic. Santa Muerte is involved; there are many VERY deep folk beliefs about death in Mexico, and combine all that with the virulency of their mindset, the violence of their lives, an idealized view of masculinity, and the overall world in which they're immersed, and you definitely do get a sense that "yeah, they just don't seem to care."

Many central American street gangs share a lot of this, as well.

It's the kind of thing that's interesting enough that I might want to explore it in a story someday. So much out there to look at.

Crash and burn sums it up.

In my horror novels I created a coven; they're blood descendants of a woman having children with a devil centuries ago and they have her appearance-ghostly white with black eyes-and his powers and his blood which makes them live for two things, lust, and blood lust. Fucking and fighting are what they're born and bred for and they view death in the sense the Vikings did, to die in battle is the way to go.

I created a mantra they all say when heading into a fight. "Fight valiantly and die violently."

Living long enough to die of natural causes-unless you're one of their priests or leaders-is seen in a poor light.

 

[lovecraft68]

I think we can agree that there are many cases where books were brought to the screen successfully. There are also some great movie remakes. But what is obvious to me is that almost all of these modern remakes stem from an absolute lack of creativity in today's Hollywood. They can't come up with anything fresh and that is why they do all these remakes. Not because they have something new and different to say in comparison to the old version. These are all money grabs aimed at the emotions of viewers who remember those old movies fondly. Memberries, as Parker and Stone call them.

The Crow remake is getting destroyed, and partly because of its cult status and the death of Brandon Lee on set.

They did sequels to the original because the myth is anyone can be the Crow, the crow is a spirit of vengeance that helps people come back for their killers. So they weren't great, but no one got pissed about it

But this is a direct remake with the same "Eric Draven" character and its being eviscerated. I didn't see it, but my daughter did and said even putting any feeling for the original aside, it "sucked balls."

Maybe she could do you tube critiques.

 

[cadeauxxx]

https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/best-movies-you-cant-stream-anywhere/

Unfortunately, not available on streaming anywhere.

Buy it on DVD They're dirt cheap now.

Cruising was ahead of its time in a lot of ways. Nothing's changed though as far as what 'real men' would think about it.

100% agree, far ahead of it's time.

The movie had a rocking soundtrack too of obscure NYC music.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

The Crow remake is getting destroyed, and partly because of its cult status and the death of Brandon Lee on set.

They did sequels to the original because the myth is anyone can be the Crow, the crow is a spirit of vengeance that helps people come back for their killers. So they weren't great, but no one got pissed about it

But this is a direct remake with the same "Eric Draven" character and its being eviscerated. I didn't see it, but my daughter did and said even putting any feeling for the original aside, it "sucked balls."

Maybe she could do you tube critiques.

Did they even make an attempt to go somewhere truly new? Did they try to give some more depth to the original story?
No wait, let me guess. They just went for some cheap gore and action and that's it.

I didn't even know they were doing this remake, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if my guess turned out to be spot-on.

 

[OffNSFW]

At some point, people are going to look back and realize that Lucas just got lucky. He was in the right place at the right time, had the right people around him and it all fell into place. He clearly wasn't some visionary filmmaker.

To each their own, but I don't believe this for a second.

 

[lovecraft68]

Did they even make an attempt to go somewhere truly new? Did they try to give some more depth to the original story?
No wait, let me guess. They just went for some cheap gore and action and that's it.

I didn't even know they were doing this remake, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if my guess turned out to be spot-on.

The changed the story to them being murdered by people from her past, and rather than him coming back just for revenge, he has a chance to save her, so it totally craps on the entire premise of it just being a revenge flick. Skaarsgard's make up looks like he's still in it, and the entire thing just misses the mark, and its gored up a bit of course.

 

[SimonDoom]

To each their own, but I don't believe this for a second.

I don't either. He deserves credit for Star Wars. He wasn't just lucky. He wasn't able to follow it up with a career full of good movies like some other directors, but he must be given credit for that one. American Graffiti was very good, too.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

To each their own, but I don't believe this for a second.

Take Star Wars from his body of work and what do you have left? Not much.
Take the Godfather out of Coppola's body of work and he's still a legend.
Take Casino, Taxi Driver and Goodfellas out of Martin Scorsese's body of work and he's still a legend.

You could do the same for Spielberg, John Ford and so on take their best 2 or 3 movies out of the picture and they are still great.
Heck take the LOTR franchise from Peter Jackson and he still has a greater legacy than Lucas.

Lucas was a one trick pony. It was a hell of a trick... but there was just one.

 

[lovecraft68]

I don't either. He deserves credit for Star Wars. He wasn't just lucky. He wasn't able to follow it up with a career full of good movies like some other directors, but he must be given credit for that one. American Graffiti was very good, too.

Both things are true. He had great vision and the initial story, but he did also have the lightning in the bottle type luck a lot of big hits and best selling novels can benefit from.

But there is truth to that story that his version of Empire Strikes Back would have flopped without intervention-but credit him with not fighting the changes-and ROTJ was a mixed bag. The opening where Luke frees han is epic and shows how he'd grown in power after his defeat (again, look at Rey...please.) Vader as Luke's father reveal is one of the best ever, his final showdown with the Emperor and Vader redeeming himself was well done. But...it also had the Ewoks and a ton of silliness as well.

But the prequels were not great. However, they do look like gold compared to the recent stuff. Jar Jar is better than some of the characters they've brought on since.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I'm not saying Lucas doesn't deserve credit, I'm saying he caught some breaks.
We've all seen it, something that is great and deserves to be successful dies on the vine like Firefly while something that's awful somehow becomes a sensation. Looking at you Twilight.

 

[SimonDoom]

Both things are true. He had great vision and the initial story, but he did also have the lightning in the bottle type luck a lot of big hits and best selling novels can benefit from.

But there is truth to that story that his version of Empire Strikes Back would have flopped without intervention-but credit him with not fighting the changes-and ROTJ was a mixed bag. The opening where Luke frees han is epic and shows how he'd grown in power after his defeat (again, look at Rey...please.) Vader as Luke's father reveal is one of the best ever, his final showdown with the Emperor and Vader redeeming himself was well done. But...it also had the Ewoks and a ton of silliness as well.

But the prequels were not great. However, they do look like gold compared to the recent stuff. Jar Jar is better than some of the characters they've brought on since.

I think all of the movies starting with Phantom Menace are a big step down from the original trilogy, and I blame Lucas in part for that. He forgot that they're supposed to be fun, not serious. But still, he deserves credit for the original movie (I give the screenwriters a lot of credit for Empire--I don't know if Lucas could have pulled that off on his own).