Original Vs. Remakes

It’s always said that nothing can beat the original, but does this logic apply to cinema?

Remakes in contemporary times have harboured a bigger audience and greater profit due to the extensiveness in technology, colour, And Mise en Scene etc. However not all remakes do justice to the original script or plot. In the year 2010 there are a number of films to be released that are repeats of other movies such as Tim Burton’s artistic creation of Alice in Wonderland or the reincarnation of Freddy Kruger in The Nightmare on Elm Street directed by Michael Bay. The question remains though can these new versions compete with the old?

The first remake the plagues on my mind is Prom Night which originally starred Jamie Lee Curtis and was released in 1980 and re-released in 2008, However although the characters had the same name and the movie the same title it had a completely different plot. This was alluded to in descriptions of the movie but those who assumed it was to be like the one previous were disappointed by the harrowing tale that was turned into a negated teen drama with bitchiness and trivialised issues like who will be prom queen? Unlike the original were the teens felt the wrath of fathers despair due to the loss of a child. The newly released version is classified under horror and thriller depending on a personal spectrum of fear as the film leaves nothing to the imagination and feels like a wasted hour and a half.

Along with Prom Night is House of Wax starring Paris Hilton, although I liked the newly released version it was not due to her acting or any participation she may have had. Originally House of Wax was released in 1953 consisting of the same plot relative to the 2005 film. Despite the acting differences there is a huge cap in the intrigue and mystery in the second release. The character of Vincent is so cleverly done with the beginning showing his calmness compared to his brother Bo and yet he is considered to be the monster due to his deformities but in actual fact he only follows the orders his conjoined but separate twin gives him. As the character Alisha Cuthbert plays finds the high chairs in which in the opening scenes shows the troubled child that Bo was and how his manipulation had led to the inhumane killings of the town which is now shut of from society.

Some of the best remakes that I have seen include Oceans Eleven which originally included the rat pack in the 1960 release but became a world wide hit in 2001 when the cast included George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts. Not only is the plot genius but the calmness and partnership between Danny and Rusty provides hysterical moments during the film and so does the fact that despite what situation his in rusty almost always has a drink or food in his hands. The mastery of the final scenes is phenomenal with robbing the casino so perfectly and then having it explained in regards to the preparation they were doing and the fake vault that they built. Truly a great representation of another film that for its time was revolutionary.

Two other great remakes that I’ve seen are Sweeny Todd: The demon Barber of Fleet Street and 300. Sweeny Todd which was released in 1936 has an updated version which was directed Tim Burton and starred Johnny Depp in 2007. The original displays fright and the outlandish tale of a man who could succumb to this massacre of killing those who enter his barber shop. The reincarnation of this film is hard to resist with the creative spark of Burton and Depp who together have created masterpieces which have been remakes such as the upcoming Alice in Wonderland and Willy Wonka both exceeding the expectations that were outlined for this release. The story follows a man who has lost his family to a wealthy man who was overcome with greed when the women he wanted chose a barber. This leads to the banishing of Todd from his town and his return which ends up causing the mass murder of those who are from out of town. Burton’s wife makes an appearance as her and Todd find a use for each other. She uses the limbs from the dead for her pies which unknown to her customers taste quite exceptional with the extra special ingredient.

300 which is a remake of 300 Spartans was released in 2006 with too many special effects to name. The original in 1962 is nothing compared to the techniques used in the contemporary version. Although the Spartans are still the focal point it is the use of technology that is showcased with the battle scenes and the creatures used against the Spartans which they defeat. The plot follows an army of 300 who go up against the Persian army who are over stepping their bounds into Sparta. As the king of Sparta gathers his army he shows that although their small in numbers compared to the Persians they can still outdo them with their highly intelligible techniques and smarts which does work up until the last stand where the King dies but his heroics are not unnoticed as the army returns with the tale and their army triples. It does seem a little like David vs. Goliath but it shows a good story and the gradual progression of CGI.

Remakes are not always great but sometimes they can be bigger and better then the original. Great stories need to be re –told to continue into generations and directors help that with creative new techniques such as Michael Bay and Tim Burton. A great example is in 2009 a re-release of fame was done which was a splendid example of young talent and sent a message to teens which the original fame intended. Remakes we could do without are PSYCHO which was stupid because you cannot recreate Alfred Hitchcock.