Movie Remakes: How They Measure Up
Mark Taylor
April 30, 2007
What do a shiny red bicycle, a new wagon, and a sandcastle have in common? Well, depending on one's age, they are things from the past that left an impression on our lives. Where would we be without such significant memories? Our lives would lack color; we would be missing that 3rd dimension that brings life to stories of past times. Not only do we keep souvenirs of precious possessions from our youth, but we also have memories from emotional times and remarkable events. And so, outstanding movies also remain with us; they play a large part in our lives - King Kong, The Flash, Superman, The Fog, War of the Worlds, and so many others with stories of creatures, events, and men/women accomplishing incredible feats of good and evil. Do these movies leave an imprint? Does one need to ask? The movie industry releases one movie remake after another.
With greater technology, film producers exercise creative license to breathe new life into beasts from the past. New life is sometimes an understatement. However, once a movie remake is complete, has the original version lost the magic it once held? Or do we feel the same fear, the same elation we once had when these movies were first released? It is plausible to believe that millions of dollars in pyrotechnics, stuntmen, and computer generated graphics does not better an old movie; however, we cannot overlook the fact that these movie remakes attract huge audiences.
The Merriam Webster Online Dictionary defines the word purist as follows: one who adheres strictly and often excessively to a tradition. Purists seek the traditional form of a craft. Film styles such as black and white and claymation do have a place on the billboards today; however, it is debatable whether moviegoers understand the significance of these methods, or appreciate the tenacity it takes to put together a film of that calibre. Satisfy your curiosity - check out a movie classic from the golden era of the silver screen and follow it up with the newly released movie remake. Do they measure up? Or does it come down to personal preference? Film makers of the past were breaking ground and exploring an unknown field. Therefore, it would seem disrespectful to consider them "old hat" simply because they lacked the technological advances that film makers enjoy today.
With greater technology, film producers exercise creative license to breathe new life into beasts from the past. New life is sometimes an understatement. However, once a movie remake is complete, has the original version lost the magic it once held? Or do we feel the same fear, the same elation we once had when these movies were first released? It is plausible to believe that millions of dollars in pyrotechnics, stuntmen, and computer generated graphics does not better an old movie; however, we cannot overlook the fact that these movie remakes attract huge audiences.
The Merriam Webster Online Dictionary defines the word purist as follows: one who adheres strictly and often excessively to a tradition. Purists seek the traditional form of a craft. Film styles such as black and white and claymation do have a place on the billboards today; however, it is debatable whether moviegoers understand the significance of these methods, or appreciate the tenacity it takes to put together a film of that calibre. Satisfy your curiosity - check out a movie classic from the golden era of the silver screen and follow it up with the newly released movie remake. Do they measure up? Or does it come down to personal preference? Film makers of the past were breaking ground and exploring an unknown field. Therefore, it would seem disrespectful to consider them "old hat" simply because they lacked the technological advances that film makers enjoy today.
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