With modern technology getting more and more advanced each day, it seems logical that special effects in movies are becoming better and better. But with this increase in technology has come a decrease in imagination. Thats why very few new movies have been coming out lately - not really. Most have been remakes, spin-offs of old television shows, or on screen interpretations of books (or even video games).
At first glance, it seems like a great idea. By that logic, you coul just take a movie from the golden age of film that required tons of special effects and simply do it again. There you go! A better movie. But its just not that simple.
A classic is given that title for a reason. A classic deserves to be preserved - not butchered at the box office with new lame CGI effects. The old horror films may not have had beleiveable effects - but they were the originals. They had original characters and original storylines that would resonate in your mind.
Now with more realistic looking blood, costuming, and effects, what have we gotten? Lower ratings. The new Nightmare On Elmstreet recieved a 15% rotten rating on rottentomatoes.com, while the original movie released in 1984 (poorly done effects and all) recieved a 95%. In short, they killed something that was nearly flawless in the first place.
Tons of other movies are already scheduled for the same fate. Of particular interest to me is The Neverending Story. The company remaking it is still in the air, and it can be read about here. I'm afraid that the spirit of the film will be lost. The entire point of the movie is to get kids to read and appreciate their imaginations. Why would they if they have everything painted out for them on the screen?
Maybe I'm just overreacting, but it seems to me that we are heading towards a society that does not appreciate the originals or anything anymore. Next thing you know we will be remaking Rebel Without A Cause by recasting James Dean or releasing a different version of the Wizard of Oz. It seems to me that some things should just stay as the original and not be redone. We need to appreciate the things we already have and concentrate on their original greatness and not try to tweak them.
2 comments:
For a nightmare on elm street, im really surprised rotton tomatoe's review refelected the way i felt about it. So many people leaving the theater were saying it was the scariest nightmare on elmstreet they had seen... They probably just dont remember the old ones well. Honestly though the new one was SUCH a tacky and cliche scarey movie. it was NOTHING i havent seen before and COMPLETELY unoriginal at all.
many of the remakes really are done badly! still, every once in a while when it's done well, it's enjoyable. :)
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