I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned in past blogs that I’m a huge movie buff. I tell anyone I meet too. I’ve always loved movies, ever since I was a little girl watching Disney movies on VHS in my living room. I even have fuzzy memories of watching “Clash of the Titans” on VHS at my aunt’s house. If you don’t know the movie, it’s from the early 80s, has some pretty cheesy graphics by today’s standards, and stars a younger Maggie Smith (you know her as Professor McGonagall from Harry Potter), and an even younger Harry Hamlin, who played the hero Perseus.
I grew up watching all kinds of movies, thanks to my mom and my grandfather. Disney was the most popular because it was usually kid-friendly. I also remember watching “The Secrets of NIMH,” “The Dark Crystal,” and “Labyrinth” (starring the late David Bowie and a very young Jennifer Connelly) – to name a few. My grandfather was born in the 1920s, so classic movies were usually on in my grandparents’ home. He could always be found recording them off TV onto a VHS tape.
In Love With Classic Movies
As I got older, I began to discover my own love for classic movies. A few of my favorites include “Anchors Aweigh,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Meet Me in St. Louis,” and “Rear Window.” If you haven’t watched either of these, you really should. There’s something about classic Hollywood that Hollywood of today just doesn’t have. I can’t put my finger on it. Maybe it’s a certain kind of charm that Golden Era Hollywood actors had. The way their character could walk or strut into frame on camera, give a dashing smile and deliver a line that introduced them in a unique way. You knew instantly if they were the funny co-star, the cad, the leading lady, the hero, the villain.
I could go on and on about my love of movies. I think it’s this love that frustrates me when I hear that Hollywood intends to make remakes or reboots of loved and adored classic films. And to be fair, this isn’t something new that Hollywood has just started doing. It’s been going on since practically the beginning. A prime example of this would be the movie “A Star is Born.” The current movie, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, is a remake of a remake of a remake! That’s right! The original movie came out in 1937, starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. The first remake came out in 1954, starring Judy Garland and James Mason. The second remake came out 1976, starring Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. Then the newest remake came out in 2018.
More Remakes
Every year, someone in Hollywood announces the remakes that are either in talks, in production, or coming out soon. Another remake coming out soon is “Dune.” I’ve watched the original movie from 1984, and I remember being confused, bored, and intrigued at the same time. I remember wondering if it would ever end. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about the remake coming out in October.
Let’s circle back around to Disney for a second, who’s also remaking their own movies. We’ve already seen remakes of “Cinderella” and “Beauty & the Beast.” I grew up happily watching the cartoon movies and memorized the songs. In fact, “Cinderella” has always been my favorite. Imagine my skepticism when the live-action remakes were announced and then later released in theaters. I watched the live-action “Cinderella,” and I loved it. I also loved “Beauty & the Beast.” It seemed to me that Disney did what they could to stay true to the cartoons we know and love, while adding small and different touches throughout.
Even Classics Aren’t Off The Table
Were you aware that “Pinocchio” is being remade? I heard a while back that a remake was in the works, but I hadn’t heard anything new. A quick search for the upcoming flick shows that Guillermo del Toro is directing it. So, that cartoon movie you grew up with that had a cricket singing about wishing upon a star and the wooden puppet that just wanted to be a real boy? Throw that out the window because it’s gonna get dark. The director isn’t known for being the Bob Ross of cinema with bright, happy colors and sweet movies. His are usually darker and keep you on your toes, guessing what’s going to happen next.
Why does Hollywood keep churning out reboots? Most people revert to the popular statement that Hollywood has run out of creativity. That could be true. Think about good ol’ rom coms. They usually end the way you think they will – with the hero getting the love interest. Could originality be out the window? Maybe. But loyal movie viewers, like myself, keep turning out to watch these predictable flicks either at home or in the theaters. So, something in the marketing is working on us.
Hollywood Tries To Keep Things Fresh With Sequels
One can only assume that Hollywood is trying to keep things fresh by putting out sequels every so often. In fact, I went to IMDB.com (I love that site) and found many sequels are being released next year. I think I ran out of fingers and toes to count how many are coming out. Some sequels include “John Wick 4,” “Halloween Ends” (this is supposed to end the Halloween saga… we’ll see), “Disenchanted” (sequel to “Enchanted” starring Amy Adams), “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” (for the love of all that is holy…WHY are we getting a sequel?), and “Indiana Jones 5,” which is rumored to be the last in the series that Harrison Ford will be in. At what point will Hollywood know to stop with the sequels? It makes me think of “The Land Before Time” and all the sequels that followed.
I could go on and on with my thoughts about Hollywood and the movies that are released. But then this blog would be a novel and not a blog.
Your Opinion On Reboots?
What do you think about movie reboots? Were there any that you liked and were impressed with? Were there any that did a better job than the original? Or did you watch one to only realize that you completely wasted your time on it? I will admit that I’ve fallen in that trap before, and one movie that comes to mind with that trap is the reboot of the 80s classic, “Footloose.”
I’m looking forward to staying indoors more with my son and watching movies with him. He has come to love movies as much as I do, and his current favorite is “Ghostbusters,” which he will see with his father in the theaters when the sequel comes out in November. Yup, another sequel. But you can believe that my son and his father will be standing in line for their popcorn at the theater and they’ll eagerly watch the movie together. Looks like the marketing is still working.