It’s been hard not to notice the slew of remakes, reboots, sequels and re-imaginings in film and TV recently. Proving the old saying that there is nothing more original than an old idea – or did I just make that up? No matter, it’s true whichever way you look at it. Undeniably a sequel to a popular film or TV show can be very well received and indeed lucrative but do we really need another version of the same thing? Well, it seems that the short answer to this is yes, yes we do.
There seems to be a sort of unwritten rule that certain films should never be remade (For me it is absolutely and categorically Casablanca) but for everything else it pretty much seems a free for all. To be honest, I generally thought that remaking something that seems so perfect is probably not a good idea – for example, as much as I like Nicholas Cage as an actor, never get me onto the subject of the remake of The Wicker Man, the original of which is my favourite horror film. However, with some films/shows the writing is just too good to stick with one definitive version. Also, getting the next generation into something that was originally exquisite seems to get harder and harder, I’ve heard people say that they can’t bear to watch black and white films so the beauty of Casablanca or It’s a Wonderful Life will be totally lost to them which is a terrible shame. I’ve also heard people say that subtitles on a film completely spoils it which leaves other such works of genius unwatched to them, which is such a shame. For me, I am an equal opportunities viewer which means everything from masterpiece to mundane and mediocre – I will quite literally watch pretty much anything but I do find it hard to watch some remakes. I have never had the courage to watch the Get Carter remake due to my incredible fondness for the original, I’m sure that the story transports very well but Michael Caine was so ecstatically brilliant in it that, to watch the remake would somehow be sullying the memory of the original.
Some writing is just too good to ignore and so many adaptations have been made and this can be both a good and a bad thing. It’s all down to personal taste at the end of the day really, a remake of some astonishingly good writing can be very impressive – I particularly enjoy the new Sherlock TV Series, taking the storylines and quality writing of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and making it more relevant to a 21st Century world full of modern gadgets and technological advancements actually makes for some good quality viewing. I wondered exactly how an up to date Sherlock would work but frankly I am pleasantly surprised. Adaptation of the novel The Woman in Black is currently wowing at the box office, firmly placing Daniel Radcliffe in the viewers mind as ‘not just Harry Potter’ as his acting is superb. He says very little throughout the film but his expressions, the shadows clouding his wide blue eyes are enough to convince you of his acting calibre. I very much enjoyed the adaptation but for me, the creepiest version still has to be the 1989 ITV film which still to this day leaves a very bad taste in the brain. So you see, even when you know the storyline of the film, it can still make for compelling viewing.
I had the pleasure of seeing the theatre adaptation of Inspector Morse a few years ago starring an almost unrecognisable Colin Baker as the titular character and, as enamoured with John Thaw’s performance in the TV detective drama, I still thoroughly enjoyed the play. It is often hard to see another actor in a role for which you feel has already been carved out but it can also be truly refreshing. Various different Miss Marple adaptations have been made and somehow we expect the actor in Miss Marple to change, almost like the Doctor in Doctor Who.
With something like Doctor Who, it is expected that a new doctor will always succeed the current one so it is always something you should be prepared for but it still takes time to adjust. When Russell T. Davis rebooted Doctor Who for the 21st Century he must have had a tough job on his hands – it could have very easily been ignored but the introduction of the feisty Rose Tyler and the eccentric yet emotionally wounded and lonely doctor added a new dimension to the character and made it a terrific success – to some this was a triumph but to others, bringing back Doctor Who and fiddling with the format and style caused quite a stir. It’s hard not to hold the originals in high regard but sometimes it is time for new blood and this appeared to be the boost that the franchise needed.
It is expected that a new Dracula film will be made in the future now that Hammer is back and as a huge fan of Christopher Lee as Dracula, it does seem daunting that someone else may take on the role but some things are just not meant to stop and again the sacrifice, so to speak, of the steadfast attitude against any other actor playing the role is something I will have to do in order to enjoy the new film.
As for reboots, a few years ago on hearing that a new Star Trek film was to be made with new younger cast, I waited in trepidation to see how it would turn out as I was very partial to the original William Shatner led version and I very much enjoyed the Patrick Stewart helmed series. Having these previous successes in my head, I did ponder as to whether I would enjoy the new film. Luckily my husband is a fan of Star Trek and didn’t want to miss the film and so was happy to go and see it with me. I came out of the film thinking ‘Wow! That was amazing!’ and subsequently ended up watching the film at the cinema again within a very short space of time, which for me is the hallmark of a good film. It seemed to do pretty well at the box office too which leads me to believe that I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, i daresay that this triggered interest in the original series and successive series and so garnering new fans, introducing the next generation to The Next Generation as it were.
Sequels are always as anticipated as they are dreaded, there have been some real stinkers released as sequels that have somehow detracted something from the original. I was never a huge fan of the film The Matrix but any interest I may have had in it was obliterated by the sequel, being as it was for me just not as good as the first instalment. Mind you, I still maintain my view that Ghostbusters 2 was just as good as the original, if not better – being that i liked the idea of goo making things dance – admittedly the whole Statue of Liberty walking through the streets of New York did seem a bit cringe worthy but at the time, it was awesome! So many sequels strive to be as good as the original, an extension of the feeling that the original gave us, but do they ever really pull it off? For me, I was a huge fan of Red Dwarf as a child and a teenager and as an adult and on hearing that they were making three new episodes a few years ago, I was frankly dreading it. Red Dwarf filled my childhood with comedy and a thirst for space knowledge and an interest in the stars and there was a point when I started to feel my enjoyment waning in later series as I got older which saddened me. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I just watched the earlier episodes and revelled in the glorious sci-comedy of them. Knowing that new episodes were to be made did excite me, a childlike hope that it would be how it was. In all honesty, i enjoyed the first new episode and felt it was getting back to its best but I felt that as the other two episodes continued I felt more and more disappointed and realised that, sometimes wanting something back isn’t going to make it as good as you remember it being in the past. New episodes are currently being made and I will watch them, how can I possibly resist, but I hope that I enjoy the new series as much as I used to. Even though I am an adult, I still have the childlike enthusiasm and the obsessive nature to continue watching something with great tenacity if it proves to be great entertainment.
Prequels are often lauded or panned also but sometimes are effective in helping the viewer see what lay before the original. For example, Rock and Chips – the prequel to Only Fools and Horses – seemed to be very well received, even with an unlikely yet seemingly inevitable once you saw him actor as Del Boy. The rich tapestry of life in the Trotter household before the story that we know and love began was certainly compelling viewing, not just for recognising the events or people that made the characters of the original who and what they became but to meet the people whose lives were just as interesting as their descendants.
Sometimes the reimagining of a film or TV show can actually make for interesting viewing. The most recent Dawn of The Dead reimagining was actually very skilfully crafted and just as chilling in its own right as the original George A. Romero classic. Unfortunately, it is sometimes not as successful as hoped – for example, The Bionic Woman reimagining only spurred 8 episodes into life before its untimely cancellation.
In a lot of ways, it is easy to see how a sequel, a remake, a reimagining, a prequel etc could be considered lucrative and just what everyone wants or needs but ultimately, it has to be good in its own right to stand a chance of appealing to audiences old and new, regardless of their previous experience of the original.
There are some films that I sincerely hope that are never remade, as I mentioned before – with something as beautiful and awe inspiring as Casablanca, I just couldn’t bear to see a remake. But that’s entirely my decision, whether or not to watch something. Also, my opinion is just that, an opinion and I daresay that there are a vast amount of people who would love to see Casablanca in a more modern guise but for me, the film is perfection that I just don’t want to see improved or bedraggled. I think everyone perhaps has a film that they would loathe to see remade – perhaps something as seminal as Star Wars: A New Hope, although I believe that this has already been done by fans to much praise, it will probably not replace the original in the hearts of the true fans.
I will continue to anticipate remakes, sequels, reimaginings, reboots, prequels and as many other formats as can be conjured but I just hope that whatever is made is good in it’s own way before hitting the screens. I’m entirely open minded but just don’t expect me to watch another actor in the role of Rick telling another actor that he is no good at being noble kid without feeling a sense of sadness. Some things are meant to remain the way they are in all our hearts and that is mine.
As for everything else, I’m not averse to a little more Sherlock please...
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