Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Recycled Movies.

If you're a Facebook user, then you're probably familiar with the Trending tab on the right side of the home page. It keeps track of popular stories that are being shared all across the Facebook website by users. Here is what I saw just a short while ago.


In just one day, three of the highest trending stories on Facebook concerned Hollywood remakes of past films -- Indiana Jones, Fantastic Four and Ghostbusters. This is completely unacceptable.

Are the creative minds in Hollywood so bankrupt as to not have any new ideas for films? Considering the talent that's present in this world, I find that option highly doubtful. You see, the issue is much more tangible than that. I'll break it down in the simplest of terms.

Remakes are like insurance policies for film studios. Their benefits far outweigh the risks. A remake brings with it a certain degree of nostalgia and legacy that compels the average American movie goer to feel more comfortable with seeing it.

"Yeah, I've seen that movie before. It was pretty good. I'll go spend $X to see it again."

Along with that level of comfort comes a more likely profit on the backside. A movie that a studio knows audiences are familiar with and will more readily see is perfect for their bottom line. Making films is, at the end of the day, a for-profit venture after all. Thereby, movie studios produce content that they can reasonably predict will earn a profit. It's a win-win scenario in the eyes of movie studios.

How often have I heard people criticize (myself included) that they're sick and tired of seeing remakes of movies? Quite often, in fact! Did we need another Carrie remake? What about another Psycho? And goodness gracious... was that remake of The Karate Kid even remotely warranted? No on all accounts.

Yet, movie studios continue to rehash old content (often at the expense of the film's story and charm) for an eager audience. The bar for higher quality content keeps getting lower...

... and lower...

...... and lower.

Ultimately, the inherent problem isn't with the film studios -- it's with us, the movie-watching audience. Collectively, we demand less quality and creativity in the films we want to see. Instead of innovative and stimulating films with fresh ideas, we instead desire another lackluster iteration of The Amityville Horror -- this time in 4-D! The film studios will continue to create recycled content because we demand it. That, my friends, is the saddest part of all.

I'll leave you with a piece of advice. When the latest remake of Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones or Fantastic Four hits your local cineplex, avoid it. Make your voice heard with your wallet. Tell the film studios that you don't want to see another remake of an older, more magnificent film. If we make our voice heard in unison, they'll hear us.

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