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Why Can't You Just Leave Them Alone
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantAlien Redrum
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Registered: August 23, 2008
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Honestly, who cares?

Nobody is forcing anyone to watch a remake. If you don't want to see it, don't watch it.

The entire argument that America (or any other country) remaking anything as being bad or lack of imagination is ridiculous. People tend to forget that it's not about art in Hollywood and it's about business. If a remake turns a profit, it's a smart move and it's the right move because to stay in business you have to turn profit.

In addition, a remake takes nothing away from the original. If you (general you) think it is, that's on you. I loved Infernal Affairs. I simply liked The Departed. Do I care that a movie I loved was remade? No. Why would I? I didn't have to see it.

Same with the Dawn of the Dead remake. The original is one of my favorite movies of all time. I could not care less that they remade it. I enjoyed the remake, sure, but if it was horrible it wouldn't change a thing about the original. Nothing.

I find it amusing that people get so up in arms about remakes, like the big movie studios are in the business for anything other than making money. Don't blame Hollywood for the remakes, you blame your friends for seeing them.

Quoting Kulju:
Quote:
European (for example) style is much more realistic (more unpleasent for eyes/ears). US way is often much more entertaining style. Fight = Ballet, Sex = soft porn in sterile light with L-shaped sheets.


Not necessarily true. The mainstream stuff, sure, but there are a ton of movies that don't hit the mainstream that aren't cotton candy as you describe.
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"I also refuse to document CLT results and I pay my bills to avoid going to court." - Sam, keeping it real, yo.
 Last edited: by Alien Redrum
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorTheMadMartian
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Registered: March 13, 2007
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Quoting Kulju:
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Unfortunately it almost always look like the remakes are made for babies. I don't mean the amount of violence, nudity etc. it's the style how they are presented. European (for example) style is much more realistic (more unpleasent for eyes/ears). US way is often much more entertaining style. Fight = Ballet, Sex = soft porn in sterile light with L-shaped sheets. I don't want to offend any one, it's just my opinion as the title says; "Why Can't You Just Leave Them Alone".

I think this perception depends on the movies you watch.  Saving Private Ryan, as an example, was fairly realistic.  Sean of the Dead, not so much.  As for the fight and sex comments, there again, it depends on the movie.

That being said, what's wrong with an entertaining movie? 
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantVibroCount
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Registered: March 13, 2007
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Often, international films and TV shows can be adapted or reimaged for the USA and it turns out terrible. But then, refer to Sturgeon's law. But some are redone in interesting and imaginative ways. Previously cited were prime examples of good adaptations: The Office, All in the Family, Sanford & Son. A bad remake would be the film The Man with One Red Shoe. Interesting remade films can go both ways: The Magnificent Seven was a nice remake of the Seven Samurai without offending viewers of the first film, just as Ran and Throne of Blood were fine reimages of works of Shakespeare (not to mention Forbidden Planet). Don't forget that The Maltese Flacon was the second remake (and third filming) of the book...

Adaptations take talent, work, timing and luck to do well. And most "talent" throughout the world has none. Sturgeon's Law adapts to originals and to remakes.
If it wasn't for bad taste, I wouldn't have no taste at all.

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 Last edited: by VibroCount
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorKulju
Registered: March 14, 2007
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Quoting TheMadMartian:
Quote:
I think this perception depends on the movies you watch.

By looking your online collection I think you don't watch much films made outside US. That usually leads to situation that person cannot see the differences...
Quote:
Saving Private Ryan, as an example, was fairly realistic.

..and this proves it. SPR is one of the most American movie you can find. First and last scene makes me sick every time. You cannot go sweeter that that. What comes to realizm it is flashy and looks great but it still screms Hollywood movie. Very very opposite to what I mean. Entertaining, hell yes (except first and last scene = pain).

Quote:
That being said, what's wrong with an entertaining movie? 

Absolutely nothing, but all the scenes are not ment to make watcher comfortable. If you sugar coat some scenes, they will loose the whole point. Fine example would be the rape scene in Irréversible. It's very, very unpleasent to watch, but if done otherwise the whole tone of the movie would be different. Don't get me wrong, I like Hollywood one-size-fit-all entertainment too, but I can also enjoy a completely different styles of movie making. The question is why can't US watchers? If they could, there wouldn't be a need to start making remake just a few months after the original's premiere.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorKulju
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Quoting Alien Redrum:
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Nobody is forcing anyone to watch a remake. If you don't want to see it, don't watch it.

This sentence is equivalent of pulling a nazi-card when having a conversation about movies. Another good one is; "If you don't like, why don't you make better yourself": 
 Last edited: by Kulju
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorwhispering
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TBH I've never been a big fan of old movies, so i like many of the remakes better, like Battlestar Galactica and V for example. Though if the source is better (e.g. i like Korean movies a lot, so wouldn't run to the store to get a US remake of those), then i watch the original only. Theres always someone to say the original movie / book / play or whatever is better. But as TheMadMartian said, what's wrong with an entertaining movie?

Its a bit silly to remake a new British show for US market. But i don't think British people can complain much, they don't want to watch anything foreign either.
 Last edited: by whispering
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorsamuelrichardscott
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Quoting whispering:
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But i don't think British people can complain much, they don't want to watch anything foreign either.


When is your next stand-up comedy tour? I would love to come and watch you.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorwhispering
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Quoting samuelrichardscott:
Quote:
Quoting whispering:
Quote:
But i don't think British people can complain much, they don't want to watch anything foreign either.


When is your next stand-up comedy tour? I would love to come and watch you.


Thanks, i'm here all week. Comment was based on a convo on another forum. People could come up with one non english show that was airing there.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantShinyDiscGuy
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Quoting whispering:
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TBH I've never been a big fan of old movies, so i like many of the remakes better, like Battlestar Galactica and V for example. Though if the source is better (e.g. i like Korean movies a lot, so wouldn't run to the store to get a US remake of those), then i watch the original only. Theres always someone to say the original movie / book / play or whatever is better. But as TheMadMartian said, what's wrong with an entertaining movie?

Its a bit silly to remake a new British show for US market. But i don't think British people can complain much, they don't want to watch anything foreign either.


How many British based films have you seen? You can't beat this part of the world for drama especially English dramas.

And another thing i like to point out there is a lot of small company's here which specialize in releasing foreign film.

So someone obviously likes it here.
 Last edited: by ShinyDiscGuy
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorwhispering
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Quoting FilmAlba:
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How many British based films have you seen? You can't beat this part of the world for drama especially English dramas.


I have no idea, a lot i think. Series I've liked a lot are Men Behaving Badly and 2 Pints of Lager. Never really considered Britains movie industry as something for drama. Always been towards comedy and the odd scifi movie here and there for me.

Quoting FilmAlba:
Quote:
And another thing i like to point out there is a lot of small company's here which specialize in releasing foreign film.

So someone obviously likes it here.


No doubt, my point was more towards making generalization, whats mainstream. In a similar way people discussed American movie industry in this topic.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorKulju
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Just out of curiosity, does anyone know any films that has been originally made in US and later remade in some other country?
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantxradman
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Quoting Kulju:
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Just out of curiosity, does anyone know any films that has been originally made in US and later remade in some other country?

Happens all the time with Indian movies.  Take any big blockbuster US movie, and there's probably a cheap Indian knockoff somewhere.  Italians also used to this to some degree.
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantAlien Redrum
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Quoting Kulju:
Quote:
Quoting Alien Redrum:
Quote:
Nobody is forcing anyone to watch a remake. If you don't want to see it, don't watch it.

This sentence is equivalent of pulling a nazi-card when having a conversation about movies. Another good one is; "If you don't like, why don't you make better yourself": 


Not at all. It's not even in the same ballpark.

The remake argument is ridiculous. Can you honestly say a remake affects the original in any way, shape or form? Or your enjoyment of it?

How you can you possibly blame a studio for attempting to make a profit? The general public doesn't care about remakes and will see them, thus the major studios pump them out. You can't blame them, you blame the people seeing them. It's misplacing the blame at its finest.

Quoting Kulju:
Quote:
Fine example would be the rape scene in Irréversible.


Have you ever seen Last House on the Left or I Spit on Your Grave (original or remake)? Both have pretty damn uncomfortable rape scenes.

Or, if you are going for insane violence, try August Underground.

The point is, while I agree the major films in the US are more sugarcoated to meet a bigger audience requirement, there are plenty that aren't. You are making a overly-generalized statement and it is inaccurate. Hollywood isn't the only place putting out films in the States.

I will agree that the States seem to dump more remakes of foreign movies than other countries, but I'm thankful for it. Whenever I see a remake I enjoy, I track down the original, regardless of the origination, to check it out, too. I'm sure I'm not the only one, so they are helpful in that regard (getting recognition for a film that may not have had it). Hell, I've introduced friends to Japanese horror because of remakes, and some of them wouldn't have watched a subtitled movie prior.

Would I want less remakes? Of course, I'm a fan of movies. But I would not want them to go away altogether. There are some really good ones out there that are much better than the original, or at least on par with it (House of Wax (1952ish)) comes to mind, as does Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Dawn of the Dead. Hell, Savini's Night of the Living Dead was damn enjoyable and he had Romero's blessing for it.
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"I also refuse to document CLT results and I pay my bills to avoid going to court." - Sam, keeping it real, yo.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorKulju
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Quoting Alien Redrum:
Quote:
The remake argument is ridiculous. Can you honestly say a remake affects the original in any way, shape or form?

Maybe people who made the original would be happier to get larger audience for their movie instead of US remake year after original premiere juts because some people cannot or are not willing to read subtitles?
Quote:
How you can you possibly blame a studio for attempting to make a profit? The general public doesn't care about remakes and will see them, thus the major studios pump them out. You can't blame them, you blame the people seeing them. It's misplacing the blame at its finest.

I cannot blame anyone, but I can criticize the phenomenon where ONLY justification for the remake is money. In general, some of the updates from the older films are OK, some even good, many of them mentioned is this thread earlier.
Quote:
Have you ever seen Last House on the Left or I Spit on Your Grave (original or remake)? Both have pretty damn uncomfortable rape scenes.

Yes, I have both originals in my shelf. I didn't even know that they have made a remake of I Spit on Your Grave. But, please let's not get entangled of this rape issue, I just brought it us as an example of a very intence scene.
Quote:
The point is, while I agree the major films in the US are more sugarcoated to meet a bigger audience requirement, there are plenty that aren't. You are making a overly-generalized statement and it is inaccurate. Hollywood isn't the only place putting out films in the States.

But my point is that usually remakes are made for a bigger audience requirement and that makes 'em crap. Or do you really think that Girl with a Dragon Tattoo will be a small indie film? If you have seen the original, you know that there are a couple of very intensive scenes which pretty much set up the tone for the whole movie. Sugar cote those and that's it...
Quote:
Would I want less remakes? Of course, I'm a fan of movies. But I would not want them to go away altogether. There are some really good ones out there that are much better than the original, or at least on par with it (House of Wax (1952ish)) comes to mind, as does Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Dawn of the Dead. Hell, Savini's Night of the Living Dead was damn enjoyable and he had Romero's blessing for it.

You gave fine examples of movies which has been brought to date and are fairly good ones. I cannot see that the money was the ONLY reason for these remakes. Also it took a littlebit more than a few months from original to remake.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorKulju
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Quoting whispering:
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i like many of the remakes better, like Battlestar Galactica and V for example.

I loved the new Galactica, but the new "V" is utter crap.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorKulju
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Quoting Kulju:
Quote:
Quoting TheMadMartian:
Quote:
I think this perception depends on the movies you watch.

By looking your online collection I think you don't watch much films made outside US. That usually leads to situation that person cannot see the differences...


Just out of curiosity I ran some statistics from my collection (just movies, TV-series' excluded)

CoO Count Percentage
United States 810 59,8%
United Kingdom 109 8,1%
France 51 3,8%
Finland 51 3,8%
Spain 30 2,2%
Japan 27 2,0%
Italy 26 1,9%
Germany 24 1,8%
Sweden 18 1,3%
New Zealand 17 1,3%
Korea 16 1,2%
Denmark 13 1,0%
Australia 9 0,7%
Soviet Union 7 0,5%
Canada 6 0,4%
China 5 0,4%
Austria 5 0,4%
Mexico 4 0,3%
Brazil 4 0,3%
Poland 3 0,2%
Norway 3 0,2%
Ireland 3 0,2%
Hong Kong 3 0,2%
Isreal 2 0,1%
Argentina 2 0,1%
Russia 2 0,1%
Turkey 1 0,1%
Taiwan 1 0,1%
Netherlands 1 0,1%
Hungary 1 0,1%
Belgium 1 0,1%
Romania 1 0,1%

Tagged as a remake:

12 Monkeys 1995
Ben-Hur 1959
Birdcage, The 1996
Brothers 2009
Cape Fear 1991
Departed, The 2006
Gone in 60 Seconds 2000
Hills Have Eyes, The 2006
Assault on Precinct 13 2005
I Am Legend 2007
Italian Job, The 2003
Grudge, The 2004
Grudge 2, The 2006
King Kong 2005
3:10 to Yuma 2007
Man on Fire 2004
Per un pugno di dollari 1964
Dawn of the Dead 2004
War of the Worlds 2005
Maltese Falcon 1941
Man Who Knew Too Much, The 1955
Manchurian Candidate, The 2004
Mr. & Mrs. Smith 2005
Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht 1979
Ocean's Eleven 2001
Ring, The 2002
Saboteur 1942
Scarface 1983
Scent of a Woman 1992
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street 2007
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The 2003
 Last edited: by Kulju
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