I am a hypocrite. There, I admitted it. It is right there in black and white, or orange and black as the case may be. What, exactly, am I being hypocritical about this time? Film, specifically remakes and homages. In principal I don’t like the idea of remakes. I started thinking about this when I read the latest rumor going around the film world.
300 was wildly successful in its opening weekend. Hoping to cash in on Gerard Butler’s new bankability as an action star, CAA began shopping around the idea Monday morning of remaking John Carpenter’s 1981 film, Escape from New York, with Butler as the lead (details here).
I can only speak for myself here, and I am probably alone in feeling this, but Escape from New York, with Kurt Russell as the cynical anti-hero Snake Plissken, is a ‘classic’. Sure, the cheese factor is high, and the movie has some obviously 80’s trappings about it, but that is part of what I love about the film. I am also an unabashed Kurt Russell fan, especially when he plays parts like Snake Plissken (Escape from LA never happened in my mind!), or Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China. I first ‘discovered’ Escape from New York in book form on my uncle Dean’s bookshelf back in 1981 and I devoured it. Snake was a more hard-boiled Slippery Jim DiGriz (the Stainless Steel Rat), and I really enjoyed the book. It was many years later that I first saw the movie and the fond recollections I had of reading the story combined with the coolness of Russell in the role cemented this as a dystopian classic for me.
So where does the hypocrite part come in? Well, in two ways. Firstly, I don’t think ‘classic’ films generally need to be remade. And yet I love films that are ‘homages’ to other films. For example (and these two films come dangerously close to actually being remakes and not homages) I love the classic film Shop Around the Corner with Jimmy Stewart and the film You’ve Got Mail with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks which is based on the classic. I also really like the Nicholas Cage film Family Man which is a remake/homage to the classic Its a Wonderful Life. Hypocrite.
Secondly, I am hypocritical because I am somewhat intrigued by the idea of the film being remade. Not completely. Keep in mind that I am not kidding about how much I love Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken. And yet the idea of Butler playing the role and there actually being some money thrown into the project for good special effects, etc. has me thinking that I might be excited about this.
I feel so ashamed. Forgive me Kurt. I need to watch Escape and Big Trouble over the weekend and cleanse myself of this insanity.
So how about you? How do you feel about remakes and homages? How do you feel about Snake Plissken? And finally, as my computer crashed twice while writing this, ask me how I feel! Come on, I dare you!
I prefer when they rename it… a la You’ve Got Mail.
Then, I don’t have to worry that they’re trying to replace the classic.
Well, I’ll start by saying Butler is ever-so-yummy so I could probably watch him for a few minutes.
I could actually tolerate a remake of Escape from New York. I always liked the premise and it would be interesting to see what a remake could bring to the story.
I’m also a huge fan of BIG Trouble in Little China. What a great Kurt Russell movie. Keri and I also usually enjoy any movie Kurt’s in to which is most of the reason I want to see the new Grindhouse movie now. I haven’t seen Escape from New York in forever and I really can’t remember anything about it anymore so I need to watch it again too.
As for remakes I almost like them better than sequels in someways . Sequels seem to disappoint me anymore. I’ll also agree with Angela too. I do prefer when they rename the remakes. Somehow I can live with the changes they make in the remakes better under a new name.
What we really need is to have Gerald Butler cast in a remake of an old gritty western. Now that would be fun. They don’t make enough good westerns anymore. Please don’t flame me either. I really enjoy good westerns. Recently the AMC movie channel did a cool new movie called Broken Trail with Robert Duvall but it was more of a realistic one. I want to Butler in an olf fashion shoot’em up. Feel free to tease me. 🙂
Oh…I loved Broken Trail. What about Crossfire Trail with Tom Selleck? I know, I know, it’s not a remake (at least not that I know of) but since Jeff brought up westerns I had to ask.
I have no feelings one way or another on Escape… but on a gut level I’m sorta against remakes. Then again, there are some that I’m sure I’d watch, so maybe I’m a hypocrite too 🙂
Well since the sequel to New York, Escape from L.A., was such a huge mega blockbuster I can see why they would want to re-make the first one. Personally, I think Butler should do sci-fi. We need some good actors there. He’s too talented for New York, unless a ton of $ is available and some good script/directing magically appears.
Loved the original New York. Adrienne Barbeau, Harry Dean Stanton, the creepy guy with the President’s finger. Yeah it was fun. Call me Snake…
No need to worry about flaming, Jeff. Westerns are great. There are several John Wayne films that I really enjoy. I need to go back and watch some of the Clint Eastwood ones that I have only seen parts of or have just heard of but never seen.
I do not like remakes. Re-interpretations, on the other hand, can be cool. But where “Escape from new York” is concerned, I think they should leave well enough alone. I mean, “Esacpe from L.A.”was a disaster. And there are so many other things Gerard Butler could do. We don’t need another “New York.”
On the other hand, I am totally jazzed about Rob Zombie’s upcoming “Re-imaging” of another John Carpenter classic, “Halloween.” Guess I’m a hypocrite too.
Suzanne, I will have to look for the Tom Selleck western. I hadn’t heard of that one but I’ve always liked him since Magmun PI. What a fun show.
Wayne, I just heard about the Halloween remake the other day. I haven’t seen any Rob Zombie films. What’s your opinion on him?
Tom, I like your idea of Butler doing Sci-fi. There aren’t enough sci-fi films being made. I just want Holly wood to make more genre pictures period. I heard someone refer to the new Sandra Bullock film as being a sci-fi film I was NO way. I want space ships and other worlds. Here’s to hopeing they still make an adaptation of John Carter of Mars. Now that would be fun and Butler would make a great John Carter.
I guess I’m a movie purist. I hear about them remaking a movie that was great and it just sounds sacriligeous to me. I love Gerard Butler, but I say let him do something of his own. Jeff, I love Westerns too. I can’t coount the number of times I’ve seen Red River – one of my all time favorite movies. And, Carl, I wouldn’t call you a hypocrit, just a person who is able to see all sides of an issue. I think that’s called intelligence.
To Jeff:
Rob zombie’s “House of a Thousand Corpses” was a piece of crap. But, by his own admission, it was the movie where he learned how to make a movie. The sequel–more of a remake, actually–“The Devil’s Rejects,” was brutal, bloody and BRILLIANT (except for one stupid scene that should have been cut.). The guy learned his lessons well.
Thanks Wayne and Pat I have two more movies to add to watch list.
Some remakes deserve to be made. Maybe the director always wanted to do things a certain way, but the technology didn’t exist, or he didn’t have the money, or whatever.
But some things should not be touched. If the film was already in some way excellent or iconic, LEAVE IT ALONE. I am incensed by the very idea of something like remaking Psycho. You do not REMAKE a HITCHCOCK movie. There is nothing WRONG with those films. Leave. Them. Alone. Hitchcock movies are what they are because he made them. Leave them alone.
*sigh* Anyway. No, I don’t think it’s particularly hypocritical of you. I mean, I would say that generally I dislike remakes, but it doesn’t make me hypocritical if I find one I like. I said “generally” after all, which leaves a little wiggle room. Your “in principle” sounds to me like much the same feeling.
Usually I despise remakes because they’re terrible. But if they bring something new to the table or reintroduce an old favorite – without trashing it, then I can enjoy it.
Westerns are awesome! I love ’em.
Just read it today on the news, Butler has signed on to do the remake. It better be good.