This post is to express my annoyance at Hollywood, or at the fact that they have realized they can make large profits by remaking films that have only recently come out. This behavior is seen in the remaking of "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" and "The Amazing Spider-man".
In 2009 The first of the Millennium trilogy was released. An adaptation of the novels of Stieg Larsson, "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" was a low budget Swedish production that to date has grossed upward of $10,000,000 and was generally considered an excellent film. Now in 2011, a mere two years later, the remake is being made. As far as I am aware, the film follows the same plot, has no extra special effects and is in English (maybe its biggest selling point). With Daniel Craig in the lead role, the film will make money. What annoys me is not them realizing an English versions potential at making money, my annoyance is at the fact that that it will make money from being in English. Its a shame that subtitles are a deterrent for people to the point where they miss out on watching a great film. In my opinion the original Swedish brings a great element and authenticity to the film. Shame people won't get that with the remake.
On to "The Amazing Spider-man"...
In 2002, Spider-man was one of the most anticipated films in years. It made over $800,000,000 at box office. Now 9 years on from one of the most successful films of all time, "The Amazing Spider-man" is being released/made. Whether it will be as successful as the first is hard to know. Its the beginning of Peter Parker's adventures...again. Remakes are good, if the original was a long time ago and film technology has allowed film makers to radically improve its portrayal. 3D might be responsible for the remake, but I don't think it warrants another high budget film with the same plot as one of the more successful films of the last decade.
I agree with you Hugh on the 'Girl with the dragon tattoo', its just a way for hollywood to make money from someone else's success and its sad. A similar thing happened to 'Let The Right One In' another swedish film and within a year or two they remade and it is practically the same just in english and the same has happened with television as the americans have remade a successful Danish series called 'the killing'.
ReplyDeleteBut with the Spiderman there is a debate to be had as although it is being remade there are so many different depictions of Spiderman with a variety of rebirths and retellings it is not surprising that they are remaking or rebooting as they say. So I think they were will be some differences in story. I think the new one is going to be set more in the teenager years rather, than after school.
They also just rebooted X-men which was not a remake but a prequel. But overall I think the only reason they do it is for money not because they love the original item but they want to make more money because they didn't make enough the first time round.
And lastly I hope 3D dies out soon because its just a waste of money.