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Discuss: Are they remaking 80’s Classics too soon? – We Are Movie Geeks

Discuss

Discuss: Are they remaking 80’s Classics too soon?

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I’m sort of recycling this a bit, borrowing the idea and news from Cinematical, but it got me to thinking. So, first I’ll pass on the general thinking here… the bit about FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF being remade isn’t a fact, or even a rumor, but rather a concept brought up during an interview by Cinematical with Matthew Broderick, who said “It would be fine” when asked how he would feel about someone remaking the 1980’s classic.

As for MANNEQUIN, this I am disturbed to say, is apparently actually happening. Courtesy of Cinematical, Gladden Entertainment wants to remake the 1987 film, which originally starred Andrew McCarthy as a sex-obsessed department store employee who fantasizes about a window mannequin coming to life. Played by Kim Cattrall (SEX IN THE CITY), the mannequin turns out to be a reincarnated Egyptian princess. Gladden Entertainment is hoping to give the story a more contemporary appeal with a hip, young cast… a la The Twilight Saga, maybe?

With the FAME remake behind us, the FOOTLOOSE remake coming out this year and the RED DAWN remake rapidly approaching, it seems we’ve entered a new era of recycled 80’s stories. It’s all coming full-circle, but is it too much too soon? Personally, I think so. You’ve got to give a movie to run it’s full course. It used to be, we wouldn’t see films remade for at least a good 20-30 years, and even then it was far less common than it is today. I’m only 31 years old and still vividly remember movies like FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF like I just saw them yesterday. So, it’s strange to find these films being remade already. Now, I don’t have children, but many from my generation do… but, how many of these kids are even old enough to watch these remakes AND be able to appreciate the originals?

It’s my opinion that a film should at least skip a generation before being remade, in order to be respectfully accepted. In these examples, it’s not been enough time. Anyone who has seen the originals is likely not interested in seeing the remakes and those old enough to see the remakes are likely clueless about the originals. Therefor, there’s a disconnect between the source material and the new material. Give parents of my generation a chance to pass our classics from our childhood down properly, then consider remaking them for future audiences, when the new generations is old enough to approach the material respectfully and with some knowledge.

So, you’ve heard my two cents on the subject. What are your thoughts? Is it too much too soon? Are we robbing a generation from being able to appreciate our classics by spoon-feeding them the watered-down remakes before they’re even exposed to the original material? Chime in and make yourselves heard. We want to know how our readers feel about this.

Hopeless film enthusiast; reborn comic book geek; artist; collector; cookie connoisseur; curious to no end