The Remakes Thread

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Peter Neal

God! I love A Bay Of Blood and would actually be delighted if anybody remade it for the 21.st century...with some neat variations! That ending is prizeless.

Sacrielage!

[vincenzo]

Originally Posted by reaper72

Sacrilege!

I agree. As the film is so good there's no need (or point) in remaking it whatsoever.

Long overdue for an uncut UK release though.

[Peter Neal]

Well, it would be at least a try to remind the younger crowd of the rich European genre heritage

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Peter Neal

Well, it would be at least a try to remind the younger crowd of the rich European genre heritage

The problem is though, that the younger generation will probably think it's a new fresh film and either dismiss it as run-of-the-mill fodder, unaware that it is based upon one of the first, and the best slasher films ever to be made or hype it up as an original and amazing piece of work... as is my experience with these things.

For instance the girl who cuts my hair was under the impression that Rob Zombie's H2 was a completely original film and was totally oblivious to the entire Halloween franchise... I almost wept.

To be fair, she's not a horror fan (so I didn't kill her this time ), but you just have to go over to a forum like Bloody Disgusting and look at what young horror fans are listing as their 'favourite horrors of all time' ... you certainly need a strong stomach The amount of times films like the Saws, Rob Zombie efforts and Hostel and its many spin-offs are listed... Many younger horro fans don't seem to have a clue about the genre defining classics; I just think that when they remake some of these classics they need to pay homage to the classic originals more, otherwise they get swept under the carpet and the new generation don't know that they are even there...

[alex s]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye

The problem is though, that the younger generation will probably think it's a new fresh film and either dismiss it as run-of-the-mill fodder, unaware that it is based upon one of the first, and the best slasher films ever to be made or hype it up as an original and amazing piece of work... as is my experience with these things.

For instance the girl who cuts my hair was under the impression that Rob Zombie's H2 was a completely original film and was totally oblivious to the entire Halloween franchise... I almost wept.

To be fair, she's not a horror fan (so I didn't kill her this time ), but you just have to go over to a forum like Bloody Disgusting and look at what young horror fans are listing as their 'favourite horrors of all time' ... you certainly need a strong stomach The amount of times films like the Saws, Rob Zombie efforts and Hostel and its many spin-offs are listed... Many younger horro fans don't seem to have a clue about the genre defining classics; I just think that when they remake some of these classics they need to pay homage to the classic originals more, otherwise they get swept under the carpet and the new generation don't know that they are even there...

When the remake of Hills Have Eyes came out the editor of Cinema Sewer magazine did a straw poll of viewers at a multiplex in New York and something like 85% of those going to see it didn't know it was a remake . Of those who did know it was, the majority had never seen it and had no intention of seeing it.

[vincenzo]

Originally Posted by alex s

Of those who did know it was, the majority had never seen it and had no intention of seeing it.

That was their loss. The original knocks spots off the remake as most of the old ones do.

[Peter Neal]

I happen to be in that lucky position that I usually enjoy both, modern genre flicks and the classics which inspired them, so I'd be curious to see how a European update of a cult fave for today's mainstream audience would look like.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Peter Neal

I happen to be in that lucky position that I usually enjoy both, modern genre flicks and the classics which inspired them, so I'd be curious to see how a European update of a cult fave for today's mainstream audience would look like.

I wish I had your optimism and excitement when it comes to remakes PN. Personally, every time the word 'remake' is mentioned (especially true in more recent years) I get a sinking feeling in my stomach...

That said, there are many remakes that I have enjoyed. It's the general ignorance of, and the 'glossing over' of the originals that makes me mad.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by alex s

When the remake of Hills Have Eyes came out the editor of Cinema Sewer magazine did a straw poll of viewers at a multiplex in New York and something like 85% of those going to see it didn't know it was a remake . Of those who did know it was, the majority had never seen it and had no intention of seeing it.

As Vince said, it's their loss. Still, it's stuff like this that may eventually push the classics into obscurity... especially if digital media takes over from DVD and Blu-Ray

[Peter Neal]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye

As Vince said, it's their loss. Still, it's stuff like this that may eventually push the classics into obscurity... especially if digital media takes over from DVD and Blu-Ray

Somehow I kind of doubt that, as there'll always be genre fans around who'll want to look beyond the mainstream surface- and those said classics weren't really any less obscure in the last century's "post nasties" era- the average punter cared as little about our cult faves in the late 80's/90's as they do now.