I recently read that Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, and most recently Robin Hood) wants to direct the Alien prequel. Not only that, but he wants a 250m (m=million) for a hard R rated film. Now, I am all for and Alien prequel, especially one where Noomi Rapace (the Swedish Version of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) has a part as a young Ridley pershaps? But I know that R rated films dont get large budgets like that. Also, I am still iffy on an Alien prequel, even if the director is coming home.
My main problem is with the ONSLAUGHT of remakes/reboots that are coming down the pipe. "reboot" seems to be the most recent euphemism that hollywood has put out to soften the blow of the actual meaning. And here is Hollywoods actual meaning, "we want to rape, plunder, skin, and eviscerate all the great memories that you have of this previous film and we pray that you grow new one for the new version".
For those of you who think "hey, the output of remakes/reboots is really small compared to the number of original films" and by original I mean ORIGINAL, not a comic, tv show, web series, or based on a toy (tho i will admit I still thought the Transformers movies were fun despite their flaws) I offer this list.
http://www.nextmovie.com/blog/upcoming-movie-remakes/
According to this list which I got from IMDB.COM (which I will admit is like a Movie God to me) names all the remakes of movies that are due out within the next 18 months. Most have release dates in that time frame. Others seem to have no date, stars, director and script. But still. The fact that these movies are even in development throw up the fact that mainsteam Hollywood has lost all originality. Sure, you have your Focus Features, or Sony Classics, and other "independent" films.
They do produce great films, for the "independent" branches that they are. Even the WC company makes some great films, but they "pale in comparison" to what "Hollywood" has to offer in remakes, reboots, and general lack of creativity.
I looked at that list of remakes/reboots and laughed. I may never have seen Footloose, but it doesn't stop me from watching the original only to lambaste the remake. Sure, studios or looking to cash in on familiar properties. Sure directors are trying to make a name on familiar properties. That doesn't mean that the movie going public are going to spend their hard earned 11 dollars on what the studios think we want to see.
As it is, I have over 30 video games in my collection. They aren't of the same system but regardless of that I just love playing those games. It doesn't mean I want to actually see them played out on the screen.
Going back to my original thesis statement, I still feel that the majority of people want originality in their movie going experience. We don't want remakes, reboots,re-hashes and the like.
As the movie Inception predicates. The movie going public is not one of neanderthals. The fact that it made back it's budget and then some should prove that. If it weren't for such a unique premise (despite its inspiration) it probably wouldn't have made the money it did or create the fan pages it did. I can only hope that Nolan's next film (his 3rd Batman movie) is as smart as Inception/The Dark Knight.
Smart, original movies still have a place in this world. And as long as big studios have the balls to back them, people will go see them.
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