Hollywood Remakes, Are They Really Evil?

First and foremost, I don't watch recent Hollywood remakes with any sort of happiness. I have not attended a viewing hoping that the remake will surpass the original, nor have I ever expected it too. Remakes or "re-imaginings" are not used by the major studios to win new consumers, they are simply money-makers. The demographic of these movies (especially horror remakes) are teens that have heard of the originals (via parents or older siblings ranting about their favorites being remade) that are too lazy to watch the originals or were didn't find them scary. (Opinions of what is scary change with each generation and this generation finds cheesy jump-scars absolutely terrifying.)

But while I am not a fan of remakes, I do not think they are the cinematic evil that other cinema-philes do. Remakes draw attention to the originals, often coordinating a re-release on DVD or in some cases the first release. Remakes force those of us that love and enjoy film to revisit old classics that may have been collecting dust no our shelves. Remakes provide an opportunity to introduce this current generation to classics they have not seen, but may have interest in.

I have plenty of experience in this last category. As a teacher with a love for film, I have loaned out several of this classics to students interested in the remakes (with parental permission of course.) There is a lot to feel good about when a group of 8th grade girls can't sleep due to the imagery of Ju-On (remade as The Grudge), a few freshmen getting together to watch the original Black Christmas before the jaundice remake, and introducing my younger brother to the awesomeness of Rutger Hauer in The Hitcher before watching him laugh at the horrible (but fun) remake.

So with Friday the 13th on the horizon, Nightmare on Elm Street in pre-production, and Halloween already bombing, I hope there is a new found appreciation for the real heroes of horror, the originals that scared people enough to warrant a remake.