Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Attack of the Remakes

Back in 1995, science fiction author Connie Willis published a novel called Remake about a near-future Hollywood where the film industry churns out nothing but CGI remakes of classic films, starring digitized versions of dead actors.

The reality is far more horrifying. Hollywood is making mostly remakes of mediocre-to-crappy films and movies based on video games. I thought it was bad when I learned that remakes of Red Dawn and Clash of the Titans were in the works. Now, Screen Rant reports that remakes of Videodrome (which starred Debbie Harry), Back to School (the Rodney Dangerfield comedy that was filmed on the UW-Madison campus) and Short Circuit (which inexplicably spawned a sequel back in the 1980s) are in our future.

I'll admit to a certain anticipatory curiosity about the upcoming remake of They Live (the 1988 cult sci-fi satire starring "Rowdy" Roddy Piper). However, if I ever hear of plans for a remake of Gymkata, I will know the Apocalypse is at hand.

4 comments:

Beer, Bicycles and the VRWC said...

I haven't been to the theater for a movie in a couple years. If I go Pay-Per-View, I can be disappointed for less than 5 bucks.

Full disclosure: I'm going to the theater to see the new Star Trek movie. (Yes, I'm a geek)

Ordinary Jill said...

I've seen all the Star Trek movies on the big screen (even the awful Star Trek VI and Star Trek: Nemesis). I visited the Star Trek Experience in Las Vegas on two separate trips. I even attended a couple Star Trek conventions back in the 90s. I may be a bigger geek than you.

Ordinary Jill said...

I meant to type Star Trek V, not VI.

Beer, Bicycles and the VRWC said...

Meh...who's keeping score?

I'm a big "Wrath of Khan" fan.