So from everything I hear, the new Nancy Drew movie is not doing too well at the box office. I feared it was going to crash and burn the minute I read that they had saddled the Nanster with A KID BROTHER.
Huh?
What part of this sublime youthful feminine fantasy did these idiots not get?
Actually, I shouldn’t be passing these sweeping judgements because a) I haven’t viewed the film yet, and b) I plan on seeing it despite the abysmal reviews.
On various discussion lists I’ve been hearing theories as to why the film isn’t doing what it was apparently expected to do — but then Nancy hasn’t really done well since Pamela Sue Martin took on the blue roadster and magnifying glass back in the day. (In an especially brilliant stroke, the TV producers of that incarnation actually had Nancy getting romantically involved with Frank Hardy of the Hardy Boys franchise). But I’m not going to go into my own theories on why Nancy Drew could be a big screen success again if someone would just LISTEN TO THOSE OF US WHO KNOW AND LOVE HER.
No, instead I thought I would rant and rave about his whole idea of taking beloved films and remaking them. Like…WHY?
Can someone please explain to me the thought process here? Because what inevitably happens when you take a classic film and remake it is…you alienate all the people who loved loved loved the original — because of course you want to change it and make it your own — and the people who weren’t interested in…say, the original THE BISHOP’S WIFE aren’t going to have any particular interest in the remake. (Although at least they won’t have anything to compare it to and probably won’t moan and bitch endlessly in blogs and internet discussion lists about how you ruined perfection.)
Why not just rip-off the idea and make your own film? That way you can give a nod to the inspiration, but you have total creative freedom — and you aren’t running the risk of offending fans of the original. The catch here is that the people making the remakes are always hoping to cash in on the popularity of the original. So they want that name brand recognition. Alas, it just about never works.
But maybe I’m wrong. Maybe some of you have favorite remakes of classic films? Feel free to share your favorite remake — and feel equally free to share the worst remake you ever saw.
And — final question — has anyone out there seen the new Nancy Drew? What did you think about it?
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Usually I agree wholeheartedly, but I have to admit I found the new incarnation of The Producers hysterically funny. Of course, it’s hard to go wrong with Nathan Lane… I haven’t seen the new Nancy Drew, either, and with all boys in the family, I’ll have to go by myself if I want to see it. I’ll wait for the video-release; if the movie tanks in the theatres, it probably won’t be too long of a wait.
by JennieB
on June 25th, 2007 at 7:27 am
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I saw it. The kid who played Nancy Drew did a cute job. But the movie–the plot was lacking in my opinion. In many ways. All the clues were conveniently there at a momen’t notice. The story itself revolves around unwed mothers, kind of strange for the target audience. These days, the kids reading Nancy Drew are ten and eleven. I’m thinking with the countless volumes of Nancy Drew, surely they could have used one of the classic plots, even if they had to spruce it up ala Hollywood. Hidden staircase, perhaps (LOVED that one as a kid).
There was so much potential with a Nancy Drew movie. So many great stories that could have given them multiple movies. This plot fell way short.
by Laura
on June 25th, 2007 at 7:41 am
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I haven’t seen the new Nancy Drew. I’m afraid to. I don’t want to run my mental image of those books.
Worst remake, in my opinion, was the travesty they created in the remake of The Music Man. I started to watch it and had to stop. It was so bad. The only remake I thought that was worth a damn was the remake of Parent Trap (back when Lindsey Lohan was still cute). My daughter owns, and loves, both versions.
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I’ve only seen the previews of the movie while I waited to see Shrek the Third (hilarious, by the way). I wasn’t impressed with the previews. Too much glitz, not enough mystery.
I discussed the “Remake” industry with a script agent at a conference I went to. In his words, the major movie makers are scared to be original and they don’t want to take risks. That’s why you see the obscure small filmmakers winning awards for originality.
I’m sick of remakes.
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Interesting comment, Will. Your description of the major movie makers as opposed to the small filmmakers is quite on target–for more than just the movie world.
by Laura
on June 25th, 2007 at 8:59 am
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I like the bit in the new Sabrina when Linus takes the Concorde so that he gets to Paris before Sabrina…
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The Remake of “The Bishop’s Wife” was a travesty. I think there should be a law banning any Cary Grant remakes.
As Will says, the big studios are so risk averse they don’t want to do something original. Blame Jaws and Star Wars. They started the blockbuster mentality. It’s like an arms race. And as they get higher budgets, and require more people, they turn into these multi-million dollar black holes. The movie industry is an entrenched mess, and nobody wants to touch it or look too hard at it, lest it disintegrate like a house of cards in a windstorm.
I think the lack of budgets on indie films helps them. They have to be more creative in how they get it done. I think that tends to force them to depend more on the story and the acting than the explosions and CGI.
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I haven’t seen it, Diana, but I have read some good reviews for it–strange. My daughter wants to see it, so I know we’re going soon. I’ll let you know what I think.
I’m blanking on remakes except for the ones mentioned earlier. I liked The Parent Trap and Sabrina, too.
I think You’ve Got Mail was a remake of The Shop Around the Corner, but I didn’t see the original so I can’t comment on that one. Anyone else see it?
by Sara
on June 25th, 2007 at 10:12 am
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Jennie, I admit I didn’t see THE PRODUCERS — and THE BIRD CAGE was quite a good remake of La Cage Aux Folles, so maybe Nathan Lane is the common denominator to a successful remake.
And of course there are many successful remakes of classics like EMMA or PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I guess part of it has to do with the source material itself.
I don’t think there’s been a top notch version of Hemingway’s TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT yet.
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Laura, Mr.Thrilling reported one review as saying that the film failed for being “too old-fashioned.” Unwed mothers doesn’t exactly sound like the most traditional of plot devices. Hmmm.
I agree that capturing the adventuress essence of the books is what most of these films and series fail to do. Exploring secret passages NEVER goes out of fashion; I don’t care what anyone tells you!
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B.E., I can’t even think what the MUSIC MAN remake would have been — I must have missed that one entirely. Just as well, apparently.
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Did I really write adventuress essence?
Was that Freudian? I’m not even sure what I meant!
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Me too, Will.
I think if studios are so terrified of having an original thought, what they should do is pick from the hundreds of low budget B movies — movies that had lots of potential but needed a better cast, or slightly better script, or a bigger budget. Remake THOSE, and no one would probably know the difference. In fact, compared to the script-by-committee stuff that gets turned out now, a remake of an old B movie would probably seem incredibly fresh and original.
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Hey Stephen, that blockbuster mentality afflicts publishing as well — in fact, maybe it affects all the arts these days.
I like to try and take a professional and business-like attitude towards my writing, but art and the bottom line aren’t always compatible. Or maybe quality and the bottom line aren’t always compatible.
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Sara, LITTLE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER is so vintage and so quaint, that I think it did really lend itself to remake — and I enjoyed YOU’VE GOT MAIL a lot.
But I think that’s a perfect example of the kind of movie that lends itself to remake: charming and lots of potential, but not so well-known and beloved that fans can’t tolerate the thought of a remake.
I mean…who wants to see
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(*&^^%$$#!!!
As I was saying…who wants to see the remake of GONE WITH THE WIND?
Starring…lemme guess…Colin Farrell and…um…Julia Roberts and…Brad Pitt?
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Hey, Tasha, I admit I did enjoy the SABRINA remake, although I stil prefer the original. It’s hard to beat Audrey Hepburn.
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True, most remakes suck (to put it nicely), but do recall The Italian Job. The remake is just as good, if not even more fun, just because they could pull off more flashy effects.
The worst ones are the 101 Damnations they keep doing (yes, I spelled it that way on purpose). Live action isn’t better (except for superheroes - Smallville’s Arthur Curry/Aquaman and Oliver/Green Arrow, and of course, Tom Welling, are much more fun than the originals!)
by Kate Hathway
on June 25th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
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I hated the Dyan Cannon remake of Christmas in Connecticut. Love the Barbara Stanwyck version.
All the ads I’ve seen of the Nancy Drew movie have made think the only thing resembling the books is the name of the main character. 
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Oh, and I hated the contemporary version of Murder on the Orient Express too. Half the charm of the original was the 1930s-40s setting. It so did not work with a modern setting.
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Hey, Kate, I enjoyed the remake of THE ITALIAN JOB as well — partly because they devised an amusing and competent plot — it really had very little to do with the original (except those cute little cars).
I’m trying to think how popular the original was. As well known as the original ALFIE? Because that was another remake that did not fare so well.
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Tori, was CIC made for TV? Because that’s just adding insult to injury in my humble opinion!
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The last MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS I REMEMBER was the Albert Finney one. Was this a newer version than that? That was all period piece, as I recall.
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Diana, I’ve never seen the remake of Alfie because I couldn’t sit through the original. I try not to watch a remake until I’ve seen the original, and the original Alfie was just not… well Michael Caine’s Alfie wasn’t a nice guy, and while that in and of itself doesn’t usually turn me off, in that case it did, so I can’t comment on the new one.
I think the original Italian Job was pretty popular, especially in that it was in the time of Bond and Bond spoofs, as well as The Saint and other early action films (and the original Ocean’s Eleven).
And that’s another great remake - of a TV series, that is. Val Kilmer’s The Saint movie is one of my favorites, ’cause he’s even better than the character was originally written.
by Kate Hathway
on June 25th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
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‘You’ve Got Mail’ is so loosely based on ‘Shop Around the Corner’ it’s almost not worth thinking about. The only real similarity is the fact that the hero and heroine can’t stand each other in person, but have a secret writing romance going. I love both movies, but loving one doesn’t have any effect on the other. If you can find Shop Around the Corner on Turner Classic Movies (or Netflicks), I’d definitely recommend it. =o)
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In my humble opinion the new Ocean’s 11 is better than the original even if it did have the rat pack in it.
And then there’s King Kong two perfect versions with travesties being made in between.
by John
on June 26th, 2007 at 7:27 am
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Kate, I found the original Alfie fascinating in the way of all trainwrecks. It’s quite a painful film, really, as this awful, shallow guy slowly begins to surface to the reality of who and what he is. Of course the remake had none of that. Although Jude Law is certainly pleasant to watch in action.
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Right, B.E., and this to me is what makes Little Shop a good candidate for remake. The original film isn’t so well-known or beloved that the idea of a remake is intolerable; and the original film, while amusing and charming, is the kind of idea that lends itself easily to an update.
There are a couple of mystery films that I think would do well as remakes — THE CLOUDED YELLOW is one. THE DARK CORNER is another.
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John, I did enjoy the remake of OCEAN’S 11; that’s a good example. And I really, really liked the last KING KONG remake — although personally I think it did veer off track for a while with the flying insect scene. A case of a filmmaker falling in love with his own special effects.
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Yeah, the Christmas in Connecticut remake was “made for TV”. Come to think of it, so was the horrid remake of Murder on the Orient Express. The guy whose kid was kidnapped in the remake was a computer software mogul. It just didn’t work.
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Tori, I feel your pain. Part of the problem with remaking some of the Christie classics has to do with the fact that forensics have changed so much that some previously workable diversions are now merely…vintage fun.
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