Officially Sick of Remakes and Rehashes

And simultaneously interested in seeing most of them.

Every geek does it. We leave the theatre and talk to our friends about how we would have made the movie, or sit around the game table and talk about how much we would love to make a movie of this or that franchise. Yet we whine that all Hollywood is doing these days is making remakes, or reboots, or simply movietizing existing IP like GI Joe or (my god) Monopoly. I would love to see something original take off, but the fact is that Hollywood is scared to expend serious cash on anything that is not a known quantity. Even remarkably succsessful director/writers like Rob Zombie are unable to shop original material (such as his T.Rex project).

I blame George Lucas, personally. His damn prequels opened the door for this constant resurrection of existing properties.

Sometimes I get the impression that the guys directing and writing these movies are like me, they've dreamed up all the ways the could improve a character or a franchise and this is their chance.

Take the new Sherlock Holmes for instance. Unlike all the previous film adaptions of the worlds original greatest detective the writers of this movie have gone to the source, and his character is much more like written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Every film version I can remember has had him dapper and smart, a proper English gentleman. Here he is a debauched bohemian sort, rough and tumble and from the trailer a bit of a lech. Since he is being played by Robert Downey Jr. this is really well cast. He may as well be playing himself. This movie will certainly have more overt supernatural elements than the original works, and their film adapations, and also be much more action oriented. I also suspect some heavy steampunk elements, which is interesting specifically because if I am right it will be the first time that it comes to a mainstream work outside of anime. (Yes, the Golden Compass looks like it has steampunk in it, but I would say that it is not since it works on entirely fantastical energy sources, not steam.)

Then we have the new Clash of the Titans. With Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes it certainly has a good start with respected actors. I loved the original, still do but I am looking forward to a current take on that work. Harryhausens stop motion in that film was some of his best, but it is dated now and I think with proper budget a new generation can be introduced to Greek Mythology, some of the original pulp adventure stories ever told. Clash of the Titans might also be the big break for Alexa Davalos who plays Andromeda in this version. I'm something of a fan, so I am hopeful. I even posted specifically about her on the other blog, it's sfw so don't be shy.