Just Some Thoughts On…Those Remakes/Reboots

Once again Hollywood is trying to rehash classics for modern audiences (that complaining minority on social media) with the people behind the rehash not seeming to know what made the original so great and beloved and the lemmings that support anything getting upset with the long-term fans.

I always say the point of a remake should be to fix whatever was wrong with the original. Whatever narrative mistakes people may feel are in the first film should be dealt with in the new version. Otherwise why redo the film? If it’s right or largely right the first time around then there’s no point in doing it again. The list of remakes or reimaginings that equal or improve upon the predecessor by fixing perceived shortcomings can be counted on one hand with fingers to spare.

Here I am addressing the upcoming new versions of It’s a Wonderful Life as well as The Wizard of Oz. It takes some balls to think you can do better than they did with these two classics. There is universal appeal in both. Individuals from many walks of life adore them. There are people that watch It’s a Wonderful Life multiple times a year. The same goes with Wizard of Oz. Anecdotally speaking I’ve met them.

Both are absolutely fantastic and timeless because they touch on things that reach across generations. Take It’s a Wonderful Life for example. It’s a story about a man who assumed he was a failure when in reality he was a big success. His success wasn’t financial though. He had family and loyal friends who when the chips were down were there for him. And he accomplished this all by not by strategic thinking on his career but just simply being a good person and doing the right thing.

The community helps him, but the narrative is not about community. It is about being a good person. It is to not focus on what others have but on appreciating what you have. George got so wrapped up in what he did not possess that he forgot what was important. Yes, Potter was trying to royally screw him over but was it worth George committing suicide just to pay off a debt? Was taking care of that money more important than seeing things through?

Then there is the Wizard of Oz. I think perhaps framing this as a remake is a poor marketing choice on the part of those behind it. Coincidentally the same dude is behind the new version of It’s a Wonderful Life. Calling it a reimagining would certainly insulate it from certain criticism and bad feelings by fans of the original. It certainly aided such versions of the story as The Wiz or the miniseries Tinman. If anybody trashed them based on my anecdotal experience it was on their individual merits and not that they were not the 1938 classic. 

I’m not even sure if the problem is the reimagining. I think the problem is that Kenya Barris is saying they are remaking the originals and that his version will be better. Heavy ego is off-putting. Not confidence but undeserved ego mixed with a sense of automatic superiority.

And to exacerbate the problem accusations are getting slung even at this early stage before cameras even roll. It’s the usual accusations of racism or bigotry or because fans can’t handle a diverse cast taking over two predominantly white films. I won’t doubt that there are people just like that. There always are and there always will be. Lumping ALL commentors into that is lazy and simplistic. Many people-myself included-feel that both films are perfect or near perfect as is and saying you’re going to redo them affects a person in a bit of an ephemeral way. There’s a level of “This is mine” that people have in such enduring properties, and they don’t see a reason for someone to mess with what is theirs. 

Capturing lightning in a bottle twice is a bit tough with the new version missing the point of what made the original popular. Dorothy for her part realized that home isn’t as bad as she thought it was. Sure it’s not perfect but that’s where her friends and family are and the good that is present outweighs any fleeting bad elements. In the case of George Bailey, his goodness and pure motives made him the most powerful person in town. Far more of a force than Mr. Potter could hope to be despite Potter’s vast resources.

Hollywood is once again trying to ride the coattails of quality. And once again Hollywood is getting angry with the audience for not gleefully accepting it like a dog does a random treat. And they wonder why they are having trouble.