These days, nearly every movie that hits the multiplex is a modernized version of some previously existing feature film. (Hollywood may not call it a straight up remake, but that’s not really their style.) But is the trend to rehash old films all that new? A closer look at history reveals… not really.
Since the drawn of cinema, producers have been going back to old ideas for inspiration, twisting the plots of movies into brand new ones. With major brands being repurposed time and time again (a move that’s kept the horror genre alive for the past decade) and the window of time necessary to let the original stew dwindling (we’re looking at you Spider-Man!), the remakes that flood theaters are obvious callbacks. The “remake” aspect is can even be part of the appeal — “See BLANK, now new and improved with 21st century technology!”
That said, there are plenty of remakes that don’t wear their source material on their sleeves. The reasons are aplenty: maybe their roots are half a century old, from overseas, or weren’t terribly good to begin with. Knowing that it’s time to embrace the “remake” in a positive light, Hollywood.com took a look back at some of the lesser known redos in a gallery we like to call…
[Photo Credit: MGM/Touchstone Pictures]
Follow Matt Patches on Twitter @misterpatches
More:
‘Spider-Man’ Fandom: Why a Reboot Was the Only Answer
The Reboot Glossary: Which Hollywood Buzzword Fits the Bill?
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