Plagiarism in Hollywood

Is it just me or has Hollywood finally run out any new material? Granted, I know and understand remakes are a part of the industury. However, why does it seem like nearly every movie released is some form of remake or sequel?

In the world of academia, remakes would be known as plagiarism. Let a college kid buy someone's paper online and "remake" it into their own paper. Sure, he/she might tweak a few things here and there, but the idea is not original. In high school or college, plagarism results in an automatic F and the possibility of expulsion from school. These days, it appears plagiarism in Hollywood is encouraged.

As a fan, I can certainly stomach sequels a lot more than remakes. For instance, I've enjoyed each and every Rush Hour movie in the film's series. As long as both Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan are in the film together, it's okay with me. You have the same characters from each film, but different plots in each movie.

Now, remakes on the otherhand, is a different kind of animal. Most remakes, in my humble opinion, lack originiality. Remakes will have the same plot as in the original. Why should cusomers spend their hard-earned money on a movie they've probably seen before. Is it really that hard to come up with a decent idea that will appeal nowadays? I feel remakes are a disservice to those involved with the original films, from the actors to the writers to the directors and so on. If I wrote a script for a film, I wouldn't want someone coming around 20-25 years later trying to steal the idea. As a writer, I'd get a bigger thrill coming up with something unique, and a script I developed on my own. If you're going to steal an idea for a film, why not take a box office flop from a film 40 years old or older, figure out why it flopped, and change the script into a success. That in of itself, is more of a challenge than simply taking someone else's work and cashing in on it.

I suppose it's inevitable to turn to remakes for films. We now have the Super Heroes being exploited as the next in-line to be remade. We've already seen Batman, Spiderman, and the Incredible Hulk. From what I understand, Wonder Woman will be the next superhero turned into a movie.

It's not that I hate all remakes. It's just the idea of taking a hit movie from the past 20-25 years, and plagiarising it. I wouldn't mind as much if the films in question were made in the 60's or later. Most of the films remade these days are on television quite often. One can simply tune in to a channel and find a smash 80's film somewhere on tv.

Why this hostile attitude for remakes? Well, it started a few years ago when I flipped through the channel to watch Love Don't Cost a Thing. I noticed the similarities to 80's movie, Can't Buy Me Love. Both movies had nerdy central characters who paid cool girls to pose as girlfriends for a month. I watched roughly 20-30 minutes of the film before I realized this film was a remake. Initially, I thought someone ripped the film off before realizing the film was intended to be a remake. Needless to say, once I recognized the film's plot, I switched channels.

A couple of years later, Bewitched hit theaters. Bewitched was/is one of my favorite shows. I fondly remember watching the show as a child on Nick-at-Nite when both Nick-at-Nite and TV Land actually aired classic shows on their respective networks. That's another argument for another time. Anyway, I'll always associate Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, and Dick Sargent as the roles of Samantha and Darrin Stevens. This is not any sort of slight on the abilities of Nicole Kidman nor Will Ferrell. They are both talented actors. I'm just not interested in watching anyone else play the parts other actors portrayed years before. Montgomery will forever be Samantha and York and Sargent will be Darrin (although York was my favorite). I looked upon Kidman and Ferrell as a couple of imposters. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person who felt this way.

Before you blast this blog, just check out the list of remakes from 80's films schedule for release in 2010-2012:

Red Dawn
21 Jump Street
Footloose
the Smurfs
Clash of the Titans
A Nightmare on Elm Street
The Karate Kid
The A-Team
Tron
Beverley Hills Cop 4

Let's use Nightmare on Elm Street as an example. I've read Jackie Earle Haley will play Freddie Kruegger in the film. This is no slight to Haley. He's a terrific actor, but when I think of Kruegger, I think of Robert Englund. Maybe Englund turned down the role. I don't know. But this fact alone will not arouse any interest in the film.

The Karate Kid is another remake I don't like. I have nothing against Chan nor Jaden Smith, but I've seen the Karate Kid dozens of times in my life. I know Smith's character will be picked on by bullies (much like Ralph Macchacio's character in the original), but will learn to defend himself by taking karate from a local expert. I know how this film is going to end before I step foot in a theatre (or in my case, before I turn the channel to watch the movie when it's on tv).

Red Dawn is an 80's film that has several 80's stars such as C. Thomas Howell (Soul Man and the Outsiders), Patrick Swayze (Dirty Dancing and the Outsiders), Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing and Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Charlie Sheen (Lucas and Major League), and Lea Thompson (Back to the Future and Howard the Duck). In the film, teens battle Soviet troops, who have invaded their town. The remake will feature a new ensamble who will battle Chinese troops. I understand why the film used Soviet troops. At the time, the United States was involved in the Cold War with Russia. I don't know why Chinese soldiers are used in the remake.

These films only further prooves my point. Some tweaking and slight alterations will be made to the remakes. The films will be modernized to the standards of the 21st century, but the result remains the same...the films in question have been plagiarized.

It seems like the trend of remakes is gravitating towards television. In recent years, shows such as American Gladiators, Knight Rider, 90210, and Melrose Place have been revived. Ironically, 90210 is the only show that is presently on air. With the demise of Lost and 24, and Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy probably winding down in the next couple of years, one has to wonder what other tv classic will be the next in line to be plagiarised and butchered.