Are all Novels doomed to be rewritten by those who can do it better?

RumpleTumbler · Jan 4, 2007

I don't know if I'm the only one but the trend in movies of remaking many old movies just pisses me off. The latest irritation is 12 Angry Men. I don't care what the title or movie it just screams I'm so uncreative and yes I'm a whore so I'll try and make money from someone elses creation. How long before someone rewrites your favorite book?

kborsden · Jan 4, 2007

Good call RT, who knows? It's not just movies, it's music as well. So books sound like the next logical move to me too.

IrishScribbler · Jan 4, 2007

I think I've mentioned this in other threads, but Robert Atkinson claims all stories are variations on the archetype of the hero myth. So maybe it doesn't matter because all stories are essentially the same to begin with!

I know this isn't exactly what you were getting at, but it came to mind, so I decided to share.

Marlys · Jan 4, 2007

There's a lot of it out there--not so much rewrites as sequels, prequels or spinoffs of popular books which are in public domain. Wide Sargasso Sea, Wicked, The Wind Done Gone, etc. Not something I'd be interested in doing myself, but it sure seems to be a trend.

Shadow_Ferret · Jan 4, 2007

Well, I'm not sure of how it works, but don't they buy the rights to redo a movie or song? I don't know if you can do that with a book. Maybe one of the experts can 'splain that.

But I agree with getting angry at seeing remakes. I see they're coming out with a new version of "The Hitcher." C'mon! How can you top Rutger Hauer?

Carrie in PA · Jan 4, 2007

Shadow_Ferret said:
C'mon! How can you top Rutger Hauer?

You CAN'T.

I don't care for most remakes. I did, however, love the updated The Mummy.

I also don't like colorizing old B&W movies. Ick.

Azure Skye · Jan 4, 2007

Carrie in PA said:
You CAN'T.

I don't care for most remakes. I did, however, love the updated The Mummy.

I also don't like colorizing old B&W movies. Ick.

That is more than in "ick" in my book; that's a major sin. I'm a huge old movie fan and I abhor the practice of colorization. Whoever came up with that idea needs a good swift kick in the...yeah, right there.

I'm also not very fond of the remake trend. Let's hope they can't do it with books.

Azura, who prefers her Fred and Ginger in black and white.

MidnightMuse · Jan 4, 2007

Just wait until you see the news about making a new Bionic Woman for TV next Fall.

Blech.

Jamesaritchie · Jan 4, 2007

Remakes

RumpleTumbler said:
I don't know if I'm the only one but the trend in movies of remaking many old movies just pisses me off. The latest irritation is 12 Angry Men. I don't care what the title or movie it just screams I'm so uncreative and yes I'm a whore so I'll try and make money from someone elses creation. How long before someone rewrites your favorite book?

If it can be done better, then why not do it? I'm not sure what remaking an old movie has to do with being a whore, or with being uncreative, unless you remake the old movie exactly as it was done the first time. I can think of dozens of remake movies that were wonderful, well-written, and highly creative.

In fact, I've seen many, many remakes that were considerably better than the original.

And the truth is, every last time we sit down and write we're most likely rewriting a Greek Myth, or a Shakespearian play, or someone else.

I would also add that publishing, and anything done in Hollywood, is all about making money from someone else's creation. Publishers stay in business by making money off someone else's creation. So does Hollywood. And unless a work is old enough to be in the public domain, the writer, or his heirs, will probably make money right along with everyone else.

Azure Skye · Jan 4, 2007

Marlys said:
There's a lot of it out there--not so much rewrites as sequels, prequels or spinoffs of popular books which are in public domain. Wide Sargasso Sea, Wicked, The Wind Done Gone, etc. Not something I'd be interested in doing myself, but it sure seems to be a trend.

I noticed there a lot of Pride and Prejudice spin-offs. Mr. Darcy is a very popular character (especially if one imagines he looks like Colin Firth).

Gillhoughly · Jan 4, 2007

If some dolt wants to remake the classic film and convices another dolt it can make money all you can really do is avoid buying a ticket.

There will always be brainless wonders wanting remakes of Casablanca, Gone With the Wind and Father Goose, but you can always go to Rotten Tomatoes and read the scathing reviews.

As it happens, there was a short-lived Casablanca TV series. It got good reviews, and I recall seeing it (pretty much ALL I recall) but it died quick.

Does anyone recall Scarlett-- the sequel to Gone With the Wind? Timothy Dalton played Rhett Butler (yum!) but the rest was pretty forgettable potboiler (and boilerplate) romance novel plotting, the characters all behaving out of character. Blech.

I've read Mitchell's original novel about 6-7 times, and one thing is certain, it would never be marketed as historical romance these days. (Never mind the politically incorrect racial stuff, there's no happy ending! Ack--swoon!!)

Alexandra Ripley is no Margaret Mitchell.

THAT little fiasco was satirized in "Naked Once More" by the delightful and clever Elizabeth Peters. The plot is about a romance writer asked to do the sequel of a painfully famous book. It's one heck of a funny send up of the romance writing industry in the late 80-90s and on my list of "read this book to learn how to write" for neos.

As for remakes--I'm staying home, too and watching the originals, no colorizing!

cinders23 · Jan 4, 2007

I think people like to see re-makes especially in movies when old classics can be done with today's technology. It's all about what sells...and if sells they'll make it or re-make it. Besides they would never be able to do so unless they have permission from whoever has rights to the original. So...the original creators must be benefiting somehow.

I can't see this happening with books. Yes, words can be rearranged and better phrased, but it's the same story...so what would be so exciting about that?

Cindy.

Jamesaritchie · Jan 4, 2007

Remakes

You also have to consider what is and isn't a remake. I'm incredibly glad the first Dracula movie was remade. In fact, I'm glad about a hundred movies from the twenties and thirties were remade. They original versions were poorly filmed, poorly acted, and really had nothing going for them.

For me, the real problem with remaking old movies is the casting. When I want a Bogart movie, I want a Bogart movie.

But if done well, there isn't a darned thing wrong with remaking most old movies. Are all remakes good or successful? Of course not. Bad is the order of the day, for remakes and for originals. But some remakes are wonderful, and whatever old farts like, the younger farts have their own tastes, and want to see movies done in a modern way, with full color, and with better special effects. That's life.

James D. Macdonald · Jan 4, 2007

Books are being re-written all the time. What, after all, is Jaws but a re-write of Moby-Dick?

Since there are only five plots in the world (some say seven), this isn't surprising.

Jamesaritchie · Jan 4, 2007

Gillhoughly said:
Alexandra Ripley is no Margaret Mitchell.

.

Nope, but she is one very rich writer because of the novel she wrote. I didn't care at all for Scarlett, but I did read it, and so did an awful lot of other people. And sales of Gone With the Wind went way up, as well, so a new generation of readers came to the original through the sequel.

One of the best and most famous of the old movies, The Maltese Falcon, was itself a remake of a movie done ten years earlier. The original is almost forgotten, and the remake is a classic.

If something is bad, it's bad, original, remake, or sequel. But if it's good, it's good, original, remake, or sequel.

Shadow_Ferret · Jan 4, 2007

Jamesaritchie said:
You also have to consider what is and isn't a remake. I'm incredibly glad the first Dracula movie was remade. In fact, I'm glad about a hundred movies from the twenties and thirties were remade. They original versions were poorly filmed, poorly acted, and really had nothing going for them.

For me, the real problem with remaking old movies is the casting. When I want a Bogart movie, I want a Bogart movie.

I think we'll just disagree on this, but I enjoy all the Universal monster movies and regard them as classics, even with Bela Lugosi. I think his stage ham presence made the part. I certainly believe they captured the mood and atmosphere of Dracula in that 1931 release.

Not to say I don't enjoy Christopher Lee's Hammer performance. And I have no opinion on the latest Draculas, I haven't seen them.

My problem comes in when there is a classic and they merely update it for the grossness of today's SFX without any improvements in story (and sometimes even make it unrecognizable. Not better, just unrecognizable).

Chumplet · Jan 4, 2007

Do you remember that movie with Richard Gere about ballroom dancing? I saw it with some girlfriends and then six months later the original Japanese version was on television.

Except for the fact that Tokyo became New York, and everybody was Caucasian instead of Japanese, the plot was EXACTLY the same, right down to camera angles and the gag with the wig in the men's room.

Talk about no imagination. Hollywood has to pull its socks up and bring in more people with original ideas - they're complaining that they're losing their audience. Go figure.

EDIT: Also, the original La Cage aux Folles was much better than The Birdcage (with apologies to Robin Williams).

Marlys · Jan 4, 2007

Think of plays: I've seen some of my favorites in many different productions, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. No one would ever suggest retiring a play after its first production.

True, movies are a different experience, but there's no reason not to give another group of people a shot at the same material.

Carrie in PA · Jan 4, 2007

Chumplet said:
Do you remember that movie with Richard Gere about ballroom dancing?

*shudder* And it was a HORRIBLE movie! I didn't care one bit about the wooden, flat characters. Terrible, terrible.

victoriastrauss · Jan 4, 2007

The Japanese version was lovely. Worth watching, if you can find it in the video store.

- Victoria

Zoombie · Jan 4, 2007

John Carpenter's The Thing was a remake of The Thing from Space, but the Thing in the Thing turned from a strange space fruit into a awesome shape shify blob thing.

And I loved the new Mummy, with my favoret charicter being that weasly guy. I can't remember his name, but he was such a weasle.

However most remakes are crap. Dawn of the Dead the remake, for example. That was BUTCHERING a classic. Horrible acting, fast zombies and a zombie BABY!

Anyone who thinks the remake of Dawn of the Dead is a good movie just needs to say the words: "Zombie baby" and realize how bad that movie is. Ugh.

write4logan · Jan 4, 2007

Zoombie said:
And I loved the new Mummy, with my favoret charicter being that weasly guy. I can't remember his name, but he was such a weasle.

Benny, as in (imagine Brendan Fraser saying this) "If it isn't my little buddy Benny."

As for Scarlett, the book, I thought it was okay. Worse the GWTW, but better then the movie version :Headbang:

Tallymark · Jan 4, 2007

Zoombie said:
And I loved the new Mummy, with my favoret charicter being that weasly guy. I can't remember his name, but he was such a weasle.

Benny! Hehe, Benny's a great character.

I loved the remake of the Mummy; its a fantastic movie. Definately a remake gone right. A lot of other remakes though, really the originals were such wonderful classics that it really wasn't necessary--is there anyone who thinks that the new Parent Trap was as good as the original? Or the new Psycho? There are some other shining examples of good remakes out there, where improved graphics really adds a lot to the movie, but sometimes it just falls flat. Course, same is true for any other movie.

I don't think it'll really be a problem with authors though, really. Movies are produced by companies, but novels are produced by individual people. Are there really that many authors who want to waste away their careers rewriting other peoples books? There'll always be people who're essentially rewriting someone elses' book, but who're setting it in their own world and with their own characters, highly derivative books (y'know, like all the Tolkein wannabes out there). Or stuff set in the same universe, or from the pov of a different character (a la Wicked). And of course, all stories are just versions of the same few essential story paths. But to actually set out specifically to rewrite someone elses story...I dunno, doesnt' seem to have much appeal to me. Do I wanna be known for that amazing original novel I did, or do I want to be known as that person who tried to do Tolkein better and failed?

maestrowork · Jan 4, 2007

Zoombie said:
John Carpenter's The Thing was a remake of The Thing from Space, but the Thing in the Thing turned from a strange space fruit into a awesome shape shify blob thing.

I love The Thing. I also think Martin Scorsese's The Departed is a SUPERB Americanization/remake of the Hong Kong film Internal Affairs. There are other remakes that work beautifully and deserve to be called classics. The new Chicago by Rob Marshall was fantastic, so is last year's Pride & Prejudice (I know some purists hate that movie -- I think it's wonderful).

I think we can't judge the whole "remake" thing by some horrible examples. Just as we can't say "original" is necessarily good -- there are WAY, WAY too many "original" movies/books/songs/etc. that are plain horrible.

I think what people have problems with is remakes of "classics" -- works that are already "perfect." Why would anyone remake Casablanca or Lawrence of Arabia or the Sound of Music? When the original is obscure, most people don't even notice that, say, The Departed is a remake. Most people don't know Shall We Dance? was a remake until they see the far more superior Japanese original.

But I don't think we can lump them all in the same category. The new Battlestar Galactica, for example, is 1000x better than the original, imo.

James D. Macdonald · Jan 4, 2007

To answer the OP's question: Are all Novels doomed to be rewritten by those who can do it better?

No. Some are doomed to be rewritten by those who do it worse.

Are all Novels doomed to be rewritten by those who can do it better?

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