We live in an age of revivals, reboots, and remakes. Hollywood seems to have lost the taste for original stories, preferring to reach back to the successful movies of the past, hoping to be able to play it safe and pocket a hefty profit in the process. Sometimes, it works – the remake of Stephen King’s “It” has proven this – and other times, it doesn’t – just think of the dismal reviews (and pretty lousy revenues) of this year’s “The Mummy”, which might have been a profitable movie per se, with its $400 million-plus debut against a $375 million budget, buy a disappointing debut for Universal’s “Dark Universe”.
Next year, many of the most famous and well-known movie franchises of our times will celebrate their thirtieth anniversaries. Some of these will be marked by remakes hitting the screens, either in the cinemas or through other mediums, such as video games, casual games like this year’s “Halloween” released recently at Wild Jack real money Online Casino, or in other forms. Whichever the case, let us prepare to honor the memory of some classics that reach a considerable age in 2018.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The 1978 version of the “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” is regarded as one of the greatest remakes of all time – it is the revival of the 1956 classic, shot in black-and-white. Directed by Philip Kaufman, known for co-writing the first Indiana Jones film and directing movies like “Henry and June”, “Rising Sun”, and “Quills”, and starring big names like Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum, and Leonard Nimoy.
The movie received praise from critics and viewers alike, along with a WGA “Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium” and a Hugo nomination. Its 2007 remake, “The Invasion” (which was not as terrible as many say, really) failed to win over the fans of the story.
Dawn of the Dead
George A. Romero’s classic zombie horror flick, written by himself in collaboration with Italian horror mastermind Dario Argento, was promoted as “the most intensely shocking motion picture experience for all times” back in the day – and it delivered, too. The movie was the most profitable part of Romero’s “Dead” series, with a worldwide gross of $55 million, and it still holds its place in the hearts of horror movie fans – let its 8.0 IMDb rating and 92% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes stand witness to that.
Its 2004 remake, which also marked the directorial debut of Zack Snyder, has almost managed to fill the shoes of the original. Almost.
The Deer Hunter
Telling the story of three Russian American steelworkers whose lives change fundamentally after the Vietnam war, “The Deer Hunter” is, to this day, one of the most fascinating stories about this period of American history and its effects on the soldiers participating in the conflict. The movie had a star-laden cast, with Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and John Savage taking on the leading roles, supported by the likes of John Cazale, George Dzundza, and Meryl Streep.
The movie went over budget – it cost $15 million to produce – but it was worth it: the gross revenues of the flick reached $48.9 million in the US alone. “The Deer Hunter” won five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director for Michael Cimino, and Best Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken.
Nobody has tried to remake the movie ever since.
