Hollywood: Give me a break!

[Brian in Mesa]

Warner Bros. & Iwanyk Remaking Sharky's Machine
Source: Variety
Friday, April 2, 2004

Warner Bros. and producer Basil Iwanyk are remaking Sharky's Machine, the 1981 Burt Reynolds film, with Jerry Stahl writing the new version.

Stahl will give the crime drama a contemporary twist. Reynolds directed the original and starred as a vice squad cop who assembles a team and goes after a group of brutal bad guys.

The film was based on a novel by William Diehl.

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WHY???!!!

 

[Chaplin]

Warner Bros. & Iwanyk Remaking Sharky's Machine
Source: Variety
Friday, April 2, 2004

Warner Bros. and producer Basil Iwanyk are remaking Sharky's Machine, the 1981 Burt Reynolds film, with Jerry Stahl writing the new version.

Stahl will give the crime drama a contemporary twist. Reynolds directed the original and starred as a vice squad cop who assembles a team and goes after a group of brutal bad guys.

The film was based on a novel by William Diehl.

------------------------------------------------------------





WHY???!!!

Who cares why? If you don't want to see the remake, then don't. Remakes have been around for years and years and years--since the beginning of cinema in the late 1800s. Why are you so surprised now? There is a trend of remaking bad movies and television shows, but who cares? That didn't stop millions from seeing The Italian Job or Starsky & Hutch.

I seriously don't understand why people find it "cool" to bitch and moan about "Hollywood" all the time. Especially when they go and watch Hollywood movies all the time anyway. And if you claim you don't, you're either a liar, or you don't watch movies.

Indies nowadays aren't that original anyway. They're either a standard drug movie or something based on real life, or a book, or a play, or whatever.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Aw shucks, Chap...didn't mean to ruffle your feathers by saying anything negative about Hollywood.

I just think Sharky's Machine is a good movie that doesn't need a modern retelling.

At least with the tv shows being made into movies they're hitting the big screen for the first time. And King Kong can be done much differently now than it was in '33 or '76 because of updated special effects, etc.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

I seriously don't understand why people find it "cool" to bitch and moan about "Hollywood" all the time.

So you think remaking "Sharkey's Machine" is a good idea?

 

[Stout]

God forbid we do anything original on the big screen

It's not that remakes are necessarily a bad idea...far from it. When the industry starts turning so much to remakes, though, where there are SOOOOO many remakes seemingly coming out in suuuuuuuuch a short amount of time, then movie fans get a feeling that the industry's getting a little stale.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Unfortunately, I don't see the trend of "modernizing" earlier films coming to an end any time soon.

The fact is, every possible conceivable plot has already been done since the medium of film emerged, so virtually every single plot in some sight varitations has been constantly rehashed at some time or another. Let's face it, it's also happening on t.v. and to a lesser extent in music as well....

This will probably continue also because there are so many restrictions the film, music, and television industry have been limited that has "stunt" creative growth from happening. Whenever some obscure idea surfaces (mainly of a controversial nature), some protest group or government will intervene in the process and impose so many limitations to the idea that the writer/director can't steer away from the "norm".... As a result, everything will be replicated without any originality ever being accomplished....

 

[schutd]

Been saying it for years...

Big Hollywood film companies will put out crap film after crap film until people stop going. Its the lame brained general populice that feeds this monster.

There are only 40 original story lines in film anyway. I dopnt expect every film to be some groundbreaking artsy fartsy thing, but I DO expect film studios to not be so offensive to my intelligence.

Bag the worthless freaking remakes. Kill the fluff nonsensical crap like Scooby Doo. Dont waste my time with horrible comic book adaptations. They ALL are less than great. Every single one of them.

Give me fun quirky things like Pirates of the Caribbean. Give me DIY films like Robert Rodriguez has done with the El Mariachi and Spy Kid franchises.
Give me more early career Tim Burton-esque films. (Hell even HE has gone down the inane remake road).

There a thousands and thousands of GREAT books out there that could be adapted. BUt NOOOOOOOOOOOO, WB decides that Sharkey's Machine, a laughably bad cop film in the first place deserves another go round. Sorry Chap, your position is indefensible, if you think Hollywood is putting out quality films more often than not then you are a liar or you dont actually watch any movies.

Get yer nose outta that city's ass, K?

 

[Chaplin]

So you think remaking "Sharkey's Machine" is a good idea?

I don't care.

 

[Chaplin]

Get yer nose outta that city's ass, K?

True, there are a ton of movies that are remakes, and a good 75% of those are remakes of stuff that didn't need to be a remake. But this constant whining about Hollywood is worthless. Nobody is twisting your arm to go see the remake of Sharkey's Machine.

I'm insulted by your comments, Dave. Not that it matters, because you open your big mouth all the time without thinking. You might as well call me a sell-out and get it over with.

 

[Chaplin]

God forbid we do anything original on the big screen

It's not that remakes are necessarily a bad idea...far from it. When the industry starts turning so much to remakes, though, where there are SOOOOO many remakes seemingly coming out in suuuuuuuuch a short amount of time, then movie fans get a feeling that the industry's getting a little stale.

Maybe you should direct your complaining to the AUDIENCE who actually pays to see these movies. After all, if that is where the money is coming from, that's where the money will be made. It's the same in any form of entertainment, especially music. Remember grunge? That genre exploded and then all of a sudden everyone was a grunge band. Why? Because that's what sold.

It's lame to blame the remake issue on Hollywood, when it's the audiences AROUND THE WORLD that are dictating these movies to be made. Don't be fooled, EVERY movie coming out of Hollywood is dictated by money, not originality. AND it's not like there are NO original movies out there in Hollywood. It's just the ones that make the most money and get marketted the most are the ones that are remakes. Why? Ask the audience, not the studios.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

Maybe you should direct your complaining to the AUDIENCE who actually pays to see these movies. After all, if that is where the money is coming from, that's where the money will be made. It's the same in any form of entertainment, especially music. Remember grunge? That genre exploded and then all of a sudden everyone was a grunge band. Why? Because that's what sold.

It's lame to blame the remake issue on Hollywood, when it's the audiences AROUND THE WORLD that are dictating these movies to be made. Don't be fooled, EVERY movie coming out of Hollywood is dictated by money, not originality. AND it's not like there are NO original movies out there in Hollywood. It's just the ones that make the most money and get marketted the most are the ones that are remakes. Why? Ask the audience, not the studios.

Excellent points, and an excellent post!

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Maybe you should direct your complaining to the AUDIENCE who actually pays to see these movies. After all, if that is where the money is coming from, that's where the money will be made. It's the same in any form of entertainment, especially music. Remember grunge? That genre exploded and then all of a sudden everyone was a grunge band. Why? Because that's what sold.

It's lame to blame the remake issue on Hollywood, when it's the audiences AROUND THE WORLD that are dictating these movies to be made. Don't be fooled, EVERY movie coming out of Hollywood is dictated by money, not originality. AND it's not like there are NO original movies out there in Hollywood. It's just the ones that make the most money and get marketted the most are the ones that are remakes. Why? Ask the audience, not the studios.

Would you agree that the government and all the protest groups out there have crippled the Screen Actor's Guild and every other writer out there?

 

[Chaplin]

Would you agree that the government and all the protest groups out there have crippled the Screen Actor's Guild and every other writer out there?

Sure, I would say there is a lot of governmental problems with the industry, but make no mistake, there are a lot of bad writers out there. If you're a screenwriter, there is a lot of opportunity out there if you're good. I think the worst thing the government is doing about Hollywood (and movies in general) is the push for censorship--led by democrat Joe Lieberman.

SAG is another issue though. There are thousands and thousands of actors, and not enough projects for them. That's just a fact of life, unfortunately for the thousands that want to be actors.

Hollywood really gets a bad rap, most people automatically assume that everything in Hollywood is all about the big studios and their money-grubbing, and that isn't true at all. In fact, geographically, only Paramount has their main studio in Hollywood (or right next to Hollywood, that is). Sony is in Culver City, south of Hollywood, MGM and HBO are in Santa Monica, west of Hollywood, and Disney, Warner Bros., Dreamworks and Universal are north of Hollywood in Burbank. Hollywood has become another name for LA, and while it does deserve some of its criticism (mostly about the people living here), there is also a LOT of good things about this place.

Enough in fact, that outside of getting a job editing Phoenix Suns commercials, I'd choose LA over Phx any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

[schutd]

True, there are a ton of movies that are remakes, and a good 75% of those are remakes of stuff that didn't need to be a remake. But this constant whining about Hollywood is worthless. Nobody is twisting your arm to go see the remake of Sharkey's Machine.

I'm insulted by your comments, Dave. Not that it matters, because you open your big mouth all the time without thinking. You might as well call me a sell-out and get it over with.

To call you a sellout wouldn't be a bad thing! Everyone should sellout. I can understnad why anyone who can make a buck off anything should do so. As long as there is a sucker willing to pay, someone should be willing to sell. Im more angry at the suckers who continually support the complete lack of originality coming from big studios by going to these movies (or buying these records or whatever medium I feel to tub thump about).

As far as me "opening my big mouth"... you can feign some amount of offense all you want, but as long as you respond with that kind of childish crap, I'll continue to not care if you're offended. However, I will grant you that I speak without thinking. Its called telling the truth, speaking my mind and sharing my opinions on an open forum. And it also speaks volumes about me not caring what you think about me as I tell it.

However, to the original point, which tyou actually addressed for a change rather than just whining at me...

IT'S NOT WORTHLESS to complain about hollywood crap. It has the possibility of raising public awareness, and very well might sway someone from actually plunking down the 10.25 to see this kind of total CRAP, and therefore maybe in the future, WB might think twice before trying to make a quick buck off some retread garbage and they might hunt down something somewhat original. Im surprised you wouldnt see it this way. Its a differnt means to the same end. Neither of us will go to this film, as is our right. I however will continue to be offfended that 20 or so some odd million was wasted on it being made when most likely there are under funded filmmakers out there with far better screenplays and more original ideas that warrant ever a tenth of that budget to get something worthwhile on the screeeen. Whats so wrong with that?