American Remakes

[DevilSaint44]

It has come to my attention that there are abysmal American remakes of otherwise good films or tv shows.
Film: This is the one that bugs me the most.A great french action comedy (Taxi) with interesting and funny characters but American version has characters less interesting characters than VIP. Playing with shit is more fun than watching this film.

TV show: There is also a great british sitcom (Coupling) that the American writers with complete lack of imagination decided to make their own version of the show. What they came up with is the same show with copy-pasted scenes only difference is that the American version has crappy actors(If james earl jones could star a better female role you know you fucked up)

Do you have hate for the American remakes or am I alone on this one? If you do tell which are the ones you hate.

 

[lozy]

i'm still hoping that they're not going to remake "spaced"
greatest sitcom eveeerrrr

 

[YeOldeMunger]

Well, Coupling was essentially a British Friend's. But yeah, I totally agree, more often than not they're total crap. And a "Spaced" copy was planned, but the guys managed to stop it.

Here's a list [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_programs_based_on_British_programs] of them, if you wanna funnel your hatred.

 

[HuntingWolf_01]

the american itallian job was a joke. it was wasnt even set in italy

 

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

This seems an awful lot like one of those flame-bait threads. I'd say bump it back to "Remakes" in general, because honestly, saying Americans are ruining television [http://www.mtv.com/] is only accurate for certain things, because it's not just American ruination of British television, but also remakes ruining originals [http://www.moviefone.com/insidemovies/2007/07/26/worst-movie-remakes/] in general, not just British-to-American alternatives.

I dunno, am I wrong to be a little offended by this?

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

They're gonna do an american remake of Life on Mars, which will likely suck as I've heard the British one is brilliant.

 

[Jamash]

I once saw an episode of the American remake of Fawlty Towers. It was beyond shit. The writers/producers responsible for that travesty should be tried in The Hague.

I really like the American Office though, now that it's gone beyond the original British storylines I think it's excellent & it's one of my favourite sitcoms.

The Countdown [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0WswLc0bys].

I wouldn't be surprised if the tried to remake Blackadder (despite the chronological impossibilities), Negroviper or something stupid.

An American remake of Eastenders would be funny, Eastcoasters, in the Bronx.

Or how about Dr. Who? Dr. Say What!?

On the whole, I hate American remakes, although the Office has proved it can done well, with the right writers & talent.

 

[HuntingWolf_01]

i mean the list of british shows the american has copied is endless, whats the matter they have no imagination?

 

[fulano]

I like remakes, or at least that people try to get them decent. If it sucks, it sucks; it doesn't necessarily detract from the original.

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

America is full of bad film/TV show makers, who seem addicted to remakes. It's purely a marketing ploy. You don't need to do any real writing, and in many cases there is a built in fan-base. The big entertainment companies also have an extreme degree of control over the various mediums. The new Babylon A.D. is a great example of how they can ruin a movie.

Americans spend plenty of time cringing at other countries who copy/remake their own work, however.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

Some of the American remakes are pretty good... The Magnificent Seven, for instance, did it right. (Arguably, Star Wars is an American remake of The Hidden Fortress even according to Lucas, though I haven't seen the original Japanese film to compare for myself.) But most times what makes a film or series work in its native culture just doesn't translate too well... I'm certain everyone would shudder at a British remake of an American classic like Kojak, for instance.

-- Steve

PS: some remakes don't even survive in their own countries; The Taking of Pelham 123, for instance. Then again, the Bogart Maltese Falcon was a remake of a failed remake of a mediocre film based on a novel; so be careful when writing off remakes just because they're remakes.

 

[Altorin]

Some of the American remakes are pretty good... The Magnificent Seven, for instance, did it right. (Arguably, Star Wars is an American remake of The Hidden Fortress even according to Lucas, though I haven't seen the original Japanese film to compare for myself.) But most times what makes a film or series work in its native culture just doesn't translate too well... I'm certain everyone would shudder at a British remake of an American classic like Kojak, for instance.

-- Steve

PS: some remakes don't even survive in their own countries; The Taking of Pelham 123, for instance. Then again, the Bogart Maltese Falcon was a remake of a failed remake of a mediocre film based on a novel; so be careful when writing off remakes just because they're remakes.

The Shining.. if I remember correctly, Stephen King HATED the movie, so he made one more like the book, and it flopped pretty hardcore, mainly because it was another movie based off the same book with much worse actors in it.

Red Dragon was a remake of Mancatcher, which had Grissom from CSI in it.. Red Dragon was much more successful, mainly because Hannibal Lecter was a household name when it was released, when Mancatcher was released, he was only a character in a book.

As for american remakes of british shows in particular.

I have 2 things to say - hell's kitchen america: good, kitchen nightmare's america: bad.

agree or not, those are my opinions.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

i mean the list of british shows the american has copied is endless, whats the matter they have no imagination?

We can't really complain on that...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._television_series_remade_for_the_British_market

Although...American remakes do tend to completely miss the idea of what made the originals funny. Look at Red Dwarf(US), The IT Crowd(US), Life on Mars(US) (With Colm Meany as Gene Hunt(!)).

 

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

This seems an awful lot like one of those flame-bait threads. I'd say bump it back to "Remakes" in general, because honestly, saying Americans are ruining television [http://www.mtv.com/] is only accurate for certain things, because it's not just American ruination of British television, but also remakes ruining originals [http://www.moviefone.com/insidemovies/2007/07/26/worst-movie-remakes/] in general, not just British-to-American alternatives.

I dunno, am I wrong to be a little offended by this?

America made the vacuum cleaner. Japan remade the vacuum cleaner from a thick long tube with a bag hanging out into a small disk that automatically cleans the house and recharges itself and given times of day.

Still sure about 'all' remakes being bad?

I find that American Reality TV is the worse thing, and at least when it's remade in another country; it's real. I mean, who in the hell are they trying to kid?

Not saying all remakes are bad. In fact, I never once said that all remakes were bad. I just thought the topic could do better to be against remakes ruining originals, not exclusively American Remakes Ruining British movies / shows.

 

[HuntingWolf_01]

i mean the list of british shows the american has copied is endless, whats the matter they have no imagination?

We can't really complain on that...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._television_series_remade_for_the_British_market

Although...American remakes do tend to completely miss the idea of what made the originals funny. Look at Red Dwarf(US), The IT Crowd(US), Life on Mars(US) (With Colm Meany as Gene Hunt(!)).

nah the american one is longer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_television_series_remade_for_the_US_market

 

[bad rider]

Agreeing with The root of all evil (lol)
The red dwarf remake was c##p. Compare the British version to the American i don't know anyone who was impressed.

 

[Capt_Jack_Doicy]

TV show: There is also a great british sitcom (Coupling) that the American writers with complete lack of imagination decided to make their own version of the show. What they came up with is the same show with copy-pasted scenes only difference is that the American version has crappy actors(If james earl jones could star a better female role you know you fucked up)

Do you have hate for the American remakes or am I alone on this one? If you do tell which are the ones you hate.

you do know coupling was just a british rip off of friends. for the most part i don't care, because sometimes remakes are good new interest and a different intepretation, but i must admit some just feel wrong like the Italian Job or the abortive attempt to remake spaced.

 

[electric discordian]

Not a TV series but the Wickerman that was pure unadulterated evil! Although I didnt quite hate it for some reason.

Also an american remake of an american film Assault on Precinct thirteen with the amazing magical forest that was not there at any point in any of the shots of the area from above and yet could be reached by running for 2 minutes.

 

[Capt_Jack_Doicy]

Some of the American remakes are pretty good... The Magnificent Seven, for instance, did it right. (Arguably, Star Wars is an American remake of The Hidden Fortress even according to Lucas, though I haven't seen the original Japanese film to compare for myself.)

i thought it was a remake of the dambusters

 

[BallPtPenTheif]

I think people are far too sensitive about "remakes" in general.

There is nothing sanctimonious about film or television and making another attempt at an idea doesn't erase or effect the previous iteration. Do you know how many people have sung "Crazy" by Patsy Cline?

But nobody gets bitter about that shit. If anything, this bitter tone over "cover movies" really shows how young both mediums are comparative to music.