I saw a short piece on the news-magazine show CBS Sunday Morning that profiled actor Michael Caine. I have always liked Caine and many of his movies, although I sometimes question some of his choices. The interesting part was when they pointed out how many of his 60’s era movies have had modern remakes. Alfie, The Italian Job, Get Carter and several more have all been subjected to an updated retelling. All fell short of the originals.
Caine said he didn’t understand why a moviemaker would want to remake a successful, well made film. To his mind it made more sense to find a movie that had flopped but had a good storyline and remake that. His Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was such a case, having been a flop, with another name, starring Marlon Brando.
This kind of reinforced what I had mentioned in my Saturday post about The Ten Commandments where I talked about how modern moviemakers remake a classic film with new people and the newest technology and deliver films with more realism but less entertainment value. They can never recreate the chemistry required to make a film work. They forget that movies are about people first. All the greatest cinematic technology and attention to detail mean nothing if the viewer can’t make some type of connection with the characters. This human element is somehow overlooked by modern moviemakers.
Like painting, all the technical prowess in the world means nothing if people can’t feel attachment to the work.
I just thought it was an interesting point to think over while I’m waiting for them to remake Casablanca. I hear they’re going to cast Matthew McConaughey to take over Bogart’s Rick character.
Just kidding- I hope…
Redtree Times 