2008 Woodie Awards
Movie sequels and lack of originality are hurting today's film industry
Bryan Gleason
Issue date: 9/14/06 Section: Entertainment
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If you were to look at the literal definition of "original" and apply it to movies today, it would be difficult to determine if they are, in fact, "not secondary, derivative, or imitative" as the definition of "original" suggests.
Over the past three years, the movie industry has suffered from a lack of truly original movies. Instead, audiences have been treated to hundreds of sequels, comic book movies, and remakes of both movies and bad television shows. Why is this? How do people feel about studios remaking classic movies like "Psycho"?
"The problem with remakes is that remakes tend to destroy the integrity of the original piece," says Jude Ciccolella who is best known for his role as Mike Novick on the hit series "24" and who can currently be seen in Oliver Stone's film, "World Trade Center." Remaking movies allows for a level of enhancement; often times certain resources were not available at the time that an original movie was produced. Nevertheless, as Novick suggests, remaking a film can take away from the original piece regardless of the wonders current technology can do with special effects and whatnot. However, it is not only remakes that people have grown tired of, but movies in general. So I wonder: what is the problem with movies today?
"The only problem with movies made at this time is that making a movie now is more of a corporate decision then anything," says Lawrence H. Levy, multiple Emmy Award nominee for both "The Mango" episode of "Seinfeld" and for writing on the staff for Nickelodeon's animated series "Aaahh!!! Real Monsters."
"The studios are out to make a movie now which they know will have a fan base so they will earn more money. They don't look at a movie and wonder is this movie any good. Studios are in business to make money just like the rest of corporate American and therefore, unfortunately are afraid to gamble on smaller, quality films," he said.
While this may seem like a harsh opinion of present day movie making, one can not help but find truth in such a statement. Present day movies seem to be much more corporate, even the independent ones. Edward Asner, multiple Emmy Award Winning star of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Lou Grant" and countless other series and films including "Elf" believes that, "There is chaos in all levels in Hollywood. Hollywood studios are scared that they won't please the audiences anymore, so they don't make any adventurous moves and make original movies."
Over the past three years, the movie industry has suffered from a lack of truly original movies. Instead, audiences have been treated to hundreds of sequels, comic book movies, and remakes of both movies and bad television shows. Why is this? How do people feel about studios remaking classic movies like "Psycho"?
"The problem with remakes is that remakes tend to destroy the integrity of the original piece," says Jude Ciccolella who is best known for his role as Mike Novick on the hit series "24" and who can currently be seen in Oliver Stone's film, "World Trade Center." Remaking movies allows for a level of enhancement; often times certain resources were not available at the time that an original movie was produced. Nevertheless, as Novick suggests, remaking a film can take away from the original piece regardless of the wonders current technology can do with special effects and whatnot. However, it is not only remakes that people have grown tired of, but movies in general. So I wonder: what is the problem with movies today?
"The only problem with movies made at this time is that making a movie now is more of a corporate decision then anything," says Lawrence H. Levy, multiple Emmy Award nominee for both "The Mango" episode of "Seinfeld" and for writing on the staff for Nickelodeon's animated series "Aaahh!!! Real Monsters."
"The studios are out to make a movie now which they know will have a fan base so they will earn more money. They don't look at a movie and wonder is this movie any good. Studios are in business to make money just like the rest of corporate American and therefore, unfortunately are afraid to gamble on smaller, quality films," he said.
While this may seem like a harsh opinion of present day movie making, one can not help but find truth in such a statement. Present day movies seem to be much more corporate, even the independent ones. Edward Asner, multiple Emmy Award Winning star of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Lou Grant" and countless other series and films including "Elf" believes that, "There is chaos in all levels in Hollywood. Hollywood studios are scared that they won't please the audiences anymore, so they don't make any adventurous moves and make original movies."
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