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November 1993

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Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
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Mon, 8 Nov 1993 00:37:53 -0500
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Greg Smith's response to earlier remarks made by myself and others
regarding the CITIZEN KANE/SIMPSONS connection, raises an issue which
I have found vexing ever since I discovered that many viewers of
APOCALYPSE NOW knew nothing of it's sources in Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS.
Since then I too have wondered about the different levels upon which
such texts are enjoyed and appreciated.  Mind you, I'm NOT talking about
parody, as several others have only today begun discussing in relation
to the KANE/SIMPSONS connection.
 
Note how many recent films have not only been re-makes (e.g. CAPE FEAR),
but re-makes of much older, even 'classic' films which most of us on this
net now doubt appreciate in relation to their 'originals,' but which
No doubt most of us on this net appreciate a film like Coppola's DRACULA
or the Costner version of ROBIN HOOD in relation to earlier versions.
Indeed, it seems as if that is half the fun -- yet it is not the
average viewer's experience.  I suspect few went to see OUTLAND with
HIGH NOON in mind, or STAR WARS with THE HIDDEN FORTRESS in mind,
or the 1988 version of D.O.A. thinking about the 1950 original, etc.
(to get off the subject of re-makes for a moment, I wonder how many went
to see THE TWO JAKES having not seen CHINATOWN).
 
I'm sure we can all think of dozens of re-makes and re-workings
(MURDER, MY SWEET and FAREWELL, MY LOVELY, etc............).
I suspect our students see a lot of these recent reincarnations, however,
and know nothing of their indebtedness to earlier manifestations,
or that they can be seen as (in the case of Dracula) 'variations on a
theme' of longstanding.  I have decided, therefore, to offer a course
next semester in which I'll attempt to 're-connect' a number of recent
popular films with their 'originals' by showing them together.
My criteria are:  1) the re-make must be recent enough to have been
seen by the average college student (this would exclude THE MAGNIFICENT 7);
2) the original must be generally regarded as a 'classic' of sorts,
or at least be a significant milestone in the history of cinema
(this would let out the original CAPE FEAR), or at least be a work of
an important director (thus, I might include BOUDU SAVED FROM DROWNING).
I have my list all worked out, but I'd be interested to hear if anyone
else out there can think of other 'classics' which have been re-made
or re-worked in the just the last few years.
My fear, like that expressed by some of the rest of you, is that the
connection to the past becomes lost at some point, and although the
recent versions can still be enjoyed, this appreciation is deeper and
richer when viewers have a sense of their 'history.'
 
Additions to the list?
 
        -- Derek Bouse

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