American Remakes of European Films

[Soviet Heavy]

I just watched Trollhunter, and apart from the rather grim ending, I had a blast. The Trolls looked great, despite being a "found footage" film, the camera was nice and steady, and everything was played so straight that they actually sold you on the idea that the Trolls do in fact exist.

I discovered that there are plans to film an American remake, and I have to ask: why? This is by no means the first time they have done this, but I am always left wondering: why do they have to do this? What is the point? So that the consistently false idea that Americans are stupid and can't connect with non American or English protagonists can seem valid?

Death At a Funeral is another such film. The original is downright hilarious. So obviously, the correct course of action is to remake the film, replace everybody with black stereotypes and call it a day. It turned a brilliant film into a 2nd rate piece of crap that even Tyler Perry would be ashamed of.

Honestly, what is the point of making something that's already been made?

 

[Zhukov]

Honestly, what is the point of making something that's already been made?

Money.

Duh.

Americans have a lot of it. Many of them would be more inclined, for one reason or another, to hand over some of that money to see a big Hollywood production with a promotion budget larger than the GDP of a small nation than they would to see an subtitled European film in a language the don't understand and starring people they've never heard of.

 

[The Funslinger]

I can't quite remember the name, but there was a French spy movie, with a female protagonist that was very popular. It received an American remake, and then a dubbed version was put out in France.

That just amuses me.

 

[applesandoranges]

edit

 

[irmasterlol]

Moviebob did a whole Big Picture about other countries remaking their own versions of American movies. It goes both ways.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

It's because Americans usually don't watch European movies so they have no idea that the movie they're watching is a remake rather than an original idea. It allows Hollywood to make bank off an old idea while pretending they are still contributing something that hasn't been seen before.

Also, Americans are lazy and don't like reading subtitles.

I really have to say though, I don't think Troll Hunter will do particularly well in the US. Trolls aren't a big part of American monster mythology so I don't think that many people will care about this movie.

 

[xshadowscreamx]

the only upside for American remakes is that it gets people who don't watch 'sub' movies, watch the movie....(some bad grammer there)

 

[Nouw]

Honestly, what is the point of making something that's already been made?

To tell the same story in a different manner. Sure, the actual point is money but that doesn't mean you can't try something new.

 

[Grygor]

I can't quite remember the name, but there was a French spy movie, with a female protagonist that was very popular. It received an American remake, and then a dubbed version was put out in France.

That just amuses me.

That would be Nikita, directed by Luc Besson (aka La Femme Nikita), remade as Point of No Return.

The Hong Kong-made Black Cat was also intended to be a remake of it.

 

[CODE-D]

Because America is a gambler who loves to keep rolling those dice...

 

[Rawne1980]

I can't quite remember the name, but there was a French spy movie, with a female protagonist that was very popular. It received an American remake, and then a dubbed version was put out in France.

That just amuses me.

La Femme Nikita.

America also made a series out of it.

 

[Bertylicious]

I can't quite remember the name, but there was a French spy movie, with a female protagonist that was very popular. It received an American remake, and then a dubbed version was put out in France.

That just amuses me.

That would be Nikita, directed by Luc Besson (aka La Femme Nikita), remade as Point of No Return.

The Hong Kong-made Black Cat was also intended to be a remake of it.

Was the TV series La Femme Nikita US or Canadian?

I rather enjoyed that, thinking back.

OT: There is nothing wrong with remaking films as long as one does not wander into the territory of historical revisionism. I'm looking at YOU U-571!

EDIT: I don't think U-571 is a remake. Still though; NAUGHTY.

 

[Tjebbe]

Honestly, what is the point of making something that's already been made?

To tell the same story in a different manner. Sure, the actual point is money but that doesn't mean you can't try something new.

This can be true, but often does not happen to be the case; there are a number of remakes that have essentially no change in the story or the way it is told. And especially when it is a recent film that is remade I wonder the same thing; are you guys so put off by foreign films? (even your awards consider it a separate category!)

I suspect it is mostly the work of the big studios; they are trying very hard to keep foreign 'competition' out, the films never do well because they never get a real chance.

I have no problems with it; sometimes the remakes are better, but most times I prefer the original. But the original doesn't disappear because of it, so all luck to them.

(oh, regarding troll hunter: loved it! Trolls aren't much of our mythology either, so that doesn't really have to matter

 

[VoidWanderer]

I just watched Trollhunter, and apart from the rather grim ending, I had a blast. The Trolls looked great, despite being a "found footage" film, the camera was nice and steady, and everything was played so straight that they actually sold you on the idea that the Trolls do in fact exist.

I discovered that there are plans to film an American remake, and I have to ask: why? This is by no means the first time they have done this, but I am always left wondering: why do they have to do this? What is the point? So that the consistently false idea that Americans are stupid and can't connect with non American or English protagonists can seem valid?

Death At a Funeral is another such film. The original is downright hilarious. So obviously, the correct course of action is to remake the film, replace everybody with black stereotypes and call it a day. It turned a brilliant film into a 2nd rate piece of crap that even Tyler Perry would be ashamed of.

Honestly, what is the point of making something that's already been made?

This reminds me of the 'new' American 'version' of Sherlock Holmes. Elementary they call it. I will refrain from any further puns.

Since they are ripping off an excellent BBC series called Sherlock, they decide to make some changes that did raise an eyebrow. Lucy Liu will play Jane Watson... I have no motivation to watch this show, but I am sure that my other Escapists can point out the remakes done by Americans and vice versa.

In all honesty, in regards to your OP, I would say they want 'dumb it down for their audiences' but to avoid insulting the intelligence of their viewers they go to the F5 button that the gaming companies have been hammering at recently.

What amuses me the most, is there are some games I would love to play that are old and for some reason are not getting to the non-US PSN store to my great chagrin.

 

[TheCaptain]

I can't quite remember the name, but there was a French spy movie, with a female protagonist that was very popular. It received an American remake, and then a dubbed version was put out in France.

That just amuses me.

La Femme Nikita.

America also made a series out of it.

Which is one of the cases where that turned out really well. The remake series is actually quite good.

 

[Scarim Coral]

It's pretty much these three-

1. Make money(profit).
2. Some people out there can't be bother to read the subtitle.
3. If the film made some culture/ location reference, some people won't get it that is if it's important to the film (localization).

 

[Casual Shinji]

I think you already know the answer to that.

I am kinda a big, fat hypocrite regarding the matter. I love Let the Right One In and when I heard they were doing an American remake I was highly annoyed by this. But then they did the same with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo wich I actually really liked. I never saw the original though so that might be it.

As for a Trollhunter remake. I don't know how they're going to make that work in an American setting, since the whole troll folklore doesn't seem like a natural fit for the States. Maybe if the do it like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo remake where it's still in the original country, but everyone speaks english it could work.

 

[Shocksplicer]

I just watched Trollhunter, and apart from the rather grim ending, I had a blast. The Trolls looked great, despite being a "found footage" film, the camera was nice and steady, and everything was played so straight that they actually sold you on the idea that the Trolls do in fact exist.

I discovered that there are plans to film an American remake, and I have to ask: why? This is by no means the first time they have done this, but I am always left wondering: why do they have to do this? What is the point? So that the consistently false idea that Americans are stupid and can't connect with non American or English protagonists can seem valid?

Death At a Funeral is another such film. The original is downright hilarious. So obviously, the correct course of action is to remake the film, replace everybody with black stereotypes and call it a day. It turned a brilliant film into a 2nd rate piece of crap that even Tyler Perry would be ashamed of.

Honestly, what is the point of making something that's already been made?

This reminds me of the 'new' American 'version' of Sherlock Holmes. Elementary they call it. I will refrain from any further puns.

Since they are ripping off an excellent BBC series called Sherlock, they decide to make some changes that did raise an eyebrow. Lucy Liu will play Jane Watson... I have no motivation to watch this show, but I am sure that my other Escapists can point out the remakes done by Americans and vice versa.

In all honesty, in regards to your OP, I would say they want 'dumb it down for their audiences' but to avoid insulting the intelligence of their viewers they go to the F5 button that the gaming companies have been hammering at recently.

What amuses me the most, is there are some games I would love to play that are old and for some reason are not getting to the non-US PSN store to my great chagrin.

I REALLY hope that it's similar enough to Sherlock that they wind up with a lawsuit, seeing as how they don't have the rights...

OT, It's not just European stuff that gets remade. They nick aussie stuff from time as well.
Examples include Kath and Kim, which was completely awful and made by idiots who somehow failed to realise that a show based around a type of person that only exists in Australia wouldn't translate to American audiences. Especially if you make it completely horrible...

Also, there is the recent American remake of Wilfred, which I understand is actually pretty good, even if it is a bit weird that Wilfred is played be the same guy as the original...

 

[DJjaffacake]

I REALLY hope that it's similar enough to Sherlock that they wind up with a lawsuit, seeing as how they don't have the rights...

I think I read an interview where Steven Moffat said they were going to be watching the American version very closely, because they know what's original Sherlock Holmes, which the Americans can use, and what they added in, which the Americans can't use. So there's certainly potential for something like that to happen.