Could care less b/c I'm rarely interested in watching the originals. With the exception of a talent like Koreeda, I find Japanese cinema mostly a wasteland. Limited vision or talent, poor production values and the most cloying or melodramatic fare going. Now if Hollywood were remaking Ozu or Mizoguchi or I might be annoyed.
Ultimately, the problem is that Americans won't read subtitles. Sometimes, I wonder if they can, but that's another debate. The last foreign box office smash stateside was Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000). Even those international films that get Oscar recognition rarely get much play in theaters, beyond a few arthouses in large cities. Earnings generated from foreign theatrical releases in the US have been plummeting for years. And studios that once spent a lot of money to distribute and market them (Miramax, Sony Picture Classics etc.) have cut way back. Netflix has filled the void for we dedicated few who love Korean or German or French films, but it's not profitable enough to prevent remakes en masse.
The reality of Hollywood is that it has run out of creative originality. To stay in business the filmmakers have no choice but to copy what's been done. In the process, they generally ruin it.
I agree with many of the posters. My guess on the remakes is that they are probably seen as less risky financially (although many post mortems says otherwise).
On remakes, taking an original idea (with due credit), and “westernizing” might be interesting like the early works of Kurosawa. Just taking a Japanese story and adding Hollywood actors probably means they’re trying to make money without effort.
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Aly Rustom
generally its good if they stick to the script and not improvise too much. stay true to the material.
JenniSchiebel
Hollywood seems to make a lot of remakes and reboots. I don't really know because I don't follow Hollywood very much. But it seems that way.
Maybe that's because they don't have any good original ideas anymore. So they need to rely on remakes and reboots.
jcapan
Could care less b/c I'm rarely interested in watching the originals. With the exception of a talent like Koreeda, I find Japanese cinema mostly a wasteland. Limited vision or talent, poor production values and the most cloying or melodramatic fare going. Now if Hollywood were remaking Ozu or Mizoguchi or I might be annoyed.
Ultimately, the problem is that Americans won't read subtitles. Sometimes, I wonder if they can, but that's another debate. The last foreign box office smash stateside was Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000). Even those international films that get Oscar recognition rarely get much play in theaters, beyond a few arthouses in large cities. Earnings generated from foreign theatrical releases in the US have been plummeting for years. And studios that once spent a lot of money to distribute and market them (Miramax, Sony Picture Classics etc.) have cut way back. Netflix has filled the void for we dedicated few who love Korean or German or French films, but it's not profitable enough to prevent remakes en masse.
BackpackingNepal
If any one/company wants to remake, they should mention
'This is a remake of ........
In the beginning of the film.
TrevorPeace
The reality of Hollywood is that it has run out of creative originality. To stay in business the filmmakers have no choice but to copy what's been done. In the process, they generally ruin it.
bearandrodent
I agree with many of the posters. My guess on the remakes is that they are probably seen as less risky financially (although many post mortems says otherwise).
On remakes, taking an original idea (with due credit), and “westernizing” might be interesting like the early works of Kurosawa. Just taking a Japanese story and adding Hollywood actors probably means they’re trying to make money without effort.
sf2k
depends if it works
Arrrgh-Type
I don't mind as long as it's well done. Edge of Tomorrow [aka Live Die Repeat] I think would be a good example.