Childhood Classics

Childhood Classics (Rant)

In a previous post (click here), I speak about Star Wars having the most influence on me and my path to loving movies. The pure wonder I felt while watching that film is nothing that I had felt before. That same feeling repeated itself after watching a few other movies I consider now, Childhood Classics. Films such as Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, and even Home Alone (hey don't judge!). All created lasting memories, special memories that can never be reproduced. These Childhood Classics, for me anyway, are Classics for a reason. However, Hollywood sees these films differently. Recently, Hollywood has decided to reboot/reimagine (however they want to word it) some of these Childhood Classics and it really makes me want to scream.

The reason for my impending outburst toward Hollywood is not only because of my memories but mainly because these films are films that I want to "pass on" to my kids. Small parts of me that I can share with my kids and hopefully bond with them on a different level. Watching my kids' face when they first watch the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man terrorize New York City or seeing a DeLorean travel to 1955 is priceless to me. Now don't get me wrong, I respect the modern 'classics' and the new memories that I am creating with my kids, but sharing Childhood Classics is on a whole different level.

Now to me, what sparked that wonder was the realism of seeing some of these iconic things on screen. Special effects in movies have made incredible leaps forward. The visual effects in films recently gave us an unprecedented look at the Titanic and a man with an 'S' on his chest fly without wires or a green screen. However, I ask you take a moment and remember what it was like to see the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on screen for the first time. In 1990, New Line Cinema gave the world the first look at the Turtles in live action and made those same Turtles almost tangible by using actors in rubber suits. Last year audiences viewed the Turtles as motion - captured stand-ins.  As cool as that was, I still want my Turtles to look like I can touch them.

Let us skip the Turtles for right now. What about those iconic human characters we fell in love with? Would you want anyone else playing Chunk (The Goonies)? Or Marty McFly (Back to the Future)? What about someone taking over for Molly Ringwald in a Pretty In Pink remake? I know I wouldn’t. The planets aligned and pure movie magic was created in the performances these actors gave for the first time and there is nothing Hollywood can do to mimic that magic.

This brings me to the inspiration of this rant. In the past month there have been two news - worthy stories that have come out of Hollywood about films from my childhood. The first being the revaluations of the all-female cast of an upcoming Ghostbusters reboot. What makes me upset about this is not the all-female cast or the fact of who they employed to act in the film. What upset me is the fact that they are going through with this at all. The original was a concept forged from the minds of comedic genius' Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. For years there has been speculation that Aykroyd and Ramis were concocting another adventure for the Ghostbusters or a passing-of-the-torch story for a new generation of Ghostbusters. This would have been fine for me because at least the people that created the classic would bring it to theaters. Sadly Ramis passed away last year and instead of respecting Ramis and leaving Ghostbusters alone, Columbia Pictures gave the project to Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) and pulled together an all-female cast. Where is the respect for Ramis' genius? Columbia should have shelved this project and did another Men In Black or something. The other bit of news I cringed at was whispers of Steven Spielberg wanting to get back behind the camera for another Indiana Jones movie. Not only another film but a whole new actor donning the famous fedora and whip. Okay first of all...no. Secondly, did Spielberg not learn from Crystal Skull? Indiana Jones had his time and needs to stay in that time. The actor reportedly Spielberg is looking at is Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy). Is this a bad choice? No. However, Harrison Ford made this character a staple of American cinema with just that twinkle in his eye and that crooked smile. I really don't want to experience what the people of the United Kingdom must have felt in the 60s when Sean Connery was replaced as James Bond.

When is Hollywood going to learn that the remakes/recasting doesn't work. Need I remind them of the horrific (not a pun) remake of Psycho? Please Hollywood, I beg you to leave my beloved Childhood Classics alone. Let Crystal Skull be the last time Indy "rides off into the sunset" with Marion by his side. Have Ghostbusters join the afterlife with Harold Ramis. While we are at it, we don't need another Marty McFly, we don't need a remake of The Breakfast Club, or Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) leaving his kids anywhere. Create new stories and new characters, isn't that part of what makes Hollywood and the art of filmmaking so great? I am sure it isn't taking credit for someone else's idea.