There’s No Need to Keep Copying and Pasting The Same Films
Recently, remake upon remake has hit the box office, from “Mean Girls” to “Dune.” Even premieres at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, such as “Road House” and “The Fall Guy,” have already captivated audiences at some point in history. There are many reasons for this trend, like our desire to revisit our experiences or our tendency to embrace familiarity with certain characters, storylines, or even brands. Ultimately, the central truth is that society is nostalgic.
Nostalgia is instinctive. We can go about our day-to-day life and encounter nostalgia in anything from an old video on YouTube, to a smell that reminds us of the home we grew up in. Any sensory details we come across have the chance to bring back memories, even when we least expect it. Nostalgia is a drive for people, especially filmmakers, because they can draw from their memories to bring stories to life.
Nostalgia is also collaborative. Our experiences are specific when we consider our memories, but they are often attributed to a common source. That old YouTube video may have been seen by millions of other people who each have a specific connection to it, and anyone who has passed through your childhood home has experienced the smell of it. There is a feeling of unity that comes with nostalgia. “Barbie,” for example, became popular because the Mattel toys are nostalgic for people who played with them during childhood; the film brought people together who shared that experience.
This is all amplified in the post-COVID state we are living in. People naturally draw from the past to make sense of the present, which intensifies when the present is difficult. The pandemic caused many people to become disillusioned with their lives, especially those who had to directly face the virus or witness loved ones face it. Even worse, it has caused the future to become more uncertain than it already is. In this state of limbo, with a foggy present and future, that leaves the past to return to for comfort.
In film though, this return to the past is relatively unproductive. Many film remakes in theaters are carbon copies of their predecessors, and even if they change up some details, they are fundamentally derived from the same source. Though this might comfort viewers, it promotes monotony and prevents complex analysis from occurring. But, if these remakes expand upon details and add commentary, they can become relevant. If they have something to say beyond the original material, they can be inventive. Unfortunately, they often don’t.
A recent rumor is that an “American Psycho” remake will be set in modern times. People have argued that this remake is unnecessary because its critique of the 1980s business executive lifestyle, which seems dated, actually has implications in the modern workplace. Essentially, the remake must have entirely new themes to warrant a remake at all. In contrast, others have said a remake could be captivating if it explores the digitalization of the executive world, which has only recently occurred. This doesn’t mean the original film will lose its place in the limelight. It just increases the stakes for the remake to succeed.
In this sense, forming an entirely new idea and script seems easier than adapting something that already exists. It allows writers to have more freedom in what they create because it won’t automatically be compared to something universally loved. However, people cling to familiarity in the films they consume. In Hollywood cinema, this often includes character arcs with success and storylines where the guy gets the girl. These typical ideas need challenges to create new, organic material. Otherwise, filmmakers will not completely capture diversity and authenticity in their adaptations. This can be a huge task, so it wouldn’t hurt to do so with some touches of nostalgia to please the masses.
A recent film with an original screenplay, “The Holdovers,” stood out because of its nostalgic touch. The film is distinctive, exploring grief, depression, and uncertainty in ways that many other films fall short of doing, but it’s coated with quaint imagery of cozy New England, making it a new holiday classic. It’s reminiscent of the 1980s and 1990s coming-of-age films like “Dead Poets Society” and “Good Will Hunting,” while also drawing inspiration from 1970s Hal Ashby’s films through its filmmaking style and cynicism. These filmmaking techniques make it accessible to viewers craving nostalgia while also providing a new perspective on life that will profoundly linger with them. With an ambiguous ending that leaves no confirmation that the characters will succeed in their endeavors, nothing about the film is wrapped up in a bow, yet it remains endearing.
“La La Land,” is a polarizing if not infamous original film, which ends in its titular couple, Mia and Sebastian, breaking up. People still debate this ending, with many arguing in favor of it because both characters go on to chase their dreams, putting a refreshing perspective on ending a relationship, rather than making it seem like a regretful sacrifice. If the film had been made 60 years ago, it likely wouldn’t have captured the dimensions of this reality and would have instead picked one tone to focus on, being entirely happy or entirely sad. “La La Land,” though, seeks to capture a spectrum of tones, so even people who are saddened by the ending keep returning to it for nostalgia. It encapsulates the spectacle of classic MGM musicals and 1960s Jacques Demy musicals, distinguished by their vibrant colors and fantastical atmospheres. This allows the film to glow luminously, even for those who question the narrative.
Implementing nostalgia into film is nothing new; it has occurred in classics such as “What’s Up, Doc?” which reimagines the screwball comedy genre through a New Hollywood era perspective, or even “Scream,” which references a laundry list of classic horror movies, but remains fresh by intentionally mocking them.
Filmmakers recognize the power of nostalgia, as seen repeatedly, but now, in this era of uninspired remakes, they should realize that new perspectives on it fuel good cinema. There are many ways to acknowledge the influences nostalgia has on our everyday lives and how it transforms the ways we approach our future, all while maintaining creative approaches to one’s art. If filmmakers come to terms with this, we won’t run out of ideas anytime soon.