It's Deja Vu All Over Again

It's no secret that horror remakes (or any remakes at all) rarely deliver the goods. Fan outrage, CGI weariness, and confusing retconning have ruined more than one classic slasher flick, to say nothing of all the lovably cheesy haunted house films of the 50s and 60s. We could blame the studio system for this, but in reality, the reason these remakes get made lies with us. Maybe not the core horror community, but certainly the movie-going public at large.

There are three solid reasons why horror remakes don't live up to the original. The first is that it's near-impossible to make the hardcore fans happy. Even if the new film was good, it would get torn apart because the director who created the story wasn't involved. We all know that the Star Wars prequels were gigantic wastes of celluloid, but prior to the release of The Phantom Menace, anticipation was huge. Do you think the fanboys would have been anywhere close to that excited if Lucas wasn't at the helm? A good remake is a rare and wonderful thing, but there will always be enough nerds around to convince us that it's not as good as the first one. And they're almost always right.

Science Fiction Double Feature (Sort Of)

Sometimes, we forget what a great experience going to the movies can be. Even with stadium seating and state-of-the-art sound systems, most every movie theater equates to sitting in a big black box. There's nothing wrong with the latest and greatest, but sometimes, even when everyone there is enjoying what's on the screen, they seem to be enjoying it alone.

Tonight, I organized a get-together for my circle of friends. With popcorn and soda on hand, we rented out the private movie theater for our own double feature event. I'd been planning this for weeks. The movies weren't exactly horror or sci-fi. Alright, we went with Harrison Ford: first was Raiders of the Lost Ark and then The Fugitive because, well, why not?

Not everything worked the way I wanted it to (I hoped to have a 10-minute intermission reel with old drive-in stipes between the films; the DVD wouldn't play), but I still had the most excellent cinematic experience I'd had in a long time. We laughed at the jokes, we gasped at the cliff-hangers, we mocked the villains. It was like the old days, when going to see the newest Disney cartoon practically guaranteed a shared happy memory.

Ever since early man first told stories around a campfire, people have gathered together to see and hear tales unfold before them. The movies are the perfect way to bond with friends and family, in the right setting and with the right attitude. There were two dozen people at my apartment tonight, and all of them had ideas about what the next double feature should be.

I honestly don't think I stand a chance of slipping in any flicks that would fit my blog (half my friends are girls who startle easy, and the guys, while being steadfast bros, find my more morbid tastes "weird"), but you can bet the Bates Motel that we'll be doing this again, and often. Maybe an all-day marathon of the Harry Potter series in order to gear up for the final film's release this summer. I'm down.

I wasn't yet born when the original Star Wars film first opened in theaters, but my mother tells me that she went to see it back in the day. When Han Solo reappeared at the climax to aid Luke in destroying the Death Star, the entire crowd apparently applauded, cheered, and half of them stood up like they were at a sporting event. Movies shouldn't be a private thing. Movies are meant to be shared, and enjoyed, and experienced. Not just watched. Hmm, Star Wars counts as classic sci-fi. Looks like this post is relevant after all.

And hey, Han Solo was played by Harrison Ford! Can that man bring people together or what?