You Need a Story to Sell a Movie
Like many film buffs, I’m a fan of Robert Wise‘s 1951 flick The Day the Earth Stood Still. While it has some clunky moments and some weird plot points, it is on the whole a solid flick, made particularly strong by the quality of Wise’s direction and the acting of Patricia Neal and Michael Rennie.
Importantly, he succeeds in creating drama in potraying human relationships, with Rennie’s Klaatu arrival on earth creates tension between Helen Benson (Neal) and her boyfriend and that alien serving as a kind of father figure to Bobby Benson (played by Billy Gray), son to Helen. The human drama gives Klaatu’s visit more meaning.
From watching the peviews to the remake, released on Friday, it seemed the filmmakers eschewed human drama for special effects and a political message (on the environment). No wonder the film’s opening did not meet expectations. No matter how great the special effects, if a movie lacks story and relationships, it won’t resonate with the public.
With its tendentious story line, it’s much more likely to alienate its potential audience. As Brandon Gray put it at BoxOfficeMojo:
The marketing campaign for The Day the Earth Stood Still eschewed the human drama of the original and focused on the swarming destruction of buildings and trucks, making the picture look like a generic alien invasion or disaster movie. In bold print, ads declared the end of humanity, yet showed no humanity to begin with, such as relatable characters or storylines. Even the famous robot Gort received no play, just fleeting glimpses. The remake’s environmentalist propaganda (that man is destroying earth and must stop or be wiped out) was a different message from the original’s plea for peace and was obfuscated amidst the special effects chaos, contradicting the contemplative nature of the movie’s title. All told, few compelling reasons to see Day were offered to potential moviegoers beyond the vague spectacle and the promise of the new trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
The bottom line is: cool special effects alone do not sell movie tickets. Nor does political propaganda.
Still, I may just see the new release if only because Kathy Bates is in it.
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So you’re telling me that the massive destruction visited upon the Earth by the aliens, as seen in the previews of this God Awful remake, is somehow much less destructive than the painfully slow Global Warming created by mankind. Don’t forget, there will be chemical manufacturing, oil refineries and nuclear power plants destroyed by the aliens. Just think of how polluting the debris and fallout will be. And even if the aliens take the time to tidy up a bit, I mean, really, which do you think the critters will find it easier to adapt to, the slow change in temps of 1 degree over a hundred years, or the total instantaneous destruction of their environment ????
Comment by sonicfrog — December 15, 2008 @ 1:04 pm - December 15, 2008
Critters of the Earth, Unite!!!
Comment by sonicfrog — December 15, 2008 @ 1:06 pm - December 15, 2008
I get the idea there was more compelling drama and characterization when Lrrrr of Omicron Persei VIII threatened to raise the temperature of the Earth 1,000,000 degrees unless presented with an episode of “Ally McBeal.”
Comment by V the K — December 15, 2008 @ 2:17 pm - December 15, 2008
(Stepping back every so slowly from the incoherent & ridiculously obtuse references)… Dan, I do like your link of political propaganda and special effects to the same end.
I thought the film is targeted to an audience of 12-14 yr old boys who probably can’t spell “propaganda” if you promised them a Wii as a prize… maybe special effects is all they want & Hollywood is nailing it for them? And cool, quasi-eastern surfer dude talk, of course. Movies have sort of become the modern version of schoolboy daydreams during organic chemistry class… they aren’t meant to teach, instruct, motivate, inspire… just to entertain and distract.
Comment by Michigan-Matt — December 15, 2008 @ 2:27 pm - December 15, 2008
SOME MOVIES SHOULD NOT BE RE-MADE….
This is one of the them. Look at the mess they made of War of the Worlds.
A classic IS a classic because of the time and impact it made in film history.
Don’t get me started on “The Woman”, The Bishop’s Wife (preacher with crack head Whitney, PALEEZE), An Affair to Remember, Miracle of 34th Street…..
You can tell I could go on and on and on.
Merry Christmas!
jeb
Comment by Jeb — December 15, 2008 @ 3:25 pm - December 15, 2008
Jeb, don’t forget Tim Burton’s “Planet Of The Apes”…. Dreadful!! I usually like his work, but that stunk. Then there’s Ron Howard’s “Grinch” – Stink! Stank! Stunk!!!
Every once in a while it’s done right – John Carpenter’s “The Thing” comes to mind.
Comment by sonicfrog — December 15, 2008 @ 4:05 pm - December 15, 2008
Worst movie remake was “The Poseidon Adventure.” Nothing can hold a candle to the original.
God forbid anyone tries to remake “The Towering Inferno.” Then again, it may be interesting given our post-9/11 society, when we actually saw the towers collapse. But I don’t trust Hollywood one bit in not politicizing this concept.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — December 15, 2008 @ 5:53 pm - December 15, 2008
Peter,
That was truly a stinker. I have a rule….never see a re-make.
I adopted the rule after Lucas went back and re-made Star Wars. I treasure my original LaserDisc versions of the original release…….ONE QUESTION….how is it Jaba can walk?
Ok, that is the big nerd in me (no pun intended!).
Again, I need my t-shirt “Don’t Get Me Started”.
Most of us here could wear one with pride!
Here’s to OPINIONS!
Jeb
Comment by Jeb — December 15, 2008 @ 6:09 pm - December 15, 2008
OK, one more……
Sweeney Todd (my personal favorite musical) or any other musical turned into a “movie”.
NOT A FILM! A movie.
Anyone remember the original ending to Little Shop of Horrors?
Jeez!
Comment by Jeb — December 15, 2008 @ 6:13 pm - December 15, 2008
I knew this movie was going to be an atomic stink bomb when they were pimping it in previews with “Come and see the preview for Wolverine!”
Really guys? What kind of message are you sending when your hook for the movie is a preview of a different movie…
Comment by DoDoGuRu — December 15, 2008 @ 6:43 pm - December 15, 2008
Maybe its just me, since Ive never read the Xmen comic books, but, while I love the Xmen movies, I think Wolverine is about the most boring Xman of them all. How about a movie about Colossus and Ice Man!
And aliens are going to destroy the Earth if you don’t stop driving your SUV? I don’t have the words to describe the visceral hatred I am beginning to harbor towards so-called “environmentalists”. Funny thing, look at a county-by-county map of the 2008 election results and you will actually see very little of the country is actually blue. All the Obama loving “environmentalists” are concentrated in the big cities. The actual environment, on the other hand, is all beet red.
By the way… best reason to go the movies in 2009? Right here baby!
Comment by American Elephant — December 15, 2008 @ 7:50 pm - December 15, 2008
#11: AE: I’m with you on that one! I was disappointed when HBP was postponed until next year.
Offhand, I can’t think of any remakes that were better than the originals (at least anything in recent memory).
Comment by SoCalRobert — December 15, 2008 @ 9:55 pm - December 15, 2008
Gawd, I hate Hollywood!
Comment by queerinmass — December 15, 2008 @ 11:06 pm - December 15, 2008
What was bad to me was the complete change in modivation of the aliens. In the orgial, aliens felt threatend because we had developed nukes, and they may need to endu humainty to end the threat.
Now, aliens are going to end humanity because we don’t deal well with our own environment. WTF. 8 hundred billion untouched planets, and they are going to end our lives because of how we live on our own.
Their modivation for traveling 5 billion miles, using god only knows how much energy makes no freaken sense. What was bad to me was the complete change in motivations of the aliens. In the original, aliens felt threaten because we had developed nukes, and they may need to end humanity to end the threat.
Now, aliens are going to end humanity because we don’t deal well with our own environment. WTF. 8 hundred billion untouched planets, and they are going to end our lives because of how we live on our own.
Their motivation for traveling 5 billion miles, using god only knows how much energy makes no freaken sense.
Comment by John — December 16, 2008 @ 12:00 am - December 16, 2008
Sorry, bad paste from spell check
What was bad to me was the complete change in motivations of the aliens. In the original, aliens felt threaten because we had developed nukes, and they may need to end humanity to end the threat.
Now, aliens are going to end humanity because we don’t deal well with our own environment. WTF. 8 hundred billion untouched planets, and they are going to end our lives because of how we live on our own.
Their motivation for traveling 5 billion miles, using god only knows how much energy makes no freaken sense.
Comment by John — December 16, 2008 @ 12:03 am - December 16, 2008
About remakes,
I dunno. So far, I like the Chronicles of Narnia movies of late (if you can call that a remake). I’m curious about the new Star Trek movie. I wouldn’t call myself a Trekkie, but I do dig the shows and a few of the movies. Not a purist either, so I’ll give it a chance.
My only concern is the apparent focus to the Kirk/Uhura love interest.
Which reminds me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFlEIQbmr5o
Comment by ThatGayConservative — December 16, 2008 @ 1:29 am - December 16, 2008
BTW, I do like watching some remakes for the FX. For example, I liked WOTW in that respect, but hated the fact that the horror story was muted by the visual spectacular.
Would have been cooler if they kept the cool laser sounds from the 1953 version.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — December 16, 2008 @ 1:33 am - December 16, 2008
Oh come on.
The “New” Star Trek is going to suck. Notice how EVERYONE of the original series is there. Surely Kirk didn’t know everyone before he got command of the Enterprise. I HATE prequels – you already know how things turn out. This will be like bringing R2D2 and Gay 3PO into all of the Star Wars prequels. It created soooooo many inconsistencies with the first film, it was crazy.
“A New Hope”: Luke: “I’ve never seen these droids before”
“Phantom Menage”: Luke builds Gay 3P0. R2D2 pals around with Luke in this and the next movie.
“Empire Strikes Back”:
Obi Wahn: “He is our only hope”
Yo-duh: “There is another”
“Revenge of The Sith”: Obi Wahn is standing right there when Padmay gives birth to Luke, THEN THE OTHER!
ROTS: Palpitation, to Vader: Dude, You killed your girlfriend:
Vader: “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” as he goes into Hulk mode and smash things.
JarJar Binks!
Ok. I just got a little carried away. But I tell you. This latest Trek will reek of Lucasesque proportions, I guarantee it!
Comment by sonicfrog — December 16, 2008 @ 1:15 pm - December 16, 2008
Another successful remake: Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
I also liked the 2002 TV version of Carrie, but I suspect it was more out of abject lust for Rena Sofer than for any other aspect of the movie.
Comment by Julie the Jarhead — December 16, 2008 @ 2:27 pm - December 16, 2008
Sonic…..I am sending you a “Don’t Get Me Started T-shirt”.
Julie! you must be very young! Carrie was a classic (should NEVER have been remade). Go back and take a look at Amy Irving….
Also, Body Snatchers was bad the first time around so you get a pass pass me for that one
jeb
Comment by Jeb — December 16, 2008 @ 4:57 pm - December 16, 2008
I take the 1976 “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” with Donald Sutherland, Spok… er, I mean Leonard Nemoy, and a very young Jeff Goldblum. That was pretty good for its time.
Comment by sonicfrog — December 16, 2008 @ 5:26 pm - December 16, 2008
BLADE RUNNER!
Roy Batty: I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I’ve watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those … moments will be lost in time, like tears…in rain. Time to die.
Eldon Tyrell: “The light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long. And you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy.”
Comment by rusty — December 16, 2008 @ 7:19 pm - December 16, 2008
How about the remake of “The Fly” with Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis? It scared the holy sugar out of me, more than the original with David Hedison and Vincent Price.
I agree with the above – “Carrie” should never have been remade. The original with Sissy Spacek is a classic.
Can’t wait for the Wolverine movie, if nothing more than to ogle Hugh Jackman!
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — December 16, 2008 @ 7:43 pm - December 16, 2008
They BETTER NOT try and remake “Blade Runner”.
I swear, if they do, I WILL march in the streets!!!!
Comment by sonicfrog — December 16, 2008 @ 8:56 pm - December 16, 2008
They are re-re-making Dune… again. Supposedly, they are going to remain as close to the book as possible. I did like the Lynch version. There were lapses, many due to technologies of the day.
Comment by sonicfrog — December 16, 2008 @ 8:58 pm - December 16, 2008
And then there was something I saw about a remake of Clash of the Titans.
Eh. I’m not that nit-picky. If it’s a good story, I’ll enjoy it. I’ll note the inconsistencies (sp?) and file it away somewhere. I just wonder why they didn’t make a movie about Star Trek Voyeur. I guess since they got home in Endgame. Guess I just want an excuse to see Robert Beltran and Robert D. McNeil in those uniforms again (sigh).
The thing that got me about the Star Wars prequels: I didn’t see them till about 2 years ago when they came out on TV. I couldn’t figure out why there was so much hype about Darth Maul (you saw his face everywhere), but the character probably had less than 5 minutes of screen time. What’s up with that?
Watching Yoda kick ass was pretty cool.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — December 17, 2008 @ 1:40 am - December 17, 2008
By the way, they have remade the original Friday the 13th.
Comment by American Elephant — December 17, 2008 @ 5:48 am - December 17, 2008
Jeb, I was old enough (in college, to be precise) to fall in love with Betty Buckley in the 1976 Carrrie. And I’ve been in love with the lady ever since. I must have a thing for gym teachers.
The 1976 film was one of the best ever made. That being said, I really enjoyed the 2002 (not 2003, as I had previously posted) TV movie. Not only did it feature the scrumptious Rena Sofer, but also a superior performance by another one of my favorites, Patricia Clarkson.
I think Miss Clarkson’s performance puts the TV movie ahead of the film. As much as I love Piper Laurie, I thought her performace was way over-the-top. I’ve seen Miss Laurie in other productions, and she is an actress of amazing subtly.
Finally, Amy Irving did/does nothing for me. When Miss Buckley’s on the screen, I can’t see anyone else.
P.S. I concur with The Fly. Excellent remake, though the original is also superb.
Comment by Julie the Jarhead — December 17, 2008 @ 9:35 am - December 17, 2008
Spam filter alert.
I thought War of the Worlds was a decent remake. And no, Tom Cruise does nothing for me. Never has. Short, obnoxious twerp.
With all the environmental awareness (cough), I’m surprised Soylent Green hasn’t been remade.
Comment by Ignatius — December 17, 2008 @ 9:56 am - December 17, 2008
C Heston’s “Omega Man” rocked! Never saw the Will Smith version, so I can’t comment.
Comment by sonicfrog — December 17, 2008 @ 12:56 pm - December 17, 2008
Slightly below the remake on the cinematic food chain, I think, is the film adaptation of the TV series. How many stinkers have come out of that? And why did we never see a movie version of ‘Gilligan’s Island,’ with Adam Sandler as Gilligan and Arnold Schwarzeneggar as The Skipper?
Comment by V the K — December 17, 2008 @ 4:06 pm - December 17, 2008
Comment by ThatGayConservative — December 18, 2008 @ 3:31 am - December 18, 2008
Crap!
Comment by ThatGayConservative — December 18, 2008 @ 3:32 am - December 18, 2008