Is Hollywood Running Out of Ideas?
Is This the End of the Line?
Where did Tinseltown go wrong? With the lack of original movie ideas coming out of the movie capital these days I have to wonder, is Hollywood so stuck on themselves that they think America will watch anything they put out, or have they truly run out of worthwhile ideas?
In the past, even when there were the expected flops in the box office, movie-goers seemed to have a few good options to choose from. The seventies, eighties, and nineties produced some of the greatest films ever made.
The list of hits strongly out weighs the list of flops, and America and the rest of the world has had an array of classics like Jaws and E.T. stashed away for the occasional viewing when nothing good seems to be in theaters.
But, recently, it seems as if Hollywood has run out of original scripts altogether. Not including those hit movies based on great literature such as The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, most of what comes out of Hollywood today is pure crap.
Seriously, how many movies do we really need on the same topic. Take Chasing Liberty and First Daughter. Both of these movies were released in 2004, both follow almost the exact same story line, and both flopped at the theaters.
Freaky Friday was another display of unoriginality. Although it held its own at the box office, it is only one of a series of remakes that leaves little to be desired. We've all seen the original as well as take-offs such as Vice Versa. We get the idea. Please no more!
And what about 13 Going on 30? This is the Jennifer Garner film where a thirteen your old girl makes a wish, is sprinkled with angel dust, and miraculously becomes herself at 30.
Again we've seen it all before. And I have to say that Tom Hanks seemed to capture something in the movie Big that Jennifer Garner did not. I don't know, maybe it was good acting.
Then there are those movies that seem like a great idea to a select few and somehow make it past the rest of the well- adjusted individuals in Hollywood. We've all heard the jokes on late night TV about the so-called movie Gigly.
But this is just one piece of trash littering theater signs around the country. There were also such flicks as Glitter, White Chicks, Without a Paddle, Intolerable Cruelty and my all-time favorite, Napoleon Dynamite. Seriously, what the hell was that? All of these movies were a waste of expensive resources and good judgment.
And now, as if coming up with new bad ideas wasn't enough, Hollywood is making a habit out of taking great classics and giving them a new spin. The original Psycho still ranks as one of the scariest movies around. Unfortunately, the identical remake left nothing to the imagination. And the only thing it left to be desired was a refund.
Now, Warner Bros has decided to cast Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka in a new adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Okay, I like Johnny Depp as much as the next person, and I must admit that Pirates of the Carribean was definitely a high in the repeated lows of new Hollywood creations. But like my dad always said, if it aint broke, don't fix it. I highly doubt anyone will ever top the comedic genius of Gene Wilder, so why spend millions of dollars trying?
Will we ever get back to the days of interesting entertainment? I hope that Hollywood can turn it around soon, because if not, we are all going to be forced to watch re-runs of the pathetic new trend that is reality TV. And I for one would rather watch Gigly.
In the past, even when there were the expected flops in the box office, movie-goers seemed to have a few good options to choose from. The seventies, eighties, and nineties produced some of the greatest films ever made.
The list of hits strongly out weighs the list of flops, and America and the rest of the world has had an array of classics like Jaws and E.T. stashed away for the occasional viewing when nothing good seems to be in theaters.
But, recently, it seems as if Hollywood has run out of original scripts altogether. Not including those hit movies based on great literature such as The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, most of what comes out of Hollywood today is pure crap.
Seriously, how many movies do we really need on the same topic. Take Chasing Liberty and First Daughter. Both of these movies were released in 2004, both follow almost the exact same story line, and both flopped at the theaters.
Freaky Friday was another display of unoriginality. Although it held its own at the box office, it is only one of a series of remakes that leaves little to be desired. We've all seen the original as well as take-offs such as Vice Versa. We get the idea. Please no more!
And what about 13 Going on 30? This is the Jennifer Garner film where a thirteen your old girl makes a wish, is sprinkled with angel dust, and miraculously becomes herself at 30.
Again we've seen it all before. And I have to say that Tom Hanks seemed to capture something in the movie Big that Jennifer Garner did not. I don't know, maybe it was good acting.
Then there are those movies that seem like a great idea to a select few and somehow make it past the rest of the well- adjusted individuals in Hollywood. We've all heard the jokes on late night TV about the so-called movie Gigly.
But this is just one piece of trash littering theater signs around the country. There were also such flicks as Glitter, White Chicks, Without a Paddle, Intolerable Cruelty and my all-time favorite, Napoleon Dynamite. Seriously, what the hell was that? All of these movies were a waste of expensive resources and good judgment.
And now, as if coming up with new bad ideas wasn't enough, Hollywood is making a habit out of taking great classics and giving them a new spin. The original Psycho still ranks as one of the scariest movies around. Unfortunately, the identical remake left nothing to the imagination. And the only thing it left to be desired was a refund.
Now, Warner Bros has decided to cast Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka in a new adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Okay, I like Johnny Depp as much as the next person, and I must admit that Pirates of the Carribean was definitely a high in the repeated lows of new Hollywood creations. But like my dad always said, if it aint broke, don't fix it. I highly doubt anyone will ever top the comedic genius of Gene Wilder, so why spend millions of dollars trying?
Will we ever get back to the days of interesting entertainment? I hope that Hollywood can turn it around soon, because if not, we are all going to be forced to watch re-runs of the pathetic new trend that is reality TV. And I for one would rather watch Gigly.
Published by Erin Greenough
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16 Comments
Post a CommentYou are seeing the past through foggy glasses. There is always a swarm of crappy movies surrounding a few good ones.
During the Early 1960s , when I was a little boy , the English TV show " Supercar " was very much enjoyed by children . This television series was made in black and white ......... Would a movie based on this old TV show , be a good idea ? ans please check out the archives on Youtube , Supercars' pilot looks like Mark Webber .
Well, I agree one million percent concerning ideas running out, and not necessarily only in Hollywood, but in general. Look at all the spin-offs, all the CSI shows, oh, and not to forget, the ever growing exhaustion of the medical/drama/comedy genre. I noticed that shows like Scrubs, House, and Greys Anatomy will often have episodes following the same plot, or using the same jokes. I will admit, I watched and still watch all those shows, but i don't find the same enjoyment I used to. Lost? They should rename that to "After season 3 when we ran out of ideas, we just made the show so confusing that you DARE NOT miss even one episode!" IDK!
THis decade did have it's contributions as already stated. Right now I'm deep in True Blood. Weeds was a fun watch. Scrubs was the ish when it came out. Greys Anatomy was fun to watch before it became a decade old. The first thing they did when they found out Paranormal Activity was good, was to plan out a second one. Wonder how that one does. Avatar
oh...also their slowly turning every game ever made into a movie to..well I rather that then games made from movies
It's not hard to see this...their stating to do remakes of everything...an example is Freddy Krueger...And I bet its going to suck. Freddy no longer goes after children but young adults that do underwear modeling as a second profession...please..you could have at least stuck to the original story.
their even turning cartoons into real movies, DBZ,Smurfs,Transformers...if that isn't enough proof that their out of ideals...I don't know what is.
to this day I still can't find anything as good as Forrest Gump (1994)*IMO* 16 years later...and still nothing that even comes close to it...how sad
no idea what to say im only 16 but im getting tired of this stuff. they have been remakeing too much s##t guaronteed. transformers was ok. but now its too mainstream. UP the animated movie sucked, Caroline was great but even if were not talking about movies. theyre milking hit shows like yugioh and pokemon. those show should have been done TWO SEASONS AGO! watch whats going on with all television viewing man! but thats why i just sit around and get wasted every day. peace out yall. MORE TALENT IN THE SHOWING INDUSTRY!!!
They don't have to try. They can release any old garbage knowing that enough youngsters who don't know any better (having not seen the original) or adults that should know better will be lured in.
This is why actors, models, celebrities, pop idols and sports people get paid enormous sums of money for very little real talent.
I blame the remakes on the influx of MBA's and other business types finally deepening their claws in Hollywood. Successful older movies are probably looked as as a brand to be exploited as opposed to a wonderful creative output.
Flush the MBA's out of Tinsletown, put creatives who have business savvy back in charge and let's see what happens.
I almost never go to the movies anymore because I have refused to sacrifice any more of my precious time, money and intelligence on Hollywood sequels, threequels, remakes and franchise films, instead concentrating more of my efforts on idies; movies with real stories about real people. Unfortunately, I broke that rule once this summer to see INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL because I love Steven Spielberg and was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Big mistake. I hated the movie.
Hollywood relys on the idiocy of the masses to make their money, and unfortunately, too many people are willing to be treated like the idiots they are when they willingly pay to see the vast array of sh*t that is released on the screen.
The solution to this disease is very simple - if enough of our moviegoing public simply decided to stop paying to see crap, then Hollywood would stop making crap and give fresh, new ideas the chance that they deserve.
I stopped going to movies years ago. I learned Spanish so I could start watching entertaining programs on Telemundo, Univision, and Galivision. What Spanish television lacks in action they make up for with great acting, greats scripts, and beautiful chicas. Viva Mexico, Muerte Hollywood!