Common film techniques suggest downfall of industry's creativity
In my first entry in this column, I discussed how rereleasing old movies in 3-D is a completely redundant concept that ruins the artistic integrity of our favorite animated Disney films. But this concept alone is only part of a bigger problem that currently exists within the movie industry: the reliance on movie trends.
This only became apparent to me recently after I saw “21 Jump Street,” which is based off an ’80s television cop drama, and saw the trailer for “Dark Shadows,” an upcoming drama comedy based off a Gothic soap opera that aired back in the ’60s. This, along with the rereleasing of old movies in 3-D and other continuing trends, reveals that the movie industry may be falling into a black hole of creativity. Here are some of the trends we are seeing more and more of.
1. TV-to-film adaptations
I seriously do not know where the movie industry is getting the assumption that every classic television show needs a movie after it ends. Do people really want the memories of their favorite television shows being desecrated by something that looks absolutely ridiculous on the big screen? If television shows do eventually get film adaptations, then they need to at least follow the examples of “The Brady Bunch Movie” (1995) and the recently released “21 Jump Street” — films that don’t carry the same tone of their source material — and movie-goers should instead realize how silly it all is.
2. Adam Sandler comedies
Remember back when audiences enjoyed watching “Happy Gilmore” (1996) beat the ground with a golf club, “Mr. Deeds” (2002) drink Hawaiian Punch from a drinking fountain and “Billy
Madison” (1995) become hot for his teacher. You know, back when Adam Sandler’s movies were simultaneously lowbrow and enjoyable. But recently, with excruciating films like “Just Go
with It” (2011), “Jack and Jill” (2011) and the agonizing trailer for the upcoming “That’s My Boy,” it’s almost as if Sandler has completely given up on taking stabs at respectability, like with his roles in “Reign Over Me” (2007) and “Funny People” (2009). Mr. Sandler, please stop giving us “Grown Ups” (2010) and go back to giving us “Punch-Drunk Love” (2002)!
3. Nicolas Sparks book films
If there is one thing that can draw an adolescent audience into a movie theater, it’s a movie based off a Nicholas Sparks novel. In fact, almost half of his novels have been adapted and they have all been successful in the box office, but that doesn’t mean they are good. I recently saw the trailer for the latest film adaptation, “The Lucky One,” and couldn’t help but think I’ve seen something like this before. That’s because every single Sparks film follows plot lines with the same simple, emotionally calculating formula. I personally hope this particular trend tires very soon because even more Sparks adaptations are currently waiting in the development line.
4. Fairy tale movies
I want to use two movies, “Red Riding Hood” (2011) and “Beastly” (2011), as prime examples of why this movie trend doesn’t work. The main problem lies in how the directors try to develop more modern takes on these stories without staying true to the original story. Both movies tried to appeal to a younger, “Twilight”-based crowd with their young, attractive cast members and preposterous plot lines. Within the next couple of months, we will have two different versions — and visions — of the classic Snow White story, “Mirror Mirror” and “Snow White and the Huntsman.” The former promises to be light-hearted and self-aware while the latter seems to take a darker approach. Will these movies be an exception? Only time will tell.
There are plenty of other trends, like rom-coms with a thousand cast members and pointless remakes, that need to disappear. So come on, Hollywood, let’s throw out those old ideas and come up with something fresh.