You know, I asked my step brother once if he thought there would be an end to the trend within the Hollywood film industry of remaking old movies. He said, "No, not so long as they're making money." That was a few years ago, and I suppose Hollywood is still making money, because they've remade one of my favorite horror films, The Omen. Why? I mean, really? Why? This trend is becoming truely, deeply rooted as part of the culture ofthis current incarnation of the United States. In any artform there will be those who will take something that had come before and then "remix." This happens mostly in music, but now the idea of the "remix" is accepted in Hollywood and the video game industry. I think you've probably noticed that I avoided the term "remake," because I really don't think that any of the so-called remakes (which has become a "genre" acording to some internet movie sites) are close enough to the originals to be "re-made." DO they have the same plots? Generally. Do they have the same themes? Yes. DO they have the same scripts? No. Do they have the same sub-context and cultural commentary? No. Are they directed and shot in the same style? Not usually. They are not re-made, but remixed to appeal to a different audience... a "new" audience, the 20 somethings, of which generation I am a member, who came after the cultural context in which all of these wonderfull film and music offerings were constructed. Is it arrogence that drives us to believe that a remake, written in "current" language with a background of "current" events is better that attempting to understand a piece of art within the time-period and culture in which it was originally concieved? Or maybe we're just lazy and unimaginative and too wrapped up in self interest to look to the past with an eye of understanding. Heck, there's even a growing genre of movies which parody other movies! Scarey Movie 1, 2, 3, 4, ect. Not Another Teen Movie, ect. And then there are films which are considered "updates" of classic literature... 10 Things I hate About You, She's The Man (Both of which are based in Shakespeare). Is it that much more appealing to have a theme redressed in the familiar culture than to step out of that culture and be a little open to different ways of thinking? Is this why people went to see The Ring? Is that why some studio Executive looked at Ringu and said "This is great, but American's will never go to see some scared Japenese people." Is what scares the shit out of the Japenese and your typical WASP really that much different? Well... I think I should be finished rambling here. Just was wondering why we put so much original thought into something that was good enough as it was.

(Pssst, the short answer, Money.)