Industry Obsession With Trilogies/Ressurecting Old Movies

[irishsteve]

Hey,

Is it just me who seems to notice that now-a-days, any film that does relatively well in the box office has to be made into a trilogy, just to squeeze out every last drop of money they are going to get from people from its original popularity!


This annoys me so much! Back in the day, there were a lot of really good 'one-off' movies, and even if they were huge, thats how it stayed. I personally think this is much better because we can let what ever happens next be in our own imagination.

I do admit, sometimes, even years ago, they did do a sequal to some big hits - and sometimes they got away with it. Now-a-days there is a big movie, a not-so-good sequal, and then a really shitty 3rd movie that taints the first two. (i.e Matrix, Terminator 3)

Well anyways, just blowing off some steam about this... i think a lot of pretty good movies have been wrecked by not so good follow ups. Im personally really happy there was never the likes of a Goodfella's 2. Fuck that shit.

Also, this crap with digging up half dead actors to make old hits live once again and have us reaching into our wallets all over again... Die Hard, Rocky, Terminator, Beverly Hills Cop? LET IT DIE ALREADY. Leave it be as it was!

I guess its feeding supply and demand. But i really think trilogies are often done just to squeeze more money out of the consumer.

[IamFogHat]

It has nothing to do with anything but money. Period.

[irishsteve]

It has nothing to do with anything but money. Period.

Yes, thank you!

[MellySmelly]

I like some of the triologies, if the story deems it necesssary. There needs to be enough content to the story, not just the same movie made again in a slightly different setting, with a different love interest because they couldn't afford the original actors.

Watch out, the new Rambo is coming out in January!

[Team_Ramrod]

It's because once something hits and makes money all the studios try to cash in on it.

American Pie hit big....... 20 highschool kid movies

Cheerleader movie makes big..... 20 Cheerleader pics

Scary movies .....20 more.


Everything is cyclical, one thing goes huge and everyone has great ideas.... they fizzle and something else takes its place.

Lately, its been remakes.


Almost all of which Suck

[irishsteve]

I like some of the triologies, if the story deems it necesssary. There needs to be enough content to the story, not just the same movie made again in a slightly different setting, with a different love interest because they couldn't afford the original actors.

Watch out, the new Rambo is coming out in January!

Yea point taken. I didn't mention the 6 Star Wars or the Lord Of The Rings trilogy just because those are stories originally wrote with that many parts to begin with - each part seeming sufficient enough to make a movie of in its own right. Needless to say episode 1 was a bit of a disaster though.

[pennington]

Also, this crap with digging up half dead actors to make old hits live once again and have us reaching into our wallets all over again... Die Hard, Rocky, Terminator, Beverly Hills Cop?

I have to admit, the last Die Hard and Rocky movies weren't bad. Live Free or Die Hard was good as a stand alone movie and Rocky wrapped up the franchise, although it would have been better if there had only been Rocky I & II and then the final, Rocky Balboa.

Is there going to be another Beverly Hills Cop? That has disaster written all over it. Is Eddie Murphy going to play all the roles?

[Chigworthy]

It has nothing to do with anything but money. Period.

What?! It's got everything to do with nothing but money.

[chubbyknuckles]

It has nothing to do with anything but money. Period.

Money and complete lack of creativenesss. The stuff that's out now HAS to fit a mold, for the most part. It's really hard to even see a new, inventive action film. And we know that the end of creativity is near, when alvin and the fucking chipmunks is being made into a movie, as well as C.H.I.Ps., fucking CHIPS!

Everything that was remotely popular has been rammed down our throats over and over. AS you might see, i'm kinda sick of it.

[NickyL0885]

Well, if u hate remakes, then i suggest not seeing the Pre-quel ofr Freddy Kruger. According to Wiki, thats what they are doing. just like Halloween was remade. also, they are re-doing Hellraiser.

[pennington]

It's really hard to even see a new, inventive action film.

It's been a while but the last ones I can think of are "Sin City" and the original "Matrix".

[King Imp]

I'm still waiting for History of the World: Part II and Remo Williams: The Adventure Continues.

[irishsteve]

Money and complete lack of creativenesss. The stuff that's out now HAS to fit a mold, for the most part. It's really hard to even see a new, inventive action film. And we know that the end of creativity is near, when alvin and the fucking chipmunks is being made into a movie, as well as C.H.I.Ps., fucking CHIPS!

Everything that was remotely popular has been rammed down our throats over and over. AS you might see, i'm kinda sick of it.

Yea you better be wishing on your lucky stars that CHIPS doesnt do well or you'll get a CHIPS Trilogy box set rammed down ya! If your particularly unlucky then the trilogy will do well and they'll squeeze out a forth! (Alien Resurrection?? :glurps:)

[Slumbag]

It's because once something hits and makes money all the studios try to cash in on it.

American Pie hit big....... 20 highschool kid movies

Cheerleader movie makes big..... 20 Cheerleader pics

Scary movies .....20 more.

You have to remember to put in dance movies. All of a sudden, there's all these movies where break dancing is made to look very important.


I think the worst of all of these was actual the Matrix trilogy, because for me, the 2nd and 3rd kinda ruined the first one for me. In the first one, it seemed like there was gift that Neo had, and the universe was blind, and him and a "rag-tag" group had to save all of civilization. Like it was just them, cruising around in that ship. But then, the second one came out, and it was like they were a police force. There was a whole army of these fuckers, and the one guy didn't like Morpheus for his "Renegade Ways" and shit like that. It took all the mysticism out of the first film.

[Chris from TX]

The recharging of franchises with prequels. Some of these work, most don't. For most movies, I don't care how they begun; the whole thing is a little anti-climactic.

I like the prequel James Bond and prequel Batman, though.

[irishsteve]

I think the worst of all of these was actual the Matrix trilogy, because for me, the 2nd and 3rd kinda ruined the first one for me. .

Im totally with you on that one budday! I mean, i actually really liked the first Matrix. The second one was ok, but just not as good - and the third one just killed it. After that it became a dirty secret to ever admit to liking any of them in public!

By the way, lovin that Alex Grey animated signature ya got goin there man.

[Don Stugots]

I'm still waiting for History of the World: Part II and Remo Williams: The Adventure Continues.

I am still waiting for Leonard parts 1-5.

[torker]

Hey,
Im personally really happy there was never the likes of a Goodfella's 2. Fuck that shit.

They called it Casino.

[irishsteve]

They called it Casino.

... not that it was in anyway officially affiliated with Goodfella's, that was a pretty good movie.

[Thebazile78]

Remakes are relatively cheap to make - you usually don't have to hire a new writer or pitch a new script. Since it's been done, all you need to do is get the funding.

I've seen the originals of many of the remakes that have recently come out . . . or are on their way out. . . and for some, like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Nightmare on Elm Street, they are incredibly taut, well-paced and horrifying. Remaking them is a natural impulse . . . we're all facing our fears in a way.

There's a great scene in the movie Matinee (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107529/) with John Goodman as a shyster B-movie producer-director-marketer about why we watch movies in general but SCARY movies in particular.

Even B-movies were duplicating each other ad nauseum - I mean, in 1954 you had Them! (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047573/) which is about giant radioactive ants, followed up by a slew of giant bug pictures. Or how about the old movie serials - Flash Gordon, Superman, Dick Tracy and even Andy Hardy were recurring characters in films long before they became cliches . . . or stylized, big-budget Hollywood productions.

The point is, it's seemingly too expensive to come up with something "original" for wide-release because if it's a flop, well, the studios lose money.

As for trilogies, even in books, selling a series is much easier than selling a one-off film. Obviously a studio (or publisher) is taking a gamble that the first installment of a series will do well and attract more fans . . . so that they can continue to make money on the sequels. This is especially true for movies that have become "franchises" like Star Wars, Star Trek and Harry Potter because there are also lucrative toy and video game tie-ins to make even more money for the franchise. . .those must be some of the most valuable properties on the planet!

It's always amazing to me what some people will do just for a paycheck . . .