MTV Horror Reboot Show

Ok, let's talk film. It's a status thing. It is a prestige thing. It is a LOOK AT ME. LOOK AT ME thing. MTV has announced that they are rebooting Rocky Horror Picture show. Yes, the cult classic. Now the film itself was lightning in a bottle. And we all now that lightning in a bottle cannot be duplicated. Well MTV is brash enough to try. I am sure they will ask Johnny Depp and Christian Bale to star. I don't know any big name star who is going to dress as a tranny. It's probably beyond their reach. But, I am not upset as you may be (or maybe you don't care)for this rebooting news. Because that is not the news anyway.

You have to think of Hollywood studios as a little sub burb. Everyone is interested in everyone's business. And the bigger your business, the cooler you are. And MTV is the wanna be king of cool. So this is what this is. This is all that it is. It is look how cool we are! That's what it is. This has nothing to do actually with the quality of the film. They are trying to improve the first idea because the first idea is now a cult film that people have MEMORIZED. If MTV truly cared about the quality of the film, they would not even attempt this. Why bother? Film Fans out there have memorized this film, back wards and forwards. They only thing they could get away with diplomatically is a shot by shot replica of the film like Gus Van Sant did with Psycho. Because they will literally throw off the rhythm of the avid fans if they have to pause even for a second as the remake has a new or different scene.

So if they cared about the film itself, they would not even consider this. They are stepping on toes here. They are slapping fans in the face. That is why I say this reboot idea has nothing to do with the film itself. Nothing. This is for MTV's prestige. This is for MTV to walk into parties and premieres and get wild press people hounding them for a glimpse into the remake. This is all about the execs glory. That all it is.

Some of you don't believe me when I say that execs don't care about the audience or the quality of the film, well here is proof that they don't. This is a classic example of "Look at what we are doing" "isn't this cool". That is all this is. I think it is sad. The original fans will suffer in end for this.

Along with all the others...

We are very close to seeing a film released with the title, Not Another Superhero Movie. Remember the teen films of the 90's when we were tired of them. There was a limit to all that jazz about teen films that started with Clueless. Well everything is in cycles in Hollywood and there is a very good article in the NY Times that is predicting the end of the Superhero genre. I wrote an article last month about cycles in Hollywood. I now wonder what will be the next cycle. Well something new will have to come out that will have to launch the next cycle.

AO Scott has a great theory here about why this current cycle is boring. He says "But in both cases, as soon as the main character is suited up and ready to do battle, the originality drains out of the picture, and the commercial imperatives" That is very true. That is brilliant! Once the hero dons the costume and gets into the fights, its boring. Look at what happened to The Incredible Hulk, the first hour was great, then once the fights happened, it was awful.

So here is the main quote, "Still, I have a hunch, and perhaps a hope, that “Iron Man,” “Hancock” and “Dark Knight” together represent a peak, by which I mean not only a previously unattained level of quality and interest, but also the beginning of a decline. In their very different ways, these films discover the limits built into the superhero genre as it currently exists."

I mean that is right on the money. I don't even have to add to that. That says it all. This is the beginning of the end. What will be the next cycle? Well I am sure MTV will not find it, they are too busy patting themselves on the back for other people's ideas. Until tomorrow, let's talk film!