What do you think of American-ized remakes?

[mickice]

In recent years upon spending endless hours of TV, i have learned to know what is decent and what is crap, like most of you on here.

Just to name a few TV shows:

the Office
Coupling
Red Dwarf
Kath and Kim (Soon)
Little Brittan (Soon)

I know there are plenty more, What do you people think of America getting a perfectly good English TV show and remaking it with an American cast?

For shows like "The Nanny" that were originally in a foreign language, it's ok. but is it ok for America to make a straight rip?

[bnolan56]

The Office is amazing, what do you think of people who criticize America and then American Products thats the question I would like to ask people.

[nuffmon]

Probably good for people in the US as i guess it will be geared towards their tastes. I remember the US version of Red Dwarf. It just wasn't the same. So in answer to the question, yes and no :) .

[mickice]

Probably good for people in the US as i guess it will be geared towards their tastes. I remember the US version of Red Dwarf. It just wasn't the same. So in answer to the question, yes and no :) .

Their was a US version of Red Dwarf? -Sigh- Lister was the whole reason for the show, plus the cat! just everyone! Why can't America just accept UK tv shows for what they are and no crapper-ize them? Maybe they think Europe speaks another language to them (propper English maybe?) lol.

[Blu-Ray]

As long as it's good, im alright with it.

[DOGG]

I think The Departed showed us that adaptations/remakes should most certainly be allowed.

Although, horror movies shouldn't be remade. They're all garbage, espescially remakes of crappy originals. (The Hills Have Eyes, anyone?)

[kingsam]

It's really a yes and no answer.
In general I'd say I think American remakes are poor, but there have been some great success stories too, so it isn't all that bad...
Which is why I'm not voting, coz I do feel I'm enough inclined to one side or another.

I haven't seen many American comedy remakes of British comedies but my understanding of American comedy, particularly non standup ocmedy, is that it just lacks the depth and intellegence of British comedy.
That's not to write off the great American comics, which there have been many, but many of thier more run of the mill shows are extremely poor compared to the UKs comedy.
Of course the remakes are for American audiences, which is important to remember. It's made for them, not the country of origin for the original show. So I never hold high expectations for it to furfill the original.

On films there have been some great successes but in general they are piss-poor, even remakes of older American films are usually poor.
You can take two semi-recent examples:
Ringu - Awful, really is poor.
The Wicker Man - I nearly hurled watching it, in a bad way.

As I said I can't field a vote coz the pole is not that open... Now I'm rambling... Anyway.

[mickice]

I am one to seek out the original, even in such cases as "lolita" directed by Stanley Cubrick this movie was black and white, even that didn't detract away from what a stunning movie it was ... The remake tho, why did i even bother? lol.

[Svetlana]

Americans should just accept British programmes the way they are. I understand that dialects and aesthetics may mess with some Americans' heads but I usually find that the original programmes are usually the best. I'd take the British version of the Office over the American version any day.

Programmes lose their charm when they're remade to fit a particular audience. The American remake of the Queer as Folk series seemed to be devoid of the relationship between the characters, something which was integral to the British version.

Kath and Kim being remade to suit America is just wrong. How would that work without the funny Australian accents?

[nuffmon]

Their was a US version of Red Dwarf? -Sigh- Lister was the whole reason for the show, plus the cat! just everyone! Why can't America just accept UK tv shows for what they are and no crapper-ize them? Maybe they think Europe speaks another language to them (propper English maybe?) lol.

Indeed there was. I have a documentary on one of the dvd's. Jane Leeves (Daphne from Frasier - an excellent American show) played Holly. You have to remember that sometimes it happens in reverse too. Anyone remember Russ Abbot doing a copy of Married With Children? What a stinker.

[bnolan56]

Why do people complain about American remakes, but then you guys STILL watch all the great movies that WE as Americans put out. IE: (Spiderman, The Departed, Ronin, Goodfellas, A Beautiful Mind, etc...) Unless Spiderman is a remake of another British thing? Oh noes...

If you don't like the remakes just don't watch them!

[Redman_DK]

Why do people complain about American remakes, but then you guys STILL watch all the great movies that WE as Americans put out. IE: (Spiderman, The Departed, Ronin, Goodfellas, A Beautiful Mind, etc...) Unless Spiderman is a remake of another British thing? Oh noes...

If you don't like the remakes just don't watch them!

So we shouldn't be talking about the things we don't like... Wow that's going to make forums so much more fun:-?
And just because people don't like the remakes they aren't allowed to watch the movies they like? That's a very weird logic you got there, I guess that's means as soon as there's one thing you don't like about this forum you shouldn't be posting in it at all.

[kingsam]

Why do people complain about American remakes, but then you guys STILL watch all the great movies that WE as Americans put out. IE: (Spiderman, The Departed, Ronin, Goodfellas, A Beautiful Mind, etc...) Unless Spiderman is a remake of another British thing? Oh noes...

If you don't like the remakes just don't watch them!
You're looking at this from the totally wrong angle, like we're insulting the US or something. It's about Hollywood and remakes, and how the forcing Americanisms and culture onto the remakes often kills the films. It's not a slight against your culture, it just shows that these films should be enjoyed in the original way.

There's a difference between disliking American remakes of films, in general, and disliking all American films or things. You should take your overly-patriotic brain out and turn the logic switch on.

you guys STILL watch all the great movies that WE as Americans put out.Yeh so... Your point? There are bad games on all the consoles but you still play the good ones... Despite thier country of origin
What you said seems to make little sense. Oh noes...

The reason it is singled out as Americanized remakes, or alternatively Hollywood remakes is because they are just that, Americanized and Hollywoodized.
The Hollywood ethic often is what cause the problems with the remakes, and they often lose the beauty of the original films. Which is a shame, and worth complaining about.

By the way The Departed is a remake of Infernal Affairs, well more an adaptation than a straight remake, but that's what most Hollywood remakes are eg. Godzilla. This one just happened to be good, mainly because it has one of the greatest directors of all time on the film.
And that is why your 'if you don't like remakes don't watch em' argument is flawed. One, because you referenced a film that is a remake... Two, because people don't totally descriminate or accept based on previous record. Eg. You don't dismiss a multiple murderer and accept that he murdered again based on his previous record, like it's nothing.

I guess that's means as soon as there's one thing you don't like about this forum you shouldn't be posting in it at all.Exactly. And he clearly doesn't like this thread so...
1 + 1 = 2... :p

[mickice]

Some Americanized shows are great, the comedy is made for that type of show, 'My Name is Earl', 'Married with Children', Awesome tv shows.

but when America tries to copy the UK, the feeling just isn't there, just like if the UK tried to do 'My Name is Earl'.

[Womble]

I wonder how long it will be before america steals our beloved TOP GEAR. O no im trembling just thinking about it :cry:

[admartian]

The Office is amazing, what do you think of people who criticize America and then American Products thats the question I would like to ask people.

It depends how you look at it.

The Office (American), if judged on it's own, is alright. But if you try to compare it to the other remakes of British shows, and judge it on how well they captured the essence, then it probably is the best.

Against the original series though? You'd have to be a really, really, incredibly 'Patriotic', arrogant, ignorant, fool to think it's better!

Their was a US version of Red Dwarf? -Sigh- Lister was the whole reason for the show, plus the cat! just everyone! Why can't America just accept UK tv shows for what they are and no crapper-ize them? Maybe they think Europe speaks another language to them (propper English maybe?) lol.


I think it's a money thing. Greedy producers and network execs. trying to capitalize on hit show, and wanting to create a market in their own region.

Americans should just accept British programmes the way they are. I understand that dialects and aesthetics may mess with some Americans' heads but I usually find that the original programmes are usually the best. I'd take the British version of the Office over the American version any day.

Programmes lose their charm when they're remade to fit a particular audience. The American remake of the Queer as Folk series seemed to be devoid of the relationship between the characters, something which was integral to the British version.

Kath and Kim being remade to suit America is just wrong. How would that work without the funny Australian accents?

Wait, is this true?


Some Americanized shows are great, the comedy is made for that type of show, 'My Name is Earl', 'Married with Children', Awesome tv shows.

but when America tries to copy the UK, the feeling just isn't there, just like if the UK tried to do 'My Name is Earl'.

Those shows are great. But I wouldn't completely rule out the Brits pulling it off. Someone like Mackenzie Crook, or that fat guy from Shaun of the Dead/Hot Fuzz would be likely to pull it off.

[bnolan56]

So we shouldn't be talking about the things we don't like... Wow that's going to make forums so much more fun:-?
And just because people don't like the remakes they aren't allowed to watch the movies they like? That's a very weird logic you got there, I guess that's means as soon as there's one thing you don't like about this forum you shouldn't be posting in it at all.

What is hard to understand if you like the original version watch that, stick to that and don't complain that Hollywood ruins it by remaking it, because they like it to appeal to ALL audiences. If you don't like remakes don't watch them. I personally like watching both because you can see where the differences are, its like reading a Harry Potter book then going to see the movie.

[Hempeater]

Hmm... I wonder what The Benny Hill Show would be like if it was 'American-ized'?

[kingsam]

What is hard to understand if you like the original version watch that, stick to that and don't complain that Hollywood ruins it by remaking it, because they like it to appeal to ALL audiences. If you don't like remakes don't watch them. I personally like watching both because you can see where the differences are, its like reading a Harry Potter book then going to see the movie.
So you're saying we should just write off every hollywood remake, give them no credit at all, and never mention the bad things again? Because of your strange logic of if you like some Hollywood things you shouldn't comment on the stuff you don't...

You're strange sir, I can tell you that.

its like reading a Harry Potter book then going to see the movie.
There's a massive difference between a good intepretation of a book, or film for that matter, and looking for the differences, to looking for differences of butcherings of classic films and comedies.

[bnolan56]

So you're saying we should just write off every hollywood remake, give them no credit at all, and never mention the bad things again? Because of your strange logic of if you like some Hollywood things you shouldn't comment on the stuff you don't....

Um ok, you take my whole comment way out of context. What don't you get when I say if you don't like the remake don't watch it. Is that easy for you..thats all I've been trying to say but you take what I say and turn it totally opposite.

[Axe&Hammer]

It doesn't really matter to me,their just shows if you don't like, them don't watch them.

And there is only one Red Dwarf!:suspect:

[kingsam]

Um ok, you take my whole comment way out of context. What don't you get when I say if you don't like the remake don't watch it. Is that easy for you..thats all I've been trying to say but you take what I say and turn it totally opposite.
Is it hard for you to understand that you have to watch a remake to understand if you like it or not. I don't know anyone who can 100% accuratly predict whether they will like a film or not.
So how do we learn not to watch a remake that we dislike, without watching it. Unless you're omnisient and haven't realised yet I don't see how you can explain this.

People like to watch remakes, as it could possibly be a great interpretation (eg. the departed). To say don't watch remakes and don't complain about bad remakes, just because the majority are bad doesn't make any sense.

I'm sure people aren't repeatadly watching bad remakes to make themselves feel worse and complain more, unless they are obssessed fans. I don't see what your problem with people complaining about things they dislike is, but it's really strange.

Bottomline, you can't not watch something and know it's truely bad.