John Carpenter

I just realized something I meant to mention a while ago concerning remakes. I am not completely for or against them and I think they have to be considered on a case by case basis. Sometimes, like in the case of Poseidon, special effects advancements might make an interesting difference. Or a talented writer/director might actually liven up a story that was already pretty darn good.

Good remakes? I thought Amytville Horror was an outstanding remake and Ryan Reynolds showed some very unexpected dramatic ability. Likewise I enjoyed Flight of the Phoenix.

This all brings me to this: Oddly, the two worst remakes this year were both of John Carpenter movies. Cooper Layne, author of the updated screenplay, managed to absolutely massacre the Fog. So many things were wrong with this abomination that I don't think there's room enough here to discuss them all. Everything that should have stayed the same, changed. And Vice Versa. That suns it up.

Now, Assault on Precint Thirteen. Why on earth would you take the supernatural element out of a John Carpenter movie?James DeMonaco, please tell me you wrote this at gunpoint? Why not just make an all new cops and robbers flick? This was about as far removed from the original as possible. And it was terrible.

I hate when they ruin good movies. If you feel the need to chop them up to the point where you can barely recognize them, why are you remaking it? Could you have really found that much merit in the original if you feel it has to be completely evicerated? No more Carpenter remakes, please. Leave him alone.

Don't ever remake Dirty Harry either. I'm not kdding! Don't do it!