Star Wars original saga vs. Star Wars sequel trilogy
Well, we had to start with this one, hadn’t we? Originally consisting of three films shot by George Lucas in 1970’s, the Star Wars saga quickly became a cult-classic that shaped our modern pop culture. It even made it to the US National Film Registry, which preserves culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant films.
It seems that the Registry Board wasn’t very diligent in this pursuit: with the release of the prequel trilogy in the late 90’s - early 00’s and the subsequent acquisition of Lucasfilm by Walt Disney Studios, some fans saw their childhood classic speedily go downhill. Disney duly decided to cash in on Star Wars’ phenomenal success, producing The Force Awakens in 2015. Created by the up-and-coming director J.J. Abrams, the movie arguably bore a not-so-slight resemblance to Episode IV: A New Hope, practically repeating this opening film of the original saga both in its overall plot and its details, and so was generally quite favorably received by the fans.
But the release of The Last Jedi signaled a definite break with the iconic legacy, making the Star Wars community totally lose its plot (both figuratively and literally). As if sensing major fan uproar, numerous petitions for another remake, and several Facebook hate groups dedicated to the film’s director Rian Johnson, Disney has decided to bring J. J. Abrams in for the next installment of the sequel trilogy, but we’re not holding our breath. George Lucas, can you please fix this mess?
Godzilla (1954) vs. basically all other Godzillas out there
Godzilla is yet another prime example of a pop culture icon severely mistreated by Hollywood’s big enchiladas. Created in 1954, this iconic movie was followed by more than thirty remakes, but to absolutely no avail, each version hitting a new cinematographic low.
The original version told the story of a terrifying creature awoken by a man-made nuclear catastrophe in a quirky yet very insightful, gripping, and bizarrely charming language typical for Japanese cinema. Appearing nearly ten years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings against the backdrop of Soviet-American nuclear tensions, Godzilla’s intelligent concept for sure tickled the nerves of the Cold War-era cinema-goers.
Take this storyline and the certain Japanese je ne sais quoi away, and you have a yawn-inducing tale about a dinosaur who decided to take a little stroll before (or rather, during) its dinner, which was so characteristic of Godzilla’s 30-something CGI-stuffed reboots. So watch the original 1954 version to give homage to the director Ishirō Honda’s genius and then decide whether you’d want to continue with the remaining 29.
Anna Karenina (1967) vs. Anna Karenina (2012)
From nuclear monsters to the dramatic story of a woman embroiled in the hypocritical conventions of the late 19th century Russian aristocratic society. Although Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina is not the most inviting and easy read, it is a regular fixture of numerous must-read lists, so you may want to give it a go even to be able to name-drop this masterpiece in casual conversations and job interviews (why not). But if you’re not quite ready to commit to this 864-page-long book, you can watch one of the many adaptations it has inspired.
Which one, you ask? Probably not the 2012 version created by Joe Wright. The director of a 2005 movie adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (another major cinematic flop, one could argue), this British filmmaker just can’t let it go, bringing this film (and its cast) to most of his later works.
So if you don’t want to see a zillionth Keira Knightley portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet, who this time has black ringlet-y hair and a hankering for high-society intrigues but is still accompanied by the usual sidekick character played by Matthew MacFadyen, try the original Russian 1967 movie; with its beautiful aesthetics, a top-notch cast and a screenplay that doesn’t try to compete with Tolstoy’s original story, we think that you won’t be disappointed.
Death at a Funeral (2007) vs. Death at a Funeral (2010)
Although Matthew MacFadyen wasn't arguably the best Mr. Darcy out there, he has other works that show his talent – and his ability to spot a good script. Death at a Funeral is a hilarious, if a bit morbid, British comedy depicting an embarrassing family get-together at a funeral of their paterfamilias, who, as it turned out, had quite a flamboyant past.
After its release in 2007, the film soon became a household classic both in Britain and abroad. In 2010, it was given an American adaptation directed by Neil LaBute, a decision which puzzled audiences and critics alike as the new movie was a literal scene-by-scene reenactment of its 2007 precursor. It may still be funny (although nowhere as funny as the original), but it is entirely unnecessary, as this review points out. There’s no point in mending something that isn’t broken – and you can end up with a 4,7/10 IMDB score along the way.
Enjoy and have a great weekend! Yours truly, ITMO.NEWS.
P.S. We'll just leave this here:
