Remaking Hollywood: Why the Hate?

If there's one thing that gets people's blood boiling and the internets all up in a rage, it's the idea that Hollywood is raping their childhood by taking an existing property and remaking it for today's audiences.  While this obviously isn't a new trend, the popularity of remakes (or reboots or re-imaginings) is increasing to ridiculous proportions.  With all the hatred spewed towards these remakes, it begs one question.  Is it really that bad?  The answer is, shockingly, not really.  

The reboot backlash reached a fever pitch with this year's remake of the 1984 classic Ghostbusters.  As soon as it was announced, the internet went all nerd rage on the idea before even giving it chance.  Now that it's been released, the general consensus is that it's OK.  It's not the trainwreck that everyone expected it to be, nor is it a modern day classic.  It's just a summer popcorn flick.  In other words, it was no big deal.  Exactly like every remake before.  

Oh how the internets hates this movie.

There are good remakes.  There are bad remakes.  There are some that people don't even realize are remakes.  There are ones that are better than the originals.  There are ones that are worse.  The one thing they all have in common is the fact that a remake doesn't negate the original.  In other words, the original movie that you hold so dear still exists.  The 2016 version of Ghostbusters does not make that 1984 classic disappear.  No one is going to slip a copy of it into your Blu-Ray case of that original.  

What people fail to realize is that while some see it as a lazy way to cash in on a known name brand, it does something else for that property.  It brings awareness to a whole new generation that may not have the emotional attachment to it that you have. If some people see the new Ghostbusters and then checks out the original version, what's there to lose?  

The kids love their horror remakes.

 I've never quite understood why people get off on hating remakes so much.  Sure, it lacks originality, but it also can give a franchise a new life.  Some franchises had gone as far as they could go (Friday the 13th, I'm looking at you), but there is still value to the characters and properties.  What's the problem in bringing them back?  It's not like anyone is forcing you to watch something you don't want to.  

So, with all that said, expect a new series of articles on PopCultureCast soon where we Revisit Remakes.  We'll take a look at the good and the bad and the pointless.  In a sea of nerd rage, we'll take an objective look at some movie remakes that are loved, hated and forgotten.