I’m your stereotypical Gen-X, latch key kid, raised (mostly) in the 80s. That means my babysitter was usually a TV.
Which is to say that, for me, movies have been my childhood friend, my refuge, and my religion.
I remember when my dad was away and we stayed with my step-monster’s parents I was left to my own devices with a cable box. The Z channel ran a late night showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show every night.
My first bedtime story teller was a sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania.
Later on, as a not-quite teenager I spent an entire summer watching The Breakfast Club so much that I broke the VHS cassette.
Remember VHS cassettes?
Then came Dead Poet’s Society to end the greatest decade in cinematic history.
Three of my favorite movies; movies that are so ingrained into my psyche that I pepper my day-to-day conversation with quotes from any one (usually all) of them, and quite a few other flicks.
Here’s the thing I have come to believe about all of these movies:
They are mine.
Susan Sarandon’s huge, gorgeous eyes as she’s dripping wet from the rain? Mine.
Molly Ringwald’s gross lunch? Mine.
Robert Sean Leonard is performing Shakespeare for only me.
I am possessive of all of my favorite movies.
So when I say what I am about to tell you I hope you understand just how much my movies mean to me.
Remake all of them.
Yep, I said that.
And don’t drag out the corpse of John Hughes to do it; let the next generation take our classics and make them their own.
Because here is the thing: a new generation of artists remaking something does not take away the version I fell in love with. The awesome remake of Rocky Horror in no way diminished mine.
Tell me that you wouldn’t be geeked to see McKenna Grace playing Claire (I’m not fat) in a Breakfast Club remake. She would absolutely own that role. I want to watch that movie right now!
And before you get all oh my god, Rudy, they can’t remake… blah, blah, blah let me ask you how much you loved that Lady Gaga version of A Star is Born. You hated it because nobody could ever top Janet Gaynor? Right, you’re probably scratching your head confused because you thought it was a Judy Garland remake.
Relax. If you don’t want to watch a remake of a movie you love, nobody can force you to. And nobody is ever going to take away your favorite version of any movie.
So go on young movie makers, do your thing. Make it yours.
