PR5

1. Ryan Sharman
Unit 26: Remake andProduction Factors,which Influence them
Part 1:
In film,aremake isa motionpicture basedona filmproduced earlier;however,the termgenerally
pertainstoa newversionof anoldfilm. Withinfilmmakingpeople remakefilmsfor different
reasonslike if theywanttogive an oldfilmnew life bybringittothe 21st
Centuryor to make money.
Ways of doingthisis byputtingbigstars, trends,synergies andbetweenfilmsandthe distribution.
Firstof all bigstars/celebrities/actorstake amassive partwhenitcomestoa remake of a film
because of theirpreviousworkandhowfamoustheyare thisbringspopularityandaudienceswith
an interestof the famousactor to come and watchthe filmthismeaningprofitsbeingskyhigh.
Synergyisanotherimportantproductionfactor, simplydefined;itmeansthatthe whole isgreater
than the sumof itsparts. It’sthe ‘strategyof synchronizingandactivelyforgingconnectionsbetween
directlyrelatedareasof entertainment’.NewTechnologiessupportthisprocess –web,DVD,
downloading.Mediainstitutionexploitsvariousplatformstosell variousproductsrelatedtoone film
(e.g.filmandsoundtrackandvideogame). VerticalIntegration,thisiswhenthe productioncompany
has the ownershipof the meansof production,distributionandexhibitionof the filmbythe same
company,because of thistheyreceive all of the profit.HorizontalIntegration,thisiswhere a
productioncompanyexpandsintootherareasof one industry.Thismeansthatthe companycan
developinaparticulararea of productionortheycan buyout anothercompanythatdealswith
these areas.
The filmsIam doingtobe talkingaboutare Judge Dredd(1995) and the remake Dredd(2012). Judge
Dreddis a 1995 American science fiction actionfilmdirectedby DannyCannon,and
starringSylvesterStallone, Diane Lane, RobSchneider, ArmandAssante,and Max von Sydow. Itwas
producedbyCharlesLippincottalongside BeauE.L. Marks, andthe screenplaywaswrittenby
Michael De Luca and StevenE.de Souza. The filmisbasedonthe stripof the same name in
the Britishcomic2000 AD. It wasa critical andcommercial disappointment. The production
companies involvedwithinthisfilmwereHollywoodPictures,CinergiPicturesandEdwardR.
PressmanFilm. Bythe 2080s, much of Earth hasbecome an uninhabitable wasteland.The majority
of humanityresidesinhuge Mega-Citieswithpopulationsof over500 million,where the traditional
justice systemhasbeenreplacedbyacorpsof Judges whose role combinesthose of police
officer, judge, jury,and executioner.Longstoryshort,a prisonerescapesanditis Judge Dredd’sduty
to catch thisprisonerandput himback inimprisonment,thisprisonerwasa formerjudge anditnow
an escapedconvict. The budgetforthe filmcame to around $70 millionwiththe box office coming
to $ 113,493,481. Nowmovingontothe 2012 remake Dredd, Dreddisa 2012 science fiction action
filmdirectedby Pete Travis andwrittenandproducedby Alex Garland.Itisbasedonthe 2000 AD
comic stripJudge Dreddandits eponymouscharactercreatedby JohnWagnerand Carlos
Ezquerra. Karl Urban stars as Judge Dredd,alaw enforcergiventhe powerof judge,juryand
executionerinavast,dystopicmetropoliscalled Mega-CityOne thatliesinapost-apocalyptic
wasteland.Dreddandhisapprentice partner, Judge Anderson (OliviaThirlby),are forcedtobring
orderto a 200-storeyhigh-rise blockof flatsanddeal withitsresidentdruglord,Ma-Ma (Lena
Headey). The productioncompaniesthatwere involvedwere DNA Films,IMGlobal andReliance
Entertainment;itwas distributedbyEntertainmentFilmDistributorsandLionsgate. The budgetfor
the filmwas$45 millionandthe box office came to$41.1 million. Withthe new Dreddfilmbecause
it came out justunder3 yearsago the use of new technologywasusedincomparisontothe older

2. Ryan Sharman
filmJudge Dredd.Forexample the use of CGIandslow motionwasusedto create amazingeffects
makingita lotbetterthanthe original,ComputerGeneratedImagery(CGI) isthe application
of computergraphics tocreate or contribute toimagesinart,printedmedia,videogames,films,
televisionprograms,commercials,videos,andsimulators.The visual scenesmaybe dynamicor
static,and may be two-dimensional (2D),thoughthe term"CGI"ismostcommonlyusedtorefer
to 3D computergraphics usedforcreatingscenesorspecial effectsinfilmsandtelevision. Like I
mentionedbefore the use of Slowmotionisusedboththe movie’sdrugof choice andthe camera
technique usedtocreate the retina-stimulatingscenesthataccompanyitsuse.Tocreate those acid-
trippyimagesthe filmmakersuseda3-D rigthat was outfittedwith PhantomFlex high-speed
camerascapable of shootingata whopping3,000 framespersecond(andhigher).Thatfootage was
thenplayedbackinthe movie ata more standard frame rate,makingitlooklike superslow
motion. The use of thisnewtechnologyallowedthe Dredd(2012) filmmakerstoexpandtheir
creativityallowingthemtocreate whatevertheywantedusingthe CGIandusingthe slow motionto
create amazingshotsand scenes.
Part 2:
REC is a 2007 Spanish horrorfilm,co-writtenanddirectedby Jaume Balagueró andPacoPlaza;the
filmwasshotin Barcelona, Spain.The filmfollowsaSpanishlate-nighttelevisionreporter; Ángela
Vidal andthe cameramanPabloare coveringthe night-shiftof local fire station.Whenthe firemen
receive adistresscall froma ladyina building,ÁngelaandPablogointhe firefightertruckwiththe
firemenManuandÁlex withPablorecordingeachstep.Whentheyarrive inthe buildingundersiege
of the police,theyfindthe hysterical dwellersgatheredinthe lobbyinthe entrance andtheyhear
screamsupstairs.Manu and Álex goupstairswithtwopolicemenandfollowedbyÁngelaandPablo,
and theyfindanaggressive oldladythatattacks one policeman.Whentheyreturntothe lobby,they
findthattheyare sealedinthe buildingandtrappedwiththe residentsinthe beginningof achaotic
and nightmarishnight. The budgetforthe filmwasaround$2 millionandthe box office beinga
gobstopping$32.5 million FollowingRECanAmericanremake wasmade underthe name
Quarantine in2008 a yearlater,ScreengemswhichisownedbySonyboughtthe rightsto REC so
theycouldmake an englishversionandmake more moneyoverinthe states.The remake of the
film,stars JenniferCarpenter,itgenerallyfollowsasimilarstorylinewithseveral majordifferences
whichinclude changingthe demonicpossessionintomutatedrabies. Overall, Quarantine isa2008
Americanscience fiction horrorfilmdirectedby JohnErickDowdle andstarringJenniferCarpenter,
Jay Hernandez, ColumbusShort, GregGermann, Steve Harris, DaniaRamirez, Rade
SherbedgiaandJohnathonSchaech.The filmisaremake of the Spanish filmRECandfeatures
several differencessuchasaddedand excludedscenesandcharacters,dialogue andadifferent
explanationforthe virus. Shotinthe "foundfootage"style,the movie wasreleasedonOctober10,
2008 by ScreenGems. A televisionreporterandhercameramanare assignedtospendthe nightshift
witha Los AngelesFire Station.Afteraroutine 911 call takesthemtoa small apartmentbuilding,
theyfindpolice officersalreadyonthe scene inresponsetobloodcurdlingscreamscomingfromone
of the apartmentunits.Theysoonlearnthata womanlivinginthe buildinghasbeeninfectedby
somethingunknown.Afterafewof the residentsare viciouslyattacked,theytrytoescape withthe
newscrewintow, onlytofindthat the CDC has quarantinedthe building.Phones,Internet,
televisionsandcell phone accesshave beencut-off,andofficialsare notrelayinginformationto
those lockedinside.Whenthe quarantineisfinallylifted,the onlyevidence of whattookplace isthe
newscrew'svideotape.Asyoucansee above the storyline isverysimilartothe original REC,witha

3. Ryan Sharman
fewscenesincludedandexcludedwithinthe film. The budgetforthisfilmwasaround$12 million
and the box office came to $41.3 millionthatisslightlyhigherthanthe original RECfilm.
Whenlookingandsimilaritiesand differencesthe twofilmsare prettymuchthe same,Iwill now
compare the story, characters,actors, andmuch. Each movie givesusthe same setup (reporter
taggingalongon a routine fire call) andtakesitto itslogical,logistical ends.Certainly,the
effectivenessof howitmanagesthisstraightforwardnarrative device isone of the crucial
differencesbetweenthe two. While itplayslikeavirtual shot-for-shotrecreation
of REC, Quarantine doescontainelementsthattry(some successfully,some not so) toexpandon
the original idea.One of the Spanishspookshowsmanydelightswere itsmenacinginferences,from
the standard zombie machinationstothe horrificdemonicpossessionmaterial atthe
end. Quarantine goesfor“mutantrabiesstrain”.Similarly,the remake dischargesall of the original’s
religiousovertonestoexpandonthe whole “animal”angle. Quarantine alsoaddsacouple of unique
kills- one featuringavideocamera,anotherinvolvinganinfecteddog.All inall,however,it’sthe
same basicmovie. The biggestdifferencebetween RECandQuarantine ishow eachfilmhandlesits
cast. For directorsJaume BalagueróandPacoPlaza,there wasa drive towardanonymity.There was
a real desire ontheirpart to use the (mostly) unknownqualityof theirperformerstosell the reality
of whatwas goingon.I personallythinkthatwhenHollywooddecidestocome upwitha remake,
theyhave to pepperthe personalitieswithrecognizable actors. Quarantineisanexample of vertical
integration.ScreenGems,asubsidiaryof Sony,boughtthe rightstoREC from Filmax –who are an
independentSpanishcompany.ThisledtoSonyprofitingfromthe production,distributionand
exhibitionof Quarantine.Sonywasable toprofitfurtherbecause of synergy.Synergy isprobablythe
biggestreasonfora remake.Because ScreenGems/Sonynow ownedthe rightstoREC,theywere
nowable to sell productsrelatedtothatfilm.Now havingthe rightstodo whatevertheywantedto
with2 filmsthatmanypeople were interested in,theywere able toreleasemanysynergiesrelated
to bothfilms.Thissawthe release of DVD/Blu-Rayversionof all RECandQuarantine films,box sets
featuringthe three RECfilmsandthe twoQuarantine movies,online gamesrelatedtothe movies,
posters,andmanymore.This ledtoSonymakinga lot of money.Vertical integrationhasitspro’s
and con’sthough;theycreate a lot of moneyand a higherdemand,butalsoriskthe stabilityand
existence of the independentcompanies.
I will nowtalkbriefly aboutremakessuchasWar of the worlds,Karate Kid,Carrie andLolita. When
StevenSpielbergreleasedhisremake of warof the worldhe releaseditsentanideological message
of anti terrorismandhowthe worldshouldstandtogetheronthe waron terror.The filmalsohas
resemblance of the 9/11 acts inAmerica.Suchas sceneswhere the voice overmanatthe beginning
issayingthe worldis beingwatchedover,thisisareference tobinladenwatchingoverthe world.
Anothersceneswhere referencesare made aboutthe 9/11 attacksare whenthe big space shipsare
blastingthe citiesandpeople are runningaway,alsonearthe endingwhentomcruise getsback
home he is coveredinwhite ash.The productionfactorsaboutthe remade filmare thatthe two
filmsare producedbythe same companyparamountstudios,thisissynergybyproducingthe
remake the popularityof the original will therefore increaseandtheyare makingmore moneyfrom
bothfilms.Inthe remake of the karate kidthere are many factorswhich causedthe productionof
the remake andmade itsuccessful like the waywillsmithproducedthe filmandhissonwasthe star
role.Withthe Smithsinthe filmthere now getmore moneyto make the filmandbecause of the
celebritystatusmore peoplewill come andwatchor buythe film.WithJackie Chaninthe filmthatis
a big star inmartial arts filmthiswill bringthe filmtoanAsianaudience.Duringthe filmrelease

4. Ryan Sharman
there were manyproductsthat helpadvertisethe filmandalsomake moneyof itspopularity,karate
kidphone applicationswererelease before andduringthe film’srelease,soundtrackand
merchandise were releasetoboostitspopularity.JackMulligan,Columbiapictureswhodistributed
the original karate kidalsoproducedthe remake as well andthisisreferredtoas horizontal
integration.Byendorsing the productindifferentwaysSonywill be makingmore moneywiththe
popularityandthe amountof advertisingof the new remake people whohasseenthe remake might
wantto watch the original tocompare the films.Whileremake of the filmwill be onDVDsale the
original will be putnexttoeachother,there will be merchandise frombothfilmssuchast-shirts,
postersandtoys. Whenit comesto the horror filmCarrie,the original wasmade in1976 and Sissy
Spacekwhoplayedthe mainrole of Carrie.The original Carrie is abouta young,abusedandtimid
17-year-oldgirl whodiscoversshe hastelekinesis,andgetspushedtothe limitonthe nightof her
school'spromby a humiliatingprank;thisisthe same storyline asthe remake.The Carrie remake
stars the popularKickassactor Chloe Grace Mortez; I thinkwhenitcame to the remakingof thisfilm
theydecidedtouse the optionof star theory.Thisiswhere theycasta popularactor with a good
reputationinHollywoodanduse theirhouseholdname toattract inmore attention.Forexample
Chloe Grace Mortez is a well-knownyoungchildactorwhohas done manyfilmsinherongoing
career,a recentfilmshe wasin was calledKickasswhichwasa majorblockbusterthe yearitwas
released.Fromherdebutinpopularfilmsandalsoherage I thinkthatbecause of these reasonsshe
was greatfor the role,heryoungage caughteye for the youngergenerationandherpopularityalso
broughtpeople to watchthe film. Lolitaisanotherfilmwhichhasbeenremade butnotthat
recently. The reasonsforthe Lolitaremake from1962 to 1997 are explainedoverpolitical factors,
social factorsand regulatoryfactors.Firstthe regulatoryfactors,fromthe previousoriginalfilmof
Lolitathe BBFC had stricttermstowardsthe eroticscenesandstoryline throughoutthe movie.As
the filmwasone of the greatestthe director(StanleyKubrick) saidthathe doesn’tregretmakingthe
filmthe censorshipandstrictlawsagainsteroticrelationshipsinfilmsjustneededtogrow hence the
newremake of Lolitaandhow itwasn’tstrict towardsthe publicside opinions.Fromthe firstfilm
the audience didn’tagree andfounditsickeningfromthe storylinebeingsoinhuman,whenthe
remake wasrelease directedbyAdrianLyne the political side of the audiencewasmore settled
because Adrianmade itwithlessarousinganduncomfortablerole play.The thingsthatmake the
remade Lolitacomparedtothe original fromthe political pointof view of the film.Forstartsthe role
of LolitaplayedbyDominiqueSwainisa14 yearoldgirl who issexuallyarousedbyherrecently
made stepfather(Humbert)whatmakesthese scene especiallydisturbingtowardsthe audienceis
the fact that she usesherbody tolike control the soul of Humbert,that’swhat makesthisfilm
disturbingtothe eye butthe same time unique ina wayof beingsodifferentinfilmmaking.The film
wentglobal andhad mixedopinionsoneachfilm, some criticsstate thatthe remade filmistamer
and doesn’trelate tothe original novel,andsome the oppositesayingitsmore appealingforthe
public.Lolita(1962) Lolita(1997) Remake.

5. Ryan Sharman