ISSUE 21 A SICK MOVIE SUMMER

by Brian Tucker


2007 shaping up to be a summer sick with sequels

Perhaps not since 1989 have there been so many sequels in one year, let alone, a particular summer. All this crass repetition suggests a desire for safety in Hollywood. Or, perhaps, a lack of new ideas. This statement is not new, but the release dates this year are loaded with sequels and it’s alarming.
Several years ago there was a flood of scripts derived from novels. Books have always been a staple of source material in Hollywood, but it was evidence of the deficiency in original screenplays. The real risks still come from independent and privately financed productions outside of Hollywood or the U.S. 2006’s The Black Dahlia was financed with overseas money but released by Paramount Pictures. Warner Brothers was skeptical of 300, especially after the domestic box office take on Troy and Alexander. But, while 300 is a familiar concept, it is a fresh take. Therein lays its success.
But the risks are seemingly few. Where is this year’s Three Kings, Being John Malkovich or Crash? Instead this year we are handed more safe bets by the studios in the form of sequels and franchises such as (and this is a long list) Hannibal Rising, Van Wilder 2, The Hills Have Eyes 2, Are We Done Yet?, Spiderman 3, 28 Weeks Later, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Ocean’s 13, Shrek the Third, Fantastic Four 2, Evan Almighty, Die Hard 4, Rush Hour 3, The Bourne Ultimatum, Hostel 2 and the continuing adventures of Harry Potter. Slated for release soon also includes Resident Evil 3, Alien vs. Predator 2, Bean 2 and a remake of Halloween. Add to that those films taken from established television series (Simpsons, Transformers, Reno 911), comic books (Ghost Rider, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and other remakes (The Hitcher, Prom Night, Hairspray – from the successful play). Where is there room to create, film and promote original ideas?
With all these films taking up screens at the local multiplex it leaves little room for other projects to get noticed unless Shrek sells out and you choose something in a smaller auditorium. Sequels aren’t always a bad thing, some are quite good nor is this a defense for smaller films by the likes of Ken Loach or Henry Jaglom either. Without the larger films there would be far less screens to show them. But it would just be a far better experience to view those mainstream Hollywood films if they didn’t constantly repeat themselves.
A first step by moviegoers would be to not frequent them, leaving studios to filming sequels as direct to video projects where they have become quite lucrative. Studios produce fewer films each year for the cinema and many are sequels. But all good things, sequels included, are best in moderation. Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions could have easily been The Matrix 2. I’m still waiting for The Matrix Re-Edited.
People still enjoy going to the cinema to see films on the big screen even with the prices of tickets and snacks. Hollywood shouldn’t take for granted its audience by giving them the same old thing year after. Eventually, people will tire of it. If not, there’s always 2008 which will boast a new Indiana Jones, a new Star Trek, Batman, Jurassic Park and National Treasure.