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      Enough Is Enough Is Enough Is...
by Joe Swanberg
   

Today I heard a rumor that Emelio Estevez is working on a remake of Harold and Maude. I do not know if this is true, but I figure it's time to come and out and say, "Enough is enough."

The level of originality in the film business has been on a steady decline since the beginning of the film business. I am in film school now, and I must admit that it's not gonna get better anytime soon. The obnoxious "remember the 80's conversations" that I hear all the time will turn into even more obnoxious remakes of Ninja Turtles and He-Man movies made by people my age trying to re-live their youth.

 
-In Praise of Jackass The Movie
     
 

Emelio, maybe this is just a rumor, but if it's true, I hope you understand that your love of Harold and Maude, and your desire to remake it, will no doubt result in a terrible movie and an overall tainting of the original. What are you thinking? If your goal is to make people aware of the original, then you really don't have to spend so much money and time. Make a commercial on MTV talking about how much you love the film, or write a book about how great it is and how it changed your life, but please, please, PLEASE! do not do a remake. I beg of you.

And this plea goes out to any filmmaker considering doing a remake, sequel, or adaptation. Why? What are your reasons? If you are a creative person, the film world could use your creativity in another way. If you are not a creative person (Brett Ratner), why are you making films? Please start a film criticism website instead. We always need more of those. But we do not need more remakes. Honestly. Enough is enough.

I am already dreading the 10 years of Wes Anderson and P.T. Anderson homages I am going to have to sit through when my generation starts producing features, but do I really have to fear that every film I truly love will be subject to the re-imagining of some half-wit who can't think of his/her own ideas? Please, make it stop!

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