Original and Remake - what are the differences, what are the similarities? What mattered then and what matters now?
The American slasher film has many influences that need to be illustrated through the history of horror cinema, and to, furthermore, understand why a horror movie is apt to turn real life issues, sensitive topics and personal predicament into metaphors for the audience to watch in theaters or on their television screens at home. Alfred Hitchcock, Mario Bava, John Carpenter and Bob Clark (whose 1974 movie Black Christmas will be the main subject) have all influenced the horror film with their visionary direction, their addressing of sensitive subjects and the uniqueness of suspense-buildup in their films.
Many filmmakers are influenced by the creative approaches the aforementioned directors took, referencing them, copying them, or even remaking their films. Movie remakes have always existed, as for instance, John Carpenter’s remake of Christian Nyby’s horror/sci-fi movie The Thing from another World (1951). However, looking back, remakes have not been as prominent as they are these days. The “remake craze” experienced a boost in 2008 and again in 2010 when thirteen remakes were released, respectively, to theaters in the United States. There are still remakes soon to be released and some soon to undergo production.
The hows and whys might deduce from cultural and social changes. Most remakes do well in theaters, audiences do not seem to mind to have the same story retold to them with flashier visuals; and movie production companies, of course, welcome the remake trend. To them it is less of a risk to remake than to try out and maybe fail at the box office with introducing a new franchise. Since audiences do not seem to mind (and the box office numbers encourage this opinion, see Figure 5), production companies are going to play it safe.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction: Oh, the Horror…
II. The History and the Fascination of the Horror Genre
III. Comparison Original and Remake: Black Christmas, 1974 and 2006
IV. The Contemporary State and the Future of the Horror Film
V. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper explores the evolution of the American horror film, focusing specifically on the phenomenon of remakes through a comparative analysis of the original 1974 film Black Christmas and its 2006 iteration, while examining the loss of artistic depth in modern genre cinema.
- The historical development and psychological appeal of the horror genre, including the influence of Giallo cinema.
- A detailed comparison of directorial techniques, narrative structure, and thematic handling between the 1974 and 2006 versions of Black Christmas.
- Analysis of the modern "remake craze" and its impact on artistic originality and social commentary.
- The role of independent horror cinema in preserving artistic challenges versus mainstream studio commercialism.
Excerpt from the Book
Comparison Original and Remake: Black Christmas, 1974 and 2006
Upon watching both movies back-to-back, one thing that can be claimed as the biggest difference between Bob Clark’s Black Christmas from 1974 and Glen Morgan’s remake from 2006 is how differently the audience is treated by the directors, as for instance, in the amount of blood, gore and violence that is shown in the 2006 version.
While Clark’s Black Christmas manages to show as little on-screen violence as possible, Morgan does not hold back and shows blood splattering in every violent scene there is. It is a very gory movie, after all. The audience sees how eyes are being ripped out, or how Billy kills his family and then devours their remains in a flashback. It is hard to watch and sometimes a little too elaborate in execution—which is a compliment to the special effects department who seem to know their craft. While Clark tries to let the audience themselves imagine the horrifying things that Billy does to his victims, Morgan decides to take that choice away from the audience and rather show them in gruesome detail what happens.
It is this prevention by the director of giving the audience a chance to decide for themselves as to why and how things in the storyline of the movie happen that makes the biggest difference between the original Black Christmas and its remake. It seems to be a trend in Hollywood remakes to give their iconic ‘monsters’ a background story, as it was the case in Rob Zombie’s 2007 remake of John Carpenter’s slasher movie Halloween from 1978. The 2007 remake also decides to change the story of the iconic Michael Myers. In the original movie, Michael kills his sister at a young age. Nobody knows why and it is never explored or revealed throughout the entire film.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Oh, the Horror…: This chapter introduces the prevalence of the slasher film in American cinema and establishes the research focus on the comparative analysis of original horror films versus their modern remakes.
II. The History and the Fascination of the Horror Genre: This section examines the origins of the horror subgenre, specifically the slasher movie, and highlights the significant influence of Italian Giallo cinema on American horror conventions.
III. Comparison Original and Remake: Black Christmas, 1974 and 2006: This chapter provides a critical analysis of the two versions of Black Christmas, focusing on differences in violence, narrative pacing, musical scoring, and the handling of sensitive social issues like abortion.
IV. The Contemporary State and the Future of the Horror Film: This chapter explores the trend of the remake craze in the 2000s and discusses why modern horror films often lack the artistic depth of their predecessors due to commercial pressures.
V. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the findings of the comparative study, suggesting that modern horror needs to rediscover artistic atmosphere and daring social engagement to revitalize the genre.
Keywords
Horror film, Slasher, Remake, Black Christmas, Giallo, Adaptation, Cinema, Violence, Originality, Social issues, Abortion, Hollywood, Independent cinema, Suspense, Genre
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research paper?
The paper fundamentally analyzes the artistic and thematic differences between original horror films and their contemporary remakes, using the 1974 and 2006 versions of Black Christmas as a primary case study.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
The central themes include the commercialization of horror, the evolution of directorial techniques, the loss of narrative ambiguity, and the avoidance of controversial social issues in modern mainstream remakes.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine how the shift in narrative approach and audience treatment in modern remakes impacts the artistic quality and the effectiveness of horror films compared to classic genre staples.
Which scientific or analytical methods were employed?
The author employs a comparative film analysis method, evaluating formal elements such as editing, mise-en-scène, and narrative structure, supported by academic discourse on film adaptation and genre theory.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the historical context of the slasher subgenre, a detailed comparison of the two Black Christmas films, and a broader analysis of the Hollywood "remake craze" and its implications for future filmmaking.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Keywords such as horror film, remake, adaptation, slasher, Black Christmas, artistic value, and genre conventions are central to characterizing this work.
Why did the author choose Black Christmas as the primary example?
Black Christmas (1974) serves as an ideal case study because it is a foundational slasher film that tackles daring social issues, providing a sharp contrast to the 2006 remake, which neglects these elements in favor of gore and simplified storytelling.
How does the remake of Black Christmas handle character mystery compared to the original?
While the original leaves the killer's motives and background mysterious, the 2006 remake utilizes frequent flashbacks to provide a backstory, effectively stripping away the suspense and the "interactivity" for the audience.
What is the significance of the "Giallo" film style discussed?
The Giallo style is significant because it heavily influenced the American slasher film's visual and narrative structure, particularly in how it emphasizes suspense, elaborate set-pieces, and the investigative role of characters.
- Quote paper
- Denis Memedoski (Author), 2015, The American Horror Film, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/463601
