Do you ever watch modern movies from America and wonder what happened?
Looking at the past 30 years, we’ve witnessed the fall of freedom in film and the collapse of creativity in cinema. Now most movies that are released are sequels, prequels, remakes, remakes of remakes, classics diversified and complex stories simplified into stupidity. Originality and storytelling have been consumed by money grabs, foreign markets, censorship, control, woke pandering and anti American propaganda. Industry standards inspired by collective conformity have demolished the scope of free ideas found in film, leaning towards teaching self hate and division rather than inspiring patriotism, unity or understanding. Both ideological directions would be fine in a truly free market economy of film, but the consolidation of the media machine into compartmentalized mechanisms of orchestrated mental manipulation seem to only serve the ideals of communistic globalism.
I say all of this as an independent filmmaker, who has loved movies my entire life, and who is consistently saddened by the state of modern film. What happened to the badass hero, the beautiful woman, the hardcore action or the hard truths of great storytelling? What happened to America being the good guys? Why does every movie seem to be anti American, anti masculinity, anti woman, anti children, anti family, anti faith, anti freedom, anti capitalism and anti common sense?
We desperately need a resurgence of the creative force of film with an America First edge, outside of the few political documentaries that do exist, to help inspire people around the world to remember what it means to be a free individual. Movies are one of the greatest weapons against mental control we have in the American arsenal, and we need a return to movies that support and share the American mind and our way of life to help export those beliefs across the world. Our failure to do this over the past 30 years is one of the driving factors that have allowed the spread of communism and American self hate in modern times. We need to be making movies that inspire the youth to the truths of independence against communism and that remind the humans of Earth of the real power of ideas in film. Republicans have completely failed Hollywood after the days of Ronald Reagan, and I believe it is way past time to get back to work on this front.
I do see a few modern film studios creating new content for conservatives, but most of these modern efforts have been in Christianity and religious programming. While I do support this as well, I believe we need to broaden the scope of American cinema, with a focus on inspiring the youth to love their own freedom, independence and the American ideal again.
There was a time when free market creativity had conquered the landscape of artistic expression, hitting an apex of cinema during the 1950’s during the Korean War. The United States had taken a firm stance against communism, in art, in military, in politics and in business. The McCarthy era passed, the Korean War ended without conclusion (making North and South Korea the experiment of the world to see under a global microscope of the differences between free market capitalism and communism), Vietnam began and JFK was assassinated. Since that time, movies against communism have all but been forgotten, being replaced on the world stage by the new world Disney communism, Hollywood globalism, climate cult propaganda and the censorship of everything that goes against those narratives.
To help remember what this could look like, I think it is a great time to take a look back at some of the great movies of the past that had the liberty to stand freely against communism, in the hopes that it may inspire some of us to get back to the good work that is still possible. It will take work. It will take creativity. It will take funding. It will take effort and will. But of all the things we could possibly be doing right now and in the days ahead, a resurgence of American film may be one of the most worthwhile directions we could possibly go. Think Ronald Reagan. Think original Walt Disney. Think John Ford or John Wayne. Think Clint Eastwood and Chuck Norris. Think the Godfather to The Ten Commandments. From Rambo and Robocop to Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs.
We must make movies great again.
As a simple reminder of the power of American film, here are 10 great movies against communism that every free thinking individual on Earth should experience.
10 – Bitter Harvest (2017)
One of the very few actually new movies that exist to stand against the ideals of communism. It is rare to see any modern movie depicting the events of how the cultural revolutions of the past century destroyed their own people for the sake of control, but this one serves that imagery in truth while simultaneously standing as a simple small town drama about the power of love and art despite being surrounded by poverty, war and communist oppression. In Bitter Harvest, 1930’s Ukraine is taken over by the Soviet Union as farmland is seized from the people and the schools are forced into communistic thought. The new government purposefully starves the people, but they unite with the willpower to stand up to the communist takeover. While some of the elements of the love story might be a bit cheesy, it is still wonderful to watch a new production with the aim of helping younger viewers understand the horrors of communism.
Rent on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Harvest-Terence-Stamp/dp/B071GD9DSN
9 – Red Planet Mars (1952)
The 1950’s had all the best sci fi movies that shared narratives against communism. Amongst the likes of Them or the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Red Planet Mars stands as one of the best and most original movies to come out from the time. A group of scientists find a signal from alien life, who they come to believe as God telling the human population about the truth of the human spirit. The Earth unifies under these ideas from all religions, as the communists try to take control of the story by spreading lies to corrupt the global belief in God. A wildly creative story that is way ahead of its time, if there’s one movie I’d like to see a well done modern remake of, this is the one. Also, as a bonus entry onto this list, I’d like to mention the very first movie ever made about UFOs called The Flying Saucer (1950). Spoiler alert, here the movie has American humans who built the first UFO as the communists conspire to steal our technology. Truth or fiction? And on the subject of movies against communism about aliens, while it is not exactly a movie about communism as it is about a secret takeover of the world, another bonus entry to this list would be They Live (1988). If there ever was a fun sci fi movie about standing up to communistic globalism, at least in theme, this is the one. All 3 movies are classics that I would call essential viewing.
Free on Youtube
8 – Beyond Utopia (2023)
While it is almost impossible to find modern art films against communism, it is a bit easier to still find a few great documentaries that serve that purpose. Last year, Beyond Utopia was released to reveal the shocking reality that those who attempt to escape from the communist control of North Korea face. This movie features real time footage of one family’s desperate attempt to escape from the grasp of communism as they navigate their way across the North Korean border into China, down to Vietnam, across Laos and over to the freedom found in Thailand before finally arriving back in South Korea to help others find their path to escape and do the same. It’s a striking tale of survival, perseverance and family that everyone should take the time to see.
Rent on Amazon
7 – Eternal Spring (2022)
Half animation, half real life footage, this film is yet another new documentary against communism with a creative edge that enhances the storytelling of the events of China’s crackdown on the Falun Gong religious movement. The film highlights how the people of Falun Gong united in faith to share their message of peace and truth by hacking into communist networks and taking over the media machine to broadcast free ideas to the people of China. It’s an in depth and eye opening presentation of the religious suppression that happens there, animated into a movie narrative that makes it an easier learning experience for everyone to enjoy.
Free on Youtube
6 – The Death of Stalin (2017)
One of the most funny movies ever made. Certainly in the running for the greatest comedies of all time. It uses historical events to make a mockery of the moment in time when Stalin fell and the after effects of those around him with all their goofy endeavors to take power over the Soviet Union. The perfect representation of the silly folly of human power in the hands of communists under nonsense mandates of past control as past authority becomes a joke of itself. What better way to stand up against communism than to just simply laugh at it?
Free on Tubi
5 – The Truth About Communism (1962)
With a sense of foreshadowing about the clash of the America first MAGA movement with American marxism, communism and globalism, this documentary narrated by the great Ronald Reagan showcases the faults and failures of communism’s rise to globalism before the time of the fall of the Soviet Union and during the rise of the communist revolutions of China. From a time when our own government seemed to support the idea of countering communism rather than selling out our entire nation’s productivity to Chinese communism, this documentary is the best introduction to what communism even is to any mind who is ignorant of history and is open to learning why we must stand against the idea. Hearing Reagan narrate the movie makes it a classic documentary of all time. Also, the US military helped create this documentary and I would personally love to see our forces get back to that kind of work and stop with all the social distractions.
Free on Youtube
4 – Chuck Norris VS Communism (2015)
Would you like to learn the history of how American VHS movies and VCR distribution helped cause the fall of the Soviet Union? Essential viewing, this is one of my favorite documentaries that I have ever seen. Watching this film made me fully appreciate the power of the creative force when matched with the freedom of thought. It’s amazing to watch how American movies inspired those under communism to see a world outside of censorship and control, motivating the people under the Soviet Union to stop believing in their power.
Free on Internet Archive
3 – Kundun (1997)
A Martin Scorsese epic classic about the Chinese communist takeover of Tibet. Oddly enough, this is actually a Disney movie and probably one of the last films to exist from them before China used the market to threaten the company into conformity. Originally supposed to have been released through Universal, who ultimately rejected the film in fears of offending China, Disney picked it up and buried the project, only releasing the film in TWO theaters nationwide. Martin Scorsese was banned from entering China after the creation of the film and Disney itself publicly apologized for ever helping create the film. At the time, CEO Michael Eisner said, “The bad news is that the film was made, the good news is that nobody watched it. Here I want to apologize, and in the future we should prevent this sort of thing, which insults our friends, from happening”. How is a communist takeover of a peaceful people’s nation something worth apologizing for as an American company? Walt Disney would be ashamed of all the people who have allowed communism to take over his American creation. This movie represents the beginning of Disney going woke and selling itself out to China, and it only took us 20 years to realize that that is what has been happening. The movie is essential viewing, and of all the great films made by Martin Scorsese, this still stands as my favorite. Because of the great people of Tibet, you can still see the movie for free here. Thanks ya’ll & never stop keeping your faith.
Free on Youtube
2 – The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
One of the greatest political thrillers of all time and the best movie directly about the horrors of communism, this classic is a defining piece of Cold War cinema about communist infiltration into our political system here in America. Using mind control to create puppet candidates in the government, communist forces from around the world gather to experiment on a group of soldiers captured in battle to manipulate them into serving communist will. While the original is my favorite movie against communism, it is worth noting the remake of the movie that came out in 2004. Even though the movie is called the “Manchurian” candidate, the remake takes out all reference to communism, all reference to Manchuria, flips it into the Gulf War and replaces the communists with the American military as the enemy here. The good guys in the old film are turned into the bad guys of the new film, as the enemy becomes our own military, our own technology and our own government. Is this another example of communists rewriting history, destroying art and manipulating narratives to make viewers question our own military rather than questioning communism like was the purpose of the original film? I would recommend watching both films to see the differences for yourself, then ask yourself why they would be inspired to so drastically change the original story?
Free on Tubi
1 – The Fountainhead (1949)
While not exactly a movie about communism, it stands to serve as the greatest movie ever made against the idea of communism by showcasing the struggle of the individual against the collective. Honestly, this may be my favorite movie ever made. Based on the book by Ayn Rand, who actually worked on the film as well by writing the screenplay adaptation herself, this movie is about an architect who believes in his own dreams and vision of creating futuristic buildings across his city while the population, competition and media all collectively attempt to break his individual will. This is a timeless tale about the power of the individual mind against the collective desire for conformity and is the greatest representation in film of the victory of the individual human American spirit.
Rent on Amazon
Do you ever watch modern movies from America and wonder what happened?
Looking at the past 30 years, we’ve witnessed the fall of freedom in film and the collapse of creativity in cinema. Now most movies that are released are sequels, prequels, remakes, remakes of remakes, classics diversified and complex stories simplified into stupidity. Originality and storytelling have been consumed by money grabs, foreign markets, censorship, control, woke pandering and anti American propaganda. Industry standards inspired by collective conformity have demolished the scope of free ideas found in film, leaning towards teaching self hate and division rather than inspiring patriotism, unity or understanding. Both ideological directions would be fine in a truly free market economy of film, but the consolidation of the media machine into compartmentalized mechanisms of orchestrated mental manipulation seem to only serve the ideals of communistic globalism.
I say all of this as an independent filmmaker, who has loved movies my entire life, and who is consistently saddened by the state of modern film. What happened to the badass hero, the beautiful woman, the hardcore action or the hard truths of great storytelling? What happened to America being the good guys? Why does every movie seem to be anti American, anti masculinity, anti woman, anti children, anti family, anti faith, anti freedom, anti capitalism and anti common sense?
We desperately need a resurgence of the creative force of film with an America First edge, outside of the few political documentaries that do exist, to help inspire people around the world to remember what it means to be a free individual. Movies are one of the greatest weapons against mental control we have in the American arsenal, and we need a return to movies that support and share the American mind and our way of life to help export those beliefs across the world. Our failure to do this over the past 30 years is one of the driving factors that have allowed the spread of communism and American self hate in modern times. We need to be making movies that inspire the youth to the truths of independence against communism and that remind the humans of Earth of the real power of ideas in film. Republicans have completely failed Hollywood after the days of Ronald Reagan, and I believe it is way past time to get back to work on this front.
I do see a few modern film studios creating new content for conservatives, but most of these modern efforts have been in Christianity and religious programming. While I do support this as well, I believe we need to broaden the scope of American cinema, with a focus on inspiring the youth to love their own freedom, independence and the American ideal again.
There was a time when free market creativity had conquered the landscape of artistic expression, hitting an apex of cinema during the 1950’s during the Korean War. The United States had taken a firm stance against communism, in art, in military, in politics and in business. The McCarthy era passed, the Korean War ended without conclusion (making North and South Korea the experiment of the world to see under a global microscope of the differences between free market capitalism and communism), Vietnam began and JFK was assassinated. Since that time, movies against communism have all but been forgotten, being replaced on the world stage by the new world Disney communism, Hollywood globalism, climate cult propaganda and the censorship of everything that goes against those narratives.
To help remember what this could look like, I think it is a great time to take a look back at some of the great movies of the past that had the liberty to stand freely against communism, in the hopes that it may inspire some of us to get back to the good work that is still possible. It will take work. It will take creativity. It will take funding. It will take effort and will. But of all the things we could possibly be doing right now and in the days ahead, a resurgence of American film may be one of the most worthwhile directions we could possibly go. Think Ronald Reagan. Think original Walt Disney. Think John Ford or John Wayne. Think Clint Eastwood and Chuck Norris. Think the Godfather to The Ten Commandments. From Rambo and Robocop to Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs.
We must make movies great again.
As a simple reminder of the power of American film, here are 10 great movies against communism that every free thinking individual on Earth should experience.
10 – Bitter Harvest (2017)
One of the very few actually new movies that exist to stand against the ideals of communism. It is rare to see any modern movie depicting the events of how the cultural revolutions of the past century destroyed their own people for the sake of control, but this one serves that imagery in truth while simultaneously standing as a simple small town drama about the power of love and art despite being surrounded by poverty, war and communist oppression. In Bitter Harvest, 1930’s Ukraine is taken over by the Soviet Union as farmland is seized from the people and the schools are forced into communistic thought. The new government purposefully starves the people, but they unite with the willpower to stand up to the communist takeover. While some of the elements of the love story might be a bit cheesy, it is still wonderful to watch a new production with the aim of helping younger viewers understand the horrors of communism.
Rent on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Harvest-Terence-Stamp/dp/B071GD9DSN
9 – Red Planet Mars (1952)
The 1950’s had all the best sci fi movies that shared narratives against communism. Amongst the likes of Them or the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Red Planet Mars stands as one of the best and most original movies to come out from the time. A group of scientists find a signal from alien life, who they come to believe as God telling the human population about the truth of the human spirit. The Earth unifies under these ideas from all religions, as the communists try to take control of the story by spreading lies to corrupt the global belief in God. A wildly creative story that is way ahead of its time, if there’s one movie I’d like to see a well done modern remake of, this is the one. Also, as a bonus entry onto this list, I’d like to mention the very first movie ever made about UFOs called The Flying Saucer (1950). Spoiler alert, here the movie has American humans who built the first UFO as the communists conspire to steal our technology. Truth or fiction? And on the subject of movies against communism about aliens, while it is not exactly a movie about communism as it is about a secret takeover of the world, another bonus entry to this list would be They Live (1988). If there ever was a fun sci fi movie about standing up to communistic globalism, at least in theme, this is the one. All 3 movies are classics that I would call essential viewing.
Free on Youtube
8 – Beyond Utopia (2023)
While it is almost impossible to find modern art films against communism, it is a bit easier to still find a few great documentaries that serve that purpose. Last year, Beyond Utopia was released to reveal the shocking reality that those who attempt to escape from the communist control of North Korea face. This movie features real time footage of one family’s desperate attempt to escape from the grasp of communism as they navigate their way across the North Korean border into China, down to Vietnam, across Laos and over to the freedom found in Thailand before finally arriving back in South Korea to help others find their path to escape and do the same. It’s a striking tale of survival, perseverance and family that everyone should take the time to see.
Rent on Amazon
7 – Eternal Spring (2022)
Half animation, half real life footage, this film is yet another new documentary against communism with a creative edge that enhances the storytelling of the events of China’s crackdown on the Falun Gong religious movement. The film highlights how the people of Falun Gong united in faith to share their message of peace and truth by hacking into communist networks and taking over the media machine to broadcast free ideas to the people of China. It’s an in depth and eye opening presentation of the religious suppression that happens there, animated into a movie narrative that makes it an easier learning experience for everyone to enjoy.
Free on Youtube
6 – The Death of Stalin (2017)
One of the most funny movies ever made. Certainly in the running for the greatest comedies of all time. It uses historical events to make a mockery of the moment in time when Stalin fell and the after effects of those around him with all their goofy endeavors to take power over the Soviet Union. The perfect representation of the silly folly of human power in the hands of communists under nonsense mandates of past control as past authority becomes a joke of itself. What better way to stand up against communism than to just simply laugh at it?
Free on Tubi
5 – The Truth About Communism (1962)
With a sense of foreshadowing about the clash of the America first MAGA movement with American marxism, communism and globalism, this documentary narrated by the great Ronald Reagan showcases the faults and failures of communism’s rise to globalism before the time of the fall of the Soviet Union and during the rise of the communist revolutions of China. From a time when our own government seemed to support the idea of countering communism rather than selling out our entire nation’s productivity to Chinese communism, this documentary is the best introduction to what communism even is to any mind who is ignorant of history and is open to learning why we must stand against the idea. Hearing Reagan narrate the movie makes it a classic documentary of all time. Also, the US military helped create this documentary and I would personally love to see our forces get back to that kind of work and stop with all the social distractions.
Free on Youtube
4 – Chuck Norris VS Communism (2015)
Would you like to learn the history of how American VHS movies and VCR distribution helped cause the fall of the Soviet Union? Essential viewing, this is one of my favorite documentaries that I have ever seen. Watching this film made me fully appreciate the power of the creative force when matched with the freedom of thought. It’s amazing to watch how American movies inspired those under communism to see a world outside of censorship and control, motivating the people under the Soviet Union to stop believing in their power.
Free on Internet Archive
3 – Kundun (1997)
A Martin Scorsese epic classic about the Chinese communist takeover of Tibet. Oddly enough, this is actually a Disney movie and probably one of the last films to exist from them before China used the market to threaten the company into conformity. Originally supposed to have been released through Universal, who ultimately rejected the film in fears of offending China, Disney picked it up and buried the project, only releasing the film in TWO theaters nationwide. Martin Scorsese was banned from entering China after the creation of the film and Disney itself publicly apologized for ever helping create the film. At the time, CEO Michael Eisner said, “The bad news is that the film was made, the good news is that nobody watched it. Here I want to apologize, and in the future we should prevent this sort of thing, which insults our friends, from happening”. How is a communist takeover of a peaceful people’s nation something worth apologizing for as an American company? Walt Disney would be ashamed of all the people who have allowed communism to take over his American creation. This movie represents the beginning of Disney going woke and selling itself out to China, and it only took us 20 years to realize that that is what has been happening. The movie is essential viewing, and of all the great films made by Martin Scorsese, this still stands as my favorite. Because of the great people of Tibet, you can still see the movie for free here. Thanks ya’ll & never stop keeping your faith.
Free on Youtube
2 – The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
One of the greatest political thrillers of all time and the best movie directly about the horrors of communism, this classic is a defining piece of Cold War cinema about communist infiltration into our political system here in America. Using mind control to create puppet candidates in the government, communist forces from around the world gather to experiment on a group of soldiers captured in battle to manipulate them into serving communist will. While the original is my favorite movie against communism, it is worth noting the remake of the movie that came out in 2004. Even though the movie is called the “Manchurian” candidate, the remake takes out all reference to communism, all reference to Manchuria, flips it into the Gulf War and replaces the communists with the American military as the enemy here. The good guys in the old film are turned into the bad guys of the new film, as the enemy becomes our own military, our own technology and our own government. Is this another example of communists rewriting history, destroying art and manipulating narratives to make viewers question our own military rather than questioning communism like was the purpose of the original film? I would recommend watching both films to see the differences for yourself, then ask yourself why they would be inspired to so drastically change the original story?
Free on Tubi
1 – The Fountainhead (1949)
While not exactly a movie about communism, it stands to serve as the greatest movie ever made against the idea of communism by showcasing the struggle of the individual against the collective. Honestly, this may be my favorite movie ever made. Based on the book by Ayn Rand, who actually worked on the film as well by writing the screenplay adaptation herself, this movie is about an architect who believes in his own dreams and vision of creating futuristic buildings across his city while the population, competition and media all collectively attempt to break his individual will. This is a timeless tale about the power of the individual mind against the collective desire for conformity and is the greatest representation in film of the victory of the individual human American spirit.
Rent on Amazon
I do love movies and would disagree that creativity is dead. And while I doubt we will relive the 50’s anti commie fad, I am sure you can find suitable alternatives espousing 1984 scenarios. The Expanse may be one example although that may be more our current politics than hard communism. Quite the opposite to seeing a drop in creativity, I think given all the new streaming companies out there, the supply of flicks is over the top and a few pretty good ones in them.
I have never done a communism marathon though and I haven’t seen many of your somewhat arcane picks. Bitter Harvest is poorly reviewed, didn’t go on after that. However, Candidate and Fountainhead of course. Fountainhead is my fav Ayn Rand novel and while I think she is simple-minded, I love the book. The movie is meh though IMO. Copper is more wooden than ever, and I love Cooper. But I still watch it. again and again.
I also love a good Western and not many good ones of those anymore. How about Rio Bravo, part of the Rio trilogy? Best scene ever is J. Wayne with Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, and Brennan as “stumpy”. It’s the scene with Dean and Nelson doin the duet that is incredible. Howard Hawk the director pans to Wayne who just looks shitfaced dumbstruck at what he’s hearing. If that is live, Martin crooning while lying down is an impossible piece of magic and the way Deano lets Nelson look great is a true professional.
The song is the theme, with no words, from Red River, Wayne’s breakthrough roll and he’s wearing his famed Red River D belt buckle too. You know his walk is an effect he perfected from Ford’s advice how to be a star? The flick is an anti-high-noon where Cooper demurs public service, people let him down, but in Rio Bravo, Wayne willing and proud to do public service, against tall odds, with his plucky crew. He accepts no help from the mob, only from professionals, and goes up against impossible odds. The song is considered a top Western movie song of all time. Sometimes, I just play that moment. “My rifle, my pony, and me” says it all. Rio Bravo clips front The Shootist, Wayne’s last flick, more serious, but a definite keeper.
Audie Murphy makes a good bunch of em too. One of the things I look for is great technicolor with incredible long-shot scenes where you can see America of the 40-s and 50’s, a cleaner landscape for sure.
Where do you stand on my biggest beef with Hollywood —- black and white. I say colorize them all unless done for art purposes so that a new generation might be attracted to old movies. I mean Nick and Nora, how great are they?
And MGM dance musicals. Singing in the Rain — Doris Day’s feet bled, Kelly’s work effort and hatred of anything unprofessional made her cry (she was a gymnast, not a dancer) and he felt bad later. But it’s Donald O’Conner’s Make em Laugh that tops the cake. Reportedly, he did it in one take and afterwards, slept for 4 days, in the hospital. No politics either.
Sorry, but I just love the flicks and don’t really look for them to tell me how to live, just provide glimpses on how others live. I have too many favs to even create a top ten. We even regale in a lot of Hallmark, especially at the holidays and valentines. I think the Disney production house puts out some of the best media recently. The serials are really good, but also the Marvel stuff like Loki, etc.
OK, will leave you with something to ruin your day: an ear worm. If I asked you the most reoccurring movie line, I am sure you would say: “I love you.” Second place: “we are we waiting for” or a derivation thereof. Sorry, you will be hearing it everywhere now, it’s amazing. I will try some of yours farther down the list, however, I do shy away from black n white. Red River is one I will watch though.
Frank, for once you and I are in agreement with certain things. I also think it would be a great idea to colorize most films. One I was glad to see done was Action In the North Atlantic. Yeah, cheezy. Yeah, it was definitely a rah-rah movie to get us thinking against the Germans. But it had great action.
As for the lack of imagination in Hollywood… I think there IS something in that. I complain about it all the time. Every remake of some old movie I see is rarely close to being up to the standards of the old classic. Prime example was the recent remake of Ben-Hur. No holding back on this one. IT SUCKED!!! How did the producers EVER get the idea they could do a decent chariot race comparable to the Charlton Heston one? Of course the 1959 Ben Hur was a remake of a silent classic, but it was the rare exception to the “remakes stink” idea.
And, I have to give good marks to the current batch of DUNE movies. The original by DeLaurentiis was very watchable, but still a bit off of what the original novel portrayed. I heard that much of the best stuff in the original shooting ended up on the cutting room floor. There was an extended version which showed a lot more. However, the better treatments were the miniseries (2 of them) done after that. Now, I think Hollywood is finally getting it right and I sit in anticipation of the second film coming out this year. (I do remember writing a book review for the University of Toledo COLLEGIAN when studying my engineering there, and rightfully predicted that DUNE would be a sci-fi Classic)
I think one of the most overdone remakes has been The King And I, done at least four times and each worse than the original. I am NO fan whatever of musicals, and have only two that I found acceptable. Wizard of Oz and Carousel. I also love the Marx Brothers movies, but have to Fast Forward through the song and dance numbers. Still hilarious after 90 years! If Hollywood could still makes such great comedies today without the sex jokes, without the profanity, without the idiotic plot lines… Oh, for the old days. Give us a new Arsenic and Old Lace.
And for sheer terror? Try the original King Kong. This film was truly ground-breaking and all the remakes of it don’t even come close to matching the original. Jack Black’s try was good, but when he made it Fay Wray was still living and when offered a cameo in the new film she commented, “No, there is only one King Kong and this isn’t it!” Prompting a later line in the new production where the Director comments on the inability to get Fay Wray to star in his movie, “Cooper, eh? I shoulda known!” Referred, of course to Merian C. Cooper whose nightmare about a giant ape charging around New York became the most classic of all Gothic Horror films.
I tend to think that the plethora of remakes we seem to be getting are mostly because of a lack of truly new ideas about what theme to use in a new movie. There are basic themes, and I have to agree that the remake of The Manchurian Candidate did manage to resonate with Denzel and Meryl Streep putting in superior performances. Never imagined Streep could be such a menacing character, but she was.
I guess the thing I’m most annoyed with right now is the recurring theme on Wokeness in the movies. I’m tired of all the apologizing and adding in senseless LGBTQ characters where they don’t really seem necessary. If Hollywood were truly to be believed, probably 50% or better of the general population would be of that leaning. True numbers are no more than 10 percent at the outside. At least where I’ve read relatively unbiased estimates. I think a certain amount of gender identity issues are manufactured by overzealous professionals in psychology and other mental health specialties. When there doesn’t seem to be an answer to a person’s love life issues, it’s often suggested that maybe the problem is gender identity. And, as for kids… Gotta admit I am drastically opposed to hormone blockers, puberty blockers, and especially any surgeries on minors before they are old enough to realize the implications of such a thing. Call me old fashioned and a Bible Beater if you wish (I do consider myself a Born-Again Christian) but I have issues with being continually being beat over the head, so to speak, with LGBTQ stuff at seemingly every turn. I’ve no issue with people who are of that persuasion because I have known a number of them and find them mostly to be like the “life of the party” socially and very focused on the job. I don’t want to kill them off or abuse them. But I do object to being called backward for not embracing gayness.
Anyway… I had a few things to say about Hollywood, and I said them. Hope it doesn’t insult or irritate anyone too badly, but in this forum we all can express our opinions… And that is what this reply is. OPINION!
Spifster: we’ve agreed before; I think as you as able to hold a discussion without losing it. Weird on this one, I would have sworn it was Gilbertson as the author yesterday. Gaslighting?
Remakes are always a risk, especially if you take on a major like Ben Hur. They also have a guaranteed payday using Hollywood math. Wouldn’t even tune in unless some indicator it was cool. Sequels too, they both probably suffer from Hollywood math where they know exactly what they will make on the sequel or remake and budget to that number. In our house, we have a rule: skip part 2 and try part 3 because the follow on is often a toss-away and the third version reclaims the glory. Star Wars proves me wrong but, hell, I think The Empire Strikes back sucks, depressing, but apparently, I am alone.
But Hollywood not creative? Just using Westerns, a most uncreative endeavor, how about:
– Open Range —- wow, the scenery, the lifestyle description, and the final shootout as never seen in Westerns before, is amazing. Even makes me overlook the 2020 attitudes in 1860’s.
– Unforgiven —- eh, they say it’s award winning, I say it’s an apology win and Josey Wales is his best and that’s creative as well, especially for a Western. Who can forget Lone Watie: “I’m an Indian, all right; but here in the nation they call us the “civilized tribe.” They call us “civilized” because we’re easy to sneak up on. White men have been sneaking up on us for years.” Clint has been creative in Hollywood for decades.
– Siverado — Ok, homage film, not that creative, but puts a great montage of movies together to capture an entire genre. The opening scene is a top ten.
– Tombstone — probably one of the greatest Westerns ever, bar none. The casting is unsurpassed including one of the all-time greats: Kurt Russell
– The Long Riders, ok, just meh, but all those bro’s, very clever.
– The Searchers —- for a blast from the past showing Ford’s/Wayne’s Indian depiction dilemma as well as, yes, Wayne can do heavy drama. Best Wayne-does-Gibson-crazy look better scenes.
And speaking of creativity, Kurt Russell, aka Snake Plissken, need I say more? Talk about an authoritarian dystopia against our plucky anti-hero rebel. But it’s Soldier that takes the creativity cake. A box office and critic failure, Russell is in 90% of the shots and speaks just over 100 words. Imagine my tomes at 100 words. Now that’s creative….
I thought Dune sucked, but the remake was quite good. My son likes all. I’m still a Serenity guy; hey, the set is one contiguous unit, that’s creative right there. And communism? Well, woke socialism at best and, again, our plucky anti-hero hero. Not to mention Chinese swear words to beat the critics. Frack that. Try Kelly and Astair musicals; I gave you the Singing/Rain O’Connor scene. But most are good, and not shabby like the moderns. These guys are hoofers, but they stretch the tech of the times in their craft too. They still can’t figure how he dances on the ceiling exactly. I used to hate musicals until watching these guys. I saw Marx Bros’ on Imax size screen, big difference. Also, the Thin Man series, Nick and Nora don’t even need color, although I would still do it. King Kong IS a remake, a few times over, but I agree, great. As for woke, diversity, etc. try Disney. I know, I know, but beyond the furor over nothing, they do a great job of plain-speaking diversity, as in it makes sense, by allowing us to walk a mile in another’s shoes, without pontification, examination, or even making it seem out of place. They are doing The Wonder Years remake, Black family in Alabamy, with Pysche guy Dule’ Hill as the Dad, you can’t recognize him, he’s a real actor I guess :>). It’s light airy, and offers some insights. I just loved the “if you don’t like the crime here, why not move to this other neighborhood.” “You do know we are in Alabama, right?” Something like that, only funny because they just say it, they are not in your face, making political statements, condemning, or even judging. Great job, creative. Try American Born Chinese, Everything-Everywhere-All-At-Once, Ahsoka (all female leads, some green though), The Wonder Years, Andor (we got commies), Doogie Houser, oh hell, here’s the list: *https://collider.com/best-tv-shows-on-disney-plus/* I think one of the better production houses out there, and yes, they were woke before woke awakened but they don’t lord it over you. I think you will see it as a good thing, a normal thing, that is helpful, not bashing people over the head with it.
Yup, I love flicks and I do think there’s a lot of creativity out there along with the crap. And yes, sometimes Hollywood can take a no-brainer and turn it into crap. Stuff happens.