Leave our Hollywood classics alone

In news that will no doubt fill film fans with a mixture of dread and outrage, it was announced earlier this week that shooting had begun on Raging Bull 2.

Worryingly, neither Robert De Niro nor Martin Scorsese are involved in the film which is set to be a hybrid sequel/prequel to the award-winning boxing biopic, with the action revolving around Jake LaMotta’s life as both a young fighter and as an entertainer after he’d hung up his gloves.

"A rash of sequels, prequels, reboots and remakes, all of which leave you wondering whether Hollywood has run out of ideas."

The first question that immediately springs to mind is why? After all, even Martin Scorsese said in a recent interview that he couldn’t imagine what anyone could do with a sequel, so why can’t the studios leave it alone? It also leaves you wondering whether any film will be left untouched by tinseltown’s tinkerers.

It’s nothing new of course. Recently there’s been a rash of sequels, prequels, reboots and remakes, all of which leaves you wondering whether Hollywood has run out of original ideas. But whilst no one minds when studios successfully revisit films that failed to hit the mark on their original release (just look at Christopher Nolan’s Batman); it’s another thing entirely when they start to mess with bonafide classics.

After all some things should be left untouched. I mean, there would be uproar if someone went back and drew a moustache on the Mona Lisa, or added a Xylophone solo to Beethoven’s fifth symphony; so why is it any different for movies?

"I used to think that there were certain films that were off limits but Raging Bull 2 suggests that it’s open season."

Sadly Raging Bull 2 isn’t the only example of Hollywood’s incessant fiddling with classic films. Total Recall, The Evil Dead, Mad Max, Fletch, RoboCop, Short Circuit and The Warriors are just some of the movie memories Hollywood will be spoiling for cinemagoers in the next few years, whether they like it or not.

You’ve got to wonder where it all ends? I used to think that there were certain films that were off limits but Raging Bull 2 suggests that it’s open season for silver screen classics.

So Hollywood, if you’re listening, please please please stop making remakes before you do something you’ll really regret like releasing Godfather 3D starring Taylor Kitsch – and that’s something no one wants to see.

So what’s your verdict? Should Hollywood stop making remakes? Let us know in the comments section below or join in the debate on Twitter with the #socialvoices hashtag.

Daniel Bettridge is a pop culture junkie. A telly addict and film fan who can be found on Twitter under the moniker @danielbettridge.