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The Voices of Reason
Movie Remakes
Inspired by the recent release of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (see Rant below), this week the Voices offer their thoughts on what are the best and worst movie remakes ever. Read more.
Click here for next week's Voices of Reason question regarding '80s Music Videos.
Rant and Rave: Rant—Charlie and the Chocolate Factory—This was one of the more unnecessary remakes in recent memory. It’s not that it’s necessarily bad; it’s just that there was nothing wrong with the original. Maybe the original wasn’t dark enough or visually appealing enough for Tim Burton’s tastes. Maybe he thought that the story was supposed to freak out the children in the audience, not transport them to a fantasy land. Johnny Depp did a fine job portraying Willy Wonka, but the problem I have is that Gene Wilder already nailed the role. No, Wilder’s Wonka didn’t have the tormented past of the Depp/Burton version, but he was peppy and saccharine-sweet (just as you would expect a candy-maker to be), and there was plenty that was freaky about that too. Burton's films are always visual masterpieces, and this film is no exception. Unquestionably, the special effects of his version are superior, but that is still no excuse to remake an otherwise excellent film. If that were justification enough, then we’d have already seen updated versions of Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Not that I'm trying to give the creative geniuses in the movie industry any more bright ideas. |
Plastic Ponies and Lurking Death at Mammoth
Hot Springs
Jeff and Lynn's adventures continue in Yellowstone National Park, where they came across not only exquisite scenery, but also a plastic pony and the boy who was comforted by it. Read More.
20 Minutes That Changed Music: Queen
at Live Aid, July 13th, 1985
With the 20th anniversary of Bob Geldof's herculean project passing recently, our London correspondent reminisces on what it was like to be there in person, and how a band on the down side of their careers stole the show. Read More.
A Tea Cake Saga
Martino's Bakery in Burbank is legendary for their tea cakes, and especially so within the Franklin family. So when Kristin finally moved back down to Southern California last year, she made her first visit to the birthplace of one of her favorite treats. Read More.
