Re: Exactly how many of us are gonna be around in 80-100 years to complain about a remake?

Posted by LFM from Iranus.dw.net on May 04, 1999 at 19:30:26:

In Reply to: Exactly how many of us are gonna be around in 80-100 years to complain about a remake? posted by JeffWi on May 04, 1999 at 17:20:08:

: : : : You're right. He is Indiana Jones. He is different from many other hero film stars because he originated from a screenplay. And that brings up an interesting situation. Unlike Dracula or Superman or Sherlock Holmes, fans of Indiana Jones have a definitive look attached. Harrison Ford. It is his mannerisms, voice and actions that have given life to Indiana Jones. It is impossible to think of any other person playing him. I agree completely.
: : : : Nevertheless, within fifty, eighty, maybe a hundred years, if civilization still exists, the movie industry WILL revisit Indiana Jones. He has already become legendary, and will surely stay in the hearts and minds of generations to come. And, barring certain cryogenic or genetic engineering advances, I can almost guarantee that Ford will not be playing him. Why? Because these future fans will have realized something that all you "Ford or nothing" fans haven't. Indiana Jones is a CHARACTER, not an actor. A character, by definition, is the personality or part that an actor recreates. RE-creates. Meaning the character existed before the actor portrayed them. And so the character will exist after the actor is long gone. And will so exist when said character is portrayed by another actor. THAT is how you immortalize a character. You keep them going, not try and bottle them up for yourself. Trying to "savor" the Indiana Jones you all know and love is selfish beyond all comprehension. If fans of Bela Lugosi had won the right to deny future audiences of Dracula, we would not have been allowed the privilege to enjoy the many interpretations of such a magnanimous personage. The same goes for Shakespeare, Holmes or Dickens. Good or bad it doesn't matter. No single generation has the right to say what is perfect or sacred. There would be no sense in it after a hundred years, and there is no logic in trying to do it now. I say thank you to Harrison Ford for three great and memorable films. Now let's see someone else play the part.
: : : : Rob, a true Indy fan
: : : What you said was totally true...I agree with you completely...but...I also think that it's a shame those future generations won't have gotten to experience Indy the way we have. I mean when I first saw Sabrina, I saw that 95 version with Harrison Ford. I had no idea that it was remake and I totally thought that Harrison was Linus. You know, that Harrison was the first and only Linus. Well then I learned that the great Bogey had been in the original. I saw the original as well as the remake but I can only picture Harrison as Linus now. I'm afraid that that's what's going to happen to Indy and I guess that's why I'm a Ford or nothing person. I want people to know that Harrison Ford is the one and only "real" Indiana Jones. And I'm sure to all the readers out there, unless those books show pictures, you all think of Harrison when you go through those pages. I just don't want Indy to be recognized as anyone else but Harrison.
: : : LFM
: : Hey, Harry might still play Indy 50 years from now - haven't you guys heard of CGI character animation!? : ) O.K. all joking aside, I have to agree with LFM... this is like trying to improve on the Illiad by having later writers add chapters to the masterpiece. That is precisely what I hate about the James Bond series, having so many actors playing 007 you stop caring for or identifying with the character because you don't know him anymore, it's like completely reinventing the character every couple of films. I realize it was Connery's decision to quit in order to avoid being typecast, but Ford voiced no such reservations - in fact he's ready to go for it - look at Connery, he's 10 years older and still credible as an action hero, in fact he's great at it. Why not Harry? He proved his age is not a factor in Six Days Seven Nights and being voted the sexiest man and all.
: : Regards,
: : Mark
: C'mon guys, think about this for a minute. There is not a single one of us that owns this character. Indiana Jones is just that, a character. I too cannot see anyone else in the role besides Mr. Ford, for the time being. However, if the adventures of Dr. Jones are to be continued in the future, the studio and filmakers WILL NOT be making this film for us, but rather for the generation of filmgoers at that future date. A few crotchety old complainers who remember the original are not gonna have any affect on the majority that the film would be made for. I'm sorry folks, but Dr. Jones is not ours, hell, he doesn't even exist in our generation, so theres no use in laying claim to the time period.
: JeffW

Yeah but wouldn't you like to think that they wouldn't change the character? Wouldn't you like to think that they'd have loved the character so much that they wouldn't want to change it? I just like what I'm seeing now and I don't ever want that to change.
LFM

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Re: Exactly how many of us are gonna be around in 80-100 years to complain about a remake? Steve 21:03:15 5/04/99 (0)

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: : : : : You're right. He is Indiana Jones. He is different from many other hero film stars because he originated from a screenplay. And that brings up an interesting situation. Unlike Dracula or Superman or Sherlock Holmes, fans of Indiana Jones have a definitive look attached. Harrison Ford. It is his mannerisms, voice and actions that have given life to Indiana Jones. It is impossible to think of any other person playing him. I agree completely.
: : : : : Nevertheless, within fifty, eighty, maybe a hundred years, if civilization still exists, the movie industry WILL revisit Indiana Jones. He has already become legendary, and will surely stay in the hearts and minds of generations to come. And, barring certain cryogenic or genetic engineering advances, I can almost guarantee that Ford will not be playing him. Why? Because these future fans will have realized something that all you "Ford or nothing" fans haven't. Indiana Jones is a CHARACTER, not an actor. A character, by definition, is the personality or part that an actor recreates. RE-creates. Meaning the character existed before the actor portrayed them. And so the character will exist after the actor is long gone. And will so exist when said character is portrayed by another actor. THAT is how you immortalize a character. You keep them going, not try and bottle them up for yourself. Trying to "savor" the Indiana Jones you all know and love is selfish beyond all comprehension. If fans of Bela Lugosi had won the right to deny future audiences of Dracula, we would not have been allowed the privilege to enjoy the many interpretations of such a magnanimous personage. The same goes for Shakespeare, Holmes or Dickens. Good or bad it doesn't matter. No single generation has the right to say what is perfect or sacred. There would be no sense in it after a hundred years, and there is no logic in trying to do it now. I say thank you to Harrison Ford for three great and memorable films. Now let's see someone else play the part.
: : : : : Rob, a true Indy fan
: : : : What you said was totally true...I agree with you completely...but...I also think that it's a shame those future generations won't have gotten to experience Indy the way we have.  I mean when I first saw Sabrina, I saw that 95 version with Harrison Ford.  I had no idea that it was remake and I totally thought that Harrison was Linus.  You know, that Harrison was the first and only Linus.  Well then I learned that the great Bogey had been in the original.  I saw the original as well as the remake but I can only picture Harrison as Linus now.  I'm afraid that that's what's going to happen to Indy and I guess that's why I'm a Ford or nothing person.  I want people to know that Harrison Ford is the one and only "real" Indiana Jones.  And I'm sure to all the readers out there, unless those books show pictures, you all think of Harrison when you go through those pages.  I just don't want Indy to be recognized as anyone else but Harrison.
: : : : LFM
: : : Hey, Harry might still play Indy 50 years from now - haven't you guys heard of CGI character animation!?  : ) O.K. all joking aside, I have to agree with LFM... this is like trying to improve on the Illiad by having later writers add chapters to the masterpiece.  That is precisely what I hate about the James Bond series, having so many actors playing 007 you stop caring for or identifying with the character because you don't know him anymore, it's like completely reinventing the character every couple of films.  I realize it was Connery's decision to quit in order to avoid being typecast, but Ford voiced no such reservations - in fact he's ready to go for it - look at Connery, he's 10 years older and still credible as an action hero, in fact he's great at it.  Why not Harry?  He proved his age is not a factor in Six Days Seven Nights and being voted the sexiest man and all.  
: : : Regards,
: : : Mark
: : C'mon guys, think about this for a minute. There is not a single one of us that owns this character. Indiana Jones is just that, a character. I too cannot see anyone else in the role besides Mr. Ford, for the time being. However, if the adventures of Dr. Jones are to be continued in the future, the studio and filmakers WILL NOT be making this film for us, but rather for the generation of filmgoers at that future date. A few crotchety old complainers who remember the original are not gonna have any affect on the majority that the film would be made for. I'm sorry folks, but Dr. Jones is not ours, hell, he doesn't even exist in our generation, so theres no use in laying claim to the time period.
: : JeffW

: Yeah but wouldn't you like to think that they wouldn't change the character?  Wouldn't you like to think that they'd have loved the character so much that they wouldn't want to change it?  I just like what I'm seeing now and I don't ever want that to change.
: LFM

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