Why does the US do remakes?

[Shuggy]

I've just seen the 1973 version of The Wicker Man (great movie!) and heard how universally panned the 2006 remake was.
Then on comes the US version of The Office which is cringe-making in quite a different way from the UK version.
Then there was Queer as Folk and Lord of the Flies.

In each case the US media saw something was quintessentially British, and remade it in their own image, ripping out everything that made it what it was. Why do they do that? It's as though they think US audiences can't bear to see anything that isn't Amurrican. But can't they?

[Kelda]

Films - I'm not so sure why (but there has been a long lead time between the films - they remake US films too)

but as for the likes of sitcoms and dramas - well its got to be interesting to the audiences I guess. The typical office in the US is probably a different place to the UK. hence the Office UK wouldn't appeal to mainstream US in the same way it did here.

Others I can think of are:

Little Britain - Vicky Pollard is hilariious here but won't have as much impact in the states - they don't have Chavs/Neds. Although I'm sure the only gay in the village sketch's would go down well with a lot of the people here. So funny!!

Katherine Tate Show - yes? or am I making that up?

Coupling - not sure if it did well though?

Is Extras in the US the UK version?

The UK Queer as Folk I loved. certainly very sensational at the time. First time rimming on ordinary TV for one- graphic gay sex scenes were new too. But it was intended to be a short drama rather than a sitcom - did the US one not go on for seasons and seasons?

[mvansand76]

Little Britain - Vicky Pollard is hilariious here but won't have as much impact in the states - they don't have Chavs/Neds. Although I'm sure the only gay in the village sketch's would go down well with a lot of the people here. So funny!!

Katherine Tate Show - yes? or am I making that up?

Oh how VERY dare you!    Both would be a disaster as a US remake....

[Kelda]

honest to go Little Britain is being made into a US version - not sure about Catherine Tate Show though but then again Am I bovvaad? hee hee!!

IS Kath & Kim shown in the USA? Love that too.

[mvansand76]

honest to go Little Britain is being made into a US version - not sure about Catherine Tate Show though but then again Am I bovvaad? hee hee!!

Face Bovvaaaaaad? 

I have no clue why they are doing a remake of Little Britain... Why would you do that? Didn't they do the same with Absolutely Fabulous, that was a disaster, if I recall correctly...

[David]

Why?    Why not I guess.

Here in the States we had a TV situation comedy called "All in the Family".  I believe it was based on a British TV show called "Till death do us part".    Our version here was so popular it ran for 11 years.

I never saw the UK version of Queer as Folk.    I did like the US version.

As for Film remakes?    I'm not sure if they make them because they have run out of ideas, or they legitimately liked the original and wanted to make a modern version.     

There are alot of younger people who just will not sit down and watch a black and white classic movie.   What a shame yes?

Take King Kong for example.   The original was made in 1939 I believe.   It is considered a classic.   Virtually everyone over the age of 40 has seen it on TV at some point in their life.    In 1976 they remade King Kong.      I was 10 years old and went to see it.   I loved it!      Even today I think it is good remake despite its special effects are not as good as todays stuff.    Fastforward to 2006.   King Kong is remade once again.    Special effects are much better, but I felt the casting was all wrong.    The acting suffered.     It is  abad remake in my opinion.

Maybe the James Bond series is doing this too.    I loved the early 1960s classic Bond movies.    But do todays 18+ crowd see them the same way?     Back in the 1962 Dr.No film the men all still wear hats!   Women and Black people are stereotyped.   Maybe todays generation just don't identify with the movies of past eras?

Another case:  The 1974 US movie "Heaven Can Wait" starring Warren Beaty.   I loved this movie.   It was remade a few years ago starring Chris Rock.     Ugh,  some parts are so painful I can't watch it.

[mvansand76]

Why?    Why not I guess.

Here in the States we had a TV situation comedy called "All in the Family".  I believe it was based on a British TV show called "Till death do us part".    Our version here was so popular it ran for 11 years.

Oh I can understand why they do US remakes of sitcoms, but Little Britain is so typically British and it's a sketch show, not a sitcom.

[David]

A friend loaned me the DVD of Little Britain to watch.     I really didn't care for it.   Yes, there were a few funny parts, but overall I didn't like it.   Especially the only gay guy in the village skits.      Maybe because I am not a Fem like that.    I just hate seeing bad stereotypes.

I did like the old Benny Hill TV shows.   Course those haven't been shown here in the States for 20 years!     I do like British humour.    I enjoy "Are you being served" reruns and "Keeping up Appearances" for example.

I was quite surprized last May when I was in London.   I turned on the Teli and all the shows were from the States!   LOL.   Go figure.       

[Kelda]

See I'm not a follower of Little Britain - but Matt Lucas does crack me up.

The only gay in the village to me is just so silly - and thats the whole point of it. He's taking the stereotype so far that its idiotic. Bit like the whole Borat thing. 

As far as I'm aware Matt Lucas is not as all fem/queeny in real life. (And his TV producer boyfriend Kevin McGee is a bit of a hunk!)

[mvansand76]

The only gay in the village to me is just so silly - and thats the whole point of it. He's taking the stereotype so far that its idiotic.

I totally agree!