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Is The 'Ghostbusters' Re-Release The End Of Creativity In Hollywood?

Chelsea Hernandez |
June 15, 2014 | 12:48 a.m. PDT

Staff Reporter

Ghostbusters (Creative Commons)
Ghostbusters (Creative Commons)

We’ve all seen them: the re-releases of "Star Wars," every Disney movie imaginable, and favorites like "Jurassic Park" or "Jaws" in theatres. Why not? They're the classics; classics many of us barely remember seeing in theatres, or never had the opportunity to see when they were initially released because half of us weren’t even born yet. However, are these re-releases a sign of the end of creativity in Hollywood? Why is it that this generation of moviegoers is stuck in the past of famous movie franchises from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s? Could it be that perhaps Hollywood has just run out of fresh and possibly timeless ideas and characters to admire and look up to?

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"Ghostbusters" is about to be re-released in theatres is the classic film. Am I excited to see it in theatres on the big screen? Of course--every true fan of the supernatural and science fiction who appreciates classics can’t help it. Yet, it has me thinking; how many re-releases have I, as well as many others, spent more money simply because these movies are "classics" and "worth seeing" in theatres? What if we are giving our money to Hollywood for films that have already been successful and had their time because Hollywood can’t seem to come up with new ideas that really make an impact like "Indiana Jones" or "Back to the Future?" If that’s the case, then the fate of the Hollywood film industry hangs in the air.

We all appreciate the classics, but the lack of new ideas is devastating. There just isn’t as much to look forward to in theatres. Beyond that, the continued remakes of old movies like the upcoming live-action "Cinderella" (already been made a dozen times) leaves us hopeless. We already know this story. We know it's successful, and so does Hollywood. Will it really be any different? Stop giving us remakes just to make money.

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Would Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, or George Lucas ever have made a lasting impact on us if all they ever did were avoid risks and give us solely remakes or re-releases? No, they wouldn’t have. They would have disappeared, leaving us with no famous characters or stories. This new lack of innovative material has others frustrated as well. USC film student Lauren Ouellette says, “My thoughts are that while 'Ghostbusters' is a popular and well written franchise, the well in Hollywood for creativity has run dry. Hollywood has gone back to its commercial roots. Churning out sequels and reboots that seem like for sure "money makers" rather than taking chances on unique and new ideas that could potentially create a new wave of cinema in Hollywood and make people excited about going to the movies again.”

Without new and improved ideas flowing through box offices, moviegoers will eventually lose faith in the movie business. Who knows what our future generations will look to for film admiration? Will moviegoers be forever trapped in only truly appreciating films from the 80’s-90’s that are either re-released or remade? If Hollywood does not figure itself out soon and  take risks, the obliteration of Hollywood’s future is an impending doom no one can really avoid.

Reach staff reporter Chelsea Hernandez here.



 

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