WritingMadeHard

I saw King Kong the 2005 version last week and found it very well done. However, it suffered a little from the same problem that plagues all the recent remakes: when the screen writers "update" the material for modern audiences, they make the characters into people we don't admire. One reason we like the old films is because of the characters. When they change the characters, we no longer like the movies. I want to say that King Kong was well written and did not suffer nearly as much from mischaracterization as many other recent remakes, but the "updating" was still a downgrading of the characters. Let me demonstrate. There is a scene in the original where the film maker first sees the girl who is to be his star. She is out of work in the depression of the 1930's and hasn't eaten in days. She walks past a street vender who has apples on display. She is tempted to take one. She picks it up, then puts it back. The vender sees her putting it back and thinks she is stealing. He grabs her hand and she says "I didn't take it! I wanted to, but I didn't." That same scene is in the remake only in the remake she steals the apple. That makes her a different character. Likewise, the movie maker in the original is a driven person determined to make his film no matter what the cost and is willing to cut a few corners and ignore a few regulations if needbe to get the job done. However, he is honest and a dedicated film maker. In the remake, he is a dishonest scoundrel out to make a buck and willing to get people killed if needbe in order to make a buck. Again, this is a different character. One reason we loved the original is because we loved the characters. They've made the characters no longer lovable. Other than that it is a great movie and I enjoyed it, but not as much as the original.

By the way, if you have an interest in alternative medicine, or hypnosis, check out my new release at www.nadbooks.com click on "Non Fiction" and learn about Hypnosis in Healthcare. It is a great read and very informative if I do say so myself. Steve