there is hope for tiny code!

[Jules Richardson]

Fred Cisin wrote:
> On Sat, 15 Apr 2006, Jules Richardson wrote:
>> That seems to be a *very* common thing. It's always sad to see the current
>> generation basing their experiences on remakes of things rather than seeing
>> the original(s) first.
> 
> ... and when a remake is made, the original usually disappears forever.
> For example, I really liked the original version of "The Italian Job"

Yep, me too. I've not seen the remake, and have no intention of doing so.

I think a lot of these things - HHGTG, Dr. Who, Italian Job etc. work 
*because* the effects are a bit tacky or the acting is caught in a time 
bubble, or the actors are unknown at the time of production.

Soon as they're updated with modern computer effects, endless script rewrites 
and famous actors something gets lost in the process and the end result is 
indistinguishable from the sort of junk that Hollywood turns out - all glamour 
and famous names, but no real substance beneath the covers.

Oh - other thing that *really* bugs me about remakes is when the current 
generation don't *realise* it's a remake and talk about how marvellous the 
underlying concept is - not realising that aspect was down to someone else's 
hard work years beforehand. Somehow, the way modern film companies hardly give 
any credit for the original idea really irritates me... :-(

>> I meant to bring the HGTG books with me to the US and went and left them in
>> England, grrr!
> 
> Most of Douglas Adams' writings are pretty readily available here:
> the five volumes of the trilogy, and the two Dirk Gently books.
> Some of his writings, such as "Meaning of Liff" and "Last Chance to See"
> are a little harder to find.  If you need help finding them, just ask.

Thanks for the offer - I'll wait I think; no sense owning two copies (and the 
ones in the UK have that nice well-used feel about them :)

cheers

Jules