MovieChat Forums > Steel Magnolias (2012) Discussion > What I Don't Understand

What I Don't Understand

posted 12 years ago by NuGram
10 replies | jump to latest

If this remake was just about doing an AfAm film, what I don't understand is that with the budget this production had, and the backing, why not find a great script and make it instead of trying to remake an iconic classic? There is a wealth of talented writers and scripts with stories just waiting to be told, especially within the Black community. Why take all that money and try to remake a piece of cinematic history, unless you naively think you can do it better?

And if you're arrogant enough to remake a classic, at least do something different. Other than some ethnic and cultural references it was still the same universal story of women, family, life and loss, regardless of what color the cast is.

I just don't understand why the filmmakers didn't spend their efforts and their money to make something fresh and new, something we haven't already seen that showcases the pool of African American talent, rather than simply copy a classic and remind us why the original is so outstanding.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] ryoko_the_spacepirate1 12 years ago

Didn't see the original but this seemed like they were fishing for nominations lol

Idk if it was edited badly or is this the pace of the original but I didn't connect with alot of characters or get the depth of their bond i felt many things were ommited.

"I think I liked it better when I thought Sylar ate brains."

[–] My_Name_Is_Lydia 12 years ago

You should watch the original. Everyone should. It's that wonderful. It's on Netflix.

Georgina: Are we safe here?
Michael: Does Albert read?

[–] Snoopy353 12 years ago

"Classic" goes a little far, it's just an 80's chick flick.

"Fine, go back to your day laborer. Oh they make sooo much money!" - Jilted husband on Cheaters.

[–] NuGram 12 years ago

"Classic" goes a little far, it's just an 80's chick flick."

Ah, well. One person's 80's chick flick is another person's classic!

[–] Ithilfaen 12 years ago

"Classic" goes a little far, it's just an 80's chick flick."

Same could be said about Gone with The Wind, All About Eve and also the Wizard of Oz is a kids movie. All classics. What's your point?

What I don't understand is, if you're going to remake a classic, and an award winning play, just to use the name to get the hype started, shouldn't you make it the best thing since sliced bread?
The men, for instance, all have secondary supporting roles, sure, but the first movie still aimed at great performances. The male cast here is ridiculously bad.
Shouldn't they have made it the best African American cast they could get? Just to show that actors who have made a career of playing nameless supporting characters because they are black could also bring it? like Octavia Spencer did?

Also, I don't mind the African American cast but as much as I could admit that there was no black character in the original play or movie, I didn't expect the South in the 80ies to be very integrated. But shouldn't a remake, even with all the lead characters as African American, since they make a big show of the movie taking place nowadays, have a few white characters thrown in? They live in a rich neighborhood, it stands to reason that they would have at least one or two neighbors who aren't black? A few friends maybe? Even one of the main characters, why the hell not? But no, even the new mayor and his wife, who are just there to be the butt of a joke, are black.

A racially mixed cast would have been more interesting imo.

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco

[–] NuGram 11 years ago

"A racially mixed cast would have been more interesting imo."

Totally agree Ithilfaen. In fact ANYTHING different than the original would have been interesting IMO. But this waste of time and money didn't offer anything significantly different. Except to remind us why the original is so outstanding.

[–] bluestorm5 12 years ago

For me, I thought the whole film felt rushed to sort of show the progression of Shelby's deterioration instead of focusing on showing the bond between ALL the women. It was a largely wasted cast in my view, you have all these wonderfully talented women, and you don't really get how they've gotten so close, or what the outcome of their lives are. Jill Scott's character.. what happens with her and her husband, they briefly show them at the funeral in a single tender moment, was that supposed to resolve that? I think even an extra half hour could have been added to give the story more dimension and utilize each actress to their fullest. But overall.. I enjoyed.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] thefoliest_951 11 years ago

I agree. And it's not just the fact that they used the lines from the original, it was how bad everyone performed. These are some great actresses, and for THEM to give the performances they gave was so upsetting. And the girl who played Shelby.....Smh.