Should Original Versions of Movies and Shows Remain Untouched?

Some people think older shows or movies should be recreated, but others think it will ruin the original version.

Should Original Versions of Movies and Shows Remain Untouched?

Morgan Buckwalter, Opinions Editor

Although there are several movies and television shows have been recreated before, it has recently been drawn to some television lovers’ attention that not every movie or show should be re-enacted. Some people think that the original version will be ruined if it is recreated. Also, some of the actors were so impeccable in the original that they would be impossible to replace. For instance, the popular movie series, High School Musical, was first released in 2006. There were two sequels to this movie which were released in 2007 and 2008. Now, over ten years later, Disney has assembled their main cast for the upcoming show, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. This new show is not an exact replica of the original movie; in fact, the 10-episode series is about high school students who attempt to stage a production of the real High School Musical for their school’s musical.

Even though this show has some differences compared to the original, the whole idea of re-enacting the first High School Musical is something I am not interested in watching. I personally believe that this will ruin how I remember the old movie. Also, the new series will basically contain similar, dramatic situations with the high school students – just like Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens took part in. Overall, I don’t think High School Musical should be recreated by anyone other than the original cast. I recently watched a teaser trailer for High School Musical 4 which fast-forwarded to the Wildcats’ lives 10 years later. The entire cast was the same as the original from 2006. Now, this is something I would watch; the original cast just cannot be replaced.

One show that was recreated with the some of the same actors was the sitcom, Full House. The show was originally cast with some of my favorite actors: Candace Cameron-Bure (DJ Tanner), Jodie Sweetin (Stephanie Tanner) and Lori Loughlin (Rebecca Donaldson). These three talented women appear on the 2016 spin-off, Fuller House. I have mixed emotions about the Netflix series because they use some of the same actors/actresses; however, not all of the original actors are present during the show. Although it’s entertaining to watch the original actors in the same setting as the original show, it’s just not the same without the whole cast. It feels like a part of the show is missing without Uncle Jesse saying “have mercy” every episode.

On the other hand, I could understand how it would be beneficial to recreate some older movies. Modern day technology can make viewers appreciate the older movies now that they’re seeing it in a whole new light. For example, The Lion King, officially released in 1994, is being recreated over two decades later. After watching the original trailer and the new trailer, both were almost exactly the same concept. I think this is how a recreation should be – with minimum changes. In addition to that, the realistic graphics in the new movie had made a huge difference compared to the original. I personally think some animated movies should be recreated because the only big changes to the movies are the graphics. The plot never truly changes; however, the producer just tweaks it a little.

Overall, I am not in favor of recreating older movies and shows. Personally, I think these shows should remain untouched because they alter how viewers remember the original version. The only exception to recreating movies is if it’s animated because the modernized effects make a huge difference in how the movie is portrayed.