Remakes Reboots & Revivals
Discover the truth behind Hollywood’s obsession with remaking, rebooting, and reviving old movies and TV shows with ’Remakes Reboots & Revivals,’ hosted by Rolando Nieves, Nicole Pometti, and Eddie Z, two queer Latine filmmakers & educators one lovable geek. Each episode, they explore the history and production values of different franchises, compare and contrast the old and the new, and critique creative decisions made in the latest reproductions. Find out whether these new versions of old media properties are really needed, or just a way for Hollywood to exploit viewers’ nostalgia. ’Remakes Reboots & Revivals’ is a must-listen for anyone interested in film and television, and offers unique insights into the creative and business aspects of the entertainment industry.
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An Original Podcast About Unoriginality
Episodes
Wednesday Dec 30, 2020
Wednesday Dec 30, 2020
Nicole and Rolando wish our listeners a very Happy New Year, looking forward to a great 2021 (has to be better than 2020, right?!) Before we do that, we want to look back at 2020, a year filled with so many remade, rebooted and revived properties. Since Nicole and Rolando covered so many of them, they decided to continue the tradition and award the Best and Worst of Film and TV in Remakes, Reboots and Revivals! Take a listen!
Wednesday Dec 23, 2020
Wednesday Dec 23, 2020
Bah. Humbug. We can all relate as 2020 comes to a close. This week, Nicole and Rolando look back at the many different film or video iterations of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Which Ebenezer Scrooge reigns supreme? And why does Hollywood keep revisiting this story? And does anyone really think that rich people will ever change? Listen to find out.
SHOW NOTES:
Scrooge, Or Marley's Ghost (1901) - LINK
Scrooge (1970) - LINK
A Christmas Carol (1971) - LINK
Wednesday Dec 09, 2020
Wednesday Dec 09, 2020
Black Narcissus: A horror film about nuns or erotic thriller about nuns? Nicole and Rolando contemplate how to best sum up the 1947 British film by Powell and Pressburger. Was Sister Clodough, played by Deborah Kerr, lusting after Mr. Dean? Was Sister Ruth, played by Kathleen Byron, succumbing to arousal or a victim of mental illness?
Then, they discuss the 2020 BBC and FX three-part miniseries, Black Narcissus. Does expanding the story help or hurt the nuns? And can the series stand on its own or will it find itself in the shadow of the 1947 film?
Which did they enjoy best? Are these versions faithful to the 1939 Rumer Godden novel? Do they make a ton of assumptions about Anglican nuns in the Himalayas circa 1930? Listen and find out.
Wednesday Dec 02, 2020
Wednesday Dec 02, 2020
The Boys in the Band
What was life like for gay men before Stonewall? If it's anything like the lives portrayed in Mart Crowley's 1968 off-Broadway play, "The Boys in the Band," then it was a downer. This week, Nicole and Rolando discuss the play that inspired 1970's The Boys in the Band, one of the first American films to revolve around gay characters. What place does it hold in queer cinema and what can the movie teach audiences about the gay experience? Are the feelings of self-hatred and heart break the characters experience relics of their time or do they still hold true today?
Then, just like the play would experience a revival 50 years later, so too would the film with 2020's "The Boys in the Band," starring an all-gay ensemble cast composed of recognizable actors such as Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, Jim Parsons, and Matt Bomer. Does the remake stay faithful to the source material? What can film about a character's struggle with internalized homophobia give teach audiences about "pride?" And, what can we make of the new ambiguous ending?
Listen to find out.
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again…"
Famous first words of Daphne Du Maurier's "Rebecca." But, are they famous enough? Nicole and Rolando get into this week as they discuss the novel and how it'd give the world, "Rebecca," the 1940 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock starring Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, and Judith Anderson. What effect did the Hays Code have on the film when adapting the gothic-romance-thriller? Do the performances stand the test of time? And how faithful is Hitchcock to Du Maurier's work?
Then, Nicole and Rolando turn their attention on Netflix's "Rebecca," starring Armie Hammer and Lily James. As Mrs. De Winter finds herself living under Rebecca's shadow, director Ben Wheatley finds himself under Hitchcock's looming shadow. Can he find the light to make Rebecca his own? How do the performances compare to the 1940 classic? Does the movie work as a period piece or could it use a face-lift? And, how faithful is this film to Du Maurier's novel?
And more importantly, is Netflix obsessed with the ghosts that haunt mansions? Listen to find out.
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And we always want to hear from you! Email us at remakesrebootsrevivals@gmail.com
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
2006. A simpler time when men everywhere did their version of a Borat impression. Do we thank Sacha Baron Cohen or curse his name? This week, Rolando and Nicole discuss "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." What made this film so funny to Americans in 2006? And what was the film trying to say? Is anti-Semitism funny if the creator of the content is Jewish?
And then Nicole and Rolando critique "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" and it's heavier, political slant. Does content lose its edge when it takes a stance on an issue? How should we feel about a British person calling out Americans? And does this movie hit different after the 2020 election?
And if you love the second-hand embarrassment of Borat's comedy, you'll love Rolando's Borat impression.
Listen now.
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FACEBOOK: facebook.com/remakesrebootsrevivals
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/remakesrebootsrevivals
And we always want to hear from you! Email us at remakesrebootsrevivals@gmail.com
Wednesday Oct 28, 2020
Wednesday Oct 28, 2020
"Witches are real." Or so Roald Dahl would have you believe. But can we trust the musings of a man accused of misogyny, transphobia, and anti-Semitism? Can art be separated from the artist?
This week, right in time for Halloween, Rolando and Nicole discuss the beloved(?) 1990's film, "The Witches." Is this film nightmare fuel for children or a bore? Rolando and Nicole disagree. But one thing everyone can agree: prosthetic make-up is better than CGI. Then, 30 years later, "The Witches" premieres on HBO Max and it some people wonder, "Why?" Does this film do a better job of capturing the whimsy of Dahl's novel?
And most importantly, which witch reigns supreme? Anjelica Huston or Anne Hathaway? Listen to find out.
Show Notes:
Salon: The dangerous transphobia of Roald Dahl's Matilda - LINK
Salon: The dark ending of The Witches remake is the one we need now - LINK
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FACEBOOK: facebook.com/remakesrebootsrevivals
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/remakesrebootsrevivals
And we always want to hear from you! Email us at remakesrebootsrevivals@gmail.com
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
10 days until Halloween 2020. Let the festivities begin! This week Rolando and Nicole take a trip across the pond and visit the luxurious Bly Manor. First, they discuss 1961's "The Innocents," a psychological horror that revolves around a governess caring for two cray, rich kids. Are the children being possessed by sexually charged ghosts or is she just sexually frustrated?
Then, Nicole and Rolando swoon over the gay agenda found in Netflix's "The Haunting of Bly Manor." They were ready to scream in terror. Instead they weeped in homosexual tears. But how does the show hold up against its predecessor?
Listen to find out.
Wednesday Oct 14, 2020
Wednesday Oct 14, 2020
"The Baby-Sitters Club" by Ann M. Martin is the beloved book series (which ran through 2000) that spawned 131 books, various spinoffs, dolls, board games and a film adaptation in 1995. But, how could anyone forget about the 1990's TV series, "The Baby-Sitters Club" and its catchy theme song, "Say Hello To Your Friends?"
This week, Rolando and Nicole take a trip to Stoneybrook, CT to revisit 1990's fashion and tackle real kids issues like stolen earrings, mistaken identities over landlines, and, of course, babysitting. Then we compare the HBO show to the 2020 Netflix series, "The Baby-Sitters Club."
How much has the world changed in 30 years? Can the baby-sitters, either as characters or as an idea, adapt to change? And more importantly, what does this new show say about the quality of children's programing in 2020? Listen to find out.
Shownotes:
The New Yorker: The Feminist Legacy of the Baby-Sitters Club - LINK
Vulture: Ann M Martin on the Enduring Appeal of The Baby-Sitters Club and Rebooting Another Children's Series - LINK
Mary-Anne standing up for trans-recognition (Sorry, I could only find this series of GIFs) - LINK
Wednesday Oct 07, 2020
Wednesday Oct 07, 2020
2020 has been super bogus, man. Luckily, we have Bill and Ted to cheer us up. This week, Rolando and Nicole travel back in time to watch 1989's "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." What is it about these two himbos that resonated with pop-culture, spawning a sequel, a live action series and an animated series. Then more than 30 years later, a revival. Does the chemistry between Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves transcend time and space? Is "Bill and Ted Face the Music" worth the watch? Listen to find out.
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Be sure to follow us on social media for news, polls, and fun behind the scenes content.
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/remakesrebootsrevivals
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/remakesrebootsrevivals
And we always want to hear from you! Email us at remakesrebootsrevivals@gmail.com
Thursday Oct 01, 2020
Thursday Oct 01, 2020
This week, while two presidential candidates duked it out on stage, Rolando and Nicole focused on the fight that matters most: Johnny Lawrence versus Danny LaRusso. This episode, we're kicking things off with 1984's The Karate Kid, then jump-kick to The YouTube Red-turned-Netflix original, Cobra Kai. How does the film hold up more than 30 years later and what does its legacy mean when trying to recapture the spirit of Mr. Miyagi's teachings for a new generation? And more importantly, who are we supposed to be cheering for? Listen to find out.
Follow Us
Be sure to follow us on social media for news, polls, and fun behind the scenes content.
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/remakesrebootsrevivals
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/remakesrebootsrevivals
And we always want to hear from you! Email us at remakesrebootsrevivals@gmail.com
Wednesday Sep 23, 2020
Wednesday Sep 23, 2020
"Let's get down to business to discuss Mulan..."
After an unexpected hiatus, Rolando and Nicole are back and more critical than ever. This week, the two breakdown 1998's Mulan and Disney's latest live-action remake, Mulan. How does the new film, available on Disney+, compare to the original? And, was the original even that good to begin with?
Is the new Mulan worth the $30 price tag? Listen to find out.
Follow Us
Be sure to follow us on social media for news, polls, and fun behind the scenes content.
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/remakesrebootsrevivals
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/remakesrebootsrevivals
And we always want to hear from you! Email us at remakesrebootsrevivals@gmail.com
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Be sure to follow us on social media for news, polls, and fun behind the scenes content.