In a lot of ways, the 1980s were the beginning of the film world we live in today. Many of the film franchises we love so much began back then, and let’s be real–without ’80s movies, we don’t have Stranger Things. So it’s no wonder that so many ’80s properties are being revived and reinvented some thirty plus years later. But recently a Twitter user named Travis Stevens posited the question, what if we paired five contemporary filmmakers with a classic ’80s film to remake/reimagine? The results have been fascinating.
Pair 5 contemporary directors with an 80s remake (in their own style, with whatever changes they see fit):
Ben Wheatley / THE THING
Andrea Arnold / CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
Ryan Coogler / RED DAWN
Lexi Alexander / THE KARATE KID
Julia Ducournau / WEIRD SCIENCE— TravisStevens (@TravisStevens) August 7, 2019
While some of these are head-scratchers, I have to admit I would be intrigued by a Ryan Coogler re-do of the Cold War actioner Red Dawn. The remake they did a few years ago was so forgettable I actually did forget about it for a second. But Coogler doing an in-period version would be dope. And if he brought in much of the cast of Black Panther and Creed? I’d be down.
Christopher McQuarrie/First Blood
Steve McQueen/Scarface
David Fincher/The Thing
James Wan/The Entity
Taika Waititi/Flash Gordon or Masters of the Universe or both— ??????? (@Nobodyprofile85) August 8, 2019
Not a single one of these is a bad idea on paper. The Entity is a nearly forgotten horror gem that James Wan could do wonders with. And Taika Waititi might be the only person who could make a Masters of the Universe movie work. Sign me up.
Pair 5 contemporary directors with an 80s remake (in their own style, with whatever changes they see fit):
Ari Aster / THE SHINNING
James Wan / NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
Guillermo del Toro / SWAMP THING
Christopher Nolan / THE TERMINATOR
Jordan Peele / DAY OF THE DEAD https://t.co/SF8VvwfPos— Nikko ? Crunchyroll Expo (@nikko_the_auror) August 8, 2019
A del Toro Swamp Thing film would be the stuff of dreams.
Pedro Almodovar/Polyester
Michael Haneke/Neighbors
Catherine Breillat/Little Darlings
Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani/The Last Temptation of Christ
Nicolas Winding Refn/Mommie Dearest— ??Fred Rigg Steighardt ?? (@TheRealFredRS) August 8, 2019
I would usually be morally opposed to anyone touching a John Waters film, but if anyone has earned the right to try it’s Pedro Almodovar. And a Nicolas Winding Refn re-do of Mommie Dearest is too bizarre and campy a notion for me to resist
Ari Aster/ The Shining
Boots Riley/ Dr Strangelove
Jordan Peele/ The Searchers
Patty Jenkins/ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Mike Flanagan/ Night of the Living Dead— Chad Foreman (@chadaforeman) August 8, 2019
In a perfect world, no one would remake Kubrick’s The Shining. But Ari Aster delivered the only two horror films in recent memory to have the same pervasive feeling of dread and deeply unsettling imagery that The Shining had with Hereditary and Midsommar. So yes, I’d be intrigued by this notion. Although, none of the other movies in this tweet are from the ’80s. Just sayin.’
Russo Brother’s Back to the Future
— Grad Transfer (@Badlands75) August 8, 2019
Wait, didn’t we just kind of get this one? Sort of?
Wes Anderson – The Goonies
Christopher Nolan – Blade Runner
Yorgos Lanthimos – Tootsie
Ryan Coogler – An American Warewolf in London
Greta Gerwig – Weird Science— Jordan (@JYork87) August 9, 2019
It’s very debatable whether the world needs The Goonies remade, but a Wes Anderson version at the very least needs to be a YouTube parody. And Christopher Nolan has been riffing on Blade Runner for so long, he might as well get the chance to remake it.
8 > 5!
Boyle / GANDHI
Duvernay / THE COLOR PURPLE
Fincher / THE ELEPHANT MAN
Linklater / FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH
Lonergan / HOOSIERS
K. Smith / BILL & TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
Safdie’s / STREET SMART
Russo’s / BACK TO THE FUTURE (starring Tom Holland as Marty McFly)— Reis (@Reischeddar23) August 8, 2019
An Ava DuVernay version of The Color Purple would be very intriguing indeed, and maybe one of the only times I’d endorse someone remaking Spielberg. But Richard Linklater kind of already remade Fast Times at Ridgemont High, he just called it Dazed and Confused.
Jeff Nichols / FIRESTARTER
James Wan / POLTERGEIST
Jordan Peele / THEY LIVE
Jennifer Kent / CUJO
Mike Flanagan/ THE CHANGELING— Curt Oglesbee (@ElGiganteDiablo) August 8, 2019
While I’d rather Jordan Peele create new horror, the idea of a version of They Live from his is a divine notion. Also Mike Flanagan proved he’s the right guy to tackle the classic ghost story of The Changeling after the brilliance of The Haunting of Hill House.
Matt Reeves – Batman
David Gordon Green – Halloween 2
Neil Blomkamp – Robocop
Jeff Nichols – Alien Nation
Akira – Taika Waititi— Mondo To The Max (@Koutchboom) August 8, 2019
Of course, there is always one smart Alec in the bunch.
Featured Image: Universal Pictures