Jun 11, 2010
Old Movies New in Theaters Today
When I went to go see Die Hard 4 in 2007, there were two young boys, maybe 16 or 17, in the theater as well. One of them turned to his friend and said, “So what’s this movie about, anyway?” And the other one said, “I don’t know, I’ve never heard of it, I think it’s an action movie.”
Well, obviously this makes me feel really old, since I grew up watching the first three Die Hard films with my dad. In fact, when I’m stressed out, I’m likely to devote entire weekends to Die Hard and Lethal Weapon marathons to mellow me out. (Is that weird?) Who do these kids think they are? How can they just come to the theater without any idea of the legacy in which they are about to partake?
Anyway, the point is, today, two new films are opening in theaters that both, much like Die Hard, are attempting to draw new generations to a property that’s been around for years. I’m talking about The Karate Kid and The A-Team.
Both remakes look pretty awesome, and both have inspired me to add the originals to my Netflix list for a trip down memory lane.
Movies aren’t the only things that get re-vamped for younger audiences. Classic properties abound in licensing, from Charlie Brown to Ninja Turtles to Strawberry Shortcake. What do you think about bringing old properties to new audiences? What makes it work for some and not for others? How powerful is nostalgia when it comes to what we purchase? Do these younger fans even know that the properties they love are remakes or spin-offs?
Deep licensing thoughts for a Friday afternoon.
–Jennifer Sinclair
Check out trailers for The Karate Kid and The A-Team here:
