Are Americans a mindless film nation because of all these remakes?

So, you read the question correctly: are Americans a mindless cinematic nation because they constantly churn out remakes of brilliant Asian and European horror—and non-horror—films?

The spark for this thread came while I was leaving a comment on a discussion about what I consider a top-tier Spanish horror film, REC. To save myself from typing everything twice, I’ll just pull my previous thoughts over here:

First and foremost, the original Spanish REC is a fantastic horror movie; the American version is absolute shit. It's the same story with the American remake of circle, or how the American version of the Thai Shutter is total trash. It seems like they just HAVE to take incredible non-American horror films and fuck them up...

Personally, it doesn't bother me directly since I simply choose to pretend their remakes don't exist. But it is pathetic—nothing original can seem to come out of the USA anymore, so naturally, everything has to be reworked and SHIT.

Forgive my bluntness if this offends some people, but I truly cannot wrap my head around why this "nation" makes these moves. What is the actual issue with watching the original Spanish REC or the Japanese circle in American theaters? Are people too slow to read subtitles, or are they incapable of watching something that doesn't have that specific American "flavor"?

I suppose they feel the need to inject a heavy dose of American stupidity into these remakes just so the average American citizen can actually grasp what's happening.

To expand on this—it isn't limited to horror, though horror is what IRRITATES me the most. Honestly, I could grab a canister of gasoline, gather every American remake of Eurasian horror ever made, set them all ablaze, and sit there watching them burn with a cigarette in hand.

For instance, looking at American adaptations of non-horror films, I think of the Spanish film "Open Your Eyes," which was obviously presented in the States as the American version: "Vanilla colored sky." Interestingly, in both cases, Penélope Cruz plays the lead.

So, to close this thought, I’ll restate the question I posed earlier: What is the problem with watching the original Spanish REC or the Japanese circle in American cinemas? Are they too brain-dead to handle subtitles, or are they just unable to process anything that lacks that typical American "vibe"?

Regards, ☕

wiredraven82 said:Yeah, you read the question right. Are Americans just a clueless movie nation because they keep remaking great Asian and European horror hits—and even non-horrors?

I got this idea after leaving a comment on a thread about the Spanish horror flick REC, which I think is amazing. I'll just paste my original comment here so I don't have to type it all out again:

First off, the original Spanish REC is a top-tier horror movie. The American version is total shit. Same goes for the American version of The Ring, or the American version of the Thai film Shutter. All their other shit where they clearly HAVE to mess with incredible non-American horror movies...

Personally, it doesn't bother me since I just pretend their remakes don't exist. But it’s pathetic. Nothing original can come out of the US anymore, so they just have to remake everything and shit it up.

Sorry if some people take offense, but I really don't get this "nation" when it comes to moves like this. What's the issue with watching the original Spanish REC or the Japanese The Ring in American theaters? Are people too slow to read subtitles, or can they just not handle anything that doesn't have that specific American "vibe"?

I guess they have to inject a dose of American stupidity into these remakes just so the average citizen can understand them.

To go further, this isn't just limited to horror, though horror is what irritates me the most. Honestly, I could grab a can of gasoline, gather every American remake of an Eurasian horror film, set them all on fire, and watch them burn while having a cigarette.

For example, regarding American versions of non-horror films, I think of the Spanish film Open Your Eyes, which was released in the US as the American version: Vanilla Colored Sky. Interestingly, both feature Penélope Cruz.

So, I'll end by asking the same question again: What's the problem with watching the original Spanish REC or the Japanese The Ring in American theaters? Are people too slow to read subtitles, or can they just not handle anything that doesn't have that American "vibe"?

Best regards ☕

Two Word: Scorsese, Departed
Nuf said.

Also: Let Me In, The Girl with... They are all good movies, sometimes even better than the originals.

Honestly, I’m not sure how much of this applies to remakes of foreign films versus remakes in general. A lot of the ones being made lately are just straight-up bad... 🤷

Honestly, I think the American circle beats the Japanese one any day of the week... it’s faster, more dynamic, and just way more exciting. Go ahead and spit on me all you want 😁 ...what's got you so worked up? :P

Remakes have been around since the dawn of cinema. When it comes to foreign language films, almost nobody in the States sits down to watch them in theaters. It’s a simple matter of logistics—you just can't secure enough screens for a wide release—but more importantly, Americans simply aren't in the habit of sitting through subtitles. For us, it feels like some exotic novelty. That’s why they just shoot a remake instead.

Why on earth would Americans bother watching a movie that isn't in English? Honestly, they just don't care. It's the same way they couldn't care less about where some random place in Canada or Mexico is located... What purpose does something like that serve for the average American? They simply have no use for it in their lives.

#71 (I might as well dump this here too)

I can’t wrap my head around dubbed movies, so I get why some people struggle with subtitles. As for remakes, it isn't an issue of intelligence—it's just about the money.

John Peterson3 said:When it comes to remakes, it’s not about being smart, it’s just about having the cash.

This.
If you've got the bankroll, you can do whatever you want.

Jerry Martinez50 said:Why on earth would Americans bother watching a movie that isn't in English? They just don't care, honestly—it’s the same way they couldn't care less about where places like Canada, Mexico, or America are located... What kind of purpose does something like that serve for the average American? They simply have no use for it in their lives.

Considering the average American viewer can barely manage to read, asking them to process subtitles feels like an exhausting mental workout...

Furthermore, most European films that aren't just cheap copies of trashy Hollywood blockbusters actually require a bit of intellect and some actual thought. I can only imagine the typical American trying to wrap their head around something like The Seventh Seal or 20th Century...

I think you might be a bit too optimistic about this. They’re basically just remaking these stories because there's easy money to be made. It seems like one of those shortcut ways to put together a film project for school over there—just buying a finished story and turning it into a movie.

casualraven said:This.
Anything is possible if you go for it.

The little things just 😁 happen

You're spot on, queen.

Drew Wright5 said:Honestly, I find the American circle much more appealing than the Asian one... it feels faster, more dynamic, and just way more exciting... so feel free to tear me apart if you want 😁 .....what's gotten into you? :P

I also think the American side is superior. Besides, they have pretty similar ratings on IMDb, so it’s not like they're bad at all. That Asian circle is honestly just overhyped garbage. In my opinion, most Asian horror films are massively overrated. Since the OP is being subjective and seems to think Americans are the only ones making bad movies, I suppose I can allow myself to trash Asian films and the repetitive nonsense from their newer directors. I will always go back to their older classics rather than this recent "God forbid" stuff 🙄

Do all Americans just rush to watch European or Asian cinema? It’s incredibly naive to assume that there are 300 million idiots living in the States while the rest of the world is somehow brimming with geniuses. Fools exist everywhere; it's pretty much a universal constant.

The American film industry seems to have nothing left but the ability to churn out remakes and milk them for profit. Sure, it kills off any sense of imagination, reinforces the stale status quo in Hollywood, and—let's be honest—they’re almost always worse than the originals. Yet, despite all that, this year and last, American cinema actually managed to produce gems like *The Cabin in the Woods*, *Moonrise Kingdom*, and *Take Shelter*. The thing is, the local cinephiles who usually pride themselves on hunting down exotic foreign films didn't even notice them. I suppose it’s because they're American productions; people are too busy convinced that Americans only ever make remakes to realize they've actually been handed something worth watching. 🙄

Jerry Martinez50 said:Why on earth would Americans watch a movie that isn't in English? They just don't care—it’s the same way they couldn't care less about where some place like Canada, Mexico, or the US is located... What use is that kind of thing to the average American? It simply has no place in their lives.

Oh, really? In that case, let's have us Americans make an American version of The Exorcist since we "can't be bothered" watching the original, or let some Romanian make a Romanian Exorcist, or the French a French one, or the Thais a Thai one... I mean, how far does this go? 🤷 Art is art, and it deserves respect rather than being turned into cheap remakes.

The guy in the post above yours told me he could spit on my opinion because he prefers the American version of Circle over the Japanese one—well, fine, I respect his choice, but for me, that's out of the question... when I want to see Circle, I want to hear the Japanese language; I want to experience the Japanese culture, the people, the cities, and everything that birtically gave birth to that film. The fact that some random redneck from Alabama hasn't the slightest clue where Japan is doesn't change anything for me.🙂

And yes, I am a bit worked up here, because to me, this is an insult to original art. Why don't they just make an American David? Why should we only ever look at the David by Michelangelo? Surely some American could whip up a David too, right?

Where did the craving for authenticity vanish to? Oh, right... perhaps because America itself lacks authenticity—maybe that's why it exists as this artificial facade of capitalism that cares little for soul, creativity, or the depth of someone else's work. If you prefer watching an American version of Circle featuring mindless American teenagers—basically movies that say, "Hey, let's all get lost in the woods and walk aimlessly so we can all be easily slaughtered"—then by all means, enjoy yourselves.

I'm not saying Hollywood and the US haven't produced great horror films—they certainly have—but that feels like a relic of the past. "Soul" and "authenticity" in this country are about as relevant as a strict uncle refusing to hire his nephew.

It's quite simple: they STEAL. That's the word. They steal from other countries and other people's ideas just to serve up an "Americanized" version of it to mediocre consumers across the states—people who probably think Spain is part of Latin America or that American versions of Circle are the definitive way to watch it.

brightheron64 said:Since your average American viewer can barely grasp basic reading comprehension, this probably feels like a massive mental workout for them.

Furthermore—and let’s be honest here—most films coming out of Europe that aren't just carbon copies of trashy Hollywood blockbusters actually require a modicum of intellect and critical thought. I can only imagine the struggle of a typical American trying to wrap their head around something like The Seventh Seal or 20th Century Fox classics.

Bravo... you basically just copied me word for word.

Oh, please. Americans are just inherently malicious, a truly foolish people. I suppose I was far too bold for ever suggesting anything positive about them.

Let’s just completely disregard all those magnificent films they’ve produced—films that absolutely outclass any other cinema out there. Let's just forget about all those incredible classic horror movies that make every single overrated Asian horror flick look amateur by comparison. And while we're on the subject... I've done the math, and even when looking strictly at the last decade, I'd argue the US has turned out more quality horror than Europe or Asia combined, which might suggest they're actually better at modern stuff, not to mention the classics.

Oh, they're evil. Ugh, I just can't stand them.🙂

I have to be blunt: stop talking nonsense.

If you actually followed what goes on in Hollywood, you’d realize that the endless stream of remakes, franchises, and other garbage we're bombarded with actually funds the more meaningful American films—the ones that, let's be honest, wouldn't even exist without these "blockbusters." I once told George Clooney in an interview: "Don't trash remakes and sequels; that revenue is what pays for Good Night, and Good Luck."

And it isn't just about the money. It's about the people. These massive productions serve as training grounds for industry professionals. And I'm not talking about the directors, actors, writers, or even the editors. I mean all those "unimportant" crew members whose names you only see scrolling through the credits at the end.

The film INDUSTRY.