As film fans, we’re inundated with constant news on remakes, reboots and re-imaginings of classic movies. In 2012 we’re expecting to be treated to remakes of The Crow, Escape From New York, Red Dawn, Short Circuit and Barbarella just to name a few, but the latest one that’s getting some decent coverage is the remake of National Lampoon’s Vacation.
The sequel is going to follow Clark’s son Rusty, grown up and with a family of his own, taking his kids to Wally World for one last ride before the park is closed for good. So, it’s the continuing story of Rusty Clark, but recreating the premise of the first movie? Is this a remake or a sequel ? Remakequal? We’re entering a strange new world here folks.
The film is lined up to be written by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the fellows behind last year’s summer hit Horrible Bosses. I didn’t love Horrible Plotlines, but I didn’t completely hate it, though I’m not really a fan of the modern Will Ferrell influenced Hangover style comedies. My one big question is how can you make a movie that’s a sequel and also a remake? I don’t have enough faith in these writers to expect them to be able to resist entering Hangover 2′s “Here we go again *wink at the camera, record scratch, cut to a dog turning his head quizzically sideways* territory.
Do you want to take another road trip with this guy?
Though my first instinct when hearing about this movie was probably like most people’s, to grumble to myself about “lack of creativity in Hollywood and brand recognition ruining film making”, I’m not actually completely turned off by this concept. I liked the original Vacation quite a bit, it’s a funny, charming and very memorable comedy from the 80s and sits up there with Airplane! and Caddyshack. It’s going to be impossible to capture that charm and feel of the original in 2012, so I don’t think they should try, this is where most remakes fail and makes the very practice of making them pointless most of the time. I’m trying to keep a positive attitude about this movie, and pray to the celluloid gods that they don’t screw it up.
Oh, and while I’m on the subject, please don’t remake Porkies. Pleeeeeease!
