We struggled with the title of this article simply because the topic is so broad. Letting you into our thought process while we attempt to write this may keep things condensed and focused. After a recently re-viewing of the brilliant Swedish vampire film “Let the Right One in” we can’t help but wonder what impact the remaking of foreign films has on a particular subject matter...

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More specifically, one that’s so wonderfully woven into what many consider one of the greatest vampire movies ever told. So without really taking on the entire culture of foreign remakes we will focus this article mainly on the title at hand, the upcoming American remake (Let Me In) that will hit theaters October 1st.

Make no mistake about it, we are not boycotting this film. It's quite the contrary believe it or not. We are actually anxiously anticipating it. We appreciated the subject matter so much we don’t mind seeing another interpretation. The biggest problem we have is that so many of us (the horror crowd) will not have had the opportunity to watch the original or read the novel. Ah yes, the source material. That is even one more element to this story that concerns us even more. We have gone from a brilliant, dark novel that weaved a story about a tale of vampiric action unlike anything that came before it. Then they took that brilliant work of art and created the Swedish movie of the same name. The problem with turning any novel into a film is you loose literally hours and hours of back story, side characters, detail and imagination that a film can’t compare to no matter how well acted or directed the it is. So begins the delusion. We’ve went from novel to film of the same origin to the remaking of the American version. At what point does the magic get lost?

Without giving too much away we can't help but discuss a potential 'watering down' of this new American remake. The book is extremely dark and many of its ventures and content may be deemed too extreme for the American general public. Ideas of pedophilia and sexual exploration of same sex youth do not always sit well with the western culture as a whole and are often tabooed from American cinema. Kids are often off limits in our movies when it comes to certain topics. Not many films will show a youth being graphically molested, murdered or involved with intense, adult natured themes (ok, we're not that stupid and it does happen occasionally in film but we are just pointing out that it's rare). We believe one obvious reason why this is frowned upon is because we as a society want to protect our child actors from being influenced by these ideas at such an early age. Yeah, we know it's only acting but some kids may lack the mental ability to always separate it from reality. Impressionable youth who are still learning about the world and developing can be easily influence even by these pretend situations that their acting profession calls them to explore. Look what's happened to child actors who don't even deal with these issues in their work. Lindsay Lohan anybody? Second, our society often holds children as the innocent who don't know any better. Not saying that kids are of equal or less value than animals but we often relate the same feelings to pets in movies.
Who doesn't have their heart strings tugged at when that loyal dog (or cat for you feline lovers) dies in their owners arms? This same feeling is generally applied to kids in film also. The fact they are ignorant of the world's dangers makes them more fragile. Where are we going with this? The Swedish film Let the Right One In does in fact dumb down some of the extreme sexual situations presented in the book however it still hints at them for those who are reader savvy. Yet our fear concerning this remake is exclusively based on the recent Let Me In trailers. We've concluded in speculation that these innuendos of the darker source material will be absent in the upcoming film (if you've read the book or seen the original film you know what we are talking about). Still, their absence would almost certainly change the meaning of the story and what made it so special, so unique would be lost on America audiences.

This is a topic that many will agree or disagree with and probably very strongly one way or another. Part of us thinks it’s great that a larger audience will get to see the original idea, remade or not. The ability to get more people to witness the brilliant story and get to know the characters has to be a good thing right? Or is it? It all depends if this Americanization captures the same sense of magic the original was able to create. If not it risks leaving a bad taste in the mouth of the public and in turn will hurt the original source material. Imagine John Carpenter’s Halloween being remade (not by Rob Zombie) and retold for say a foreign Chinese audience? Would it be a better film? Potentially we guess or would you liken it more to blasphemy? After all, how dare someone touch something as brilliant and precious as the 1978 classic Halloween that's so ingrained into our past the fans have taken partial ownership of it. Take your favorite horror movie or your favorite film from another genre. Remake it with different actors, different music, a different setting and change the name. Doesn’t sit to well does it?

Regardless, at the end of the day when concerning studios it’s about money and making as much of it as one can before one dies. Films will be remade. Art will be redone. Stories will be rehashed and legends will be retold. It’s part of our culture and our lives. Other countries are force fed our movies all the time with subtitles or bad dubbing. They’re not only use to it but many become obsessed with them as much as we are. We often feel entitled in this country and we would be the first to admit it, often thinking we’re at the center of the universe but we’re not and a great foreign film will help prove that to you.

Many great foreign films are made each year but it takes the few who are universally adored to get our attention. Should it stop there? Should we not take advantage of the brilliant film with all its originality? Often we don’t. That’s why it's inevitable that the film gets Americanized. Sometimes with great intent and a good outcome. Sometimes ruining the very magic the original created. Either way at the end of the day is it worth it? Is it worth taking the chance? Think real hard before you let the idea flee from your mind.

Source: HorrorBId