Quoting Lord Of The Sith:

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Quoting karlpov:

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I'm not denying that DVDs of 20th Century movies keep getting made, and if they're made, they are likely available by mail order. I'm bemoaning the loss for the casual buyer who is now not going to find real classics on the shelves, and is going to wind up like the son of a friend of mine who thinks that the remake of Ocean's 11 is the best movie he's ever seen.

Wait, they actually remake movies?  Say it isn't so!!! 

Here is the real kicker.  I have never seen any of the Oceans.  What is even funnier is I saw the Original Boure with Tom Selek if I remember right but never the remake.  I do not so much mind remakes as long as they are well done.  There are some I will not see as it would ruin the mystic of the original.  Lets face it, we are voracious for content which means Hollywood has no choice but to make remakes to keep up with our appetite.  If we were to demand quality and be willing to wait for it we would see fewer remakes and better films.  Just my opinion.

You can find all kinds of examples of remakes that aren't up to snuff compared to the original.  But, you can also find many that are better.  "3:10 to Yuma" is a Russell Crowe remake of the Glen Ford original, and many feel it is better than the original.  Another big reason for remakes is to bring a foreign film to a new audience.  The recent trend of remakes of Japanese horror movies for the American market is a good example.  "The Grudge" with Sarah Gellar is an example of one that was a big hit here, but would have been a bomb if the Japanese version played here instead.

As far as older movies not getting to the retail shelves, that shouldn't be any big surprise.  First, and foremost, is that most current movie goers aren't old enough to remember them unless they are film fanatics like us (and most people arent').  I just bought a couple of boxsets all dating from the late '40's and the '50's.  One is 5 of Tyrone Power's best (Blood and Sand, The Black Rose, Son of Fury, etc.) and the other is 3 of Fox's classic westerns (The Gunfighter, Garden of Evil, Rawhide).  Got them, along with "The Man with No Name Trilogy" on Amazon in a box set sale.  In today's economic climate, shelf real estate is at a premium, so I can understand why only newer titles are in the store on the shelf.  I prefer to buy online anyway, because I can usually find those old gems, and the newer stuff, at reduced prices (and usually with no shipping or sales tax!).

There isn't a Borders, Barnes & Noble or Best Buy in the town here.  I order most of the DVDs I want from Amazon because I can get them there cheaper most of the time.  I do pick some up at Walmart - especially from the $5 bins.  I have found some at Sam's Club as well.  It can even be hard for me to find newer titles I want around this area.

Quoting karlpov:

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And frankly I'm ashamed that American audiences are too lazy (or insufficiently literate) to read subtitles. English language remakes of foreign original are also most frequently inferior. I'm happy that more foreign films are now accessible by DVD.

Amen, brother (or sister), testify!!