Last fall I posed this question to redblog readers: Are there any movies that should be remade? Many of you chimed in with suggestions and opinions, but I stood firm in my belief that all of my childhood favorites — especially The NeverEnding Story – were best left alone. Four months later, I was crushed by the news that Leonardo DiCaprio's production studio planned to work with Warner Brothers on an updated version of Bastian, Atreyu and Falkor's adventures.
Another '80s kiddie classic that I feared Hollywood might find ripe for revisiting was Disney's Flight of the Navigator. This one tells the story of twelve-year-old David, who gets knocked unconscious after a fall, and then wakes up to find that eight years have passed for everyone else (even though he hasn't aged). It turns out he'd been doing some space traveling in a super-advanced craft from the planet Phaelon, and thanks to "time dilation" (just roll with it) those years seemed like seconds to him.
Might a do-over of this film be cool? Sure. Wouldn't some good come out of exposing a new generation — who may otherwise never see the original — to its heartwarming lessons? Yes. But instead of watching a tricked-out, heavily CGI'd take on this sci-fi adventure, I still prefer my fond memories of young David flying around in a spaceship that resembles an inflated Jiffy Pop bag and trading barbs with the robot Max (voiced by Pee-wee Herman, five years before he took his creepiness to another level). Alas, today I was met with this report: "Navigator to Take Flight Again."
I know exactly why this is happening. It's because original ideas are hard to come by in Tinseltown — hence remakes, sequels, prequels and adaptations abound. Nothing is sacred anymore, so if you're favorite movie from days gone by hasn't been given an update yet, just wait. It will.
For now I'll take solace in the fact that no matter what Disney does with Flight of the Navigator: Not Your Momma's Spacecraft, they can never top the infamous Beach Boys singalong from the original.
Sigh.
Posted on May 26, 2009 at 2:45 pm
I agree Navigator shouldn’t be touched (much like Witch Mountain should have been left alone), But a new Neverending Story could be epic if given to a proper director.
Posted on May 26, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Yikes…not The NeverEnding Story =\
I remember being less than three years old and having an adult ask me if I wanted to watch it and being genuinely frightened that it would never end — that I wouldn’t be able to do anything with my life except watch this story that would never end.
Then I watched it and loved it and continued to watch it all the time.
Posted on May 26, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Let those who made “Narnia”, remake “The NeverEnding Story”
Posted on May 26, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Remaking “The Never Ending Story” is like remaking “The Wizard of Oz” (the original). It shouldn’t be done because it doesn’t get better than that.
Posted on May 26, 2009 at 7:06 pm
So long as they don’t try to remake “The Dark Crystal” I’m all set.
Posted on May 27, 2009 at 1:09 pm
I think remakes are too often a bad idea! I can’t think of a movie that was remade that i enjoyed more or even equal to the original. Let’s take Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I hated the remake! How can you think of anyone aside from Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka? I say, leave the originals alone! They were great the way they were, and they served their purpose in their time!
Posted on June 9, 2009 at 8:56 pm
They need to leave the originals alone. They should never had remade Narnia. I was highly upset when I saw parts of it. The remake of Willy Wonka would’ve gave me nightmares if I saw it as a child. They did a horrible job of if!!! Hopefully they don’t try to remake Bedknobs and Broomsticks.