Forgotten films - The Last Starfighter

Some time earlier this year, I heard (likely from the Unwanted Blog) that someone was pitching a remake of the movie The Last Starfighter. They posted a youtube video with some of the soundtrack from the original film mixed with the concept art for the remake.

I'm kinda torn on this. On the one hand, it is a relatively forgotten film that does have pretty dated effects, and I think younger audiences would enjoy the story and universe it presents.  On the other hand, I love that movie and I don't think it is that dated other than the effects. The more I think about it, the more I think I'd rather just have the original re-released with all-new effects as the rest of the movie holds up very well.  Also, you'll never be able to match Robert Preston's fantastic performance as a space-fairing, music man-type military recruiter. 

So many things these days are getting remakes that don't need it, but could to with expanding and exploring their cinematic world a bit. I highly disagree with anyone who says they are tired of, or don't want any more sequels. I mean, my favorite Star Trek move is number 6 in the series and it's absolutely amazing. I think people tend to conflate sequel fatigue with crappy writing, because so many things these days are poorly written to begin with and then the sequels are that much worse. For example, can you image how cool a Blade Runner sequel could have been if it had good writing? Yes, Blade Runner 2049 sucks ass, and you should feel bad for liking it. 

Blade Runner 2049 dipwads didn't even make the movie a noir, and ruined the point of the original (and far superior) story. Top photo taken from Razorfist.

On the other hand, there's a decent-sized list of moves that are hailed as classics that are remakes and sequels. I mean, some films that were remakes that are great are: John Carpenter's The Thing (1984), The Manchurian Candidate (2004), Scarface (1983), The Fly (1986), and True Grit (2010). I already touched on sequels, but anyone can tell you that they can be just as good if not better than the original, but regardless, it depends heavily on the quality of the writing. 

All that being said, the video of the concept art looks good and I would tell the guys behind it to perhaps focus on a sequel or spin-off that would be a period piece still set in the 80's. I think that would be unendingly cool. They certainly could get away with expanding that universe a lot more, and I would much rather see that than simply remaking the original.  

On a somewhat related note, the wife and I saw the relatively new movie Free Man recently and...well...it wasn't a bad move by far, but it certainly wasn't a great movie. I guess you can say it just committed the ultimate sin of being very...forgettable.