Movie lovers love to see familiar stories and characters in new scenarios and sometimes played my new and trending actors. Producers on the other hand love to cash in on stories and franchises that have already been a success, hence the reception gotten by classic movies being remade.
The village headmaster
In January, NTA and Wale Adenuga productions got Nigerians excited when they announced their partnership in bringing back to the viewers, one of the most iconic and longest-running drama series, The Village headmaster. This was 33 years after the series was stopped in 1988. The series was first aired in 1968.
This news was received with joy by both older Nigerians who saw the soap opera in those days and the new generation that only heard of the soap’s fame. The remake of the drama series is set to hit the TV I April 2021.
The Village Headmaster is not the only Nigerian classic that is being remade. Here are some other movies that have captured the attention of Nigerians once again.
Living In Bondage (Breaking Free)
This was a remake of the old movie originally produced in 1992. Living in bondage one of classic the movies that projected the Nigerian movie industry. The sequel was released In 2019 and directed by Ramsey Nouah. It was the 11th highest grossing movie from Nollywood. The movie was set 25 years after the first installment. The movie got a lot of positive reviews from both critics and the Nigerian audience.
Rattle Snake
Rattle snake is an old classic that thrilled the Nigerian audience in the 90s. It was released in 1995. This is another classic remake directed by Ramsey Nouah.. The movie featured some of the stars that were present in the classic and a few new faces. The Rattlesnake remake was released in Nigeria on the 13th of November 2020. The movie did not pull in revenue as much as Living in bondage which was released earlier. The movie had mixed reaction from both the audience and the critics even though it was seen as one of the best movies of 2020.
Glamor Girls
Although not out yet, Glamour girls is yet another classic to be remade. Legendary Movie producer Charles Okpaleke, the filmmaker, and producer of the Living in Bondage and Rattle Snake mentioned above is also the producer in charge of this project, you already know what to expect. .
The glamour girls was first released in 1994 and it had two parts. It starred some of the best stars in Nollywood at the time like Eucharia Anuobi, Zack Orji, Ngozi Ezeonu, Liz Benson, Pat Attah, and Ernest Obi. The movie was about single and independent women in Nigeria who were trying to forge their way in the Nigerian society that was patriarchal. The movie was a blockbuster when released in 1994 and hopes are that the remake would be thrilling as well.
Nneka The Pretty Serpent
Yet another classic remade is the movie Nneka the pretty serpent. The 1992 version which was directed by Zeb Ejiro starred Nollywood legends like Kanayo O. kanayo, Sam Loco Efe,, Okechukwu Ogunjiofor, Ndidi Obi, Ngozi Ezeonu and a host of others. The remake, Directed by Zeb Ejiro and Tosin Igho, hit the screens on the 18th of December 2020 and was a success.
Osuofia in Miami
After Living In Bondage: Breaking Free, this is perhaps the remake that has a lot of hype and buzz in the media. As Nigerians know, when Nkem Owoh hits the screen, unadulterated comedy and laughter is guaranteed. Osuofia in London was produced in 2003 after the producers of the Ukwa series saw how successful Nkem’s movies were. This is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated Nigerian movie in 2021.
Are There Benefits To Remaking Classic Movies?
There are few benefits that encourage filmmakers to redo a classic movies that were a major success. One is the fact that movie remakes sometimes guarantees success of the movie. This is because the characters are already well-known and loved by the audience. Perhaps the only work a remake needs to do is to tell a compelling story that doesn’t fall below the standards the original movie already met.
Many people love familiar characters and would always want to see them on the screen. It is a classic case of the devil you know being better than the angel you don’t know. Movie makers exploit this to their advantage and do remakes, an easy way to rake in cash.
Another important benefit of remaking classics is that it gives the younger generation a feel of brilliant work of art that they were not opportune to see before. Many youths below 28 did not see Nneka the snake girl, Living in bondage and the likes. They were either not born then or were too young to even pay attention.
Remakes also offer exposure to a larger audience via streaming and download, hence for revenue. A lot more people watched Ramsey Nouah’s living in bondage compared to the original. And not to mention the fact that it was also available for foreign audiences.
Fanfare and adaptation are another reason why movies are remade. Often times, filmmakers, writers, and producers that remake films are first of all fans of the said movie. So, recreating them is almost like paying their homage to the original film.
Remakes are usually cost effective for producers, especially ones working with a really tight budget. First of all, you would not need writers to start digging for fresh ideas. The old versions and maybe few additions are all that they need.
Humans are naturally nostalgic, movie makers have capitalized on this by doing remakes of classics. From the Village Headmaster and Living in bondage to Osuofia in Miami, Rattlesnake, Glamor girls and Nneka the pretty serpent, movie makers know they will have the audience’s attention. But, it’s actually a two edged sword. It is either made the bring the joy of seeing the original back or an epic fail falling below the standards set by the original.
