# Movie concepts that only work once **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011 "2008-04-19T15:53:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/1 "2008-04-19T15:53:10Z")
Inspired by the thread about the remake of **The Wicker Man**. What movies can’t really be remade not because the first was perfect, but because the premise only works when it’s new and unfamiliar? In addition to Wicker Man, I nominate **The Stepford Wives** as a perfect example. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/2 "2008-04-19T15:56:15Z")
Memento Rebel Without A Cause I suspect the list could be made as long as you want if you include remakes and sequels that should never have been done, or even considered. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/3 "2008-04-19T15:57:07Z")
After 1974’s _The Hindenburg_ (surprisingly well done, IMO), I can’t see “Giant Rigid Airship Crashes” ever being a viable cinematic premise ever again. Especially seeing that it was the only such crash ever to involve both Nazis _and_ explosions. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/4 "2008-04-19T16:12:18Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] Rebel Without A Cause [/QUOTE] I disagree with this. Rebel Without A Cause was the template for every teen angst movie ever made. The plots may slightly change, but the only thing special about Rebel was that it was first and that James Dean was a pretty good actor. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/5 "2008-04-19T16:15:23Z")
[QUOTE=Justin\_Bailey] I disagree with this. Rebel Without A Cause was the template for every teen angst movie ever made. The plots may slightly change, but the only thing special about Rebel was that it was first and that James Dean was a pretty good actor. [/QUOTE] Since I tend to agree with the “template” aspect of your comment, I’ll remove it from consideration. There was a lot more than teen angst going on it it, but it did have its not-very-well-disguised imitations. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/6 "2008-04-19T16:29:43Z")
I think that much of M. Night Shymalan’s oeuvre would qualify. What, for example, would be the point of doing a remake of _The Sixth Sense_ or _Signs_? I not a huge fan of his films, but i definitely think that they’re one-time only storylines. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/7 "2008-04-19T17:08:21Z")
Solyent Green ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/8 "2008-04-19T17:33:19Z")
**The Blair Witch Project**. I think part of why it worked so well was that many people thought it was a true story. (The coworker I saw it with did.) ‘Recovered footage’ has been used as a concept before, but I don’t think it got the mileage that _Blair Witch_ did. After that film, I don’t think people would buy it in another. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/9 "2008-04-19T17:34:47Z")
The Sixth Sense. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/10 "2008-04-19T18:20:48Z")
Gus Van Sant made a shot-for-shot remake of Hitchcock’s _Psycho_, but nearly everyone in the audience knew the “surprises,” and the remake wasn’t very gripping. And Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates? C’mon. Maybe on SNL that would’ve been a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/11 "2008-04-19T18:30:46Z")
[QUOTE=Lumpy] … I nominate **The Stepford Wives** as a perfect example. [/QUOTE] I know this movie got trashed a lot, but I actually enjoyed it as a comedy, better than the horror flick that inspired it. I nominate _The Crying Game_. The “secret” is out. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/12 "2008-04-19T18:34:35Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] **The Blair Witch Project**. I think part of why it worked so well was that many people thought it was a true story. (The coworker I saw it with did.) ‘Recovered footage’ has been used as a concept before, but I don’t think it got the mileage that _Blair Witch_ did. After that film, I don’t think people would buy it in another. [/QUOTE] Did _Cloverfield_ even come close to making the kind of gross that _Blair Witch_ did? ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/13 "2008-04-19T18:34:43Z")
I nominate _The Crying Game_ – not simply because of the bait-and-switch of the sexual aspect (been there, done that, time and again) but because of fthe way Fergus was introduced to Dil (before he met her, and under extreme circumstances) and emotionallly committed to her due to other aspects of his history and personality. ETA: **Boyo Jim** , how did you do that!? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/14 "2008-04-19T18:39:47Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Did _Cloverfield_ even come close to making the kind of gross that _Blair Witch_ did? [/QUOTE] Never saw _Cloverfield_. When I think of Clover Field I think of the former name of Santa Monica Airport. > [@Boyo Jim](#): > > I nominate _The Crying Game_. The “secret” is out. I procrastinated seeing it. Then one day I was driving home from work, listening to KROQ, and they spoiled the ending. Never saw any point in seeing it after that, so I didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/15 "2008-04-19T18:55:09Z")
[QUOTE=5-4-Fighting] I nominate _The Crying Game_ – not simply because of the bait-and-switch of the sexual aspect (been there, done that, time and again) but because of fthe way Fergus was introduced to Dil (before he met her, and under extreme circumstances) and emotionallly committed to her due to other aspects of his history and personality. ETA: **Boyo Jim** , how did you do that!? [/QUOTE] How did I do what? ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/16 "2008-04-19T19:38:54Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] How did I do what? [/QUOTE] It was just a smiple question, a time-honored way at the Dope to highlight that you had managed to post the exact choice I did, at around the same time I was in the process of posting, not really meant to be answered. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/17 "2008-04-19T19:40:12Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] I procrastinated seeing it. Then one day I was driving home from work, listening to KROQ, and they spoiled the ending. Never saw any point in seeing it after that, so I didn’t. [/QUOTE] Actually, the famous twist in _The Crying Game_ occurs in the first half of the film. Knowing the “surprise” ahead of time makes surprisingly little difference in appreciating the rest of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/18 "2008-04-19T20:28:32Z")
[QUOTE=Lisa-go-Blind] Actually, the famous twist in _The Crying Game_ occurs in the first half of the film. Knowing the “surprise” ahead of time makes surprisingly little difference in appreciating the rest of the movie. [/QUOTE] Agree- it always surprises me when people view the big (actually shriveled) surprise as a key plot point that ruins the movie- its a shocker to be sure, but it comes in the first half of the film and is just one aspect of the secondary plot of the film, nothing at all to do with the main plot. It doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of the movie if you know the surprise beforehand, not one bit. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/19 "2008-04-19T20:58:05Z")
_The Usual Suspects_. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011/20 "2008-04-19T21:02:01Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] Agree- it always surprises me when people view the big (actually shriveled) surprise as a key plot point that ruins the movie- its a shocker to be sure, but it comes in the first half of the film and is just one aspect of the secondary plot of the film, nothing at all to do with the main plot. It doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of the movie if you know the surprise beforehand, not one bit. [/QUOTE] Right – it resonates thematically with the rest of the movie, but isn’t really important to the plot. If Dil had had a vagina, the rest of the story would have still worked. > [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > The Blair Witch Project. > > I think part of why it worked so well was that many people thought it was a true story. Those people are called “idiots”. Of course, that might be a considerable percentage of the moviegoing public. I’m totally drawing a blank on the example I was going to present. My mind is an endless white void. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-concepts-that-only-work-once/446011.md?page=2)