Original movie plots are becoming fewer and fewer as the years go by. At one time, a new movie would draw in massive crowds, especially if that film in question was an extension of a favorite book or television show. As favorite films have begun to spawn sequels year after year, though, the original film has become as elusive as a genuine UFO sighting.
Sequels are not the issue. Neither is the act of rebooting a film multiple times. Hollywood is run primarily by what people want to see, and people often want to see more of the same. They want the stories they love to expand and grow to include every facet possible. Unfortunately, this has an adverse effect upon originality as the known and favored films have taken over the movie industry. People want to see what is comfortable rather than enjoy a new, more challenging plot.
There are several movies that have fallen prey to the lure of sequels, some which became worldwide phenomena in their own right and others that gained more of a cult following. Titles such as "Star Wars," "Harry Potter," "The Fast and The Furious" and even "Jurassic Park" have spawned multiple sequels. In some cases the sequels have enhanced the original film and its ideals, but they have yet to churn out a completely original plot. The characters remain the same, the plot lines remain locked in the same direction and the feel of the story remains intact. In some cases, this has led to the stagnation of the story, which is a very negative development for any film.
New, original ideas challenge viewers and filmmakers alike, creating innovative and difficult situations that are hard to think through and even harder to create. Even recent movies such as "The Shallows," "Demolition" and "Central Intelligence" have produced original ideas in a time when originality is less likely to get much attention. While it is fair to state that such films still follow a standard formula for their own genre, they are still making the attempt at showing a different set of circumstances. Each film makes its own case for originality with the need to break ranks from the known formula to entertain viewers that have become disillusioned by a continuous line of unending sequels.
To date, the only true originality to be found any longer is in short films that often times offer conflicting views concerning film and how a story is told. Given less time to tell a story and more room for creative license, short films are quickly becoming the last bastion of originality within the industry, and might very well be called upon to show Hollywood the way back. Without a fresh voice and new ideas, the film industry is likely to become as obsolete as the movie stores that once peddled their finished products, though it is not likely to happen any time soon.
There is no real argument over the lack of originality in Hollywood. Finding the way back to such a practice might take time, but as long as there is a way there is always hope for a new and exciting story, not just another sequel.
Article sources
Andrew, Allen S. "Has Hollywood Lost its Way?" Disqus. 5 Jan. 2012. Web. 12 July 2016.