By now pretty much everyone should know that directors and producers aren’t immune to getting a little up in arms about movies and stories that they don’t like. The downside of this unfortunately is the response that eventually comes from some folks when they try to one-up those movies that they don’t like by making their own movie that’s similar but different enough to avoid a lawsuit. What tends to happen is that if the movie is good enough then people might actually start to forget about the movie that came before and focus on the movie that’s in front of them and is essentially calling out the movie it’s responding to by stating that its premise is so much better. This definitely feels like a childish and arrogant way to make a movie and a lot of times it also might feel that it’s not entirely necessary since making a movie should be something that a person does because they have a story to tell, not because they’re trying to outdo anyone. Every story, no matter how good or bad, has enough relevance to it that should be the driving force. Simply trying to outdo someone is a personal matter, but in storytelling, it kind of feels pointless.
Here are a few movies that were made in response to other movies.
5. Rio Bravo
This movie was made in response to High Noon, a movie in which a sheriff tries to rally a group of individuals to help him against a gang of outlaws. It figures the Harry Hawk, who made this movie, would cast John Wayne and be confident enough to have the sheriff, played by Wayne, attempt to take on the outlaws in the movie on his own with minimal help. The idea of a ‘man’ not needing help is still a popular idea since it gives that manly sense of pride in one’s own proficiency, but it’s also kind of a foolish and fantastical practice that’s not entirely practical since in real life it’s not bound to work that well.
4. Solaris
Andrei Tarkovsky didn’t really mince words when he spoke of how much he disliked Stanley Kubrick’s movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. But while he came up with his own story that focused more on humanity and less on the technical aspects, his disdain for science fiction did give way to science fantasy since apparently the hypocrisy of his words didn’t mean much. But people did enjoy both movies as it’s been stated so it’s easy to think that Andrei’s attempt was successful in a way, but it certainly didn’t erase any mention or memory of the movie he’d professed to dislike with such intensity.
3. Raging Bull
This story was one of the many that came in direct response to Rocky and it kind of inspired the idea of Grudge Match later on since Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro came together in the latter movie to rumble. But the funny thing about this movie is that the producer kind of held Rocky II hostage by stating that this movie had to be made first if another Rocky movie was going to be made. It definitely sticks out as another juvenile moment in cinematic history but obviously, both movies were made and things moved forward, so oh well. It’s just more proof that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
2. Justice League
Something had to be done to get people’s minds off of the mess that became Batman vs. Superman, even though plenty of DC fans were bound to be a little more forgiving at some point. But rushing the Justice League was a big mistake since it ended up making money, but it also ended up being one of the most laughed at comic book movies ever made in the current era. There was just so much about this movie that could have been better that a lot of fans have been looking forward to the Snyder Cut with a passion that’s only going to gain intensity in the days to come since it’s on its way, eventually.
1. X-Men: Days of Future Past
The only thing to do really when it comes to making a horrible third movie is to retcon the hell out of it and make sure that the timeline is mucked up so badly that things that happened in the third movie don’t have any chance to occur in the future moving forward. But once that retcon hits everything has to change in such a big way that one has to wonder if it’s even worth the effort at one point or if it’s just time to scrap it all and try again with another cast. It’s true, finding better actors for a couple of characters is bound to be tough, but at this point, there’s not a lot else that can be done.
There’s necessity and there’s narcissism when it comes to making movies.
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