How the movies we enjoyed as children are being redone for the new generation
It’s easy to remember our middle school Saturday mornings, waking up early, jumping out of bed, running straight to the living room and turning on the TV to watch cartoons. We used to watch our Disney classics on VHS, and these classics defined our childhood. Yet fast forward 10 years later, we are seeing an upgraded reintroduction of the cartoons we grew up with.
Premiering in theaters this year, “Pokemon: Detective Pikachu,” “Sonic the Hedgehog” and Disney’s “Aladdin” reintroduce classic cartoons in a new way. When we first watched these films, they used 2D graphics. Now they are being transformed into films that use 3D animation, new CGI techniques and are live-action. While these changes reflect the today’s technological advances, the films face backlash from those who don’t want the classic image of their iconic characters to be changed at all.
It’s hard for fans to adjust to the changes since they grew up with the classic graphics. Anything that doesn’t resemble the original cartoon they were introduced to is sacrilegious. This adds an immense pressure on animators to make sure they capture the essence of the original character in the new version.
With the iconic 90s video game characters such as Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog, graphic designers have the difficult task of balancing the original 2D image with transforming them into real life textured characters. While the new “Pokemon: Detective Pikachu” film has gained positive ratings from both the original fan base as well as the new generation of fans, the Sonic film’s trailer has not received the same positive reaction.
The animators for Sonic were unable to balance the 2D graphics with the new CGI innovations they tried to integrate. By drawing Sonic’s body disproportionately, with the legs being too long compared to his head and giving him human teeth, fans are upset. Given the immense backlash to Sonic’s new image, the creators promised they will attempt to correct the mistake before the film is released.
The live-action films being made by Disney are also facing controversy. Die-hard fans of Aladdin were initially angered with the first trailer because the Genie was too blue. The anger didn’t go away with the overcorrection of not making Will Smith blue at all. Fans were also mad at the lack of energy in the scenes seen so far.
Some students’ opinions reflect their thoughts on how remakes are not really capturing the same classic films.
Jennifer Peña, a second-year psychology and Spanish double major, isn’t thrilled with the reinterpretations.
“Classics are good movies but don’t do a good job [at] capturing the essential element that made the movies iconic in the first place,” Peña said. “While its a good idea that they want to expose this generation with what we grew up but it doesn’t capture all of it and the audience will be disappointed if that element is not there.”
Whereas Courtney Gobrera, a first-year transfer and managerial economics major, believes that the remakes are okay, as long as children have seen the originals.
“The industry wanted to remake the movies so that every generation can know about the movies but the originals are what the youth should know,” Gobrera said. “They should be exposed to the originals first instead, for the remakes lose that quality with the use of technology.”
There will always be mixed feelings on what fans are expecting, and there will always be hesitation about any renovations done to the classic characters our generation grew up idolizing.
With my younger sister, the generation gap becomes obvious. It is interesting to watch young people, who have never seen the originals, become fans of the new movies and cartoons, while we find it difficult to adjust to the changes. While we are filled with nostalgia and sometimes anger at our fond memories being upgraded, they are filled with fascination.
Written By: Gabriela Hernandez –– arts@theaggie.org
