When Remake Mania hits Literature

[roseembolism]

The classic science fiction novel Little Fuzzy has been rewritten and re-imagined by John Scalzi, as the novel Fuzzy Nation.

The original novel was a well written examination of how one could tell whether a species was sentient, a question  settled in the novel with of all things a trial, not a gunfight.  I confess I haven't read Scalzi's version; the original Little Fuzzy is within arm's reach of me, and there are free audio book and Project Gutenberg versions available,  . I see no real reason to read the remake.

But this is really focusing on a single example, and ignoring the major issue that the Hollywood trend of doing remakes and "updates" may have reached genre literature. With a surplus of hungry authors, and publishers looking for something that's both new and in a classic comfort zone, what could we see coming down the pike if this catches on? A remake of 2001 set in 2101? A new version of Lord of the Rings with attention paid to diversity? A social democratic version of the "Sword of Truth" series? A rewrite of "Thud and Blunder" that takes into account an actual knowledge of history?

The possibilities are staggering, if this goes on.

(Originally started as a reply at James Nicoll's LJ)

Comments

[palecur.livejournal.com]

There are already multiple treatments of Lord of the Rings -- Whatsername, Josephine Baker? -- the one that did the books about the bdsm psychic Mary Sue who saves the world with poontang -- did a very nice reversi look at it, from Sauron's viewpoint. Of course with the serial numbers filed off.

[racerxmachina.livejournal.com]

Jacqueline Carey wrote Godslayer, Banewreaker, and the sequel, Cuntruffle.

[seawasp]

You're making that last one up.

[racerxmachina.livejournal.com]

You're a sharp one, Mr. Wasp.

[seawasp]

Sung to the tune of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch!".

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

that was before she did that umm...what was it...that S&M version of the De Medicis or something?

[seawasp]

It's been going on for a long time. IIRC, Shakespeare's "Hamlet" was a remake of a recent play also titled Hamlet, Prince of Denmark or something similar. And remaking Shakespeare has been a cottage industry for literally centuries. Remaking or rewriting other classics is common -- see how many versions of Sherlock Holmes there are, or variations on Captain Nemo. More recent stuff is slowed because of copyright law.

If I had the jets AND the balls I might think about a modernized Lensman. But I have neither.

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, granted. Let's not forget works like Saberhagen's "Dracula tapes", and of course Lovecraft's stuff is sneaking into everything. Still, it just seems too soon for H. Beam Piper's stuff to be remade- it seems more in the time frame of Hollywood, not lit.

As for the modernized Lensman, the specter of "Japanimation Lensman" would be hanging over it. Better go for something a bit more obscure, like a remake of Farmer's "The Lovers", or Out of the Silent Planet or something.