It doesn’t even need to be said, but Hollywood loves revitalizing an old property that already has a fan base in the hopes that it will guarantee a hit. But quite frankly, it’s a bit of a limp formula that stymies creativity and originality in favor of money. It is important to note though, that not all remakes come from such a dull and financially driven headspace. One great example is Werner Herzog‘s take on Abel Ferrara’s 1992 corruption classic “Bad Lieutenant.”
READ MORE: The Films Of Werner Herzog: A Retrospective
Ferrara’s “Bad Lieutenant” is a bonkers and bruising film about a drug-addled New York cop (played by a balls-to-the-wall Harvey Keitel) whose exploits devolve into some truly disturbing abuses of power, as he gambles away his money, hunts down the men who raped a nun, and partakes in a shitload of drug use. It’s an all out film that has its merits, but certainly isn’t for everyone. Then, in 2009, the great provocateur Werner Herzog joined the fray with “Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans,” complete with a manic and unnerving performance from Nicolas Cage. The film gives us a whole new cast of characters, trades New York for New Orleans, and mixes up some of the plot beats (we also get to see the moment that theoretically turned Cage’s Terence into a “bad lieutenant”). And, in classic Herzog fashion, ‘Port Of Call’ is a furiously lively picture, seeped in post-Katrina New Orleans, and populated by some truly devilish characters.
Herzog’s film claims not to be a sequel or a remake, but rather a re-imagining. So, to help toy out this fine line — the difference between remake, and re-imagining — is a video essay from Steven Santos. The 10-minute “A Tale Of Two Bad Lieutenants” pits the two films together in an effort to highlight both the similarities and the differences that can be found in a pair of movies that claim to be ostensibly the same thing but written and directed by, and starring different people.
Whether or not you’re a fan of either iteration, Santos’ video is a captivating way to think about remakes: maybe there is value in re-imagining a piece of art, re-thinking the implications, revitalizing the themes — so long as it’s not being done just for the money.
Check out the rather NSFW “A Tale Of Two Bad Lieutenants” and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments below.