Remakers Mark 20, Part 2 {Inception}: Restoring the Wonder

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In part two of our first ‘Bizarro Remakers Mark’, we take a modern movie (2010’s Inception) and talk about how it would be remade in the olden eras of:

Mark: 1920’s
Lee: 1950’s
Andy: Early 1970’s
Jer: 1979-82
Kyle: 1990-93

We first reveal who the big winners from our recasting selections in part one (hint: everyone’s a winner!). Then we move on to a discussion of three topics around how Inception would be remade in all of the various eras: special effects, ‘dream within a dream’, and overall plot complexity. Along the way we talk about risks in filmmaking in previous eras versus now, how blockbusters and ‘wonder’ have changed in the ~35 years since they have taken over the movie industry, and give some era-specific examples of movies with similar styles and plot devices as Inception.

Update: Mark Joesting, who wasn’t able to make the recording of this episode, provided the following (excellent) summary of his take on Inception in the 1920’s. Enjoy!

Sadly, I wasn’t able to participate in this one, but I will make a case for my 1920’s silent version of Inception, right here.
The 1920’s was actually kind of a golden age of sci-fi and fantasy films. The films of the time demonstrated very creative use of simple tricks of film and sets, and I think that Inception would fit right in.
Metropolis showed us that sets can be enormous and mechanized, and The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari demonstrated effective use of purposefully distorted perspective in the set painting, and both of these techniques intrigue me, for Inception’s city-distorting dream scenes. Nosferatu also proved that the filmmaker can seamlessly transition between transparent and opaque imagery, and this would also be a handy trick, especially in creating dream equipment, and Eames’ disguise, as Browning.
The coup, for this movie (p)remake, is in the treatment of layered dreams. There is a trick used, in The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari, where the black & white film is tinted, to become black & yellow, or black & blue, and this is exactly what I would do for Inception, as well. Dr Caligari used it to differentiate day from night, but I would use it to differentiate dream layers.
The 1920’s version would mostly be different in the dialogue; with intertitles taking the place of audible speech, the dialogue would have to be much more concise. The music, which is pretty much continuous in silent films, would also go a long way in setting the tone.
Inception is a film with a fairly strange premise, but I don’t think that it’s a problem for this 1920’s version. Complexity in storytelling, and weirdness in theme are actually pretty standard for this era of filmmaking, though, and I would hope to preserve the confusing, challenging nature of this film.
So, that’s my (p)remake of Inception. Hope you enjoyed it.

Inception

Actors and Actresses Discussed

Movies and Links Discussed

Next episode’s movie – The Searchers

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