This has been boggling my mind for several weeks now: the Austin Film Society has decided to remake Richard Linklater’s Slacker as both a fundraiser and a celebration of the film’s 20th anniversary this year. The re-make is entitled Slacker 2011, and is slated for release on August 31.
Okay, so why does this boggle me? Well, while I can’t claim to understand why people love this film so much to begin with (isn’t it mainly just a crop of pretentious douchebags, the forerunners of today’s hipsters, trying too hard to look cool throughout?), I think the bigger question is this:
Do we really need another re-make?
Personally, I’m against re-making films in general. Whether they’re classics that shouldn’t be tampered with (see: Psycho or Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), or watered-down reinterpretations of foreign films by mediocre Hollywood types (see: Let the Right One In), I think re-making a film does a disservice to all those who made the originals. There are very few, if any, films I can think of that have benefitted from a re-make. Unlike covering songs, trying to re-invent an entire film seems quite pretentious, a kind of slap in the face to all those who worked hard to make the original the best it could be.
But besides all that, Jesus H. Christ, ain’t there enough NEW movies to be made that we can forget about trying to re-do something that’s already been done?!
On the other hand, I can understand the impulse to re-make Slacker, even though I disagree with it. The Linklater film (available on Netflix’s instant queue, last I checked) is fairly dated; it has, after all, been 20 years. Dusting off those references and making the film more of a commentary on what Austin has become is perhaps an interesting project.
In the Slacker 2011 trailer, the funniest clip is definitely the woman at about 1:38 who asks the man in the cowboy hat, “You going to a job interview or something, man?” Austin is, still, a laid-back town that looks a bit askance at anyone who is “dressed up,” even if one has only added a hat and a button-down shirt to their wardrobe. Actually, as I haven’t seen the original in years, I’m not entirely sure whether she’s commenting on the man’s clothing or the books under his arm. After all, another typically Austin question I’ve repeatedly been asked while reading is “What’cha readin’ for?” (See Bill Hicks, coincidentally performing in Austin, for my best response.)
Despite my distaste for re-making films, I think the AFS may actually be onto something here. Imitating one’s inspirations is, after all, a well-known creative exercise that can be quite beneficial to young artists struggling to find their own unique voices. Trying to re-create someone else’s style helps you to see exactly how their artistic process works, and allows the budding artist to deconstruct that process, finally making his or her own choices about what works and what doesn’t. The true artist then goes on to use the tools and techniques they have learned from imitation to create their own original works. Many of those involved in Slacker 2011 are film students and those looking to learn more about the art form, so this is a great project, as it provides them a chance to put their own imprint on a pre-determined scene.
Secondly, since all of the scenes have been shot locally by 23 different filmmakers, there’s an inherent community vibe to the project that prevents it from being hijacked by some ridiculous auteur who wants us all to believe he or she is The Next Linklater. Even if you haven’t contributed money to the project, you’ve probably seen crews on location around town, or know someone who has participated in a scene. Extras eager to see themselves on the big screen have had their chance to join in as well, so you’ll undoubtedly see people you know in the final product.
Finally, who doesn’t want to see their hometown represented on the big screen? Austin’s other major claims to fame, whether filmed in or about our city, have not often painted it in such a positive light (see Office Space, Dazed and Confused, Idiocracy, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, etc.). And while many of the characters in Slacker may not be your kind of people, they certainly represent Austin’s wide spectrum of weirdos, rebels, nerds, slackers and plain old characters. I guess this is what people mean when they say it’s the quintessential Austin film.
So, am I excited about Slacker 2011? Not as much as the folks who’ve lived here all these years, but it’s certainly an interesting idea, and I’m looking forward to checking out the final product. Hopefully it’ll raise plenty of money to help fund lots of original projects by the AFS members who participate, and that’s what’s really exciting about the whole thing.
