Seeing Beyond What We Already Know – No One Is Irreplaceable

One of the recurring themes around The Movie Blog is one of fans attitudes towards replacements. You know what I mean: One director being replaced by another, one actor being replaced by another.

Why is it that fans think that when one director/actor/writer does a great job on something, then that automatically means they were the ONLY people who could have possibly done it or should do it in the future? Here are some recent examples:

– Magnum PI can ONLY be played by Tom Sellek
– The Hobbit can ONLY be directed by Peter Jackson
– Spider-man can ONLY be played by Toby McGuire
– B.A. can ONLY be played by Mr. T
– James Bond can ONLY be played by Connery/Moore/Brosnan (take your pick)
– Indiana Jones can ONLY be played by Harrison Ford
– Superman can ONLY be played by Christopher Reeve (this is is obviously different)

Why is it so many film fans (I’m guilty of this too sometimes) can become so short sighted as not to be able to see beyond what it is they’ve already experienced? That’s what this is really all about. Fans (such as myself) are just unable sometimes to comprehend anything beyond what they already know.

We already know Peter Jackson with Middle earth… therefore we can’t think beyond that.

We already know Tom Sellek as Magnum PI… therefore we’re unable to wrap our heads around another actor in the role

ect. ect. ect.

It’s shortsightedness pure and simple. The fact of the matter is that for every actor who did a great job in a role, there is ANOTHER actor out there somewhere who would have done it better. For ever director who did a great job on a movie, there is ANOTHER director out there somewhere who would have done it even better.

To even entertain the idea that just because an actor or director does a great job on any particular project, suddenly means that they are the ONLY people who could have possibly done it in the universe, or that they MUST be the ones to continue the franchises… is…. well quite honestly… silly.

There is NOTHING wrong with “preference”. There’s nothing wrong with wanting the same actor/director/writer back for a project because you enjoyed what they did before. That’s totally cool… nothing wrong with that at all. But when we cross that line of deluding ourselves into thinking that actor/director/writer is the ONLY one who could have done or should do it in the known cosmos… then that’s just daft.

You do it. I do it. We all do it sometimes…. but that doesn’t stop if from being dumb.

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45 thoughts on “Seeing Beyond What We Already Know – No One Is Irreplaceable

  1. Jim: I been hearing that a lot lately, that I’m a scary fellow, that is. The scarier thing is that when I made my correction, you didn’t see it…

    Tell you what. For my repentance, if I attend the MB food drive next month, if I am bold enough to go up to a mike and ask a question, folks are free to hit me with ice cubes from thier cokes and unpopped popcorn kernels.

  2. -Limpin’ towards ya…

    LOL.

    The “Pirates of” thing is very funny.

    Also, i was shocked when i read Mr. Seeley’s post about “the late Anthony Hopkins”!!! I immediately flipped to another window and looked at the news to see if i had missed that news… A few moments late i COMPLETED reading the post and the next one.

    Ya scared me Darren! Don’t do that!

  3. Some people are irreplaceable – just because there are no other better options beside them.

    Peter Jackson and his team managed to create the best fantasy movies in the history of cinema. This happens so rarely today. I don’t want these people replaced. I want them to create some more. Because who could replace them? Most of today’s directors are hit and miss. Some of them are incredibly overrated. And I don’t want another Narnia. I don’t want another X-Men III. I don’t want another Terminator III. I want another Lord of the Rings.

    Also, even if the LOTR movies are not flawless, what exactly could someone improve on them? Make them grittier/darker? They already were. With better acting? It already had. Closer to the book? It already was close enough. Better script? It already had. Make them closer to history/real life? I don’t want that to happen. Also better score, cinematography etc – you name it, chances are it already had them. It’s easy improving/reinventing a franchise which has a lot of flaws – but it’s much harder to improve a great one. But let’s say they find someone who manages to make a better Hobbit than LOTR – what are the chances for that to happen? How often does that happen in real life? Chances are that if someone else replaces Jackson, he will most likely screw up his work, not enhance it.

    The Spiderman movies are exactly the opposite – I think Tobey Maguire was terribly miscast. I grew up with Warner’s Spiderman cartoons, featuring a smart, witty Peter Parker; in the movies they made it a nerdy guy with a dumb grin on his face; some of the dialogues were just awful; some of the situations extremely over the top; some scenes with Mary Jane (especially the “do you love me” one from the second movie) made me cringe. I really hope there will be a 4th Spiderman made by an entirely different team, with different actors.

  4. COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC, but go to the Movie Reviews page from the Links… do you see what some of the movie reviews names are?

    Pirates of the Clerks 2
    Pirates of the Talladega Nights
    Pirates of The Descent
    Pirates of 13 Tzameti

    and my personal favorite:

    Pirates of World Trade Center

    Am I missing something here???

  5. Quote
    It’s shortsightedness pure and simple. The fact of the matter is that for every actor who did a great job in a role, there is ANOTHER actor out there somewhere who would have done it better. For ever director who did a great job on a movie, there is ANOTHER director out there somewhere who would have done it even better.

    To even entertain the idea that just because an actor or director does a great job on any particular project, suddenly means that they are the ONLY people who could have possibly done it in the universe, or that they MUST be the ones to continue the franchises… is…. well quite honestly… silly.
    Unquote

    Amen. And that includes recasting the original Star Trek cast and Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones.

  6. if someone suggested that replacement sealer i would have to say “you mean the guy who gave the extremely over rated performance in manhunter that every feels the need to say is better than hopkins when in fact it isn’t. Not that it is bad it is just that he doesn’t do anything and everyone makes this big deal about it when it is in fact very very brief boring scene in a film that I do think as a whole is superior?”

    I think when you are dealing with someone as iconic it becomes much harder though….it will be much harder to cast a new indiana jones then it would be to recast, say, brendan fraser in the mummy….

  7. It could be good or it could be bad…

    That just about explains everything in existence. In any given situation, the end result could be positive or it could be negative. The question isnt which way will it go, the question is why do some people always expect negative results.
    Of course it could turn out bad.
    Anything in life COULD turn out bad.
    The idea being presented here is that maybe a lot of you need to realize that good things could happen too.
    A new actor playing Spiderman…
    Could be a disaster, but ya know what? He could bring something to the role that you never expected and end up making it better.
    It boils down to pessimism vs optimism. How do you look at life? How do you normally see things playing out?
    I’ll say it again… No Actor Is Irreplaceable.
    None of ’em. Not one single actor is the only actor that could ever play a certain role. Is it possible that some casting agent or director could make a mistake and put someone on screen that doesnt fit? Yes. Of course it is, but the opposite is just as likely. And that is the point. That it is possible that they will make the right choice. It is possible that the new guy (or gal) will be just as good a fit if not better. To me, that’s what its all about.
    Like I’ve said before, I’m normally a positive guy. If there are 2 ways of looking at something, chances are I’m gonna be the guy hopeing for the best… not the guy expecting the worst. So to me, the idea and prospect of a new guy in the tights is just brimming with possibility. My imagination goes wild wondering what this guy might bring to the role.
    Why on earth would you automatically think it’s a bad idea? A new guy can never take away what you fell for Tobey or Harrison or whoever. He can never lessen what you felt for them in the role. He may not dazzle you. He may not float your boat in any way, but maybe… just maybe, he will astound you. Why not think about it that way? Why not actually have faith in someone? Why not?
    Any way… That’s just how I look at things.
    Peace and chicken grease.

  8. I think you have to look at the origins. Connery didn’t start Bond, Ian Flemming did. Peter Jackson didn’t start Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien did. McGuire didn’t start Spider Man and Christopher Reeve didn’t start Superman.

    But for the actors/directors that did jump start their characters, they seem irreplaceable. Who other than Bruce Campbell can play Ash? And Patrick Stewart IS Professor X. I don’t even think he acted for that part, he simply just stopped hiding his telepathic abilities and decided that he was tired of walking around for a while.

  9. I think this is also related to reading a book before watching the movie. When you read the book without the movie to back it, you tend to imagine the characters as you would see them, but once you add the movie, you start to see the actors playing the roles and it greatly limits your imagination.

  10. Alfie: the main problem with Harrison as Indy right now is that they’d have to set the storyline in the late 60’s to explain his age, and if for some oddbaall reason they want to keep “Young Indy Jones Chronicles” in continutity. Granted, Ford could be under makeup and hair dye.

    Yes, it is hard to replace him. It isn’t easy replacing any actor. Let me ask this: what if Anthony Hopkins turned down the role of Lector and “no one could replace him”…but then, in a spur of the moment brainstorm, someone gets an idea and says “Brian Cox”?

  11. A good example for me is hannibal. the film was terrible and it wasn’t juliannes moores fault as she was fine in the role but had foster returned it might have played a whole lot better….maybe not enough to make up for the huge shortcomings the films had but i can’t help but think it would have been better with jodie foster.

    The tension and build up of those two characters communicating and seeking each other out ,for me, was completely lost due to it being a different actor…..i felt no connection to moores starling and if foster had been there it would have played entirely differently.

    I think it is a case by case thing really…sometimes it works sometimes it does not.

    When it works great but it doesn’t always work….it is fine to say no one is irreplaceable…there is always someone out there who MIGHT do it better….but there is also the chance they will screw it up terribly and ruin a franchise….clooney as batman for instince..a good actor but was a terrible choice for batman. Again the film as a whole was awful but he was still a bad batman. Not a good idea at all.

    I do think that when it comes to indiana jones though ford is irreplaceable.

    Some actors have something special and bring something special to a role that no one else has. At his peak ford had a charisma and charm that no one else had. Maybe if someone else had played the role at the time..say selleck did wind up in the film..maybe it still would have been a hit and we would love that character in a different way to the way we love fords but it didn’t happen like that….
    ford as jones is one of those iconic roles and I doubt anybody could step into those shoes today and make jones his…..he is so imbedded in our minds as indiana jones anyone else would pale in comparison.

    Perhaps a new generation of people could embrace a new actor playing him of course but for the generation that was brought up with him his performance as indiana jones is far to strong in our minds for us to happily accept some other guy playing him.

    As long as they don’t make indy 4. He is far too old. ..

    Same goes for depp with the pirates films. Can you really imagine them going ahead with a fourth film and recasting that role…. it would have “embarrassing disaster” written all over it.

  12. the problem i have is that for some of these characters. harrison ford IS indiana jones, when I read a sherlock holmes book the charcter isn’t replaced with a younger, tougher holmes in the 3rd book.

    it’s not like people can’t play a terminator better or spider-man, but since tobey, and arnold played these charcaters, there faces sort of..cement my lasting impression of the character.

    no one can play a john campea, but john campea…when I watch a movie, I like to be transported to a world where these people actually exist. when I watch part 3 or 4 of a movie, and all of a sudden theres another face, it takes me outta the movie. just my 2 cents

  13. Krawling away from ya—

    is that batter JAY,just kidding ,no man, heres the deal since you kindly asked ..i used to say jarrod comin at ya when i reviewed comics and shit and talked to podcasters but now i donn’t anymore so i thought hey my alter ego is krawler and i might just bring him back out . so i did . and i say krawling at ya–meaning i am about to say something weird get ready….but now he is taking over my body and making me say thing like (i peeded in my pants .. and i liked it.) that sort of thing and man he is wild ,,well in my head anyway. but anyway i love movies and i love this blog & so krawler has now come back to make you laugh if he can.. if not u can cry in the corner with the other blue evles sitting on thier tuffits eating their curds and beef…thx for the feedback..

    The Krawler–>
    (sometimes i like to benchpress peanuts)

  14. Could you replace Arnold as the Terminator? I know the role doesn’t require that much of an acting stretch but Arnold defind that role its hard to imagine anyone but him playing that The Terminator in the movie.

    Take Hannibal Lector sure they replaced Brian Cox but could they replace Anthony Hopkins? I really doubt it, there are some roles in which no matter how good they were you can replace and a perfect example is James Bond and perhapes Batman but that isn’t true for every movie.

    How about Jack Sparrow can you imagine anyone else replacing Johhny Depp in that role?

  15. Who is on Krack…no, I’ll leave it alone…

    Everyone is entitled to at least two quirks. Whether or not these eccentric behavoirs should be done in public, that’s another story.

    Anyway…here’s my quirk.

    I mildly agree with John’s post. But , I want to stress that I don’t *entirely* agree with John.There needs to be a line drawn in the sand, as John equates iconic characters played by various actors, to characters created by past movies and TV shows turned (or developed to be) into remakes. For example, B.A. Barakus on The A Team. Consider B.A.’s lines in the series. We equate them much with Mr.T. (Note: I don’t think A Team will happen anyway) – I know, folks can make an arguement for Face and Murdock- but when you think about “who” you could recast it with, one small factor remains: the actors in question have done these things before. Why would they want to do that again, with another character another actor orginated?

    A good case in point is Dukes Of Hazzard. In the original series, there was a time when the two lead actors were replaced by “the cousins”. The show suffered. When it came time to do “the remake” (a real disservice because the original cast had the TV reunion movie a few years before) this arguement John gives was used. True, the film was miscast in addition to poor excution, but there are just some things that a lightning in a bottle.

    Look at the Psycho remake. Could Vince Vaughn really replace the late Anthony Hopkins?

    Also, considering that other actors have played Indiana Jones in varied stages of life, technically, Ford CAN be replaced. But it was proven you couldn’t replace Peter Weller as RoboCop.

  16. Change isn’t a bad thing I mean take a look at Aliens they changed directors and that turned out great but they also did it for parts 3 and 4 and they didn’t turn out so good.

    A perfect example would be the Harry Potter movies. I myself am not a huge fan of the series but they are good movies and they have all stayed at the pretty much the same level of quality even with different directors in nearly every film.

    People calling a boycott for the Hobbit isn’t very wise I mean what was Peter Jackson before Lord of the Rings hmm?

    There is also always uneasyness with the a new person playing Bond up until his first Bond movie is released. There have been 6 Bonds and I really think that people only seem to have a problem with one Timothy Dolton but other than that I think they all did a good job. Like many people I tend to think that Connerey is the best but we will see how well Craig does in his future films as Bond.

  17. He can only hope to solve his problem if he can admit he has one.

    The moral of this story is “You can only help someone who wants help”.
    Somehow I doubt that he wants any.

    Maybe a few more euphamisms will help bring him around –

    A few clowns short of a circus.
    A few fries short of a Happy Meal.
    An experiment in Artificial Stupidity.
    A few beers short of a six-pack.
    Dumber than a box of hair.
    A few peas short of a casserole.
    Doesn’t have all his cornflakes in one box.
    The wheel’s spinning, but the hamster’s dead.
    One Fruit Loop shy of a full bowl.
    One taco short of a combination plate.
    A few feathers short of a whole duck.
    All foam, no beer.
    Has an IQ of 2, but it takes 3 to grunt.
    Couldn’t pour water out of a boot with instructions on the heel.
    He fell out of the Stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down.
    An intellect rivaled only by garden tools.
    As smart as bait.
    Chimney’s clogged.
    Doesn’t have all his dogs on one leash.
    Elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top floor.
    Her sewing machine’s out of thread.
    His antenna doesn’t pick up all the channels.
    His belt doesn’t go through all the loops.
    If he had another brain, it would be lonely.
    Missing a few buttons on his remote control.
    No grain in the silo.
    Proof that evolution CAN go in reverse.
    Receiver is off the hook.
    Skylight leaks a little.
    Slinky’s kinked.
    Surfing in Nebraska.
    Too much yardage between the goal posts.

    And with that ladies and germs,
    I bid you farewell….

    I said good day!!!!!

  18. I agree whole-heartedly.
    The close-mindedness of some over zealous fans can be quite bothersome if you ask me. I understand wanting a particular person but I cant understand not being willing to accept the fact that another person might do it better.

    I will however admit that I like seeing people complain and complain about something well beforehand and then having to eat crow when it’s all said and done and it’s not as horrible as they “knew” it would be.

    Krawler,
    You are a weird cat. Some times I just laugh at you, sometimes I wonder what you’re on and how can I get some, but i always go back to thinking you’re just a very weird cat. In conjunction with that statement, I just have to ask you one question… What’s the deal with “Krawling at ya”? Did someone tell you that was cool or did you just make that assessment yourself? Is it a MySpace thing? Is that what passes for hip over at MySpace? Not trying to be insulting, just trying to figure you out.

  19. Krawling at ya–

    Just wanted to let all my fans know i, the krawler, am being replaced
    by a monkey. thats right a monkey. now, now, please don’t cry. he is right here and i think he may just be prefect and will get my lines right. and he can eat one hell of a banana..i know, it will not be the same,,oh hell you know what.!!!!BAMMM!! I just killed the monkey, now i’m back , so lets party folks.. who got the chicks. umm. i mean chips…rock on!

    The Krawler–>
    (i’m illegal in all states… becuz my body is the bomb baby)

  20. You’re absolutely right John.
    I think the problem with replacements is that they’re usually not well thought out enough to find a decent successor to a character (new actor) or film (new director).
    If enough thought/insight went into replacing someone, I don’t think you’d get these knee-jerk reactions as much as we do now.
    You could say it’s short-sightedness at both ends. The people making the ‘creative’ decisions, and the fans having to suffer through those decisions.

  21. Actually William Shatner said that anyone who plays James T Kirk will have to play William Shatner playing James T Kirk. But we get the idea.

    I think ANYONE is replacable, I just dont think everyone will except it, or agree with it. Rotating actors are quite common, and the Batman franchise proves that no one cares who plays them. I stated in a previous post that I am quite attached to Maguire as Spiderman but I also stated that I didnt think someone else couldnt play him.

  22. Thanks you John for pointing out alot of the “fanboyisms” that all movie/game/comic lovers suffer from is part of the human psychology of familar reality.

    When we look in a mirror we identify with that image and the same goes for our identification of movie actors in their various roles. Although their might not be an imperical shift in the value of the change if it occurs (We cannot truly say that it is truly good or bad or such)We will have a feeling of discomfort if a role we identify is changed, just like if we suddenly looked in the mirror and looked totally different.

    The only thing I have to say is that actors have a responsibility to themselves as “Artists” to try to own the roles they play if they are taking over for a legend and not try to emulate.

    Varun

  23. I think Val Kilmer made a great Batman.

    It is the mark of an actor’s success if he is deemed to be irreplacable in a role. But this often has more to do with luck rather than art. Tom Selleck was the original choice to play Indiana Jones, but who now can imagine anyone else but Harrison Ford, who took the role at the last minute. Such is serendipity.

  24. I don’t necessarily think its right question to be asking all the time. What makes such and such a good/bad replacement for someone who has already played the role etc…

    I believe the real question should be…DOES another film need to be made about the same character?

    Like Indiana Jones…I’m a firm believer that they shouldn’t do another film. I loved all three and to make another one so long after the others should not need to be done…WHAT else does the story have to bring? So regardless of whether Harrison Ford would be in it…I don’t believe it would be that great.

    Same with Spiderman 4 really, I haven’t seen 3 so I don’t know how to judge the story and if they have said all they need to.

    I suppose it also has something to do with time. I mean Tobey McGuire fits the role perfectly but to change to someone else SO soon after the third (say like another 2-3 years) seems too quick to adjust.

    Superman Returns worked so well because of the distance between the films…EVEN then we were all saying how much Roath looked like Christoper Reeve and how well Spacey captured Gene Hackman’s nuances.

    James Bond actors just tend to outstay their welcome until a new one comes along and REVAMPS for the 5th time. Thought Daniel Craig was awesome by the way. :)

    Good question.

  25. I completely agree with you John. I have been studying art history, and I have seen that idea so clearly. Often times the same subject is depicted my multiple artists, and they are all really good. To give an example, there are three well known statues of the David. It’s interesting to see a different take on something that we are so familiar with. I don’t think it’s any different with movies. It’s just soo hard to get over the initial “It’s not the same!!!!!”
    Though I have to say, I too was really saddened to hear about Jackson, and was weary of Craig. Proved wrong about Craig, who knows about Jackson.

  26. Hey Vonjustice

    Well said. The point I was trying to make wasn’t that the change is always good… not at all. Only that the idea that it is outside the imagination that the change might be a good thing is shortsighted on our part.

    Good thoughts.

  27. I agree with you John… However the problem is more often than not Hollywood makes bad decisions. They choose the wrong people/person or go after something thats already dead (Dumb and Dumbier or XXX for example) and most of the fans/sheep remember those bad experiences and knee jerk when they hear of any kind of replacement. Again I agree with you… but its always on a case by case basis… to see if the studio can still write the particular story or replace a character with someone comparable.

  28. There’s an interesting statement on this issue from a book by Chuck Palahniuk (the guy who wrote Fight Club):

    “Whatever you’re thinking, a million other folks are thinking. Whatever you do, they’re doing…you’re about as one-of-a-kind as a dollar bill.”

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