Film Studies prof. David Bordwell discusses the concept of the film sequel with a group of cronies on his blog:
Facing a summer packed with sequels, a journalist gets fed up.… Sequels prove that Hollywood lacks imagination and is interested only in profits. Sequel films are boring and repetitious. They rarely match the original in quality. And when good directors sign on to do sequels, they get a big payday but they also compromise their talents.
Me, I want more original and plausible ideas. So, I expect, do you. Time to call in the Badger squad, the ensemble of email pals drawn from various generations of UW-Madison grad students and faculty. I asked them if we can’t understand sequels in a more thoughtful and sophisticated way—historically, artistically, in relation to other media.
Interesting stuff—give it a read! 😉