How the World Remade Hollywood: Global Interpretations of 65 Iconic Films

by Ed Glaser

For decades, filmmakers worldwide have been remaking Hollywood movies in colorful ways. They've chronicled a singing and dancing Hannibal Lecter in India, star-crossed lovers aboard the doomed Nigerian ship Titanic, a Japanese expedition to the planet of the apes, and an uncivil war in Turkey between Captain America and a mobbed-up Spider-Man. Most of these films were low budget and many were unauthorized, but all of them were fantastic--and lately have begun to resurface thanks to cherry-picked YouTube clips. But why and how were they made in the first place?

This book tells the little-known stories of the wily filmmakers who made an Italian 007 flick by casting Sean Connery's tradesman brother, produced a Turkish space opera by stealing a print of Star Wars for its effects footage, and transported a full-fledged Terminator to the present day--not from a post-apocalyptic future, but from the vibrant mythology of Indonesia. Their stories reveal more than mere imitations; they demonstrate the fascinating ways ideas evolve as they cross borders.

515 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 10, 2022

Reviews

[Justin Decloux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone interested in world cinema. The incredibly knowledgeable Ed Glaser uses the subject of remakes to explore, and provide history lessons, on hundreds of subjects that range from Russian Animation, the many eras of Turkish Cinema (His specialty), and the opportunities offered to African American actors in Italy. The movie-by-movie format makes it a digestible experience and it's packed with knowledge and stories you won't find anywhere else because the author went above and beyond to get the stories firsthand or through texts that have never been translated into English.

[Galen Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific look at global (mostly) low-budget cinema that avoids the usual snark. Also provides a lot of great insight into the production of these films.