[HPFGU-Movie] Re: When is it a sequel?

[CLShannon at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/1/03 4:14:44 PM, bboy_mn at yahoo.com writes:

<< 

Most sequels, as you pointed out, are simply a rehash of the same

premise with new characters and new settings. The same story with the

same gimmicks and usually with an ambiguous ending in case they decide

to remake the same movie one more time.  >>

I agree and I want to add that most 'sequels' in the movie sense are not 
something that was intended when the first movie was written and produced. 
More often than not, the first one is a hit and then the production company 
decides to do it again,  changing some plot elements, but keeping the same 
characters and basic situation. For example, Home Alone 2, Gremlins 2, Police 
Academy 2, 3, 4, etc. These weren't conceived as 'multiple movie events' from 
the beginning, they were simply produced to capitalize on the popularity of 
the original movie.
In that sense, Harry Potter films aren't sequels at all - they are 
adaptations of the series of books that was originally conceived as seven 
books telling one continuous story. As for Lord of the Rings - well, that was 
originally all one book, so technically, the movies are all just one 
adaptation of one book. The publisher a long time ago divided it into three 
parts and luckily for us, New Line Cinema decided that it would take three 
films to tell the story ;-)
Cindy