This subject could go almost anywhere such as TV & Media or even Miscellaneous, but I'm trying it here because SF & F is often where the most lively debates are regarding this subject.
Whenever a new film or television series debuts, and even long before it even arrives, there's a lot of reaction on both sides regarding the merits of changes made. The focus often falls upon the negative reactions to changes and sometimes the inevitable acceptance.
So here's a chance to share what you thought was a positive change even if in the beginning you might have resisted. We could also discuss those instances where you still don't accept what was changed.
Starting off I recall my initial resistance to the new batmoble in Batman Begins, what has become widely known as the Tumbler. I thought it looked ridiculous. It wasn't until I actually saw it on the screen in action that I did a near complete reversal and accepted that it made much more sense as a working batmobile than an elaborately over styled hotrod. I now accept the all black look of live-action Batman onscreen, but there I'm still resistant to the heavily textured rubber look. Batman is mortal with no superhuman abilities, particularly strength, and so it beggars my imagination that a real person, no matter how strong, could function as he needs to in such an outfit. On Spider-Man it works because Spidey is endowed with far beyond normal strength and so his costume shouldn't be a hindrance. That said after watching a fan made film called Batman: Dead End from some years ago I still would like to see a project that utilized a more faithful version of Batman's costume. It could even be made a touch more plausible by having the film as a period piece.
I admit that I presently can't accept the new rubber look intended the Man Of Steel. A heavy looking outfit certainly wouldn't be a hindrance to someone of Superman's strength, but it also looks like it's somehow offering him some extra protection which really doesn't make much sense to me. It's possible also that we are only seeing this in still shots and thus the suppleness of the material isn't being conveyed. And so my real resistance to the new costume is its appearance, its design. It strays too far from the general template and colour balance of the long standing design. It's overdone.
One change I will never accept was Abrams' redesign of the TOS Enterprise. On one hand this isn't actually the original ship since the timeline is all screwed up and it's an alternate continuity/universe, whatever. On that basis there could have been any number of ways to modify/redesign the original concept to something more updated yet still interesting. But the JJprise IMO just looks bad because there is no visual balance, no integrity and no artistry to it. It violates decent aesthetics. It looks distorted. I'll thus leave my remarks regarding elements of ST09 on that point because there is simply far too much else I dislike about the film.
I haven't yet seen Green Lantern (I'm waiting for the rental), but I can't say I'm crazy about the cgi costume. I might change my opinion upon seeing the film, but until then it just looks too unreal (yeah, I know, it's a comic) and too over textured.
I was initially somewhat resitant to Daniel Craig as Bond and retaining Judi Dench as M when Casino Royale was supposed to be a restart. Yet as soon as the film got going I found myself really liking Craig as 007 and accepted that in this restart there was no reason M couldn't be a woman and it had nothing to do with the previous films. Besides she was the only thing worth salvaging from the Brosnan films.
Quite awhile ago I saw photos of a modeller's redesign of the submarine Seaview from Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea. For fans of the original film and series the Seaview is as iconic as the TOS Enterprise, and yet this modeller did such an outstanding job that I can't recall any negative reaction to his work and near everyone seemed convinced that this design would be perfectly at home in an updated version of the property.
Anyone else?
Whenever a new film or television series debuts, and even long before it even arrives, there's a lot of reaction on both sides regarding the merits of changes made. The focus often falls upon the negative reactions to changes and sometimes the inevitable acceptance.
So here's a chance to share what you thought was a positive change even if in the beginning you might have resisted. We could also discuss those instances where you still don't accept what was changed.
Starting off I recall my initial resistance to the new batmoble in Batman Begins, what has become widely known as the Tumbler. I thought it looked ridiculous. It wasn't until I actually saw it on the screen in action that I did a near complete reversal and accepted that it made much more sense as a working batmobile than an elaborately over styled hotrod. I now accept the all black look of live-action Batman onscreen, but there I'm still resistant to the heavily textured rubber look. Batman is mortal with no superhuman abilities, particularly strength, and so it beggars my imagination that a real person, no matter how strong, could function as he needs to in such an outfit. On Spider-Man it works because Spidey is endowed with far beyond normal strength and so his costume shouldn't be a hindrance. That said after watching a fan made film called Batman: Dead End from some years ago I still would like to see a project that utilized a more faithful version of Batman's costume. It could even be made a touch more plausible by having the film as a period piece.
I admit that I presently can't accept the new rubber look intended the Man Of Steel. A heavy looking outfit certainly wouldn't be a hindrance to someone of Superman's strength, but it also looks like it's somehow offering him some extra protection which really doesn't make much sense to me. It's possible also that we are only seeing this in still shots and thus the suppleness of the material isn't being conveyed. And so my real resistance to the new costume is its appearance, its design. It strays too far from the general template and colour balance of the long standing design. It's overdone.
One change I will never accept was Abrams' redesign of the TOS Enterprise. On one hand this isn't actually the original ship since the timeline is all screwed up and it's an alternate continuity/universe, whatever. On that basis there could have been any number of ways to modify/redesign the original concept to something more updated yet still interesting. But the JJprise IMO just looks bad because there is no visual balance, no integrity and no artistry to it. It violates decent aesthetics. It looks distorted. I'll thus leave my remarks regarding elements of ST09 on that point because there is simply far too much else I dislike about the film.
I haven't yet seen Green Lantern (I'm waiting for the rental), but I can't say I'm crazy about the cgi costume. I might change my opinion upon seeing the film, but until then it just looks too unreal (yeah, I know, it's a comic) and too over textured.
I was initially somewhat resitant to Daniel Craig as Bond and retaining Judi Dench as M when Casino Royale was supposed to be a restart. Yet as soon as the film got going I found myself really liking Craig as 007 and accepted that in this restart there was no reason M couldn't be a woman and it had nothing to do with the previous films. Besides she was the only thing worth salvaging from the Brosnan films.

Quite awhile ago I saw photos of a modeller's redesign of the submarine Seaview from Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea. For fans of the original film and series the Seaview is as iconic as the TOS Enterprise, and yet this modeller did such an outstanding job that I can't recall any negative reaction to his work and near everyone seemed convinced that this design would be perfectly at home in an updated version of the property.
Anyone else?
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