Have you guys seen the original recently? It SUUUUUUU--UCKS! Acting is terrible, though there were great actors in it. Screenwriting is pedestrian. Sets, scenes, and costumes are worse than Little House. Direction is all over the place. Continuity is non-existent. Historical accuracy is out the window!
It was great FOR ITS TIME. But it wasn't that great. Watching all these late 70s/early 80s mini-series recently put things into perspective and why there was a rush to get cable TV at the time. Yes, the whole country watched it. But there were only two other real choices.
What was running against Roots?
CBS had the greats Switch, Delveccio, Code R, Executive Suite, Barnaby "Geritol" Jones, Mash, Kojak,
NBC had McMillan & Wife and another "Sunday Night Movie", Rockford Files, Serpico (TV show), Chico & the Man, Police Woman, Police Story.
History doesn't change, but we still print and buy new history books. Perspective on history changes which color our perceptions and sensibilities.
I am generally not someone who embraces remakes. I dislike them in general. I have the same eye-rolling reactions when hearing of a remake of Conan the Librarian, or that other Arnold movie whose name I cannot totally recall. But there are some movies and TV shows that are ripe for a remake. IMHO, Roots is one of them.
If History does as good a job with Roots as it did with Hatfields & McCoys, I say, let 'em at it!
Of course if they give credit to the ACTUAL author of the story (not Alex Haley) then all's the better.
And for the record, I did like the remakes of both "arnold" movies.
