While working my body extra hard today to digest the hoards of feasty fabulousness, my mind became drowsy and my thoughts heavy with the random wonders of writing and remixing (whilst watching football of course, and simultaneously wondering how I could use the word, 'whilst' in my next blog post.)
I used to detest remixes. Why? I believed remixes were corrupted/lesser versions of the original. This was back when I thought myself to be a truly deep-thinker and therefore, took all my thoughts very seriously. But wasn't a remix, thought I, something that cheaply tainted the purity of the artist's work? Remixes were certainly nothing more than glorified knock offs... gimmicks, contrived-sacrilegious-gambitious-audacities.
But then... how could I be an art purist if one of my all time favorite films is:
In fact, with most Shakespeare adaptations, the more creative the spin, the more fascinating the production. Is it really such a defilement then, to take a piece of art, be it music, paintings, or a piece of literature, and mix in your own style to create a different take?
I've recently heard criticism regarding the success of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES, with the criticizer stating that the book was nothing more than a gimmick that cheaply imitated Jane Austen's masterpiece right down to the original plotline and word-for-word sentences. Now I agree that Jane Austen's works are classic masterpieces, but the original "pure" versions will always remain pure. They will remain untouchable.
But why not take content that is so timeless, addicting, and downright precious, and remix other styles, colors, and interpretations to it? The remixer may not exactly be breaking the same ground as the original, but their addition could provoke alternative perspectives, suggestions, and revelations. What does the contribution of zombies reveal within the PRIDE AND PREJUDICE realm? If one thinks about it, the character of Mrs. Bennett most likely WOULD risk Jane's dismemberment of limbs via zombie attack in order to get to Mr. Bingley's house to flaunt, flirt, and score some matrimony.
It could be exciting for this remixing of classics and perhaps even contemporaries to continue.
How rich could a piece of text, music, or visual art become with the remixing of various flavors, the layering of fresh paint strokes and frosted toppings? What could remixing reveal about the work's audience, the pop culture surrounding the work, or even the work itself? Is it possible that recreating, reinterpreting, and any other re-ing actually contributes to the inspiration the original artist initially started?
