America, the over-the hill singer?

---by Micheal

The increasing numbers of 'remakes' is a sure sign that American creative momentum is slowing down. America, it seems, has had all its good ideas.

We appear to be entering a new era -- the Era of Looking Back. All of our creative zeal and imagination seems to have fizzled out. Instead of creating new and fresh products, designs, literature and art, we've begun that depressing slide into repeats, much like an over-the-hill singer who tours ever smaller venues, continuing to sing his (or her) "big hits" of yesteryear, to ever thinning audiences.

For example: Chrysler made a big splash with the PT Cruiser -- a modern remake of a 40s sedan. Ford closely follows suit with a remake of their 50s Thunderbird. General Motors (lately the last to gear up) issued their own copy of the PT Cruiser idea, the Chevy HHR. (A copy of a remake? That's pretty low on the originality scale).

At this year's LA Auto Show, GM unveiled it's hot concept car. Something Jetsons-esque? A bubble-topped hover-thing? No. A remake of their late 60s Camero. In Detroit, it seems that all the good ideas have already been done. There's nothing left to do but repeat former "big hits." Much like the aging singer, however, they're finding the audiences dwindling.

The same thing happens in Hollywood. The recent King Kong movie is just the latest example of opting to do a technically slicker version of an already-been-done idea. That slide began back in the late 70s with Jaws II, and the inexaustable Rambo or Rocky lines. Don't fuss over new ideas, just keep making sequels until the turnip is completely dry. Are there no creative people in Hollywood who can write new material? Have all the good ideas been done?

It's looking like American Genius has grown fat and tired, content to tour small gigs and sing the old "glory days" hits.

Or, is the problem with the audience? Has the American consuming public become fat and tired and only wants to hear the old hits? Has innovation become frightening, such that people retreat into the comfort of nostalgia?

For nearly a hundred years, America has been the innovator. As Europe pulls its act together, and China is gearing up, the comfort of nostalgia may be the last thing America should be indulging in.