Seth Paxton
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 1998
- Messages
- 7,585
Sure they were, but they were generally put into or originated from the B-picture schedule. I mean when you are putting out 4-5 times the number of pictures that you are now there is bound to be plenty of repeating.
Even good stuff like The Thin Man or Road to... series ran for many sequels. Rin Tin Tin had 4-5 films in a single year. Lone Ranger films, Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, Dead End Gang films, etc.
It is a misconception that remakes and sequels are a modern creation. The difference is that generally the weaker B productions from back in the classic studio era or silent era just get forgotten, the same as a lot of the bad sequels of today will someday be brushed aside (although DVD has created a new era of film appreciation which could change that).
This is one of the great things about the Universal Monster box sets, they help expose the full life given to these series of films, for better or worse.
And even when films weren't technically sequels they were "give me more plots/characters just like that one" ripoffs with studio heads strongly trying to stick with formula rather than break it. Busby Berkeley musicals come to mind, which got their shot only because Zanuck decided to try to push things at WB until the brothers finally shut him down enough for the 2 sides to go their seperate ways. Then when Busby's work was a surprise hit the Warners jumped on it and said "make more films just like that". Not technically sequels then, but interchangable formula pictures repeating the exact some situations and structure.
Even good stuff like The Thin Man or Road to... series ran for many sequels. Rin Tin Tin had 4-5 films in a single year. Lone Ranger films, Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, Dead End Gang films, etc.
It is a misconception that remakes and sequels are a modern creation. The difference is that generally the weaker B productions from back in the classic studio era or silent era just get forgotten, the same as a lot of the bad sequels of today will someday be brushed aside (although DVD has created a new era of film appreciation which could change that).
This is one of the great things about the Universal Monster box sets, they help expose the full life given to these series of films, for better or worse.
And even when films weren't technically sequels they were "give me more plots/characters just like that one" ripoffs with studio heads strongly trying to stick with formula rather than break it. Busby Berkeley musicals come to mind, which got their shot only because Zanuck decided to try to push things at WB until the brothers finally shut him down enough for the 2 sides to go their seperate ways. Then when Busby's work was a surprise hit the Warners jumped on it and said "make more films just like that". Not technically sequels then, but interchangable formula pictures repeating the exact some situations and structure.
