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| Japan, forever the rebel, doesn't have an umbrella |
What happens when filmmakers repeatedly create separate iterations of the same story? How does culture go into play when this happens? And why is world cinema so fascinating? These questions came into my mind when I watched the recent Filipino remake of Miss Granny. The latest version of the 2014 South Korean hit comedy is fun, light entertainment by itself, but its existence is equally as interesting. After watching the film, I found out that the original film has been remade six times in six different countries, including the Philippines. This is uncommon: remakes often happen one or twice, maybe thrice. The closest comparison I have is in the Indian film industry, where regional film industries remake films from neighboring regions in order to market the film to local audiences.
So, on a whim, I decided to watch the original Miss Granny and all the remakes that have been made so far in order to see how different filmmakers in different countries adapt a source material from an entirely different culture. We'll be making a comparative analysis of all the remakes so far on both a superficial level and (hopefully) on a deeper level. And for once, I'll be able to tell you something about how we remake films without talking about that notorious appropriator of films, Hollywood.
The basic premise of Miss Granny is simple enough: an old woman is magically transformed into her twenty year old self thanks to a magic photo studio. She joins her grandson's band and changes it for the better, while also catching the attention of her old flame and a handsome music producer. All of the films I watched followed this pattern, but each version has their own subtle differences, with some versions being more different than others.
A warning before we begin: since we will be looking at the story of Miss Granny in depth, it goes without saying that THIS POST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS.
In General
The South Korean original is a fun film that made waves at the box office thanks to word of mouth. It had a decent cast and the plot was okay, though it had some niggling problems and unaddressed plot points near the last half.
The films that stuck the most to the South Korean original are the Filipino, Vietnamese and Indonesian remakes. The Vietnamese and Indonesian remakes are almost shot for shot remakes of the original, which is nice but they end up being relatively unremarkable as a result.
The Filipino remake adheres closely to the original but takes a couple of liberties with the storyline. In the Filipino remake, the emphasis is shifted from the Granny's love interests to the family drama that is going on at the same time. It's also the most musically adept of all the versions of Miss Granny - one of the benefits of having an experienced singer-actress in the lead role.
The Thai remake is sort of middle ground as far as remakes go. It is, in my opinion, one of the funnier versions of the film as it adds a lot of jokes that weren't present in the original. The film is far more expository compared to its siblings, as the film begins with a flashback that explains Granny's early life. However, the film takes a lot of risks in terms of how it develops its drama and it doesn't always turn out well, especially near the end of the film.
The Chinese and Japanese remakes are the most divergent compared to the South Korean original in terms of plot. They also make a lot of different stylistic choices: the Chinese remake begins with a montage of flashbacks that looks like a continuous shot, for example. The Japanese remake (titled "Ayashii Kanojo," or Suspicious Woman) is a far more somber film compared to the others, and it also has an extra angle where it champions single parenthood because of the way it is constructed.
The Old Grannies
A cavalcade of veteran actresses comprise the people taking on the role of the old Granny. The Philippines has Nova Villa, veteran comedian-actress. She is joined by actresses such as two time Citra Award winner Niniek Karim, in the Indonesian remake.
Despite the reputation that Chinese moms have in some forms of popular media as strict, often overprotective parents, the least grumpy of the old Grannies is portrayed by veteran Taiwanese actress Gua Ah-leh in the Chinese version. In the Chinese remake, this version of Granny is adept at Mahjong, a skill that she later uses to humiliate her rival.
The grumpiest, most cantankerous version of old Granny is in the Korean original, played by everyone's favorite Korean grandma Na Moon-hee. She has starred in several great Korean films, from A Quiet Family to Cruel Winter Blues.
Perhaps one of the most legendary actresses to take up the mantle of old Granny is Mitsuko Baisho, from the Japanese remake. In her decades long career, she has worked with directors ranging from Akira Kurosawa (in Kagemusha (1980)) to Shohei Imamura (Vengeance is Mine (1974) and Unagi (1997), among others). Her interpretation of Granny is also much less cantankerous and more of a busybody than anything else.
The old grannies have similar pasts, but the original and some remakes emphasize Granny's past as a singer, or at least a hopeful singer, which ties into her skill in singing. However, their pasts are tied up to their countries' respective histories: the Chinese version has Granny overcoming hardship during the poverty stricken era of the Cultural Revolution, while the Japanese, Korean and Filipino versions have flashbacks set during life in the post-WWII era and the decades that followed.
The Magical Photo Studio
Old Granny comes across a magical photo studio that transforms her into her twenty year old self. In most iterations of the film, the studio is named "Forever Young" or something similar. In the Japanese version, it's named Ootori Studio (a meaningful name, as we will learn later.)
What's also interesting is what the photo studio magically turns into when young Granny returns to it a bit later in the film. In the Filipino and South Korean versions, the studio becomes a restaurant; in equally traditional Indonesia the studio becomes a clothing store. In other countries, the shop location becomes something raunchier: the Thai version has it turn into a girly bar, the Chinese version turns it into a sex shop, and the Vietnamese version turns it into a lingerie shop.
A cute little Easter egg in some versions of the film has Old Granny waiting at a bus stop plastered with the face of Shim Eun-kyung, the star of the original film.
Another cultural quirk separates the Japanese version from the other remakes and the original, though this is just a theory. In all other versions of the film, young Granny chases down a bus after her time at the photo studio. It's there in the bus where she realizes she has been turned into a young woman. Perhaps because Japan prides itself on timely public transport, this sequence has been changed into something else in the Japanese remake - after leaving the photo studio, young Granny becomes the victim of a motorcycle-riding thief. She manages to catch up to the guy and she sees her reflection in the thief's motorcycle helmet.
The Young Grannies
Two remakes have experienced singer-actresses in the lead role: Sarah Geronimo is the young Granny in the Filipino remake and Miu Le takes on the role in the Vietnamese remake. However, the Filipino version's songs are better, and Geronimo makes the best of it; this film is actually one of my favorite Sarah Geronimo films.
The other films' young Grannies have experienced actresses in the role: Davika Hoorne (perhaps best known for Heart Attack (2015)) is tomboyish and comedic, while Mikako Tabe, from the live action Kimi no Todoke, brings an adorable spin to the role. Yang Zishun, from last year's Cannes entry Walking Past the Future, has a slightly more brash take on the lead character.
One significant quirk among all of the films is in the inspiration for young Granny's name and/or look, as it differs from remake to remake. In the South Korean, Filipino, Thai and Japanese versions, the young Granny's look and name is based on Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn. The name is often wordplay based on Hepburn's name: Oh Doo-ri in Korean, Odrey in Filipino, and Otori in Japanese (this is also a play on words, as 'ootori' in Japanese means Phoenix). The Thai remake doesn't have a name change, but the look is obviously Hepburnesque.
This is completely different in the Chinese, Vietnamese, and Indonesian versions of the film. It's understandable, since these three countries have cultures that are not as Westernized as their other counterparts. The Chinese version's name for young Granny is based off of Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng (the main character's name is based on Teng's real name). The Vietnamese version bases the look and name of the main character on Vietnamese singer Thanh Nga, while the Indonesian version's name change is based on award winning actress Mieke Wijaya.
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| L-R: Thanh Nga, Mieke Wijaya, Audrey Hepburn, Teresa Teng |
Granny's Child
For the most part, Granny's child in all the remakes and incarnations is the same: a highly successful academic whose field of study is related to the elderly.
The sole exception is in the Japanese remake. In this version, Granny has a daughter instead of a son, and her name is Sachie (portrayed by Satomi Kobayashi of After the Storm fame). Sachie works as a magazine editor who has been transferred or demoted in favor of younger staff. Sachie herself is a single mom, and this creates a nice symmetry with her own mother's situation, transforming the Japanese version into a stronger ode to single motherhood. All of the male characters in the Japanese remake do not talk about father figures, rather, they are a generation raised by mothers while their fathers did all the breadwinner stuff, a norm in Japanese society for many decades.
The Grandson and His Band
Granny often has two grandchildren, a grandson and a granddaughter. The grandson has a band (often with a punk/metal sensibility) that sucks, often because of a bad lead singer who quits early on in the film.Young Granny takes on the lead singer role, converting the band from rock to something like retro pop. The songs that the band plays are classic songs based on the country of origin. By the end of the story, the granddaughter takes on the role of lead singer.
Of all the bands, the Filipino version has the best music, thanks to the lead singer and the songwriters.
Again, the exception to this is the Japanese remake. In the Japanese version of the film, the grandson is an only child; his band has a decent lead singer, but she quits early on because she needs to find a job. She later returns to the lead singer role after the events of the climax. The songs of the Japanese remake also have a more rock-based edge to them as compared to the other remakes.
For the most part, the grandson is played by an actor-singer. The Indonesian version's Kevin Julio is a singer and DJ, Takumi Kitamura is a member of a pop/rock band, Ngo Kien Huy is a well known Vietnamese singer, Lu Han is a solo artist but formerly from the boyband EXO, and Jin Young is member of the Korean boyband B1A4.
That said, James Reid is handsomest grandson. It isn't even close. Just saying lel
The Producer
The role of the music producer differs from remake to remake. In most cases, he's set up to be an additional love interest for young Granny and a means for the grandson to get his big break in the music industry. The Vietnamese, Japanese and and Thai remakes are the versions that push for this relationship the most, while the Filipino and Chinese remakes underplay this subplot compared to the others. The Thai and Japanese versions even have additional scenes that help emphasize this relationship.
During the later half of the story, young Granny finds herself without a place to stay and eventually stays with music producer for the night (in some remakes, this stay is extended). All of the versions end with the producer passing out on the sofa (either due to drunkenness or exhaustion) with the exception of the Thai remake, which has young Granny punching the music producer to sleep.
The Old Flame
The Old Flame is another one of young Granny's suitors. He's usually Granny's neighbor and close friend, as well as coworker/friend in the local senior citizen center. In many of the versions of the film, he was a servant in Granny's old home, and was smitten with her from the start.
In Japan, the concept of family servants doesn't really translate, so the film changed it a bit. In the Japanese version, Jiro is a fellow friend and war orphan who grew up with Granny during the post war era. Although their relationship is downplayed here (Granny even consults Jiro personally regarding her budding relationship with the music producer), the film hints at their budding relationship together at the end.
In most of the films' end scenes, there's a sequence where the Old Flame encounters the magical photo studio and becomes young himself. The Thai remake cuts out at the moment where his picture is being taken. For some reason, the Chinese remake omits this entire sequence completely.
Wounds and Discovery
The film's turning point occurs when young Granny is wounded in the foot, and she discovers that blood loss reverses the de-aging process. It happens in different circumstances during each of the remakes: in the original and Thai versions, young Granny is wounded at a waterpark; in the Vietnamese version, she is wounded while swimming in a hotelside pool; an altercation in a bar wounds young Granny in the Chinese version; in the Japanese version, she falls down a small hill during a walk in the woods; in the Indonesian remake, an ice cream glass shatters near her feet; and in the Filipino remake, young Granny is wounded during a music video shoot.
Perhaps these different circumstances are due to conservative cultural values (maybe showing swimsuits isn't as popular in other countries) or merely due to budget or production constraints.
The Twist, Climax and Ending
The original twist, where the grandson gets into a car accident while riding a bike on his way to his band's big concert, is standard fare in Korean melodramas. Most of the remakes play this straight, though the Thai version is particularly flamboyant about it: the crash scene is done in super dramatic slow motion, with pieces of glass flying everywhere. These are conventions I noticed in other works Thai mainstream media where dramatic scenes are stretched out for maximum impact.
The Japanese version once again proves to be the odd man out - the grandson isn't riding a bike at all, instead, he is distracted while walking across a pedestrian lane and is struck by a car. While his other counterparts lie still on the spot, wounded Japanese grandson manages to walk all the way to the concert venue and collapses inside the band's dressing room.
In all the versions of the film, Young Granny decides to stay instead of immediately going to the hospital, so that she can sing her grandson's song for the audience. It's supposed to be a big moment, and in all versions you can feel that she has to make this song, her swan song, memorable. In my opinion, the Filipino version manages to execute this the best. The Filipino remake's last song, Isa Pang Araw (One More Day) is excellent, optimally utilizing the singing prowess of Sarah Geronimo. It feels like a triumphant moment, and it greatly enhances the emotional impact of the scene. On the other hand, the Thai version leaves a lot to be desired. In the Thai version, young Granny actually stops singing at one point, distraught. Though it makes for some drama, it undercuts her resolve to help her grandson. The song also abruptly ends compared to the other versions of the film, further cutting its emotional impact.
After the last song, all of the versions of the film pan out in similar fashion, with the exception of the Chinese remake, which abruptly ends after a point. The Korean and Japanese versions tie up most of the loose threads compared to their counterparts.
Other Minor Plot Points
There are a lot of other minor details that set each movie apart from the other:
1) Granny often brings fruits for Old Flame. In most versions of the film, Old Flame is allergic to the fruits, which shows how little Granny actually knows her friend. What's interesting is that the fruit is different with each adaptation: Peach (Korea), Sapodilla or Chico (Philippines), Rambutan (Thai), Peach (China), Bananas (Vietnam) and Apples (Japan, plus Jiro isn't allergic).
2) Granny's favorite kind of show is different as well: Soap Operas (Thai, Indonesia and Vietnam), Period Dramas (think Jewel in the Palace) (China and Korea) and Professional Wrestling (Philippines).
3) The Music Producer has a female assistant in all the films except in Japan, where he has a male assistant. Also, the female assistant is a bit antagonistic in the Vietnamese version of the film.
4) There is a scene where young granny confronts the music producer for the first time using an everyday object or food: two fish (Philippines), one fish (Korea), a radish (China), a spatula (Japan), Chicken feet and a radish (Vietnam), and an umbrella (Indonesia). The Thai version doesn't have a weapon.
5) In the Chinese version, the grandson and granddaughter are fraternal twins.
6) In the Korean, Filipino and Vietnamese versions of the film, there's a scene where young Granny tries to buy some anti anxiety pills after she finds out she has been transformed. This is a strange scene in itself in our context because anti-anxiety pills are strictly controlled in the Philippines and you cannot get them unless you have a special prescription pad. Also, in the Vietnamese version of the film, the daughter in law is taking a cocktail of medications - perhaps because of the stress caused by granny?
7) In many of the remakes, there is a scene where young Granny chides a mother with a crying baby because the mother's breast milk is watery. This scene is not present in the Filipino, Japanese and Thai versions. In the Thai version, the milk is watery because of breast implants.
8) Obviously, Granny argues with her daughter in law about different food recipes depending on the country.
9) The Thai version is more open in terms of talking to Granny about putting her in a seniors' home.
10) Granny and grandson are closer and have a lot more scenes together in the Vietnamese version. In the Thai version, after an argument about song lyrics, the grandson talks with his father instead of directly making up with young Granny.
11) Early on in the film, Japanese Granny is scammed by an "ore, ore" scammer, who frequently targets the elderly. This doesn't happen in any of the other remakes.
12) The takes in the Filipino version leave in several instances of corpsing, which makes the whole thing even funnier.
Themes and Overall Thoughts
Collectively, the films share a common core - a look at the problems facing the elderly, as well as an appeal to value the love our parents give us unconditionally. Regardless of the country or culture it is set in, all the movies agree that there are few things more powerful than a mother's love. Some of the other versions emphasize this aspect of filial piety more than others, but the overall effect is the same.
The thing with having remakes closely mimicking the original material is, if they closely mimic the original source material, they run the risk of inheriting the problems of the source. That's the case with the remakes that stuck the closest to the source material. Case in point: there's a scene in the Korean original where Granny confronts a woman whose life was negatively impacted by her actions. It's a scene that's supposed to show us that as a young mother, Granny had to sacrifice a lot for the sake of her child. Even in the Korean original, the scene doesn't completely work, and this sideplot is abandoned and never addressed again for the rest of the film. Since the Thai and Filipino remakes keep this scene in, they suffer the same problems.
On the other hand, taking risks doesn't always pay out, in the case of the Chinese and Thai remakes and how they handled the ending of the story. So it has to be a balance between respecting the source material and innovating and adjusting for cultural differences. I think the Japanese remake does an excellent job in this regard, and it even expands on the original's themes of motherhood and parental responsibilities.
With many personal opinions on film and many styles of filmmaking to match, I think each remake has their own pros and cons, depending on one's personal tastes, and each film has something interesting and unique to offer.
Whichever version of the film you ultimately decide to see (my personal recommendations are the Filipino and the Japanese remakes, the former of which is still in cinemas as of this writing), Miss Granny has come up with a winning formula that seems to transcend cultures: in most of the countries it has debuted in, the respective remakes have made a decent amount of money. And it seems like the remake train hasn't stopped quite yet: plans are in place for at least four more remakes, including an Indian remake and (finally) a version made by Hollywood.
So, young Indian grandma and Motown-singing young black grandma? I'm all in.
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