The Art of the remake

Susan Wloszczyna has this piece, A remake by any other name, in USA Today discussing Jennifer Garner's "13 Going on 30" aka "Big with Breasts", Elisha Cuthbert's "Girl Next Door", which openly admits its debt to "Risky Business" (that's funny I was positive they were ripping off a pron movie with the exact same title), and several other movies.

I link to it because it has some choice quotes from filmmakers and writers on copyright related issues:

The big mystery isn't why someone would commit such apparent thievery. It's why victims aren't complaining more. In an industry so concerned about piracy, it's somewhat hypocritical that no one is all that uptight about blatant pickpocketing. For one, the Writers Guild doesn't concern itself about such charges. "Unless there is a contractual relationship with writers assigned to do a remake, then there is no contractual obligation, whether it's a rip-off or not," says Cathy Reed, senior director of credits and creative rights.

"I'm flattered and amused," says director/writer Paul Brickman of how The Girl Next Door models itself on his Risky Business, a sly and sexy satire on the crass capitalism of the Reagan era. "The bottom line is, ideas are cheap. Execution is everything."

Gary Ross, co-writer of Big: "I have no desire to sue anyone. It's counterproductive. Big was a wonderful thing in my life. And its enduring effect has lasted. It's part of the culture, and it's OK. That's all you could want from any movie."