Re-enactments - Should it be a pet peeve?

[steve]

I'm glad that people still have a fondness for the 1938 "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast. However, I'm increasingly disappointed that most re-enactments hew so closely to the 1938 script that all they do is change out the names, locations and add a bit of contemporary dialog (at most).

The whole point of the 1938 broadcast was that it was virtually identical to what a contemporary radio news broadcast would be. What makes the 1968 / 1971 WKBW version (Heck, even the 1998 "97 Rock" version) special is that it modernized the drama for the time period. With a few minor adjustments, the 1971 broadcast could well be regarded as a broadcast for today. It resonates more with the listener.

Am I reading too much into this? Are other people equally entertained by these 1938 localized re-enactments or are they entertained more by original scripts?

[richardburton]

I agree - if a renenactment is done right it can resonate equally well for a new contemporary audience, but as you say, more thought does need to go into it, rather than just changing names/locations etc.