Enough to Raise the Dead?

Recently a number of websites were buzzing about a report that director/producer George Lucas (of Star Wars and Indiana Jones fame) was buying up the film rights for deceased actors. His goal? He reportedly wanted to use the latest CGI wizardry and put past stars together in some new flicks.

Now it all turned out to be just a fabricated rumor—a spokesperson for Lucasfilm denied the report to a site called ontheredcarpet.com—but it’s still an interesting rumor. And I think it’s still worth thinking about.

The movie biz is all about the next moneymaking hit and the latest tech, after all, and moviemakers are always trying to leverage the latest technological gizmo to make a bigger buck. So is it possible that resurrecting past cinematic stars for new starring roles is on the horizon? Maybe.

I just saw a screening for Tron: Legacy a couple of nights ago, and the 20 year youngification of  Jeff Bridges was pretty good. And when you consider other recent films such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, it seems like the possibility to create really lifelike, expressive CGI imagery is just around the corner. And as far as the dead actors’ rights are concerned, well, the mighty dollar has a way of swaying those in need of a new BMW.

Just think, you could see Marilyn Monroe in Burlesque II. You might catch Fred Astaire tripping the light fantastic with, uh, Bristol Palin. Or a tuxedoed George Clooney and Cary Grant going head to head for the young ingénue’s heart. Anything’s possible.

Of course, that creates just as many problems as opportunities, doesn’t it? Just the pure creep factor is one stumbling block. And then there’s a certain moral question. I mean, just because someone’s great granddaughter signs away her ancestor’s image, does that mean some director or producer should have the right to potentially sully it? Like, for instance, sticking Laurence Olivier in American Pie 12 or some such nonsense?

Being the old fuddy duddy I am, I think it’s all a terrible idea. I thought using old images of Astaire to sell Dirt Devil vacuums was in poor taste. What do you think?