Let's Rewind Blogger!

A weekly injection of nostalgia where we write about classic films, underrated gems, and actors from years gone by.

What Happened To Vestron Pictures? The Studio That Saved Dirty Dancing

What Happened To Vestron Pictures? The Studio That Saved Dirty Dancing

In 1987, a tiny video company in Stamford, Connecticut took a chance on a script every major studio had rejected. Vestron Pictures made Dirty Dancing for $5 million. It earned $214.6 million worldwide and became a cultural phenomenon. Then it destroyed the company that saved it.

Who Gets to Rewrite the Dead? The Film Adaptation Ethics Frankenstein Exposed

Who Gets to Rewrite the Dead? The Film Adaptation Ethics Frankenstein Exposed

We don't repaint the Mona Lisa because modern audiences prefer bigger smiles. So why do filmmakers get to add hope where Shelley wrote nihilism—whilst keeping her name on the title? The Frankenstein debate exposed an uncomfortable truth about film adaptations.

When Movie Magic Was Made By Hand: The Magic We've Lost

When Movie Magic Was Made By Hand: The Magic We've Lost

From The Thing to Gremlins, practical effects of the 1970s-90s created tangible magic that digital effects can't match. The perceptual realism we've lost.

Why Ordinary People Beat Raging Bull (And Why It Actually Deserved To)

Why Ordinary People Beat Raging Bull (And Why It Actually Deserved To)

Everyone calls Ordinary People beating Raging Bull an Oscar crime. But in 1981, Hollywood was exhausted from auteur excess, and Redford's masterful debut arrived at exactly the right moment. Here's why it actually deserved to beat Scorsese—and why history proves it.

The Critic Who Never Was: How Sony's Fake Reviewer Exposed an Industry Already Losing Its Way

The Critic Who Never Was: How Sony's Fake Reviewer Exposed an Industry Already Losing Its Way

In 2001, film critic David Manning praised every Sony film as brilliant. There was just one problem: he didn't exist. The scandal exposed an industry already losing its trusted guides like Roger Ebert—and what replaced them.

From Street Fight to Controller: How The Warriors Accidentally Created Modern Gaming

From Street Fight to Controller: How The Warriors Accidentally Created Modern Gaming

The Warriors didn't just survive its controversial 1979 release—it quietly became the blueprint for modern gaming. From Double Dragon to Grand Theft Auto's gang warfare, discover how Walter Hill's cult film accidentally created entire gaming genres that developers still follow today.

Hollywood's Great Transformation: The Book Adaptation Boom

Hollywood's Great Transformation: The Book Adaptation Boom

Hollywood transformed from 75% original films (1984) to 70% adaptations today. Research reveals this wasn't creative decline—it was economic survival as book industry revenues collapsed 38% while adaptations generate 53% more revenue.