The Remade

The Remade
Samantha Thomson

Remakes are not an unusual concept in film: people see remakes of movies in Hollywood all the time. For example, movie theater audiences frequently see advertisements for movies made from their favorite books (such as the Harry Potter series), movies made from Hollywood films that they’ve seen before (such as the current Friday the 13th), and even movies inspired by old TV shows (such as Bewitched and The Dukes of Hazzard). However, many moviegoers do not realize that some of the films they’re viewing are in fact remakes of films that were popular and successful in other countries. One such American film is Martin Scorsese’s 2006 flick The Departed, which was adapted from the 2002 Chinese film Mou gaan dou (known to English speakers as Infernal Affairs), directed by Wai-keung Lau and Siu Fai Mak.
Remakes explore the same themes and follow the same storyline as the original (though the extent to which the original story is followed varies). However, in the case of movies that are remakes of prior films, the new filmmakers may use a different style to enhance the movie. This can be seen in the case of Infernal Affairs and The Departed, which share very similar screenplays and dialogue. As well as a shared plot, both films also share similar styles and techniques, with some marked differences caused by the filmmakers’ uses of various tools and skills. Cinematography is an extremely important element of the two films; however, Infernal Affairs uses more editing to emphasize the storyline, while The Departed focuses more on using more subtle shots and music to do the same.
Both of these movies are crime/drama/thriller films with a complicated storyline: a police officer (Yan in Infernal Affairs and Billy in The Departed) is sent undercover as a mole in the local mafia, while the mafia (the Triad in Infernal Affairs and the Irish mob in The Departed) sends their own mole (Ming in Internal Affairs and Colin in The Departed) to infiltrate the police force. Each mole finds himself in a desperate race to expose and destroy the other before being found out and punished. In the Chicago Sun Times review of Internal Affairs, Ebert notes that these films are not the average thriller, but also posses “a kind of emotional complexity rarely seen in crime movies.” The Departed follows the story of Infernal Affairs very closely, with the largest difference perhaps being the more ‘complete’ conclusion seen in The Departed as well as the fact that, prior to the closing scenes, there is some interaction between Ming and Yan in Infernal Affairs, but no interaction between Colin and Billy in The Departed.
It is interesting that one concept for a film can work when made for two very different cultures; the plot of these two movies transcends ethnic and national boundaries, appealing to audiences around the world. The themes in both Infernal Affairs and The Departed are also universal, which may explain the two films’ successes in different parts of the world. Both films explore issues of identity, internal conflict, loyalty, and betrayal. The films also delve into class separations and role models: Colin and Ming both continually yearn for a better status in life and it is not difficult to spot Frank Costello, The Departed’s nefarious mob boss, as the father figure to both Colin and, strangely enough, Billy. And finally, both movies take a turn toward the philosophical when examining religious feelings: in Infernal Affairs, viewers are given several Buddhist references, and in The Departed, characters appear to posses a burden brought on by old-fashioned Irish-Catholic guilt.
Arguably the most central theme in the two films is the internal conflict of the two moles over their own identities. As Roger Ebert notes in his review, “The Departed is about two men trying to live public lives that are the radical opposites of their inner realities...the telling of their stories involves a moral labyrinth, in which good and evil wear each other's masks.” (3) Yan and Billy are the good guys that wonder just how good they can be after all of their time spent surrounded by crime and who miss contact outside of their shadowy covers. Ming and Colin are the bad guys that desire to eventually be respectable and to move up in the world. Both moles in each film are traitors to their conscience in one way or another, and struggle with the stress and pressure that comes with that. Both directors used key scenes, camera angles, and careful editing to imply this internal conflict. For example, in Infernal Affairs, after the death of his commanding officer (Shing), Yan has black-and-white flashbacks of his memories of Shing. These somber flashbacks, as well as the sad music playing in the background, add a sense of gravity to the scene: we realize that Yan has just lost someone important to him, one of the two men that knew Yan was no criminal, but an honorable man that sacrificed everything.



There are other key stylistic elements to the two films. Viewers will notice more long and medium shots in both films than any other type of shot. Both films make excellent use of moving shots, which add nicely to the action scenes: The Departed’s shots tend to be more subtle, likely depending mostly on tracking and crane shots, while Infernal Affairs’s shots seem to have frequently been done using a steadicam. These two approaches give the films slightly different looks, as the steadicam allowed for more flexibility during shooting. There are virtually no special effects to be seen in The Departed, which instead depends heavily on editing alone to cut scenes. However, Infernal Affairs uses faster editing and some minor special effects for the transitions as well as for the introduction of key characters; freeze frames and, as mentioned previously, slow motion are seen a few times throughout the film. Thankfully, due to Hong Kong cinema’s lack of big budgets, special effects were not overused. The quick cuts in Internal Affairs often combine several different camera angles, creating fast-paced, intense scenes. A final difference between the stylistic aspects of the two movies was the use of music and sound: while Infernal Affairs did not overly depend upon music, The Departed would certainly not be the same without its carefully chosen and edited soundtrack, which “combines rock 'n' roll and opera.” (4) It is surprising that there are not more differences, considering The Departed’s screenwriter stated that he made a point of not watching the original film and worked only from a translation of the Chinese script (4).
It seems that sometimes one of the two films does a better job of using technical skills and effects to add depth to a scene. For example, in the opening scenes of The Departed, viewers witness Costello’s indoctrination of young neighborhood boys in a mechanic’s shop: in this scene, Costello is frequently nothing more substantial than a sinister silhouette, moving back and forth in front of the camera while young boys sit listening to him speak. The shadowing, the low camera angles, and the fact that Costello often moves between young Colin and the camera indicate his power and influence in the lives of these youth. Similarly, the opening scenes of Infernal Affairs show Hon Sam, the triad boss, lecturing a line of young men whom he indicates are his most recent recruits. In contrast with the opening scenes of The Departed, this scene is full of light and open air, and the cameras are at eye level. The only technical similarity is the fact that Sam is often interposed between the camera and the recruits. While the positioning and body language of the young men indicate that Sam is, without a doubt, a powerful man, this scene does not make him out to be nearly as sinister and ruthless as Costello appeared. Perhaps this is simply the genius of Martin Scorsese at work, or perhaps this is an advantage of being the remake: the movie that comes second can always attempt to improve upon the first.





The powerful dialogue and the use of proper angles, cuts, music, and other technical aspects really make each of these films; without the right pairing and execution, these films would not have been nearly as fluent, intense, entertaining, or thought-provoking. However, the films were both highly successful in their countries of origin, each winning several prestigious awards. In this case, the storyline allowed for a remake that could transcend national and cultural borders. The universal themes of identity, internal conflict, and loyalty in both films were interesting and entertaining to viewers the world over. Both The Departed and Infernal Affairs told the same story with only a few alterations, but the styles and techniques utilized by their directors were often somewhat different, allowing for two unique films.

Works Cited

1. Barsam, Richard. Looking at Movies An Introduction to Film, Second Edition. New York: W. W. Norton, 2006.
2. Ebert, Roger. "Infernal Affairs." Chicago Sun Times 24 Dec. 2004. 1 Mar. 2009 .
3. Ebert, Roger. "The Departed." Chicago Sun Times 6 Jul. 2007. 1 Mar. 2009 .
4. McCarthy, Todd. “The Departed.” Variety 2 Oct. 2006. 2 Mar. 2009
5. Mou gaan dou. Dir. Wai-keung Lau and Siu Fai Mak. Perf. Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang. DVD. Miramax, 2002.
6. The Departed. Dir. Martin Scorsese. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson. DVD. Warner Brothers, 2006.