personally feel that what makes a film work as a whole goes way beyond the writer and director, thought they may be key to it, and that a director like nakata or shimizu simply transfering to america to do a remake shows so, i think. for me, a film works because of all the elements obviously at work and those that are more inherant in the culture of the country and the film industries dynamics in that country... still, i don't object to remakes, just bad ones, particularly of films from the asian continent.

I know what you're saying logboy, a film is a complete piece and it takes everyone involved.

However there are three times a film is made, writing, directing and editing, and right now all they have is the producer. Influence as he might, in the western markets they are more money and less creative.

america has a habit of making films that don't directly intend to apply to the american market, they have their eye (conciously or otherwise) on a global market. if a producer sees a film that resembles (as 'the host' is likely too, for its scale if nothing else) what hollywood does, there's always a chance that producer would think the opportunity is there to transfer the basic concept and use it for financial purposes - okay, leave the cultural degradation aside, that's perhaps a given, and we know films are a business - which subsequently completely ignores the subtleties of what makes the film work in the first place, the cultural elements and everything that surrounds that countries film industry which resulted in something unique that can't effectively be reduced or transfered without the huge risk of either compromise or a complete misreading of what would make the 'new film' any good. i don't think any country shouldn't aim to make larger films, but i don't particularly think they'll avoid the idea of a remake or license based on something which chimes with the bloated approach hollywood has to films these days... perhaps they could intentionally stay small in their films abroad? or just get on with it, take the cash, and laugh at peoples inability to see the mistakes theyre making in not just doing their own thing, for their own people, for their own sake - and letting others do the same.