ARTHUR (Rated PG-13)

The argument that Hollywood is running out of ideas and relies too much on remakes and sequels is bolstered mightily by the pointless restructuring of the 1981 “Arthur,” which starred Dudley Moore as the perfect fit for a drunken playboy billionaire incapable of growing up and taking on his inherited corporate responsibilities.

Far from being an improved version, the creative innovation in the new “Arthur,” consisting of fresh dialogue and altered situations, is hardly original or convincing.

In short, the 2011 “Arthur” is a mostly senseless, unnecessary and futile exercise in recreating a classic comedy. Comparing the new “Arthur” to the original is like measuring a bottle of cheap wine against the value of an exquisite vintage.

Aside from his British accent, Russell Brand, who proved he can be funny in short bursts in a film like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” has very little of the wit and charm that made Dudley Moore’s cuddly man-child so endearing.

Brand’s Arthur Bach, the perennially inebriated and irresponsible lout, wears thin after a short time. One can only wonder how his lifelong nanny, Hobson (Helen Mirren), the patrician caretaker, has managed to remain a loyal servant through endless years of turmoil.

At least, the new “Arthur” came up with the novel twist of turning Arthur’s minder into a female; the original job fell to John Gielgud, who performed the role of Hobson so admirably that he won an Oscar.

As good as Helen Mirren invariably is, even in this film, there won’t be any Oscar talk associated with the new “Arthur.”

For one thing, the characters are pretty much what we expect them to be.

The fun-loving Arthur spends every day in the heedless pursuit of amusement. Our first glimpse of Arthur is to see him dressed as Batman, while his faithful chauffeur Bitterman (Luis Guzman) plays the part of Robin, as the dynamic duo head off into the night in the actual Batmobile.

Untold riches have allowed Arthur to amass a collection of well-known cinematic vehicles, including the General Lee and Scooby-Doo’s van.

Arthur’s antics draw unwanted notice by the NYPD, and once again a brush with the law proves too embarrassing for Arthur’s stern mother (Geraldine James).

As a result, she issues an ultimatum that Arthur must marry the beautiful but decidedly unlovable Susan Johnson (Jennifer Garner), an ambitious corporate executive who wants to rise above her station in high society.

Failure to follow through on the matrimonial plans would require Arthur to forfeit his billion-dollar inheritance and all the playthings that go with the only way of life he knows.

The trouble, of course, is that the free-spirited Arthur has just fallen for Naomi (Greta Gerwig), a working-class girl from Queens who conducts unauthorized guided tours of Grand Central Station for a living.

At first, Naomi has no idea that Arthur is a man of considerable wealth; she’s fascinated by his spirit of idealism and spontaneity as well as his complete lack of artifice. Since Arthur is prone to indulging every conceivable juvenile whim, it’s almost a wonder that he manages to charm the very pleasant and genuine proletarian girl with his silly indulgences.

Faced with his controlling mother’s ultimatum, Arthur eventually has to cope with the notion of losing all his money, his exotic toys and his nanny so that he can risk everything for the true love of a kind-hearted ordinary girl who dreams of publishing a children’s book.

So as he takes the ultimate gamble, Arthur proves to be the funniest when he decides to interview for office jobs for which he is clearly unqualified in many respects. In fact, the job interview scene is one of the few truly funny scenes in “Arthur,” the new but not improved remake.

However, those who think Russell Brand is somehow adorable or even cuddly may find more amusement in “Arthur” than I could find conceivable.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

“Dallas,” the highly popular prime time television soap opera, ran for so many seasons that acquiring the complete DVD collection would be a daunting task.

Instead, if you’re a fan of J.R. Ewing and his wealthy Texas family, you may consider the alternative of the “Dallas: The Movie Collection,” a DVD collector’s set, which includes a prequel, two cast reunion telefilms and retrospective TV special.

This collection contains “The Early Years,” which set the stage for the drama to come, while reunion movies “J.R. Returns” and “The War of the Ewings” plunged Larry Hagman’s wheeling-dealing J.R. into plots to take over Ewing Oil.

The fascinating retrospective “Return to Southfork” is brimming with clips, outtakes and reminiscences from your favorite “Dallas” stars.

“Dallas: The Movie Collection” allows fans to enjoy the compulsively watchable tales of greed, scheming and sex – mostly masterminded by the double-dealing oilman (that would be J.R. Ewing) folks love to hate.

TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL

Watch this space in the next week or so for updates on the second annual TCM Classic Film Festival to take place in Los Angeles from April 28 to May 1.

Just like last year, there’s a great lineup of films with special guests participating in panel discussions. The biggest attraction will likely be Kirk Douglas discussing the presentation of “Spartacus.”

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.