Originality is a dying art.
Kirby Ferguson has created a series called "Everything is a Remix" and goes into detail how pretty much all modern art is built upon previous archetypes.
The first video doesn't really go into film but instead delves into music and reveals that beats and tunes have been recycled for decades.
Everything is a Remix from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.
The second video does focus on movies and shows that many films that we all enjoy take parts and pieces from dozens of older films.
Everything is a Remix Part 2 from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.
Then there is one last video that is an extension of the second video. In goes in-depth into the “Kill Bill” films by Quentin Tarantino. It shows how nearly everything in the films is taken from other films, including some of Tarantino's own work.
Everything Is A Remix: KILL BILL from robgwilson.com on Vimeo.
Those are only the first two parts of a four-part series. Don't know when the third and fourth parts will be released online, but I know I am looking forward to them. I hope you have learned some things from these videos just as I have.