« 1-Sheet-A-Rama | Main | Wristcutters Finally Lands »

October 19, 2007

By Request: What Movie Would You Actually Like To See Remade?

Yes.... people hate the idea of remaking films. But Spacesheik reminded us that some people would like to see some films remade.

My personal take is that film is now a mature enough art form that remakes can be, as in theater, something wonderful. Someone needs to have a reason to do it other than just money... but something like riffing on Citizen Kane with a internet billionaire who goes mad after investing in the internet, high-def, and basketball might be fascinating. And so long as the masterpiece original exists, who is hurt?

Posted by poland at October 19, 2007 02:54 PM

Comments

You know Invasion of the Body Snatchers might make a good remake...

Wait a minute

Posted by: teambanzai [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 02:59 PM

Quantity vs quality

Posted by: David Poland [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 03:03 PM

I would remake a picture whose ending was ruined by the censors at the time, who had it that crime could never pay. Basil Dearden's 1960 thriller THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052997/

Posted by: Ian Sinclair [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 03:07 PM

1951 baseball cat comedy Rhubarb.

Posted by: Wrecktum [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 03:10 PM

Remakes, ideally, should be limited to films where the original good idea was executed poorly. Good example would be Michael Mann's The Keep. Mann's sensibilities were ill-suited to the story and it's badly dated (there are no absolutes in life, but Tangerine Dream should NEVER be used in a film set during the Holocaust) but with a decent fx budget, better casting, and a stronger sense of what the material is (and more importantly, what it isn't) you'd have a decent genre film.

Posted by: ASD [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 03:18 PM

A remake of GUNGA DIN with Ray Winstone, Sean Bean, Orlando Bloom and Ben Kingsley.

Posted by: Ian Sinclair [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 03:21 PM

"the fish that saved pittsburgh"

it will give kobe bryant and shaq a chance to feel old wounds

Posted by: hendhogan [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 03:26 PM

Ian, no offense, but I don't think that kind of movie works anymore. Evidence: Four Feathers

Posted by: Joe Leydon [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 03:54 PM

BTW: I would love to see a remake of Sidney Lumet's The Appointment (intriguing idea, but even Lumet thinks he didn't get it right), and maybe an Americanized version of Louis Malle's The Thief of Paris.

Posted by: Joe Leydon [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 03:58 PM

I want to see an actual adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier's "The Birds." The Hitchcock movie is a masterpiece in its own right, but it doesn't have much to do with the story beyond the premise, and the story would make for a killer straight-up horror flick.

Posted by: eugenen [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 04:20 PM

I think Gunga Din is a great idea! I was so in love with Douglas Fairbanks Jr when I was a kid.

Posted by: bipedalist [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 04:36 PM

howabout "the manhattan project" but this time the kid can be arab-american

Posted by: hendhogan [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 04:39 PM

Bippy, I would have Orlando Bloom in the Fairbanks role.

Joe, GUNGA DIN would absolutely work given the right director, someone who can handle action, romance and comedy.

Posted by: Ian Sinclair [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 04:42 PM

As much as I love the Joseph Losey "Boom!", it doesn't make sense since Liz was much too young and Burton was much too old. Remake it as "The Milk Train (Doesn't Stop Here Anymore)" starring Meryl Streep and Brad Pitt.

Posted by: adorian [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 04:44 PM

I thought of this clever idea to remake Shakespeare's "The Tempest" set in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Kind of like what Luhrmann did with Romeo + Juliet. But with a jazz and blues soundtrack.

And yes, kids, Sean Penn will play himself.

Posted by: Crow T Robot [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 04:44 PM

but can he bring his own boat?

Posted by: hendhogan [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 04:45 PM

W.R. Mysteries of the Organism starring Shia LaBeouf.

Posted by: jeffmcm [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 04:48 PM

Cocky colonialistss. Faithful native flunkie. Swarthy, bloodthirsty bad guys who want to kill the infidels. Yeah, sure, I can see people lining up around the block to see a new Gunga Din -- encouraged, of course, by rave reviews from national critics.

Posted by: Joe Leydon [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 04:57 PM

Pshaw! Who cares about national critics! And we can make the bad guys Afghans. They'll lap that up in Peoria.

Posted by: Ian Sinclair [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 05:04 PM

I have a pretty radical idea -- how about NOTHING.

Posted by: Aris P [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 05:07 PM

How about adaptations of plays or novels that had to be bowdlerized to pass the Production Code? CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF is an excellent example.

Posted by: Cadavra [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 05:47 PM

the next thing you know, jeff will tell me that brick's gay

Posted by: hendhogan [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 05:59 PM

Ian: This is as close as you'll get to ever seeing a Gunga Din remake:

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117794755.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0

Posted by: Joe Leydon [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 06:24 PM

Hend; I feel the same way about the Manhattan Project, but you do not need to make the kid an Arab-American. The concept of that film alone in this day of age could be played to a lot more severe way. Especially in terms of how the film ends with the secret site being revealled. That alone could be used for some twist and lot not.

Nevertheless; I have always been curious about what direction a Citizen Kane remake would take in this day and age. You could even go as far as to have Kane be responsible for the Iraq war. Which would be pretty trippy.

Yet, if I can have one film remade, that film would be Three Days of the Condor.

Posted by: IOIOIOI [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 06:26 PM

How about just turning The Stainless Steel Rat into a good picture?

Posted by: doug r [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 07:23 PM

Even if you got Soderbergh to do that Kane remake, there's one theater chain it would never play in...

Posted by: CloudsWithoutWater [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 07:41 PM

A friend of mine likes to joke that since we have "Body Snatchers" and "Invasion", the next remake must inevitably be titled "Of The"

Posted by: CloudsWithoutWater [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 07:43 PM

Star Wars I, II, and III

Posted by: Mr. Muckle [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 08:52 PM

Eugenen: "I want to see an actual adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier's "The Birds." The Hitchcock movie is a masterpiece in its own right, but it doesn't have much to do with the story beyond the premise, and the story would make for a killer straight-up horror flick."

You're getting your wish mate, Martin Campbell directs Naomi Watts and -- horror!! -- Michael Bay produces.


Posted by: Spacesheik [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 09:52 PM

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN with Angelina Jolie and Jessica Alba.

Posted by: Ian Sinclair [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 09:55 PM

I'd like to see a few films remade, I wouldn't mind a SOYLENT GREEN remake (they'd have to think of a different plot twist) maybe with Ian McKellan in the Edgar G. Robinson role and Bruce Willis in the Chuck Heston role. It's a futuristic thriller, has action, has Global warming elements, has euthanasia, could be updated and work both with the Al Gore and Martin Campbell crowd.

A couple of Vincent Price flicks you could remake (both were excellent though): WITCHFINDER GENERAL (about a persecutor of witches) and THEATRE OF BLOOD (hammy Shakespearean actor eliminates critics).

There was this overlooked spy thriller I enjoyed in the 80s with John Savage ..THE AMATEUR, about a CIA agent tracking down terrorists who murdered his wife.

Some Westerns also would be great: THE REVENGERS (William Holden and Ernest Borgnine starred), the Burt Lancaster flick VALDEZ IS COMING, maybe ULZANA'S RAID.

A horror-disaster flick in the 70s was THE MEDUSA TOUCH with Richard Burton who played a man who could 'will' disasters - update it to the 9-11 world, has potential.

I'd love to see a remake of the James Coburn flick THE PRESIDENT'S ANALYST, pleny of sardonic possibilities in this day and age.

Posted by: Spacesheik [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 10:29 PM

What is the 'Martin Campbell crowd'?

Posted by: jeffmcm [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 10:34 PM

Just the action crowd (didn't wanna say Michael Bay...too polarizing)

Posted by: Spacesheik [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 19, 2007 11:31 PM

the year before the first Pirates came out I saw Captain Blood and I thought to myself, wow, this story could be so damn intense and incredible if it became a remake. British doctor is framed and sent to the Carribbean where he is sold into slavery, falls in love with the plantation owner's daughter, escapes, becomes a pirate captain and eventually brings down the plantation and gets the girl. The 30s version is fairly haphazard until it becomes a pirate movie about 60% in, so there's a lot that can be improved, though I don't know if you can improve on Flynn and his chemistry with DiHavilland. The material and title have such potential but the classic version is just so tame and glossy, too bad it couldn't have been made three or four years earlier before the production code hammer came down.

But since you can't cast Depp in the role who could play Blood?

Posted by: movielocke [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 20, 2007 01:18 AM

I'm surprised nobody in Hollywood - what with the trend of remaking horror flicks - has thought to remake Children of the Corn.

a) the original actually isn't that good so it could be easily improved, and

b) it'd have the whole "rebooting" the franchise thing going for it ala Texas and Halloween.

Sure, the Corn movies aren't on the same pop culture level as those flicks but, I mean, if The Hitcher can get remade then sure a dodgy Linda Hamilton/scary kid preacher movie can.

Also, why Hollywood hasn't remade Harry, He's Here to Help boggles my mind. Not that I particularly want a remake of that, but it seems like a given, quite frankly.

Posted by: KamikazeCamelV2.0 [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 20, 2007 01:41 AM

"I'm surprised nobody in Hollywood - what with the trend of remaking horror flicks - has thought to remake Children of the Corn. "

They made lots of sequels to that so that kinda tarnished the franchise.

How about CHRISTINE?

Posted by: Spacesheik [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 20, 2007 02:45 AM

As I said in the other thread, I'd want Wolfgang Petersen to remake his own Neverending Story with today's effects.

Posted by: Josh Massey [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 20, 2007 07:06 AM

Gunga Din was remade, fairly well actually. It was called Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Posted by: MarkVH [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 20, 2007 09:27 AM

I think a Revenge of the Nerds remake could work....

Posted by: Zoidberg [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 20, 2007 08:35 PM

I think a Revenge of the Nerds remake could work....

Posted by: Zoidberg [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 20, 2007 08:44 PM

I'm pretty sure they started shooting a Revenge of the Nerds remake and pulled the plug halfway through.

I'd remake Lost Horizon. The tone would be hard to pull off though. Just not as a musical again.

A Suddenly remake would be interesting to see these days. Cheap to make too.

Posted by: PastePotPete [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 20, 2007 09:19 PM

Lost Horizon would be tough - I think it would need to be a period pic or heavily stylized, because nobody would believe in a Shangri-La existing in central Asia in today's world.

Posted by: jeffmcm [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 21, 2007 01:43 AM

"They made lots of sequels to that so that kinda tarnished the franchise."

Halloween, Friday the 13th (which is getting a reboot), Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Omen...

the list goes on and on.

Posted by: KamikazeCamelV2.0 [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 21, 2007 02:17 AM

"Lost Horizon would be tough - I think it would need to be a period pic or heavily stylized, because nobody would believe in a Shangri-La existing in central Asia in today's world."

The Star Trek people used that LOST HORIZONS premise for the terrible STAR TREK INSURRECTION - I don't know what the hell they were thinking.

Posted by: Spacesheik [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 21, 2007 03:35 AM

Ladyhawke. Great idea, great setting. Most innapprorpiate soundtrack ever,\.

Posted by: Skyblade [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 21, 2007 11:20 AM

"Gunga Din was remade, fairly well actually. It was called Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom."

Took the post right outta my mouth.

Posted by: christian [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 22, 2007 12:36 PM

there was a "revenge of the nerds" update and it did get shut down. script was bad

Posted by: hendhogan [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 22, 2007 04:36 PM

Post a comment

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)


Remember me?