Hehee, Has "It's A Wonderful Life" been scheduled for a remake yet? Ya'know, the original's still B&W; they gotta remake the thing in full-color with CG angels growing wings whenever a bell chimes. Ya'know...? [img]wink.gif[/img]
I'm with Hessstations on this. I've said it before- some of the classic movies (Exorcist, French Connection, Clockwork Orange etc.) wouldn't get made in the Hollywood of today. Take the character of Popeye Doyle from French Connection. Far too complex and unpleasant a character for today's mainstream audience. They'd smooth down some of his harsher aspects (his racism, for example), make him "kinder" and "gentler" and get Bruce Willis or a scruffy Brad Pitt to play him. I liked Craven's initial efforts from the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series- I thought they showed imagination and style. Of course, they ultimately degenerated into the same old tired shtick, but that's Hollywood. Last movie of his I saw was some Dracula pastiche, the name of which I've thankfully forgotten. Just awful. If he does do the remake of LHOTL (I can see it now- John Travolta as Krug, Will Smith as a wise-cracking Weasel, and Julia Roberts as Sadie), I doubt I'll go see it. Things are depressing enough in the world as it is without subjecting myself to that. Indeed, I'll probably try to forget it even exists, like I did with "Godfather 3" or the shot-by-shot remake of "Psycho." Why this insistence on remaking old classics? As the old saying goes- if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Hehee, Has "It's A Wonderful Life" been scheduled for a remake yet? Ya'know, the original's still B&W; they gotta remake the thing in full-color with CG angels growing wings whenever a bell chimes. Ya'know...? [img]wink.gif[/img]
Another example of the bankruptcy of Hollywood is this thing with making movies out of comic books, or 3rd rate TV shows. In fairness, I didn't see "Spiderman" and I heard good things about it, but...Scooby Doo?!? Are they kidding? The Brady Bunch? Flintstones? Have we all gone collectively insane?
Hehee... Actually, currently in a debate about comic-book writers/artists being ripped-off by the Hollywood moviemaking machine. Vaughn Bode', whom died in the 60's, (Cobalt-60, Robots, etc.) being taken for a ride with both Terminator and Road Warrior. Judge Dredd being screwed-over by Robocop. And the direct ripoff of Liberatore's murderous blood-soaked robot RANXEROX character being released in Italy a scant year or two before Cameron makes an 'Ahnold-flick' about a murderous blood-soaked robot himself...
Speaking of Terminator, I think I read somewhere that it had been inspired, at least in part, by an old episode of the "Outer Limits" entitled "Demon With a Glass Hand", which was written by Harlan Ellison and starring the great Robert Culp. If you watch the episode (which, by the way, is probably the best thing ever done on that show), you can see a definite influence, although I wouldn't necessarily accuse the makers of the Terminator of directly ripping it off. It's a thin line. I think in any artistic endeavor, you're going to be influenced by work that came before you. What's the saying- Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? When does it cross the line into outright artistic theft? Not sure. Part of the problem as far as Hollywood is concerned, at least as I see it, is that the sytem doesn't even attempt anything original anymore and is content to cannabilize its own worst parts. Instead of recycling something of quality, it recycles offal. I saw something the other night on TV that epitomizes for me the whole problem. Ebert and Roper were reviewing a new concert film that features Janis Joplin a few weeks before she died. Roper said it was great to see this woman, who was so close to death, singing her heart and soul out on the stage. He then compared that to today's lip-syncing, choreographed "entertainers" like Britney and Justin et al and noted the depressing contrast.
Hehee, Kinda like Jack-O. Breeding his own food.
First time I saw "Last House on the Left" was about four years ago, when I was thirteen...only recently have I been able to buy a copy to enjoy in my own home. The fact that Wes Craven is remaking this film is somewhat two-sided...it's kind of wrong that he's taking what I would see as one of his best (if not his best) works and remaking it for the "PC" age when you know he's probably going to have to edit everything out that made the original such a stirring film. Then again, the remake just may turn a new generation on to the original. If he doesn't use David Hess, though, then that's a different story--he was the best part of the original! Krug still gives me some nightmares...
By the way, if Mr. Hess himself is to read this, I'd like to know if I could interview him for my school's newspaper next semester--I've spread the word of "Last House..." around and what an awesome actor he is. I've stirred some major interest! Plus...I'm a massive Hess fan.
I only hope the LHOTL 'remake' is done the same way Dawn Of The Dead attempted it. Not as a 'remake', but as a totally different movie with the same title.
Given the time passed, Mr. Hess might be better suited as Mari's father this time around, rather than the 'baddie'.
It would be a refreshing reprise, without falling into the typecast roles David has tended to find himself in. Not the 'killer', 'mercenary', 'psycho', 'military commander', etc. this time, but flip-side, possibly the hurt regretful father (with maybe a bit of Charles Bronson's "revenge" quota attached). But not too much of that...
Yeah, I would agree with that. I found myself surprisingly liking the Dawn of Dead remake. Same premise, but a re-imagining of it; good way of putting it. David playing the role of Mari's father would be interesting to see. Certainly, he'd be able to add more depth and complexity to the role than Gaylord did. Speaking of re-makes, just saw this "Exorcist" thing that came out. I went there expecting the worst, and it wasn't as terrible as I figured it would be, but not of much interest either. A lot of wind blowing, a lot of bottles exploding, a lot of flies, oozing blood, etc. It substitutes a lot of decaying bodies and gore in the place of genuine suspense. As a confirmed agnostic, the storyline of the Exorcist was always ridiculous to me anyway but Friedkin and his actors were able to make a valid horror classic in 1973. It was the triumph of their genius that you were able to forget about the idiocy of the whole concept while you were watching it. This one tries to be equally shocking but just can't cut it. After all, after watching 12-year old Linda Blair masturbate with a crucifix, what's there left that can shock?
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I would find it interesting because Dave has HOW many children of his own? Being a parent himself, believe being cast in a role as a parent with a murdered child MIGHT bring out a deeper preformance. Unsure, because he's mentioned different acting-styles before, and emoting doesn't seem to be top on his list.Originally posted by Ed T.:
David playing the role of Mari's father would be interesting to see. Certainly, he'd be able to add more depth and complexity to the role than Gaylord did.
Hehee, I flip between Agnostic & Athiest every once-in-a-while, so found EXORCIST rather silly, plot-wise. But it was a damn good movie! I saw that special on E! Channel the other day too. You don't have to believe in any of it to still feel the Heebie-Jeebies crawling up your spine in that bedroom! [img]rolleyes.gif[/img]
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