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The last few nights the tube has been ablaze with hype on the new movie,
"The Thomas Crown Affair". It led me to ask myself, why does Hollywood
insist on doing remakes, especially of some of great movies. The two that
come to mind most recent are "Ransom" and "The Thomas Crown Affair".
Doesn't Hollywood have an original thought?Sorry, just a rant on my part.
bjjb
...like, for example, the title above.Why *anyone* would attempt to trump the original Robert Wise production is way beyond me, amigos. The original is quiet, tense, subtle, and has almost no special effects. Nothing is seen...it is only sensed at the edge of perception.
And the brilliant B&W photography! With outside shots that are nearly infrared...and remarkable angles within the house.
As usual, the remake replaces character, plot, mood, atmosphere, and *real* horror...with an avalanche of special effects. It seems that today's Hollywood understands neither horror nor science fiction...only volume and gimmicks.
Pathetic!
Banish this sort of thing to the same /dev/null that the remake of "Psycho" was sent unto....
david
David W. Robinson
Editor, Positive Feedback Magazine
Here's a case where both films are quite good. Cary Grant as Mr. Blandings is the master comic actor, and (forgive me) the fellow who plays his bemused friend is a wonderful foil.But I have to hand it to Tom Hanks, the only actor in the "Money Pit" worth watching, who is simply brilliant. This has to be one of the funniest modern-day slapstick comedies. I must have seen the kitchen scene a dozen times -- I just love it, and the stairs reminds me of Buster Keaton, and the bathtub...it's all good. I wish they would just cut out everything but the Tom Hanks scenes.
Given a choice though, I'd have to go with Mr. Blandings. I just love the kind of movies made back then--yep, it's really korny, and the ending is so dated that it's actually very funny in today's context. I don't need to get all pumped up with special effects--a good script, a good cast and a director who gets out of the way is all you really need.
Hey, did you see the Fox network is doing the best of the Film Noir series this month? I love black and white suspense film. Really gets you in the right mood to enjoy the drama.
I liked the blonde actor who played the conductor (that was also the Allan Rickman's main henchman in Die Hard). He had such flair while portaying somebody lower than whale turds at the bottom of the Marianas trench.
Alexander Godunov was the blonde actor. He was a star of the Bolshoi Ballet who asked for political asylum in the U.S. Despite good roles in "Witness" and "Die Hard", his acting career languished, he became severely depressed, and died of alcoholism a few years ago.
***Alexander Godunov was the blonde actor. He was a star of the Bolshoi Ballet who asked for political asylum in the U.S. Despite good roles in "Witness" and "Die Hard", his acting career languished, he became severely depressed, and died of alcoholism a few years ago.He was a good dancer, big and powerful. He started his US career in NY with Baryshnikov, but then some sort of conflict developed and he left. His marrage also fell apart.
I agree it's all about $$$. But also the general audience like to stick with something familiar, they don't want to blow $8.00 on something that requires the brain to work. That's one reason for remakes, and for "big-screen adaptations" of old TV shows/cartoons. Upcoming remakes........"Anna & The King", remake of "The King & I"......Jodie Foster and Chow Yut-fat, coming in Novemeber
"Superman", with Nick Cage
and of course, another "Godzilla" movie
as far as remakes go ...
"Ben Hur" was great.
"Little Women" was surprisingly adequate.
"Sabrina" was a waste (no surprise there).
"Little Shop of Horrors" blew less chunk than the original.
if I see "the Paper" one more time ... well, let's not go there.
"12 Angry Men" would've been up to par, if it weren't for Tony Danza.
Keneth Branagh has made great Shakespear remakes of Olivier films... too bad both "Othello" reeked... I wish he'd remake Julius Ceasar while Charlton Heston is still alive & finally put Jason Robards to bed.
It all depends. A classic may be enhanced by technology, but how is the "Hunting" supposed to make up for Roddy McDowell's performance? Sure they can add better sound & enthalling advantanced special effects. You can also expect a more-explicit rape scene. But, come-on, who, in their right mind, could hope to hold a candle to Roddy in this? PLEASE! I'd love to be proven wrong, but I can't fathom the talent nor the testis.
Roddy starred in "The Haunting of Hill House" (a pretty good horror film); the current remake is for Robert Wise's "The Haunting".
Because they're not concerned with quality just the bottom line. I haven't seen the remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair" but I didn't think the original was all that great, so this may be one they can actually improve on. Another current release "The Haunting" is a remake too and the original there *is* a real classic.
People who make remakes really must think hightly of themselves, don't you think? How else do you explain the idiot who thought he could do a better job directing Psycho then Hitchcock? I generally refuse to watch most remakes simply out of principle. (and I must admit, thriftiness. I can't see wasting good money on garbage).
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