DVinfo topic of the week - If you could remake...
 

If you could remake any movie you wanted, with a reasonably unlimited budget (say low nine figures), which movie would you remake?

That's a tough one... I want(ed?) to change the ending of "Heat".

Otherwise probably the Batman franchise, but that's already
being done by somebody else <g>

The entire Chronicles of Narnia series that was awfully done by BBC some years back, starting with "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". Such an action-packed, exciting series for young and old just waiting for a properly budgeted modern film.

But that might be cheating the question since it's not really a remake, per se.

Sticking with the chronicles theme... How about Chronicles of Riddick. I loved Pitch Black but that sequel was a trainwreck.

Also I'd love to do a remake of either "The Andromeda Strain" or "Logan's Run." I think someone actually is redoing Logan's Run though...

My Name is Nobody.

'The Magnificent Ambersons' using Orson Welles' original script and with Sam Mendes directing

I would remake "The Seven Samurai" in a modern setting.

<<<-- Originally posted by Keith Loh : I would remake "The Seven Samurai" in a modern setting. -->>>
I thought about it, but I figured it would come out like "The Magnificant Seven". Shoot, look at the stirring that is caused by Han/Greedo shot first in Episode IV of Star Wars ;)

Edit - Better explanation. I would be afraid to remake it. To me, it is one of the Holy Grail films. You just can't make another one. You would be lynched if you tried to redo Gone with the Wind, It's a Wonderful Life (wait, didn't Marlo Thomas try that), or some of the Hitchcock films.

I think the story is so good it can be set in any number of locations and settings. I wouldn't be afraid to redo it, just that it wouldn't be "The Seven Samurai". It would be the seven whatevers.

It already has been redone not only as "The Magnificent Seven" but also by Roger Corman as "Battle Beyond the Stars". It featured James Cameron's effects and design.

Brian de Palma wanted to make a version set in Central America.

<<<-- Originally posted by Imran Zaidi : The entire Chronicles of Narnia ... -->>>

I'm waiting eagerly for this one! The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is supposed to be out Dec 2005. And then they're going to try and do all the other books as well. Those New Zealander's are really becoming a movie making powerhouse.

generally i'd hate remakes. here are two reasons why:

1. if the original sucked... why remake it? this is why you have ocean11 and lots of other 'remakes' that simply take material that suck and added modern suck-ness to it.

2. if the original rocked... why remake it? wouldn't you just watch the original? i could throw up if i hear anymore remakes about 7 samurai. it was perfect as it was.

it's a pretty extreme view but hey... let's face it, after all, how many movies are original anyway? nowadays movies are based on books, older movies, used ideas, etc. heck they were doing that during the silent films anyway.

now... i think i have to balance this view with some sense+sensibility (an awfully slow movie). there are many that i know that scoff when i mention 'black and white' movies. heck i haven't even mentioned silent and they brush it off. i just don't get that at all! so that's why i think Peter Jackson's right when he says that no one will go see the 1933 version of king kong... why not remake it with modern technology and give audience a version that does justice to the original but also gives people a chance to want to watch the original for comparison. that's an interesting idea and ultimately a dilemna. should we remake chaplin's films cause no1 wants to see black and white movies with NO DIALOGUE? should we remake it so as to cause them to watch the original? interesting topic...

Interesting points.

The reason why I want to see "The Magnificent Ambersons" remade is because RKO re-dited and reshot new scenes and stripped down the film to 2/3 it's original running time.

Someone remade it once, but word is that it's terrible.

I actually like Ocean's 11. I think they call it a 'remake' because it's good marketing to use an established name, because if you compared the two versions, the stories are really different.

Now what I don't get is recreating a film, shot for shot, like Gus Van Sant did with 'Psycho'. And even worse, the original was so much better.

I'd remake a classic that can't be made bad because the story is to good.

A Christmas Carol comes to mind....I might actually do that?

Wow, Michael, they really ARE remaking Narnia! I'm excited!

Mostly I really hope they don't screw it up. I see two familiar faces in the IMDB list for its cast, and it seems good.

Tilda Swinton should be a SPOT ON White Witch.
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0842770/

And Jim Broadbent will make a great Professor.
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000980/

Alien Vs. Predator. Man, I hate Paul W.S. Anderson. So so very much.

frank have you seen the original version of magnificent? the potential was there... as for the remake of it... orson welles is dead... i see no reason.

"Lafayette Escadrille". I could do it better for sure. It would be great, a mix of "Waldo Pepper" with a male-commaraderie angle and a WWI backdrop.

or maybe,

"Black Shield of Falworth," redone as original title "Men Of Iron."
No Tony Curtis either. I'd go for the realistic aspect of castle life and sword combat.

Hell, I want to do them both anyway.

Jeff Patnaude

I have. I didn't want to, but after seeing Orson Welles' 'Othello',
I started craving more, so I reluctently rented it. Even butchered, there were moments that provided glimpses of a more relaxed and subtle genius at work than was present in 'Citizen Kane'. Agnes Moorehead was phenomenal.

Anywho, Orson Welles himself wouldn't have wanted anyone to remake it, but I still can't help wonderin'.

yeah i've not gotten to the full major works available on VHS or DVD for orson welles yet (i'm doing a film history study of my own)... but i've bought them or will rent them in the future. orson's citizen kane is a great piece of work but thereafter... i dunno what happened to him. he got fat and lazy about his filmwork. perhaps it was the case of the genius star that shined too bright he burned himself out!

Ever see "Chimes at Midnight" (Falstaff)? I think it's one of the best Shakespeare adaptations. Not widely available and in fact I think any version you're likey to see is based upon a crap, unrestored footage.

I've been dying to see Chimes', but haven't been able to track down a print. I know there are dvds on ebay and some foreign online stores, but i'm wary. Welles said that it was his most complete work and the one he liked the most.

And Orson Welles did get fat and he admits himself he's always been lazy, but he stopped getting real work after a reckless and egotistical rep emerged after he was persuaded to do a doc in south america about the carnival at the behest of RKO and FDR.

While down there, RKO changed ownership and the new heads didn't know why Welles was down there and begin the public denouncing of Welles. Their letterhead that year read "Showmanship Over Genius".

Coupled with the blacklisting from William Randolf Hearst (the guy Kane was partially based on), Welles wouldn't get control over a picture again until 'Touch of Evil' and 'The Trial', two of his best pictures.

I also suggest you check out his performance in 'The Third Man'... One of the best 'supporting' performances ever.

And his book "This Is Orson Welles" by Peter Bogdanovich.

Keith, you wouldn't have a copy of Chimes' wouldja?

Mad Max and/or Road Warrior. Then throw in Ron Perlman!!! (Ron Perlman did the voice over for the Fallout 1 & 2 videogames for the PC) I don't know what Ron Perlman looks like though so I can't say if he would do well in an action flick. But Mad Max & Road Warrior could definately be redone beautifully (The movies were awesome, I'm not bashing them down, but I would want to return to the post apocolyptic setting like Mad Max 1&2 did wonderfully)

hi frank,

you can grab a copy of chimes on ebay easily. i bought my VHS copy for merely $13 delivered. try ebay before all else. as of now i have acquired journey into fear, macbeth, and falstaff (chimes) on VHS. i have citizen kane (which i've seen ad nauseum) and arkadin on DVD. the rest of his major works/catalogue appears to be very available on my netflix subscription que. i'll be waiting until i get to study him.

the brazilian documentary he was supposed to make was partly filmed but never finished. it's all documented in a documentary about orson's documentary titled, "It's All True" released in '93. i've debated about watching it but decided that he didn't even remotely finish it so why waste my time? =). i'm not THAT obssessed about him. i'll let his fiction works stand trial.

and yesh i've seen 3rd man, it's OK. i expect him to be uber good in everything but the movie itself was a big let down until he showed up onscreen. good performance... but it wasn't his film. everyone makes it like it was his movie. even the cover of the criterion edition of the DVD has him on it. i'm just like... wtf? ya know? he barely appears in the movie.

as for othello, didya know that it was orson who first directed black actors to potray roles in othello in harlem theater that first won him acclaim to his genius? he conquered theater, conquered radio (war of the worlds 1 hour broadcast on CD can be bought on ebay or amazon for ~$10 delivered), and conquered cinema before age 30. sorta like alexander the great... except he didn't die. got fat and miserable =).

and on a related note... would anyone know what the last words orson welles uttered before he died? taht'd be interesting to do a biopic on =).

Not a fan, ay? :)

I think it's awful what they did on the third man disk. It's probably one of the biggest reveals in the history of film, and they just blow their wad on the cover. Fools.

I've debated on whether or not so see the SA doc too. There's also a version of his Don Quixote floating around too on dvd. Some dude hacked together the available footage. Haven't decided on that either. I'll probably end up gettin' both.

And it was Macbeth that Welles did in Harlem, or the voodoo Macbeth as it was aptly named. It grew out of the WPA, and it wasn't so much that they were black, but that they'd NEVER acted before. Them some skillz. Folklore also said that one of the actual voodoo docs Welles had flown in put a curse on a critic that gave a poor review and homy died the next day. Now I don't believe in voodoo, but coincidences are often confused with them.

And I don't know Welles' last words, but apparently he did die at his desk, writing a screenplay...that's the way to go.

oops... confused my shakespeare. i stand corrected =). hence i'm not really a fan =). i'm just doing my bit for film history study. i'm a big fan of citizen kane though =).

Ron Pearlman is the actor who played "Hellboy" recently, and who also played the Beast in "Beauty and The Beast" (the TV series.)

The original Orson Welles concept of Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" shot entirely first-person point of view.

Oops, it was never made in the first place so I guess this doesn't count.

Jeff, after years of loving the Fallout games, I never knew who Ron Perlman really was. I remembered reading somewhere that he actually worked in the video game department and just happened to have a voice quality that fit the bill. I am so naive. Also, Richard Dean Anderson did the voice for another character in the "Fallout" video game. Anyone remember MacGyver? Or Stargate SG-1 for more recent acknowledgment.

Back to subject: In light of this new information, Ron Perlman is obviously a prime choice for a post apocalyptic film.