Just damn.
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Posted on 03/31/2004 7:01:55 AM PST by EveningStar
Jack Black must not have offended Peter Jackson with his "The Lord of the Rings" spoof at the 2002 MTV Movie Awards. Jackson has cast the actor in his upcoming remake of "King Kong," a Universal Pictures spokesperson said Tuesday (March 30).
Black will play aspiring New York filmmaker and showman Carl Denham in the movie, which will shoot this fall in New Zealand. The only other role filled so far is Broadway actress and dancer Ann Darrow, which will be played by "The Ring" star Naomi Watts.
Jackson has said he is interested in working again with "The Lord of the Rings" cast, and Andy Serkis, who voiced Gollum, has said he's met with the director about playing King Kong himself (see " 'Rings' Cast Scrambling For Parts In Peter Jackson's 'King Kong' ").
"The Lord of the Rings" co-screenwriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are working with Jackson on the script for "King Kong," the story of a frightening but ultimately sympathetic giant ape discovered on a remote island who eventually runs amok in the Big Apple. "King Kong" was considered a technical masterpiece when released in 1933. It was remade in 1976 starring Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange.
(Excerpt) Read more at mtv.com ...
Just damn.
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What? Another one? Remakes of remakes of remakes of an old, tired tale.
I had higher hopes for this film having been a Peter Jackson fan since around 1991. This may be more "Son of Kong" than "King Kong". And Warner-Turner sat on King Kong last year on the 70th anniversary of the original's release (I did see the Warner Bros. archive print screened 2 years ago at a rare screening).
I think Fay Wray is still alive but I have little expectation that she will be able to do any promotions for the 75th anniversary of the film.
If copyright law had not been bastardized away from the founding fathers' consitutional proscribed intent, this film would already be in the public domain.
If it wasn't for remakes and made for tv movies, Jessica Lange wouldn't have a career.
How about how long until he half-frows/makes-a-twisted-smile and tilts his head?
There is NO subtlty in his performances (neither is there in Michael Keaton's).
What's next? Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott in the cast?
Paris Hilton as King Kong's love interest?
This won't be a remake "for the ages". Why monkey around with Kong if you aren't going to make it timeless?
The only thing Peter Jackson has to offer is a love for the film (there was no book on which Kong was based) and better special effects (you can see the fur on Kong bristle because of the Willis O'Brien's hands rubbing the fur between shots). King Kong inspired a number of people to want to be film makers. Will King Kong of the 21st century do anything that approaches this?
Not with a "name" cast.
The Frighteners showed that Peter Jackson can make a film with name talent but not use them in typical roles but that film peformed weakly at the box office (and they sold it based on the producer's name rather than the director).
Other countries have been kicking out butt at making genre films for nearly 20 years now but when these foreign directors finally make it to Hollywood, all they can produce is weak crap (see John Woo). What a sell-out.
There's 2 ways to go about this, make it timeless (like LOTR and his other films) or make it a film of its time and place Kong as a modern Las Vegas spectacle with pop icons everywhere (like the pop films of the 1960s).
MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT! MAN IN SUIT!
He worked in "High Fidelity". He would not have worked in "Almost Famous" even though both films deal largely with the same subject (he couldn't have even played the Lester Bangs role).
I can handle him in some comedies but Jim Varney, the actor, had more depth than just Earnest P. Worrell and look where his Shakespearean training got him.
I don't accept Robin Williams as a serious actor (then again I have a low tolerance threshhold for Robin Williams anyway and it has only gone lower).
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