Posted on 06/07/2009 12:11:45 PM PDT by lowbridge
Don't call it a remake.
As all involved in "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" assert at every opportunity, the new film is not a redo of the 1974 movie starring Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw.
"It's basically a story of a hostage situation on a train in New York City," star Denzel Washington said at a recent news conference. "I think that's what the two films have in common." But as screenwriter Brian Helgeland might say, it's a gray area.
The filmmakers are quick to refer to the 1973 John Godey novel ("The Taking of Pelham One Two Three"), though the current version bears even less resemblance to the book than it does to the 1974 adaptation.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
> But as screenwriter Brian Helgeland might say, it’s a gray area.
“screenwriter”? You most probably copied the script from the original movie because you were just too damn lazy to make one up yourself, and to make it different..change the ending.
My biggest peeve, just intellectually and creatively, with Hollywood: there is not a scrap of originality left in moviemaking, and everybody thinks they can improve on excellence with bigger explosions or more skin. Bleh.
Colonel, USAFR
The liberal mind can not invent anything.
If it’s so “original” then why use the name of the 1974 movie/1973 book? Is there a huge “Pelham 123” fan club out there that will guarantee an audience?
Of course not. Hollywood hasn’t had a new idea since 2001 when they shifted the entire focus of their creative skills on thinking of new ways to call Bush a nazi.
Now they’ve forgotten how to invent a new idea (and they’re still calling Bush a nazi).
From the commercials, this rehash consists largely of Travolta and Washington making smart remarks to each other. I probably won’t even watch this one on free TV.
Not another remake!
The best “movies” are the series on cable TV. Excellent writing, original and complex characters, and actors other than the usual Hollywood bores.
You can do a remake and be entirely original. The Battlestar Galactica remake is a good example.
But as another poster said, that’s on cable. The good stuff is starting to show up there.
Yeah like Dexter on Showtime,great show.
Ain't that the premise of all Denzel Washington movies?
Yeah like Dexter on Showtime,great show.
Love “Dexter”!
I also like “Burn Notice.”
I’ll pass. Travolta and Washington are two of the most overrated actors in Hollywood. Along with Nicholas Cage and Tom Cruise. I make a point to miss any of their films.
Yes,I love Burn Notice,great characters
I agree. The good stories can’t make it in Hollywood. Theatrical releases these days are usually a thin plot, with bad dialogue, and kick-ass special effects. They are, basically, the cutscenes from an X-Box or PS3 game.
With the millions of different untold stories out there these people copy a title and reshuffle some lines and give us junk when the original was great and want us to pay money for rehashing. I don’t think so...How about some NEW stories and some NEW ideas. How about some QUALITY in what they film. I haven’t paid money for a theater or movie rental in years - this type of movie is one of the reasons.
Director: Tony Scott. ‘nuf said. I’m there!
...though that may very well be a reason for many people to NOT see this. He has a filmmaking style which is extremely intense, visually frenetic & unusual, and rough beyond what entertains many. See (or, as the case very well may be, don’t see) “Domino”, being a prime example of his work.
I don’t know why they remade this again. This is the SECOND remake of the story. The first old one had Matthau and I think Jerry Stiller too. Second one I don’t know who the stars were, but I saw that on tv a few months ago. Now the second remake has Travolta.
How many times do they have to redo a film people have seen a lot already? I mean it’s not that great of a story.
I mean, I wouldn’t go see “Aliens” or “Star Wars” if they decided to remake the movie with different actors.
Ditto for me too on loving Burn Notice. I watched Royal Pains right after it the other night and it looks like it might be promising as well.
So I was looking around he other day at upcoming movie releases: Never-ending story, footloose, dirty dancing, predator, girls just want to have fun, nightmare on elm street.
So all we get are rehashes of movies that were not exactly cinematic masterpieces to begin with, or we get movies made out of tv shows (get smart, land of the lost). And Hollywood acts all surprised when no one goes to see their tripe. The stuff that is put out and is original does pretty well like Tropic Thunder. But heaven forbid anyone in hollywood have any originality.
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