Movie remakes

[Normy]

Someone should remake 'The Searchers' but have the John Wayne character totally evil, and after saving the girl he kills her.

The Wayne character could be played by Clint Eastwood.

[Phil H]

Was Brynner not from one of the Soviet Asian republics (WIKIPEDIA says Vladivostok)? hence his mongul/slavic look.

He was convincing as a Cossack in Taras Bulba.

Phil H

[Robert]

Well, Brynner looked Oriental to me, to the point that I wondered if he was part-Oriental. If he isn't, then I guess it must be put down to his great acting.

[sdreid]

There would probably be a "yellow face" issue with Brynner playing the king today.

[Robert]

Plan 9 is perfect - or rather, imperfect - just as it is!

Yul Brynner - the only man for The King And I. Definitely.

[Steve S]

ECWS...And I think I've got all of Young's books..Even now,his sheer enthusiasm shines through!

I wrote to him about what I needed to do to become a military historian - I was about 15, I think. He wrote me back a couple of wonderful letters, very helpful and practical and with not a trace of condecension. (I recall his rank, titles, honours, decorations and degrees went right across the top of the page! he was at Sanhurst then - the only professional military historian of whom I was aware.

He shaped my character a lot I think, even to the extent that I effect a beard today! Do you have "Charge!" his book on C18th wargaming? That was another interest of mine he shared - and it wasn't so popular then as now. he referred to an interest in military unforms as "military millinery" - a phrase I still use.

Phil H

In the Loft,along with Donald Featherstone's stuff...Though I still have some Blandford & Almark uniforms books from that era on the main shelves........

[j.r-ahde]

Hello you all!

How about a remake of Plan 9 from Outer Space?

All the best
Jukka

[Phil H]

ECWS...And I think I've got all of Young's books..Even now,his sheer enthusiasm shines through!

I wrote to him about what I needed to do to become a military historian - I was about 15, I think. He wrote me back a couple of wonderful letters, very helpful and practical and with not a trace of condecension. (I recall his rank, titles, honours, decorations and degrees went right across the top of the page! he was at Sanhurst then - the only professional military historian of whom I was aware.

He shaped my character a lot I think, even to the extent that I effect a beard today! Do you have "Charge!" his book on C18th wargaming? That was another interest of mine he shared - and it wasn't so popular then as now. he referred to an interest in military unforms as "military millinery" - a phrase I still use.

Phil H

[kensei]

I certainly wouldn't put any affairs into "Jaws." Let's concentrate on the shark. Also, I wouldn't ruin it with modern special effects.

The affair was in the book. It led to an exchange between Brody and Hooper on the boat where Brody angrily reached for his pistol on his hip, forgetting that he wasn't wearing it at the time, to which Quint laughed and said, "Ha! I've been waiting for that all day!" Or something to that effect. Anyway, it would make for a great movie moment I think.

Robert Downey Jr. would bring that awesome snarkiness to the character of Hooper that Richard Dreyfuss originally did, and I choose Jeff Bridges as Quint based on his hard-edged and bedraggled performance in "True Grit." I think his Rooster Cogburn and the Quint that Peter Benchley envisioned are not that far apart.

And I don't kow what you mean about "ruining" it with modern special effects. I love it when directors choose to do effects as realistically as possible without resorting to CGI, but it does have its place. "Jurassic Park" used a combination of physically real animatronic dinosaurs and computer generated ones, and the effect was stunning. I think a "Jaws" remake using that approach would be incredible.

[Steve S]

ECWS...And I think I've got all of Young's books..Even now,his sheer enthusiasm shines through!

[Phil H]

In the early 80s I directed a production of the Putney Debates (1648) in Putney Church. The English Civil War Society helped out in many ways.

We went to see a re-enactment of the Battle of braintree (Essex) and afterwards met up with some of the members we knew in the camp. I had the best practical history lesson ever!

Where else could I have discussed the issues of advancing a company of pikemen over open ground, with practitioners? Where else could I have been shown the difference between post 30 Years War dress, and later attire, actually on people wearing it!!?

I also, when about 16, corresponded with Brigadier Peter Young, who founded the Sealed Knot in the 60s. he was an amazing character, a highly decorated wartime commando leader and a wonderful military historian.

Are you Sealed Knot or ECW?

Phil H

[Steve S]

Phil...20+ years re-enacting ECW...........

[Phil H]

Steve - do I detect a kindred interest in military uniforms and historic fashion?

Errata - I too had high expectations of the re-make of "Lion in Winter" and was badly disappointed. Like you, I admire partick Stewart highly (I have seen him on stagge and was a fan before his Star trek days) but for me he fails miserabl against O'Toole's command and understanding of the part. O'Toole also made the material fit is somewhat "mannered" style. For Hepburn there was not even the dlightest contest.

And when you think that in the original they cast Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton (two future stars) at the outset of their careers, as Richard and Philip, not to mention the underrated Nigel Terry as John and John Castle as Geoffrey - that is casting in depth and with huge insight into potential.

On great performances, like Brynner's, an old UK magazine called Films and Filming once had an article about "the crime of the great performance". It pointed out that on film some performances - Edith Evans as Lady Bracknell, Olivier as Richard III, Harrison as professor higgins would be other examples - are not only iconic but become immortalised on film. A great stage performance is lost once the production ends - we know Irving was great as Richard III but have no real record. Thus modern actors have to tip-toe around performances preserved in aspic that are also seared into the collective minds of audiences. inhibiting to say the least.

Phil H

[Steve S]

Though you would probably not get a performance to match Guiness as Charles I. In my opinion he captured so much about that complex, tragic man, from his walk, to his stutter, from his pride to his slight Scottish accent, from his look to his dignity. Amazing!

Phil H

Granted...He is the film's saving grace...And I now see him when I think of Charles...In fact,none of the performances are bad,it's just what they have to work with and what they're wearing........

[Errata]

The best old movies can't be redone.

For example, The King and I. It cannot be successfully done without Yul Brynner. Anyone else could be swapped out, but not him. And you know it's true because he originated the role, played it for years before it was made into a film, which he starred in, and he continued the role until his death. Not continuously, But I saw him in the musical when I was a kid, and I'm 34. That's a long run.

My favorite movie, The Lion in Winter was remade with Patrick Stewart and Glen Close. Both of whom I admire enormously. It wasn't as good. Patrick Stewart does dazzling evil and stoic heroicism really well, and I think he is better than Peter O'Toole. But complicated roles like Henry are a little flat. And Glen Close tried to come up to the standards of Katherine Hepburn's mix of acid and tenderness, ambition and exhaustion, and just didn't make it. It seemed unnatural. And the princes were just an unholy mess, and Philip was worthless. It was one of those things that had it come up in my living room, I would have thought the remake would have been a great idea. It just didn't work.

So you can't do the iconic ones. Except maybe for one. And this totally comes from my general hatred of Steve Mcqueen. The Great Escape could be redone. With more funny. And more accuracy. And definitely more Stephen Fry.