Remake Radar: Bad Lieutenant

 

Just in time for next month’s release…

Welcome to Remake Radar, where we take on Hollywood’s penchant for remaking films for better or worse (which is most of the time). This month’s movie:

“Bad Lieutenant” (1992)

Stars: Harvey Keitel, Victor Argo, and Frankie Thorn

Director: Abel Ferrara

Story: Harvey Keitel plays the main character, a guy who is as much a criminal as a cop. Buried under gambling debt and looking for the next score, he ends up helping out a nun (Thorn) and reflecting on his life, searching for forgiveness.

What do we know now?: Werner Herzog has taken the reins on this one, subbing in Nic Cage for Keitel and relocating from NYC to Bayou country. Cage is investigating the killing of five Senegalese immigrants. Eva Mendes (who was with cage in “Ghost Rider”) shows up in this one as well. Also starring is Val Kilmer, Fairuza Balk, and Brad Dourif.

The release date is set for November 20, 2009.

Original trailer:

Remake trailer:

 

 

Remake Radar: A Nightmare on Elm Street

 

Just in time for Halloween…

Welcome to Remake Radar, where we take on Hollywood’s penchant for remaking films for better or worse (which is most of the time). This month’s movie:

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)

Stars: John Saxon, Amanda Wyss, Heather Langenkamp, Jsu Garcia, Johnny Depp, and Robert Englund

Director: Wes Craven

Story: Nancy (Langenkamp), Tina (Wyss), and their friends are having nightmares involving a man with burnt skin wearing a glove that has razor blades attached to it. They find that their parents, years before, killed a local janitor they believed to be a child murderer. His name was Freddy Krueger (Englund). Now, Freddy’s back to exact revenge on the parents by killing their own sons and daughters in the world of dreams.

Of note, this was Johnny Depp’s first movie.

What do we know now?: Music video director Samuel Bayer is helming this “re-imagining” of the franchise. Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach in “Watchmen”) is set to play Krueger (a part initially thought to be given to Billy Bob Thornton). Rooney Mara plays Nancy Thompson. Clancy Brown and Katie Cassidy also star.

The release date is set for April 30, 2010.

 

 

Remake Radar: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Welcome to Remake Radar, where we take on Hollywood’s penchant for remaking films for better or worse (which is most of the time). This month’s movie:

 

“The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” (1974)

 

Stars: Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Hector Elizondo, Earl Hindman, and Jerry Stiller.

 

Director: Joseph Sargent

 

Story: Four gunmen with color codenames hijack the Pelham 1-2-3 subway train. They demand $1 million in one hour for the train and the hostages they are holding. A veteran NY policeman handles negotiations and tries tracking down the identities of the gunmen. But with the tunnel surrounded by cops on both sides, how are the gunmen planning on getting away?

 

What do we know now?: In 1998 the movie was remade for TV starring Edward James Olmos, Vincent D’onofiro, Donnie Wahlberg, and Lorraine Bracco. And it’s being remade for the silver screen again, this time starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta, directed by Tony Scott (“Top Gun”,”Déjà vu”). It’s technically renamed “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3.” It will be in theatres June 12, 2009.

 

Original Trailer:

 

 

Remake trailer:

 

 

Remake Radar: Oldboy

Welcome to the final Remake Radar for 2008.

“Oldboy” (2003)

Stars: Cho Min-sik, Yu Ji-tae, and Kang Hye-jeong.

Director:Park Chan-wook

Story: Dae-Su (Cho Min-sik) is abducted before his daughter’s birthday. He is taken to an unknown room and held there for 15 years. He’s released and given money, a cellphone, and expensive clothes. He falls for an attractive sushi chef (Kang Hye-jeong) on his path of vengeance, leading up to his captor Lee Woo-jin (Yu Ji-tae).

What do we know now?: Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are bringing it to a silver screen near you! Supposedly they are following the Manga series as opposed to the actual movie.

Remake Radar: Red Dawn

 

 

Welcome to the August edition of Remake Radar, where we tackle Hollywood’s penchant for remaking previous films (for better or worse). This edition’s remake: Red Dawn.

 

“Red Dawn” (1984)

 

Stars: Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen, and Jennifer Grey.

 

Director: John Milius

 

Story: In a world sitting on the brink of World War III, a group of high school teenagers defend their small, American hometown from Soviet and Cuban invaders. Using sticks, bows, arrows, and whatever else they can find, they’re battle cry is their mascot: “Wolverines!”

 

What do we know now? MGM is trading the Cold War-scare of the 80’s for the Post 9/11-scare 2000’s. Dan Bradley is set to direct, while Carl Ellsworth is set to write it.

 

“WOLVERINES!!!”