Hollywood re-makes, and the actors that should play the role of the star.

[Medea]

I've noticed for the past few years Hollywood has been struggling to come up with ideas of their own for a new movie. Instead, they seem to be focused on re-making old movies, and the vast majority of the time the re-make just isn't as good as the original. The newest example of this is the Total Recall re-make. My question is, what movies would you like to see re-made? Who should star in the movie to replace the old actor(s)? Or, if you like, what movies should NEVER be re-made.

As a horror movie fan, I recently thought of the perfect person to star in a re-make of The Shining. Forget the fact that the movie did not follow Steven King's novel, and the fact that no one should touch Kubrick's work (so maybe the movie shouldn't be re-made in the first place). But if they did re-make The Shining I think Jack Black should play the part of Jack Torrence.

It's not that Jack Black comes close to Nicholson in acting ability, but if you've ever seen Jack Black's acting, he could pull off all those creepy Nicholson mannerisms and facial expressions perfectly. Not to mention that he kind of looks like a chubby, younger Jack Nicholson.

As far as a movie I don't think should ever be re-made, it's got to be Forbidden Planet. I shudder to think about how bad they would screw that one up.

 

[Punz]

I couldn't agree more about Hollywood. It's just re-make after re-make. Kind of sickening, at least for me it is. A movie I would love to see remade is Queen of the Damned. Although I did enjoy the first film, it was not even close to Anne Rice's work. They tried too hard to mesh two books into one movie and changed so much of the actual story just to add a romance that was never present in the books. I do love the soundtrack, however. Very dark and gothic.

Hard to choose just one movie that I feel should never be remade, but the one that comes to my mind first is Terminator. I grew up watching that film and it feels timeless to me. It's settings and visuals may be old, but it doesn't feel dated. Another one I just thought of would have to be Misery. The book was amazing and the film was pretty damn close to Stephen King's work. That film is a classic (for me at least) and doesn't need another remake to it.

 

[Dallas-Arbiter]

It's not just remakes, it's comic book and video game movies in 3D and with such heavy special effects that you don't even really know what your seeing. There's no creativity in the writing anymore. A bunch of explosions, a few car crashes and some fighting is what makes a movie these days.

Back in the day I used to watch Cinemax after the Skinamax shows were over, they always showed these really good independant movies, some were just strange, and some were pretty bad, but most were really good. They were a damn sight better than what any hollywood studio can make.

 

[Punz]

It's not just remakes, it's comic book and video game movies in 3D and with such heavy special effects that you don't even really know what your seeing. There's no creativity in the writing anymore. A bunch of explosions, a few car crashes and some fighting is what makes a movie these days.

Back in the day I used to watch Cinemax after the Skinamax shows were over, they always showed these really good independant movies, some were just strange, and some were pretty bad, but most were really good. They were a damn sight better than what any hollywood studio can make.

For real. Too much BOOM! and no story. I always thought movies were a reflection of the times. I guess this generation doesn't have taste. Maybe... who knows? The older generation before us despised our entertainment as well. It's a vicious cycle, the youth stomping out the old.

 

[Dallas-Arbiter]

For real. Too much BOOM! and no story. I always thought movies were a reflection of the times. I guess this generation doesn't have taste. Maybe... who knows? The older generation before us despised our entertainment as well. It's a vicious cycle, the youth stomping out the old.

Yep. I can't even fathom the crap that the entertainment industry will be putting out 30 years from now. That's part of the reason I quit watching TV about 6 years ago. Newton Minow was correct when he said this in 1961, and it's still true today, probably more so:

"When television is good, nothing — not the theater, not the magazines or newspapers — nothing is better.

But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite each of you to sit down in front of your own television set when your station goes on the air and stay there, for a day, without a book, without a magazine, without a newspaper, without a profit and loss sheet or a rating book to distract you. Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland.

You will see a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, western bad men, western good men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence, and cartoons. And endlessly commercials — many screaming, cajoling, and offending. And most of all, boredom. True, you'll see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very few. And if you think I exaggerate, I only ask you to try it."

 

[dunklunk]

Jack Black would be a real good choice. But we have to take him seriously, right? I love his stuff (I'm spying you, School of Rock) but when he utters that most famous line from the movie, I'm half expecting him to drop another smart-ass remark. But if he could keep things serious and play the role like The Real Jack, then yeah, a maniacal good selection he would turn out to be.

The end of the world as we know it if this movie is ever re-made: . . . Battery is low . . . Battery is low . . . Losing connection . . . .

 

[Medea]

Jack Black would be a real good choice. But we have to take him seriously, right? I love his stuff (I'm spying you, School of Rock) but when he utters that most famous line from the movie, I'm half expecting him to drop another smart-ass remark. But if he could keep things serious and play the role like The Real Jack, then yeah, a maniacal good selection he would turn out to be.

Good point, but The Shining wasn't one of Nicholson's more serious, dramatic performances. I found myself laughing in the scenes where he was "flipping-out". Could Jack Black do George Hanson in Easy Rider, Col. Jessep in A Few Good Men, or Jimmy Hoffa? No. Could he play a raving lunatic and do those crazy facial expressions? Yes.

 

[dunklunk]

Good point, but The Shining wasn't one of Nicholson's more serious, dramatic performances. I found myself laughing in the scenes where he was "flipping-out". Could Jack Black do George Hanson in Easy Rider, Col. Jessep in A Few Good Men, or Jimmy Hoffa? No. Could he play a raving lunatic and do those crazy facial expressions? Yes.

Very true. Black woulda made an excellent Joker from the first Batman, but even then, I don't think he could match Nicholson performance for performance. And btw, props to you for calling out a few of Nicholson's quality roles.