The mafia? Huh! I've shit 'em!
May. 16th, 2007 12:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thehefnerSo Paul W.S. Anderson, whose name is above only Uwe Boll's for helming MORTAL KOMBAT, ALIENS VS. PREDATOR, and the entire RESIDENT EVIL franchise, is now remaking THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY.
...
OK, putting aside THE GODFATHER (I haven't seen Part II, so I understand that does not at all make me qualified to judge part I yet), but THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY is an utter, absolute classic, and I put it just narrowly third against my top two favorites, GOODFELLAS and the seems-better-than-GODFATHER-so-far Sergio Leone masterpiece ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA.
THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY doesn't get too much attention in the States, but I understand that it's rightly worshipped in its native country, especially for its career-defining performance from Bob Hoskins (although, in some ways, Neil Jordan's Hoskins 1986 flick MONA LISA is closer to my heart). Also, Helen Mirren. Nuff said.
And what's Paul WSA (can I just call him "Paul Wussay"?) doing, stepping out of his painful-but-forgettable genre-raping work, with this modern movie classic?
"I am delighted to have the opportunity to put a new spin on this classic film which promises to reveal today's gritty underworld in an equally shocking fashion." The film will also be transported from the UK to be "refreshed" in a Miami setting. Now, I ask you, have any of you ever, EVER seen a good movie set in Miami?*
I mean, it'd be bad enough anybody remaking this in the first place. But the ALIENS VS. PREDATOR guy? I mean, I suppose he's following in the footsteps of Brian De Palma, another schlock-master who desecrated a mob classic. Which WAS set in Miami, and oh God no, please don't let the remake of THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY overshadow the original, and be idiotically worshiped fifteen years from now.
I mean, the single reason, above all, why no movie will ever top or replace the greatness of THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY (indeed, I wouldn't be regarding this movie as strongly without it) is the ending. The last ten minutes, leading up to that final two-minute-long single shot (give or take a Brosnan) is one of my very favorite endings of all time.
Why remake it at all? The premise isn't exactly strikingly original, nor was it why it's so great. Why can't Paul Wussay just MAKE a mob movie of his own? I just don't fucking get it.
And here I thought the remake-train had finally been slowing down. Leave it to the AvP guy to show there's still an imagination vacuum in Hollywood.
*MIAMI VICE, both the movie and the TV show, are the wild cards here. Even if you liked them, there's tons of good reasons why you *shouldn't* have.
...
OK, putting aside THE GODFATHER (I haven't seen Part II, so I understand that does not at all make me qualified to judge part I yet), but THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY is an utter, absolute classic, and I put it just narrowly third against my top two favorites, GOODFELLAS and the seems-better-than-GODFATHER-so-far Sergio Leone masterpiece ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA.
THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY doesn't get too much attention in the States, but I understand that it's rightly worshipped in its native country, especially for its career-defining performance from Bob Hoskins (although, in some ways, Neil Jordan's Hoskins 1986 flick MONA LISA is closer to my heart). Also, Helen Mirren. Nuff said.
And what's Paul WSA (can I just call him "Paul Wussay"?) doing, stepping out of his painful-but-forgettable genre-raping work, with this modern movie classic?
"I am delighted to have the opportunity to put a new spin on this classic film which promises to reveal today's gritty underworld in an equally shocking fashion." The film will also be transported from the UK to be "refreshed" in a Miami setting. Now, I ask you, have any of you ever, EVER seen a good movie set in Miami?*
I mean, it'd be bad enough anybody remaking this in the first place. But the ALIENS VS. PREDATOR guy? I mean, I suppose he's following in the footsteps of Brian De Palma, another schlock-master who desecrated a mob classic. Which WAS set in Miami, and oh God no, please don't let the remake of THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY overshadow the original, and be idiotically worshiped fifteen years from now.
I mean, the single reason, above all, why no movie will ever top or replace the greatness of THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY (indeed, I wouldn't be regarding this movie as strongly without it) is the ending. The last ten minutes, leading up to that final two-minute-long single shot (give or take a Brosnan) is one of my very favorite endings of all time.
Why remake it at all? The premise isn't exactly strikingly original, nor was it why it's so great. Why can't Paul Wussay just MAKE a mob movie of his own? I just don't fucking get it.
And here I thought the remake-train had finally been slowing down. Leave it to the AvP guy to show there's still an imagination vacuum in Hollywood.
*MIAMI VICE, both the movie and the TV show, are the wild cards here. Even if you liked them, there's tons of good reasons why you *shouldn't* have.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-05-16 05:18 pm (UTC)Dexter on Showtime. It's incredible. I didn't expect to like it but started watching it because it stars Michael C. Hall, who was always one of my favorite actors on Six Feet Under. Actually, I have a feeling you'd enjoy it. I don't think you'd enjoy Six Feet Under though... which I hate saying because I really loved the show, but I recognize it has some serious flaws, especially in a couple of the "middle" seasons. I kind of got so attached to the characters that I was willing to overlook some of the weirder and less plausible, soap-operatic things they did. Somehow I feel those things would bother you though... Dexter on the other hand I think would be right up your alley.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-16 05:26 pm (UTC)I think we'll allow TV, because aye, I love love love DEXTER.
(I actually wrote a whole response on my 90% love 10% hate for SIX FEET UNDER, and how the last ten minutes of the final episode is also one of my favorite all-time endings, but the internet ate my response. I'll tell you in person someday)
no subject
Date: 2007-05-16 07:30 pm (UTC)I wasn't sure if you were into either show... Yay! I'm so used to pimping both shows to people who have never taken an interest that it's almost surprising to find fellow fans.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-16 07:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-17 11:39 am (UTC)I actually liked the first Mortal Combat and AVP was enjoyable mindless trash but the Resi movies have not captured what I enjoyed about the games. Saw Dead or Alive recently (he had a hand in that too!) and it is basically a very soft porn flick with a wee bit of martial arts and Eric Roberts sporting bad hair....not worth the rental fee.
Recently saw the LGF for the first time and really liked it. Brilliant ending. I did have that horrible feeling all the way through (because I live in Britian and have seen casualty the tv show) the feeling of "Thats fuckin Charlie from Casualty". Very weird to see him in ANYTHING else!
Another remake of a classic British film...you would think Hollywood would have realised by now that they dont work........ever!