More remake news–either Hollywood has run out of ideas or they figure with remakes they can just dust off some scripts typed years ago on actual typewriters and go into production now (writers? who needs writers?!!).
A new version of The Day the Earth Stood Still is getting ready to go. The original is considered something of a sci-fi classic; chances are the remake won’t be. The 1951 version, directed by Robert Wise (yes, that Robert Wise, the same director who brought you The Curse of the Cat People, The Haunting, The Sound of Music, West Side Story, The Hindenburg, and the first Star Trek movie. Yes, his name is next to “eclectic” in the dictionary) is a typical 1950s era sci-fi-but-we’re-really-telling-you-about-now movie: the underlying message is about the dangers of nuclear war and the need for strong leadership in perilous times. The remake will probably have the underlying message of “our-special-effects-are-really-really-awesome!”
SlashFilm reports that Keanu Reeves is to play the alien Klaatu (I know, he does seem right for alien type parts, doesn’t he?). Jennifer Connelly is taking the Patricia Neal role and Kathy Bates is also on board. It’s hard to get excited about this one, but it’s a safe bet that there will be lots of CGI, Keanu will look/be puzzled, Connelly will be dramatic and Bates will gleefully collect another paycheck.
In other horrific remake news, Dark Horizons is warning telling us that a group including Mark Headley, actor Christopher Mitchum, and business partner Toni Covington have picked up remake rights to the 1952 classic amongst classics High Noon. No word yet on a director or star. Let’s see, who would we put into the Gary Cooper-Grace Kelly roles? While one would love to see someone like Harrison Ford (if one has to see anyone do this misbegotten project) in the Cooper part, chances are Hollywood won’t go that way. So what would be painfully awful? Not ridiculous awful like Zac Ephron and Jessica Simpson, but Hollywood trying to be serious awful. Josh Hartnett and Scarlett Johanssen? Yeah, something like that.
