I think Chan-wook’s “revenge” trilogy is almost perfect (I actually think Lady Vengeance is better, perhaps, than Oldboy). And when I first heard about the Oldboy remake, I thought, “eh?”—but—
I love Spike Lee—even his worst film has more personality than 99% of Hollywood’s schlock — and—
I love revenge films — and I even like Josh Brolin—-
So I think this could be good.
As far as originality: I know, I know. I read an interview with Gus Van Sant years ago where he complained that the studios don’t want to make Iron Man, they only want to make Iron Man 2 — but they have to make Iron Man 1 first (I don’t recall if those were his actual examples).
I hope that Spielberg’s prediction is right and the whole system fails; stuff like Upstream Color suggests that great movies can be made outside of it.
F F Coppola a case in point. His last 3 films were all self funded if I’m correct. For heavens sake, his newest ‘Twixt’ will soon be available via French Blu-ray. It’s in English but has non-removable French subs.
The effort required to put out original product.
Sorry for going a little off point here.
I’ve been following Chan-Wook’s output since JSA, even to the extremes of importing 3 Extremes from SK way back when it was released.
Still haven’t seen Stoker. Mmmm. From a script by Prison Break’s Wentworth Miller?
I think Coppola paid for his films with his winery. Haven’t seen Stoker yet either—I know Harmony Korine is supposed to be in it.
As far as Oldboy, originality, etc.—I don’t know. I mean, I imagine that it’s very hard for Lee to get the films he wants made. It’s kind of a miracle he even got to make Bamboozled, which I think is his best film, which is maybe the most painful film I’ve ever seen. And his last film, Red Hook Summer — I haven’t seen it yet, but I know that again, it’s one of those ones that’s amazing it even got made.
I hope that Lee can eventually get to be like Woody Allen, who seems to have figured out how to make a film every nine months.
I love Spike Lee too, which is why this is so frustrating. I’d much rather see him do something different and new. Or heck, remake something that had bright ideas but poor executrion. Oldboy is a flawless film; there is no point in revisiting it.
That said, having Brolin see Katrina and 9/11 footage is interesting…
You know, this one seems, I don’t know, fairly faithful to the premise of the original, but it’s going to be a Spike Lee film–dude hasn’t made a film w/out a point-of-view or sense of its own style yet. I mean, it’s not going to be Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant, but it will be, I dunno, *different*.
Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant got a nasty dissing from Ferrera. I read a couple of years ago when Spielberg and Will Smith were attached to the project of Oldboy that Chan-Wook pretty much could care less, after all, Oldboy is from a Manga source with a few plot differences; or so I’m led to believe.
The trailer to Spike’s film just resembles a switch from Asian to Hollywood faces.
Well, decadence is IN. Just hope Spike Lee doesn’t become another kept boy in the Gog/Magog stables of Hollyweird. But, hey, gotta support the family. Ideals aren’t every thing. It’s a long way from Israel.
This looks bad ass! Thanks for sharing!
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I never need to see this movie again. The original was… enough. More than enough.
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Spike………..NNNNNNoooooooooooooaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhoooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooooooh!?
Entirely redundant. Why Can’t Hollywood greenlight original projects?
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I think Chan-wook’s “revenge” trilogy is almost perfect (I actually think Lady Vengeance is better, perhaps, than Oldboy). And when I first heard about the Oldboy remake, I thought, “eh?”—but—
I love Spike Lee—even his worst film has more personality than 99% of Hollywood’s schlock — and—
I love revenge films — and I even like Josh Brolin—-
So I think this could be good.
As far as originality: I know, I know. I read an interview with Gus Van Sant years ago where he complained that the studios don’t want to make Iron Man, they only want to make Iron Man 2 — but they have to make Iron Man 1 first (I don’t recall if those were his actual examples).
I hope that Spielberg’s prediction is right and the whole system fails; stuff like Upstream Color suggests that great movies can be made outside of it.
LikeLike
F F Coppola a case in point. His last 3 films were all self funded if I’m correct. For heavens sake, his newest ‘Twixt’ will soon be available via French Blu-ray. It’s in English but has non-removable French subs.
The effort required to put out original product.
Sorry for going a little off point here.
I’ve been following Chan-Wook’s output since JSA, even to the extremes of importing 3 Extremes from SK way back when it was released.
Still haven’t seen Stoker. Mmmm. From a script by Prison Break’s Wentworth Miller?
Any thoughts Ed?
LikeLike
I think Coppola paid for his films with his winery. Haven’t seen Stoker yet either—I know Harmony Korine is supposed to be in it.
As far as Oldboy, originality, etc.—I don’t know. I mean, I imagine that it’s very hard for Lee to get the films he wants made. It’s kind of a miracle he even got to make Bamboozled, which I think is his best film, which is maybe the most painful film I’ve ever seen. And his last film, Red Hook Summer — I haven’t seen it yet, but I know that again, it’s one of those ones that’s amazing it even got made.
I hope that Lee can eventually get to be like Woody Allen, who seems to have figured out how to make a film every nine months.
LikeLike
I love Spike Lee too, which is why this is so frustrating. I’d much rather see him do something different and new. Or heck, remake something that had bright ideas but poor executrion. Oldboy is a flawless film; there is no point in revisiting it.
That said, having Brolin see Katrina and 9/11 footage is interesting…
LikeLike
You know, this one seems, I don’t know, fairly faithful to the premise of the original, but it’s going to be a Spike Lee film–dude hasn’t made a film w/out a point-of-view or sense of its own style yet. I mean, it’s not going to be Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant, but it will be, I dunno, *different*.
LikeLike
Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant got a nasty dissing from Ferrera. I read a couple of years ago when Spielberg and Will Smith were attached to the project of Oldboy that Chan-Wook pretty much could care less, after all, Oldboy is from a Manga source with a few plot differences; or so I’m led to believe.
The trailer to Spike’s film just resembles a switch from Asian to Hollywood faces.
LikeLike
Well, decadence is IN. Just hope Spike Lee doesn’t become another kept boy in the Gog/Magog stables of Hollyweird. But, hey, gotta support the family. Ideals aren’t every thing. It’s a long way from Israel.
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Reblogged this on maha's place.
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