How to ruin a film in 3 easy steps

Ninja Dodo · 10-12-2004, 01:43 PM

Actually no, make that one...

1) Take it to Hollywood.

If you've ever seen the cool French action flick "Taxi" directed by Luc Besson and shot in Marseille, you will cringe when you see this.

How is it that these people consistenly manage to take a perfectly good story with interesting characters and turn it into something... this, this-- LAME???

Some other films that have been given the ill-fated 'total makeover':

- "Klatretosen" (or Catch That Girl) became "Catch Those Kids"

- "Les Visiteurs" became "Just Visiting"

If they're so eager to copy European films because they like them, why don't they leave their own dumbass ideas out of them?

Can anyone else think of any erm... 'good' examples?

BacardiJim · 10-12-2004, 01:47 PM

I didn't totally hate Point of No Return, the Hollywood adaptation of Besson's La Femme Nikita. However, I consider it completely unnecessary and redundant, since Nikita was already about as close to a Hollywood action flick as anything that ever came out of France.

Ninja Dodo · 10-12-2004, 02:02 PM

Dammit, I still haven't seen La Femme Nikita. It's supposed to be really good, isn't it?

Erwin_Br · 10-12-2004, 02:12 PM

Hmm, I liked the Ring better than the original version (Ringu). Which is not European, though. Oh well..

--Erwin

Ninja Dodo · 10-12-2004, 02:34 PM

European films are just an example, really... I'm talking about American remakes in general.

Intrepid Homoludens · 10-12-2004, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninja Dodo

Dammit, I still haven't seen La Femme Nikita. It's supposed to be really good, isn't it?

One of my favourites on any given day. I have the DVD.

BacardiJim · 10-12-2004, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninja Dodo

Dammit, I still haven't seen La Femme Nikita. It's supposed to be really good, isn't it?

In general, I'm not a big fan of French cinema. There have been occasional exceptions, but in general (and I am speaking in broad generalizations here) I find French films too self-conscious and unfocused for my taste.

I loved La Femme Nikita. It was a very "American" action film... with a brain. It is no surprise that John Badham (Blue Thunder, Wargames, Saturday Night Fever, Stakeout, Dracula) was pegged to direct Point of No Return.

Ninth · 10-12-2004, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninja Dodo

Can anyone else think of any erm... 'good' examples?

I think "True Lies" is an example on how to make a good remake. I loved this film, and it's a remake of the french film "La totale".

Ninth · 10-12-2004, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BacardiJim

In general, I'm not a big fan of French cinema. There have been occasional exceptions, but in general (and I am speaking in broad generalizations here) I find French films too self-conscious and unfocused for my taste.

For some of the movies, that's the whole point (being self-conscious). I'm curious of having examples of french movies you saw in america and didn't like, though.

Kolzig · 10-13-2004, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninja Dodo

Dammit, I still haven't seen La Femme Nikita. It's supposed to be really good, isn't it?

It's one hell of a great movie.

I've wanted it on dvd for a long time already, but haven't still found a good dvd of it.

MDMaster · 10-13-2004, 12:48 AM

Did someone know that 'Big' (with Tom Hanks) is actually a remake of an italian movie ('Da Grande' which translates roughly into 'Being adult')? But at least in that one, the kid didn't have sex with adults...

100ja a.k.a. mr_mitja · 10-13-2004, 02:15 AM

The swedish Insomnia is superior than Hollywood one (also, Skaasgard RULES!), the british Italian Job is also way better than the new one, Ruingu (it was mentioned). But also, for example, I like The Magnificent Seven more that The Seven Samurai.

Jazhara7 · 10-13-2004, 04:36 AM

Not really a re-make, but sequels.

I hated it that in the "The Neverending Story" movies (except for the first one. The first one was nice), they suddenly changed important things. Like that it was suddenly set in the US. And that they changed the actress who played the childlike Empress (okay, this was probably because there were some years in between the movie).

But I still love the Neverending Story.

Can't think of anything else right now.

-

Ninth · 10-13-2004, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazhara7

Not really a re-make, but sequels.

I hated it that in the "The Neverending Story" movies (except for the first one. The first one was nice), they suddenly changed important things. Like that it was suddenly set in the US. And that they changed the actress who played the childlike Empress (okay, this was probably because there were some years in between the movie).

But I still love the Neverending Story.

Can't think of anything else right now.

-

The problem with the Neverending Story is that cut the book in half while still trying to end the first movie in an Hollywood way.
Seriously, the movie was OK, but the book is so much more...

DomStLeger · 10-13-2004, 06:14 AM

How about the classic "Lady Killers" (hey we Brits are european too... when we want to be

). Tom Hanks and the Coens have turned a great classic of british cinema into a crap, charmless and purile hollywood film.

But anyway, whatever bad things you can say about Hollywood, I think it has encouraged European cinema to be dinstinctive and original as thats the only way it can compete with the Hollywood Crap Factory. And their remakes do generate interest in the originals (to see how it should have been done), so it's not all bad

Kolzig · 10-13-2004, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DomStLeger

How about the classic "Lady Killers" (hey we Brits are european too... when we want to be

). Tom Hanks and the Coens have turned a great classic of british cinema into a crap, charmless and purile hollywood film.

This I again have to agree.

The original Ladykillers is one of my favourite movies, and features a legendary all star cast, Alec Guinness, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers...

Even though the Coen brothers have usually made great movies, I have to say that the remake of Ladykillers is pure shite.

Tom Hanks

Huz · 10-13-2004, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DomStLeger

How about the classic "Lady Killers" (hey we Brits are european too... when we want to be

). Tom Hanks and the Coens have turned a great classic of british cinema into a crap, charmless and purile hollywood film.

¬ ¬

***Marek*** · 10-13-2004, 10:01 AM

Am I the only one who prefers the remake of Insomnia over the original?

Sanjuro2 · 10-13-2004, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marek

Am I the only one who prefers the remake of Insomnia over the original?

Yes.

RLacey · 10-13-2004, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marek

Am I the only one who prefers the remake of Insomnia over the original?

Never seen it, but I keep meaning to. This is the one with Robin Williams in it, right?

Oh, and there's a much simpler way of ruining a film. Just let Paul W S Anderson write and direct it.

10-12-2004, 01:43 PM	#1
Ninja Dodo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,459	How to ruin a film in 3 easy steps Actually no, make that one... 1) Take it to Hollywood. If you've ever seen the cool French action flick "Taxi" directed by Luc Besson and shot in Marseille, you will cringe when you see this. How is it that these people consistenly manage to take a perfectly good story with interesting characters and turn it into something... this, this-- LAME??? Some other films that have been given the ill-fated 'total makeover': - "Klatretosen" (or Catch That Girl) became "Catch Those Kids" - "Les Visiteurs" became "Just Visiting" If they're so eager to copy European films because they like them, why don't they leave their own dumbass ideas out of them? Can anyone else think of any erm... 'good' examples? Share Share this post on Twitter

10-12-2004, 01:47 PM	#2
BacardiJim Banned User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,346	I didn't totally hate Point of No Return, the Hollywood adaptation of Besson's La Femme Nikita. However, I consider it completely unnecessary and redundant, since Nikita was already about as close to a Hollywood action flick as anything that ever came out of France. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Time flies like the wind; Fruit flies like bananas.

10-12-2004, 02:02 PM	#3
Ninja Dodo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,459	Dammit, I still haven't seen La Femme Nikita. It's supposed to be really good, isn't it? Share Share this post on Twitter

10-12-2004, 02:12 PM	#4
Erwin_Br Under pressure. Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Apeldoorn, The Netherlands Posts: 3,773	Hmm, I liked the Ring better than the original version (Ringu). Which is not European, though. Oh well.. --Erwin Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ > Learn more about my forthcoming point & click adventure: Bad Timing! > Or... Visit Adventure Developers: Everything about developing adventure games.

10-12-2004, 02:34 PM	#5
Ninja Dodo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,459	European films are just an example, really... I'm talking about American remakes in general. Share Share this post on Twitter

10-13-2004, 12:48 AM	#11
MDMaster Evil Webmaster Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,037	Did someone know that 'Big' (with Tom Hanks) is actually a remake of an italian movie ('Da Grande' which translates roughly into 'Being adult')? But at least in that one, the kid didn't have sex with adults... Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Pushed back to square Now that you've kneed her In the throat So there you go

10-13-2004, 02:15 AM	#12
100ja a.k.a. mr_mitja pain is love Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Zagreb, Croatia Posts: 1,348	The swedish Insomnia is superior than Hollywood one (also, Skaasgard RULES!), the british Italian Job is also way better than the new one, Ruingu (it was mentioned). But also, for example, I like The Magnificent Seven more that The Seven Samurai. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ A woman drove me to drink and I didn't even have the decency to thank her. - W.C. Fields There are more old drunks then old doctors. - Willie Nelson by_100ja

10-13-2004, 04:36 AM	#13
Jazhara7 Ale! And keep 'em coming! Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Beyond the Pattern of Reality...or Germany Posts: 8,527	Not really a re-make, but sequels. I hated it that in the "The Neverending Story" movies (except for the first one. The first one was nice), they suddenly changed important things. Like that it was suddenly set in the US. And that they changed the actress who played the childlike Empress (okay, this was probably because there were some years in between the movie). But I still love the Neverending Story. Can't think of anything else right now. - Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ - "esc(x) cot(x) dx = -csc(x)!" Dennis added, and the wizard's robe caught on fire. "Gosh," Dennis said, "and some people say higher math isn't relevant." >>>Inventor of the Mail order-Assassin<<< And This...is a Black Hole - BYE!

10-13-2004, 06:14 AM	#15
DomStLeger Whinging Pom Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: London, England, UK Posts: 1,032	How about the classic "Lady Killers" (hey we Brits are european too... when we want to be ). Tom Hanks and the Coens have turned a great classic of british cinema into a crap, charmless and purile hollywood film. But anyway, whatever bad things you can say about Hollywood, I think it has encouraged European cinema to be dinstinctive and original as thats the only way it can compete with the Hollywood Crap Factory. And their remakes do generate interest in the originals (to see how it should have been done), so it's not all bad Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Dom Currently Playing Tex Murphey - Under a Killing Moon (YAY GOG.com!) Recently Completed Broken Sword Director's Cut Still Get Mozilla Firefox! Forget that Chrome and IE rubbish!

10-13-2004, 10:01 AM	#18
*Marek* Puts the 'e' in Mark Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 3,138	Am I the only one who prefers the remake of Insomnia over the original? Share Share this post on Twitter

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