Barbarella has scored a director, and I think Robert Rodriguez was a great choice. We get the following news from the caves of Yahoo:
Robert Rodriguez has signed on to direct “Barbarella,” a new motion picture adaptation of the classic science-fiction comic book series, whose title character was immortalized in the 1968 movie starring Jane Fonda. Dino De Laurentiis, who produced that film, will produce the update with Martha De Laurentiis for Universal Pictures, which aims for a 2008 worldwide release
Rodriguez is working with writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, who are developing an original adventure for Barbarella. Purvis and Wade co-wrote “Casino Royale” and recently finished work on the next installment in the James Bond franchise, which has a working title of “Bond 22.”
If they have to do a remake of Barbarella I think Rodriguez may be one of the best directors alive today for the job. Rodriguez is able to capture sexy on the silver screen like few people can. Selma Hayek in Desperado dripped with sexlust. Rose McGowan not only displayed red-hot sensuality, she also came across as a bad ass machine gun momma in Planet Terror. Rodriguez is a dude that knows how to sex a woman up, and still keep her bad ass – and that is what we need for Barbarella.
The fact that the writers from Casino Royale are on board gives me great hope as well. I thought Casino Royale was a fantastic Bond film and really paid tribute to the character. If they pay the same amount of respect to the character of Barbarella the screenplay should be quality indeed. I wonder if they will mine old Barbarella stories for ideas in the way in which they used the book Casino Royale as the blueprint for their work – we shall see.
Overall I think that the news about this project continues to get better by the day. In an age of much maligned remakes will this one stand out as quality? International friends what are your thoughts?
At least Duran Duran can provide a song for the film…
;)
Anyway, a moment or so ago, I was going to comment that Robert Rodriguez is going to mess this all up and he isn’t the right director and how it’s going to stink all to high heaven.
Was.
It took looking over the above comments to change my mind in a hurry. I’ll tell you why.
1) Girls with guns rule. Other than that, there have been in the past, box office hits that have featured chicks that kicked butt. Even in lead roles. Even before Kill Bill. “Aliens” comes to my mind rather quickly, and then there’s any part Pam Grier’s played…we once got “Le Femme Nikita” from Luc Besson, we dig the crap out of “Princess Blade”, “Ghost In The Shell”, and folks went apeshit over that shit “Charlie’s Angels”. Didn’t they? On TV people tuned into “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”…and “Xena”, for reasons I still connot explain. When we have studio that messes up ‘Aeon Flux’ (which isn’t as bad as some make it to be), when you get total pure bullcrap like ‘Catwoman’ and ‘Elektra’ it’s too easy to say this isn’t what the audience wants…tough chicks who kick ass. But then there is Kill Bill, and few can explain it. I CAN. Hell, anyone can.
Regardless of intent, if a film becomes trash, chances are, like trash, it’ll stink up the place.
2) Barbarella could be updated fine. It could move away from the sex kitten/muse intention that Roger Vadim had at the time. Or it might be a tad sexier without being exploitive.
3) Eva Mendez or Jessica Alba? Either one will do for me. Wait, did I just suggest…
sure damn skippy I just did. Think it over.
Little tweaking? Try major tweaking. Might as well start fresh with a new character. Sadly, I don’t disagree with your other points.
I don’t agree with AjaxLou. True, most of the subjects covered were a result of the time but let me break it to you, we haven’t come all that far in 40 years. Sure, there’s more sex everywhere but women are still subjected to a lot of crap and if a woman is indeed a “sexual being” she is also often portrayed as some sort of ‘ho.
I think with a little tweaking, this could make some great commentary on women in the 21st century.
I’m a BIG fan of the original movie (don’t ask me why, I simply love it) and while I don’t think a remake is necessary, this is good news. I trust Rodriguez to not fuck it up.
But please:
Have fun with it. Don’t take the concept to seriously. In the end “Barbarella” is about campy sets, stylish outfits, groovy music and hot women. I don’t want Mission Impossible in Space. Or Aoen Flux for that matter.
But who will play Barbarella? I can’t think of one actress (or any woman for that matter), who has half the sexappeal Jane Fonda had at that time. Man, she really was from another galaxy….I get a boner just thinking about that zero-gravity strip.
But I know one thing: I want Monica Belluci as the Black Tyrant. Then I can die a happy man.
The concept of Barbarella is out moded now. She is a product of the time in which she was created. The sexual aspects of the character have been superseded.
There have been many more sexually graphic movies since the Fonda version. What the Fonda movie flaunted as risque is now tame. Probably would work better as a straight out porn – and there likely is already a porn take-off of the original movie.
Not a good idea.
I like RR, but females headlining action flicks have always been trouble, save for Kill Bill. The story focuses too much on her tits and not enough on the plot, and the movie turns out shitty.