You guys know that I am not adverse to the idea of remakes since a remake in no way shape or form hurts or harms the original (see my 4 Rules For Making Remakes). That doesn’t mean that remaking just any film is a GOOD idea, just not a morally offensive one.
One of the movies that has been on the block recently for a remake is the Alfred Hitchcock film “The Birds“. Michael Bay’s new production company was all set to remake the film (they just did the new Friday the 13th and are working on the new Nightmare on Elm Street franchise) but apparently that idea has been sunk. According to the good folks over at Cinema Blend the project has, at the very least, been put to the back burner:
Speaking to journalists on the set of the new A Nightmare on Elm Street (via CHUD), Fuller said that with any project, “We lay ourselves out there and get annihilated out there online all day long, and [The Birds] just opens us up to a whole different level of annihilation.” Still, Fuller isn’t quite ready to apologize for his mistake and vow to never let his producing partner Michael Bay mess with Hitchcock again. The best they got from him was a meek “It doesn’t feel like that’s up next for us.”
Assuming The Birds is off the radar now, what other horror franchise do you think Platinum Dunes (Bay’s production company) could go after next? Halloween is already being done, Friday the 13th already being done, Nightmare on Elm Street already being done, Texas Chain Saw, The Hills, is there anything else with a real name left to go after?
thank christ, no need for a remake at all.
Watch a movie there over the weekend: the hand
It stars michael caine, he loses his hand and it (or possibly caine when he blacks out) goes on a killing spree. It’s not great but the idea allows for an interesting adaption. and to quote caine himself:
“Why do people remake good movies and make them bad, they should remake bad movies and make them good”
or something to that effect….
It should be said though that Dunes does make non-remake pictures, although they don’t put as much marketing effort into them (The Unborn, The Horsemen) so they are barely blips on the radar.
I should be glad that a Birds remake has been avoided for the time being. It is, however, meaningless to me. That’s because when a remake of a film is announced almost every other week, that’s not a guarantee that it will happen. Also, not all remakes stink. Most of them, not all of them.
John’s question is an interesting one. On one hand, I’m nervous of namedropping anything here, so I’ll go another approach.
Horror cult films that Platinum Dunes won’t touch with a 12 ft pole
1) Demoni
Lamberto Bava and Dario Argento!!! Of course, we know it better as Demons (1985)!
2) Re-Animator
Above, a commenter remarked that Stephen King’s novels and stories can be redone due to them being adaptations. So why not a little HP Lovecraft, too? In fact, this SHOULD have been a strong contender in this recent trend, but it hasn’t come up yet (I know, I know, give it a week…and I know I’ll catch hell for it)
3) Phantasm
That’s a longshot, Don Coscerelli still stalls on that franchise he built as much as Sam Raimi does on Evil Dead remakes/installments.
4) The Swarm
Haha thought I was going to say Evil Dead, didn’t ya!? Gotcha!!
Anyway, way I see it, if Platinum Dunes lost out on Hitch’s Birds, they should attempt to go for Irwin Allen’s killer bees! C’mon! If anyone remade that… nobody is gonna bitch Not one soul. Make that remake so scary folks will swear off honey like Jaws did beaches!
5) Q The Winged Serpent
No, I don’t know why I wrote that either.
scratch #2 off your list.
http://shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=9739
re-animator + 3d.
See? Not even a week!
3-D you say?
Now I have this image of a decapitated head being placed on…
Eh, how would that play in 3D I wonder.
Rumors were that Platinum Dune wanted George Clooney as the male lead in The Birds and Naomi Watts as the female lead. I could have got behind that film.
Chuck
I’d love to see a Critters remake…Critters rule!
Movies dying left and right. I read yesterday that Akira is dead in the water as well due to the director jumping ship. Wonder what’s next to end those still waters.
I’m glad that the live action “Akira” is dead.
If only the same would happen ot the live action Cowboy Bebop project.
Not me, I’d like to have seen what DiCaprio’s production company would have done with the graphic novels for a live action adaptation. Supposedly they were going to cover the entire series of graphic novels across two movies. I think it had some serious potential.
First off, Hitchcock is awesome, secondly, good, I’m pretty sure that a Platinum Dunes The Birds remake would just end up being a huge waste of time and money. Heard they are slowing down their plans for a “Rosemary’s Baby” remake too, also probably a good idea.
I think I’ll revisit The Birds and Rosemary’s Baby this week, for old time’s sake, may even take a little road trip to Bodega Bay.
I honestly can’t think of a single film, off the top of my head, that would benefit from a Platinum Dunes remake….. I do think we need some modern creature features though (I don’t mean werewolves and shit like that, more along the lines of Critters, I don’t think a Critters remake would be be very good though).
LEPRECHAUN!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree w/ John that remakes in NO WAY hurt the original, but I’m definitely glad that this film is safe from the remake disease….for now, same goes for the “Rosemary’s Baby” remake.
80’s (mini) monster movies are still ripe:
Critters
Ghoulies
Puppetmaster
Child’s Play
Pumpkinhead
The Blob (remake of a remake)
Poltergeist
Deep Star Six
Cat’s Eye (yes, it’s a Stephen King book first)
Pet Semetary (ditto)
Yes, there are still franchises to remake, for better or for worse
i still think a poltrigiest remake would be a mistake, nig i would be up for a pet semetary one
The Ghoulies and Puppetmaster series: oh heck, lets toss in Trancers in there too for good measure- were handled by the Richard and Charles Band. I don’t think anyone would be doing remakes on those but them.
Pumpkinhead- not so much a remake. There may be more Sci-Fi channel/DTV sequels.
Of your list the only two I could see would be Critters and Pet Semetary.
The latter is because it is based on Stephen King’s novel. But to be fair, if it was, it would be a TV miniseries.
For Darren J Seeley
I don’t think Ghoulies falls in that list. Puppetmaster and Trancers are both High Moon Entertainment movies, though.. which I think is where the Bands come into play. A lot of classic B flicks came from that studio back in the day: Doll Man, Demonic Toys, Subspecies, and so on and so forth. But I agree, I can’t imagine anybody remaking those movies except maybe by those that originally made them.
Yes it does. Before the Bands changed the name to Full Moon back in the early 90’s, their studio was known as Empire. Ghoulies came from Empire.
********
Anyway, I forgot a “horror franchise” that someone is bound to redo. So maybe if I subliminally bury it here in this comment, we won’t have a jinx and I won’t give anyone out in Hollywood any interesting oddball ideas.
There’s always Hellraiser.
I’m glad that The Birds remake is dead – Hitchcock movies should all be off limits for remakes.
Hellraiser is already taken as well.
Slush is right
I stand corrected, then. :)
i was alright with a hellraiser reboot cuz laugier was doing it.
+ he talked about going back to the book which wouldve rocked.
now without laugier on it i hope they dont make it.