I can't for the life of me understand why THIS movie had to be remade. It was pretty much perfect the first time out, so it seems doubly pointless. Sure, these days they can make it more violent and chaotic, but all that does is make the lead characters look like actual psychopaths.
But oh well. I assume somebody had a profit motive in mind.
Art - I personally don't feel the first one was perfect, and I'm a huge fan of it and have watched it about 25 times. The actress playing Mattie was too old and Glen Campbell was not a good actor. Both of these problems have been rectified in the remake - having a really good actor in the role of LaBoeuf makes it a better story, and much closer to the original - and having a little girl play the part of the little girl is very important - but other than that, it's very similar to the original - entire scenes are word for word the same. I love the original, don't get me wrong - but they don't change it radically, or make them look like psychopaths, or violent lawless craziness, as you mention in your comment. Not at all.
When I said in my comment "much closer to the original " - I meant the book, which makes a huge deal out of LaBoeuf and his spurs and his language and all that stuff - all things Matt Damon brings out perfectly. Very funny and very good performance.
Art, I would never have guessed you were a John Wayne fan, but I'm sure glad to know that you're among us! I talked to Steve Rea yesterday, one of the Inquirer's film critics. He's seen the remake and thinks it very good, and Jeff Bridges is an awfully good actor, worth seeing in just about anything.
I can't for the life of me understand why THIS movie had to be remade. It was pretty much perfect the first time out, so it seems doubly pointless. Sure, these days they can make it more violent and chaotic, but all that does is make the lead characters look like actual psychopaths.
ReplyDeleteBut oh well. I assume somebody had a profit motive in mind.
Art - I personally don't feel the first one was perfect, and I'm a huge fan of it and have watched it about 25 times. The actress playing Mattie was too old and Glen Campbell was not a good actor. Both of these problems have been rectified in the remake - having a really good actor in the role of LaBoeuf makes it a better story, and much closer to the original - and having a little girl play the part of the little girl is very important - but other than that, it's very similar to the original - entire scenes are word for word the same. I love the original, don't get me wrong - but they don't change it radically, or make them look like psychopaths, or violent lawless craziness, as you mention in your comment. Not at all.
ReplyDeleteI loved it.
Thanks for linking, Frank!
When I said in my comment "much closer to the original " - I meant the book, which makes a huge deal out of LaBoeuf and his spurs and his language and all that stuff - all things Matt Damon brings out perfectly. Very funny and very good performance.
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing is very entertaining.
Really? That's not what I see. But that's okay. Maybe it's just the way the trailer was edited, for maximum psychopath appeal.
ReplyDeleteSorry. But even if everything you say is true, it just ain't John Wayne without John Wayne.
Art, I would never have guessed you were a John Wayne fan, but I'm sure glad to know that you're among us!
ReplyDeleteI talked to Steve Rea yesterday, one of the Inquirer's film critics. He's seen the remake and thinks it very good, and Jeff Bridges is an awfully good actor, worth seeing in just about anything.