Seriously, leave it alone, bloodsuckers. You cannot improve upon the classic.
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Posts: 9408 | Location: Illinois farm country | Registered: November 15, 2008
"I’m not going to read Time Magazine, I’m not going to read Newsweek, I’m not going to read any of these magazines; I mean, because they have too much to lose by printing the truth"- Bob Dylan, 1965
Posts: 17430 | Location: Texas | Registered: May 13, 2003
I haven't seen Yojimbo. Would it be safe to say that A fistful of dollars is a reinterpretation, not a remake?
If this new film were a reinterpretation, I think folks wouldn't mind as much. If the plot were similar, but set in modern times, and payed homage to the films that came before it, I think it could be received more favorably.
If it's the same plot, in the same time period, with the same attitude, then it's another steamy remake turd in the (re)making.
Would the nearest parallel be the True Grit remake? People thought it was alright, didn't they? I prefer the Eastwood films to the Wayne films, so I am inclined to be less critical of a Wayne remake, I suppose.
Posts: 2528 | Location: Northeast GA | Registered: February 15, 2021
Originally posted by KSGM: I haven't seen Yojimbo. Would it be safe to say that A fistful of dollars is a reinterpretation, not a remake?
It was close enough that the courts ruled the producers of Fistful plagiarized the movie and did not buy the rights to the story. As a result, Kurosawa got a nice chunk of the profit and was rumored that he made more money off of Fistful that any of his other movies.
Posts: 4508 | Location: Kansas City, MO | Registered: May 28, 2004
So same story in a different geographical and cultural setting.
If that's how they did this new "remake", it'd likely be met with less scorn. If the plot was adapted to modern times, and it didn't take itself too seriously, it could even be a fun tribute.
To literally remake the movie would be an insult to the original and its fans.
Posts: 2528 | Location: Northeast GA | Registered: February 15, 2021
It’s worth seeing Yojimbo. Except for the time period, there are a number of scenes that almost exactly the same between the two movies. When I first saw Yojimbo, I was amazed how similar it was, not just in the story, but in specific scenes.
Posts: 3437 | Location: South FL | Registered: February 09, 2007
I no longer recognize reboots, remakes, re-imaginings, or the like. In fact, I no longer trust streaming or re-releases. The opportunity of studios to edit or input crafted scenes for the so-called "modern audience" give them too much influence. It's all slop for the 10-second attention span.
Posts: 2076 | Location: TX | Registered: October 28, 2010
Originally posted by Vgex: I no longer recognize reboots, remakes, re-imaginings, or the like. In fact, I no longer trust streaming or re-releases. The opportunity of studios to edit or input crafted scenes for the so-called "modern audience" give them too much influence. It's all slop for the 10-second attention span.
I totally agree.
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Posts: 8690 | Location: Rochester, NY behind enemy lines | Registered: March 12, 2002
Originally posted by 2BobTanner: FYI: starting at 8pm Eastern today on TCM, they are doing the spaghetti-Westerns “Man with No Name” trilogy.
Set the DVR up to record them last night, watched A Fistful of Dollars, a classic no doubt that put Eastwood on his way to superstar status.
Be interesting if they remake it on how the sets look, how the film records the scenes, the way the buildings look in Eastwoods movie are very much the way you'd expect an old western town to look. WIth the new cinematography equipment, digital clarity, will they be able to give the movie that look.
Posts: 24498 | Location: Gunshine State | Registered: November 07, 2008
I'm fine with the first copy, different genre, different culture, literally other side of the planet. Most people had no clue it was a remake and never would have been able to see the original at the time. It's a different time, different world now. There's no excuse for lack of new ideas.
WIth the new cinematography equipment, digital clarity, will they be able to give the movie that look
That's my beef with a lot of new movies, or HD re-releases of older movies. I think the low-fi, low-res characteristics of many movies (when compared to the current cutting edge) lends them more character and often, IMO, more realism. I deliberately hunt down DVDs much of the time, as opposed to BluRay. I don't have a 4K-capable player, or a TV and audio equipment that would make it worthwhile anyway.
I think remakes are OK if the bones of the film were good the first time around, but the execution failed. Not the case for Fistful and most other movies being remade in the last decade.
Another good reason for a remake is the potential for modern effects to improve the movie. This is most relevant in the SciFi genre.
Posts: 2528 | Location: Northeast GA | Registered: February 15, 2021
As Chuck Perry pointed out, they already have done a remake of this. I forgot about it. It's last man standing. Set in the 1930's. It was ok, not as good as the original.
No one's life, liberty or property is safe while the legislature is in session.- Mark Twain
Posts: 3661 | Location: TX | Registered: October 08, 2005
Also remember the original 1960 “The Magnificent Seven” was a remake of “Seven Samurai”. They remade “The Magnificent Seven” in 2016 and it wasn’t as good.
Posts: 3437 | Location: South FL | Registered: February 09, 2007
