Another day, another remake. The most recent boring announcement is the news via The Hollywood Reporter that Russell Brand might step into the role played by Dudley Moore in the comedic and buffoonish “Arthur” series that chronicled a spoiled rich manchild who believed his wealth allowed him the privilege of behaving like a infant at all times (our mom was big on these movies and made us watch them a lot). Warner Bros. is steering this one. The original was about a drunk brat who would inherit a fortune if he married an heiress, but instead he fell for the girl next door (Liza Minelli). Did you see Brand at the MTV Video Awards? Not particularly funny. He needs to step up his game (though yes he was decent in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) [THR]
Another remake: Remember John Carpenter’s cult classic “The Live” that starred WWF wrestling superstar Rowdy Roddy Piper as a guy who has a pair of special glasses that allows him to see the zombie creatures living amongst us so he can suplex them and generally beat the living shit out of them? Strike Entertainment is developing a remake. [THR]
Here’s a great scene (and fantastic dialogue)
Yet another remake. Yes, Hollywood is officially out of idea. This time it’s a modern update of the classic adventure/romance tale, “Romancing The Stone,” that starred Michael Douglas, Katheleen Turner and Danny Devito. The movie was great, but it unfortunately launched Robert Zemeckis into having a career (ok, “Back To The Future” was great,but he shit the bed soon after). Daniel McDermott has been tapped to write the screenplay (he’s the genius behind the masterpiece theater that was “Eagle Eye”). [Variety]
Here’s Eddie Grant doing his classic, “Romancing The Stone” theme song. You know the one you still dance along to in your room at night. They have to use this, right?
The long and short of it is: when the ’60s and ’70s remakes have all been tapped, start tapping the 1980s. Before you know it, they’ll be a 90210-ish remake of “Pulp Fiction” and other 1990s classics. Don’t laugh, it’ll happen.