True Grit

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  • Bob
    Senior Member
    • Jul 2000
    • 802

    True Grit

    I see that the Cohen Brothers are releasing a remake of "True Grit". Since I am a Cohen Brothers fan, I can't wait. So far, it is the only film for this year that I am looking forward to.
  • George Bellefontaine
    Moderator Emeritus
    • Jan 2001
    • 7637

    #2
    This is one film I wished that other filmmakers would've left alone. But like you, Bob, I am a huge fan of the Coen brothers, and I am also a big fan of the two stars in the remake: Jeff Bridges ( playing The Duke's role ) and Matt Damon ( playing Glen Campbell's role ). So I'll probably collect it and put it on the shelf with the rest of my Coen brothers collection. But honestly, I would rather not see remakes of the best John Wayne films, and especially the one he earned an Oscar for.
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    • Hdale85
      Moderator Emeritus
      • Jan 2006
      • 16075

      #3
      I don't know it's hard to watch old westerns for me, in high school our teacher made us sit through True Grit...... no idea what it had to do with the class I do like Matta Damon though.... one of my favorite actors. Crazy how many movies he's in lately.

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      • Alaric
        Ultra Senior Member
        • Jan 2006
        • 4143

        #4
        I'm with George on this. I don't care what anybody does with Rooster Cogburn's character-nobody will ever be John Wayne. He was a lot closer to the era and definition of manhood of the period. Anyone who follows him has to act harder. They're guessing at the finer points. My $.02.
        Lee

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        • George Bellefontaine
          Moderator Emeritus
          • Jan 2001
          • 7637

          #5
          Originally posted by Alaric
          I don't care what anybody does with Rooster Cogburn's character-nobody will ever be John Wayne. He was a lot closer to the era and definition of manhood of the period.
          That's so true, Lee, of Rooster Cogburn, but that same can be said of other characters the Duke brought to life, such as Ethan in The Searchers, or Thomas Dunson in Red River. God forbid they should mess with these great films.
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          • Ovation
            Super Senior Member
            • Sep 2004
            • 2202

            #6
            Just a philosophical question, but why should films be treated differently from plays? If we adopted the attitude that films should not be remade (even if we restrict the idea to "certain films"--we can each make lengthy list, I'm sure) with theatre, then the works of Shakespeare would be unknown (which would be a tragedy). And that is only a tiny consequence of such an attitude.

            I'm not trying to be dismissive of anyone who doesn't want something "remade"--we all have the right to our views and the value of any work of art--films included--is highly subjective. I'm simply curious as to why people tend to be less inclined to accept a remake of a film (especially if they've seen the original) than of a play. The question also applies to music. Some people think no pop songs should be "covered" (I'm not one of them, having just purchased Phil Collins' Motown tribute album--I quite like it) but have no problems with owning multiple recordings of a symphony or other classical music piece (I have a friend like that--don't make him listen to a cover of a Dylan or Beatles song, but he must have something like a dozen recordings of Wagner's complete Ring Cycle operas).

            My take on remakes (film, plays, music, TV shows) has always been to judge each thing individually on its own merit. I will concede that some things are so masterfully done the first time that I have a hard time seeing the need for anyone else's interpretation of a particular piece of music or acting performance--but that does not mean a new take will not be appealing to someone else.

            Just a bit of rambling on my part--sorry.

            As for this remake, I will likely give it a chance because it's a Coen Brothers project.

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            • George Bellefontaine
              Moderator Emeritus
              • Jan 2001
              • 7637

              #7
              Well, for me anyway, plays are different. I have always had a hard time getting intimate with characters portrayed by any given actor on stage, so I've never found myself thinking that I'd never want to see this play done by another actor. The other thing , too, is most plays are performed verbatim with only subtle things brought to it by the director, while filmmakers doing remakes tend to change things from the original, usually ruining it.

              With music, I have never heard a song done so well by one performer that I'd never want to hear it done by someone else. Though some performers really know how to kill a good song.

              Really, I just have a hard time comparing something done on the stage, or in music, with something like a classic film. Still, you do make an interesting point, Paul, and there may be others here who would agree.

              Like you, Paul, I will be seeing this remake because it is a Coen brothers film. If it were done by anyone else, I would avoid it like the plague.
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              • Ovation
                Super Senior Member
                • Sep 2004
                • 2202

                #8
                Well, it was just an idea that has been percolating in my head for a while. I'm genuinely curious as to what criteria people use to judge such things as I've seen inconsistency across all types of creative works and reactions to them.

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                • Brandon B
                  Super Senior Member
                  • Jun 2001
                  • 2193

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Ovation
                  Just a philosophical question, but why should films be treated differently from plays?
                  I think where you see this expressed, it is indicative of a widespread opinion that the performer "owned" the role, making it completely his own, such that the fondness for the film is because of the performer, not primarily because of the story or the work itself.

                  It is probably based similarly to the desire by many to NOT see favorite books turned into films as it tends to destroy the potential for future generations of readers to create the world and characters in their own mind's eye.

                  The concept does not extend easily to plays, as an unperformed play is seen by no one. Un-remade movies are often still viewed (although less so by subsequent generations), and unfilmed books are still read (again less so it seems as time goes on).

                  I sort of agree though. I don't think it diminishes the original work as long as both are available. It is similar to a problem we encounter in my work, where we remove an attraction from the park that is the basis of fond childhood memories for thousands of people. We get excoriated in the press, but none of these people see the operational statistics where we note the number of people going through the attraction is so low as to make it a drain on the park's resources and increase crowding at the rest of the park's attractions.

                  So while I am in pretty full agreement with George on the attractiveness of this, I also understand putting a fresh face on things gets a new generation to enjoy them. That is, of course, leaving out the studios' completel lack of imagination and fear of risk that leads to this remake mentatility in lieu of original material.

                  Now let's discuss the merits of the impending remake of Footloose.

                  BB

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                  • Ovation
                    Super Senior Member
                    • Sep 2004
                    • 2202

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Brandon B
                    Now let's discuss the merits of the impending remake of Footloose.
                    :E

                    On the plus side, there is considerable room for improvement (though perhaps some things are better not revisited, after all ).

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                    • Alaric
                      Ultra Senior Member
                      • Jan 2006
                      • 4143

                      #11
                      The biggest difference I see is the time issue. It would be difficult to see Death Of A Salesman with the original Broadway cast this weekend , or Hair! , etc.. I can , however , watch The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and All Quiet On The Western Front in all their original glory. Hollyweird just seems to have run out of creativity and low on talented actors , so they recycle the achievements of others. Then again , in my world , Sean Connery is the only James Bond.
                      Lee

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                      • Chris D
                        Moderator Emeritus
                        • Dec 2000
                        • 16877

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Brandon B
                        Now let's discuss the merits of the impending remake of Footloose.
                        Wait, WHAAAAAAA????? Please tell me this is not true.
                        CHRIS

                        Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
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                        • Burke Strickland
                          Moderator
                          • Sep 2001
                          • 3161

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Chris D
                          Wait, WHAAAAAAA????? Please tell me this is not true.
                          Right! We sure don't want anyone tampering with the all-time classic cinematic masterpieces! Next thing you know, somone will try to remake Death Race 2000... oops, too late.

                          For the record, I really enjoyed the original Footloose, too, and see no reason to re-do it either. Ditto True Grit.

                          What you DON'T say may be held against you...

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                          • Brandon B
                            Super Senior Member
                            • Jun 2001
                            • 2193

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Chris D
                            Wait, WHAAAAAAA????? Please tell me this is not true.
                            With regret, I inform you this is not just my keen sense of humor at work:

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                            • Chris D
                              Moderator Emeritus
                              • Dec 2000
                              • 16877

                              #15
                              Oh, dear heavens... not that "Footloose" is a masterpiece or anything, but do they really need to mess with my childhood like that? next thing you know, they'll be trying to remake "Top Gun".
                              CHRIS

                              Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                              - Pleasantville

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                              • Brandon B
                                Super Senior Member
                                • Jun 2001
                                • 2193

                                #16
                                Ssssshhhh. They might be reading.

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                                • David Meek
                                  Moderator Emeritus
                                  • Aug 2000
                                  • 8938

                                  #17
                                  Now, don't be messin' with my True Grit. :2guns:

                                  Paul, for me, it is a case of there being certain films that an actor "owns" (True Grit and Patton come to mind), or that tell a story in a certain way (Platoon), or are just fond memories from childhood and later years (Ferris Buehler's Day Off and Footloo... just kidding! ) or songs too that are important to me for various reasons. Many, many others that I'm not emotionally invested in are fair game for a remake - maybe they'll get it right the next time (Starship Troopers).
                                  .

                                  David - Trigger-happy HTGuide Admin

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                                  • M.Roberts8
                                    Senior Member
                                    • Jan 2006
                                    • 229

                                    #18
                                    Just saw a teaser for this the other day. True Grit
                                    For me this one is like The Wizard of Oz. Now there have been plenty of versions of Oz over the years but for me there is only the one version.
                                    I like Jeff Bridges and all but he ain't no John Wayne, sorry.

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                                    • George Bellefontaine
                                      Moderator Emeritus
                                      • Jan 2001
                                      • 7637

                                      #19
                                      Originally posted by M.Roberts8
                                      I like Jeff Bridges and all but he ain't no John Wayne, sorry.
                                      My feelings exactly.
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                                      • M.Roberts8
                                        Senior Member
                                        • Jan 2006
                                        • 229

                                        #20
                                        Originally posted by Chris D
                                        Oh, dear heavens... not that "Footloose" is a masterpiece or anything, but do they really need to mess with my childhood like that? next thing you know, they'll be trying to remake "Top Gun".
                                        Not a remake but I just heard Tony Scott is making a sequel to Top Gun. Tom Cruise is supposed to have a cameo in it. Apparently he (Cruise) has been "waiting for the right script" ,Scott has wanted to do a sequel for awhile.

                                        Link
                                        You gotta watch the youtube clip at the bottom with Quentin Tarantino I was cracking up. I've never seen the movie that scene is from.

                                        Another Link

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