Pelham 123

[one eyed jack]

Sorry guys. Just saw the original Pelham 123 and accept it might have been great back in the day but having seen the recent version as well then this one pales into insignificance.

yes it had great actors but it didnt warrant a great movie.

If the recent one is a remake then I rate it a lot higher than the old one.

Just my opinion of course

Furthermore I dont regard it as a remake as it expanded the story and made it better so yes Jonoen...I stand by what i said. It is a "fresh" and "new" take from a an ok -ish movie of the 70's.

As for being a "sucker for marketing", well I formed my opinion from watching the movie. I dont remeber seeing the words fresh and new on the poster anywhere. My choice of word.

So am I to be chastised for liking the "remake?"

[spider]

No not from me either.

It's personal taste.

I much preferred the 1974 original, but if you prefer the 2009 re-make that's perfectly fine by me.

[Jonone]

OEJ, the 'sucker for marketing' remark wasn't directed at you. Check out my response to a post by Captain Wow on the 06/08. My remark was a pecific response to this.

If you're sympathetic to Captain Wow's argument fair enough. In the course of the discussion I understand the 'sibling not a direct ancestor' argument and take it on board up to a point. I think Herzog is doing a version of Abel Ferrara's 'Bad Lieutenant' and this will be subject to the same arguments and controversies (although i'm thinking that Ferrara originated BL so there is no source novel).

What do we conclude .. that a film like Gus Van Sant's 'Psycho' is a re-make because of it's shot-for-shot fidelity to the original whereas with other 'seeming' re-makes one has to consider questions of authorship and what's is innovative about the later film ? I've just checked IMDB looking at 'The Getaway' - the later film with Baldwin and Basinger is a re-make because it uses the same script by Walter Hill based on the Jim Thompson novel. If someone was to produce a third version of 'The Getaway' with an original script which took a different view of the relationship between the two central characters, with different plot points and introducing new characters and scenes then this shouldn't be considered as a re-make.

Yes, that has some validity.

[one eyed jack]

My abject apologies Jonone

You know your stuff with regards the movies and respect your points.

Im still undecided if its a remake but I found Tony Scotts version had more sense of threat and endangerment and plus Travolta came across as quite amusing and would suddenly lose it in fits of rage (a bit like me on here) that I found it a lot more exciting than the original which i bought today at a bargain ?2.99 at Sainsburys.

What i do like about the film though is its style and feel of the era it was shot in but like a lot of movies then you dont ever really feel anyone is in danger compared to the nutters running loose controlling everyone by fear and the sudden random acts of violence really kept me rivetted.

I honestly dont know why critics are slagging it off. Ok its not got the weight of The Reader or Revolutionary Road (both excellent movies in my opinion)

[one eyed jack]

I quite like David Shires 70's style score to the movie. I was surprised it didnt play over big chunky yellow credits