Spike Lee's Oldboy

vcassel

vcassel

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http://www.aintitcool.com/node/50331

Los Angeles (July 11, 2011) – Mandate Pictures announced today that Spike Lee (Inside Man) will direct OLDBOY, a remake of the highly-acclaimed South Korean film. Mark Protosevich has adapted the screenplay and will co-produce. Roy Lee and Doug Davison (The Departed, The Grudge) will produce. The film is a Vertigo Entertainment/40 Acres & A Mule Production. Mandate President Nathan Kahane will executive produce.“It’s a great honor to put this special project into the hands of such a gifted writer and iconic director,” said Kahane.OLDBOY tells the story of a man who is kidnapped and imprisoned on his daughter’s birthday. For fifteen years, he is held captive, and, upon his release, must begin his journey to find the reason for his imprisonment. He soon finds out that his kidnapper has plans for him more tortuous than his solitary confinement. The original film, released in 2003, directed by Chan-wook Park won the Grand Prize Jury Award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.


Considering that Protosevich is adapting the screenplay, this definitely looks to be a remake of Park Chan-wook's film rather than a readaptation of the manga. Spike Lee is one of my top 10 filmmakers and Oldboy is one of my top 10 films, so I'm eagerly anticipating this.
 
I'm not happy bout this one... but damn, did u read the comments on that page? woof. almost ugly.

Old Boy, definitely up there on my list. I liked some spike lee films, but I really am one of those that thinks no one should touch old boy. I doubt I'll like this flick... and i wouldn't call spike lee 'iconic'.
 
This makes me just want to see the original and never ever ever see the Spike Lee version.

(Only reason I haven't seen the original yet is simple lack of time.)
 
I like Oldboy, but it always seemed a bit fantastical to me (like you couldn't take the story too seriously; you couldn't really believe these events would actually take place in the real world). I am against the idea of a remake in theory, but it will be interesting to see how they decide to remake this. Perhaps they will try to ground it more in reality?

It will be interesting to see how they manage the ending too. I'm guessing it will be changed from the original.......

SPOILERS SPOLIERS

........it seems unlikely that the main character will mutilate himself, that would be unexpected in an American revenge movie, but you never know. Anyway, my bet is the ending will be altered substantially.
 
@Michael - It's ridiculous. It's effin incredible I think. The more I think of a Spike Lee version, the more I am turned off. I thought she hate me was brilliant, but not old boy. not this guy. Very, very few cats I think can remake old boy...
 
I'm not a big fan of Re-makes, but visually I'm looking forward to see what Spike does with it, he is one of my favorite directors.

When I saw the original, my friend ruined the ending for me so I knew what was coming before it came, so maybe if the ending wasn't spoiled for me I would of liked the movie more, but to me it was just an okay movie, nothing iconic about it.
 
capitalP said:
I'm not a big fan of Re-makes, .
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Couldn't help but notice your avatar.

I don't like all of Spike Lee's work but some of them, to me, were down right spectacular. Inside Man, He Got Game, Malcolm X, 25th Hour. These are my favorites from him and they are right up there in my favorites overall. I will give anything he puts out there a chance. They are all entertaining to look at, even when the story loses me.
 
I don't understand how people like Spike Lee are still getting offers, he's done a couple of good films, a long time ago... and to be honest they were good because of their political/social views, not because of him as a director. What he does now is so uninteresting as a film experience and so many other younger film makers could do 10 times better than him, its completely over me why he gets offered such a brilliant film, instead of anybody else... but I hope he proves me wrong!
 
Nuno Dias said:
I don't understand how people like Spike Lee are still getting offers, he's done a couple of good films, a long time ago... and to be honest they were good because of their political/social views, not because of him as a director. What he does now is so uninteresting as a film experience and so many other younger film makers could do 10 times better than him, its completely over me why he gets offered such a brilliant film, instead of anybody else... but I hope he proves me wrong!
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Because he makes me feel. Listen, Miracle at St. Anna was kind of a mess. It was a bit patched together and didn't know what it wanted to be. By all accounts I should have dismissed it. But in the last few minutes, in the denouement, the emotional premise was proven beyond question for me. It really took hold of me and wrenched my emotions to the surface. Very few even technically great directors can do that. I love Nolan, but he can't do that to me. Spike Lee is simply gifted.
 
I think his problem is that he didn't evolve as a film maker, he is still going at "black" issues the same way he did 20 years ago. Well, things have changed, new African/American generations have emerged, with different opinions, different life experiences, different lifestyles, stronger and prouder. But Spike still lives in 1985! Now, I ask, can he bring a fresh point of view on a foreign film? Just because its about a man that was wrongly convicted? Is this the only reason they chosen Spike? isn't that too much on the nose? This film first and foremost about revenge, now, revenge is a very strong emotion, violent, and fast, and I just don't see Spike handling these themes better than the original director... unless they still see the attack on the Pizza parlour in 'Do the Right Thing' as the greatest cinematic revenge scene...! Why didn't they just hired the original Korean director to come do his thing in the States? That would have been interesting!
 
Nuno Dias said:
Just because its about a man that was wrongly convicted? Is this the only reason they chosen Spike? isn't that too much on the nose?
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Those kinda feel like 'out there' assumptions. Perhaps they just chose him because he has a lot of credibility.

Reportedly, Mandate Picture is pushing hard for Josh Brolin in the lead role. The more I hear, the more I'm intrigued. Brolin is one of my favorite actors.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/50349
 
Originally Posted by Cole
Couldn't help but notice your avatar.
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LoganMackay said:
glad i am not the only one that caught the irony of that.
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Ha Ha, that's funny guys. interesting story, I had no idea Vanilla Sky was a remake until years later after I've watched it. So I went back saw the original and loved the original, I'm sometimes torn on which one I like better. So Vanilla Sky is the exception to my rule. :grin:

But back to Spike, I wish he would go back to writing again and directing his own material, that's when I feel he is at his strongest, Inside Man was good but doesn't compare to any of his other work that he wrote. And Miracle at St. Anne, I felt exactly how Vcassel described.

I think Spike is one of those people you either hate him or love him, I don't think there's no in between. But if I did hate him, I wouldn't hate him because of his views, I would hate him strictly base on the fact I hated his directing and movies, but I know it's tough to separate personal views of someone from their movies. Mo Better Blues is by far my favorite of his work. As for Old Boy, I'm more interested on the cinematography then what he actually does with the story, anything else will be an added bonus.
 
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I don't like the idea of remakes in general, especially of recently released foreign films, but I kind of view Oldboy as a special case, considering the extreme nature of some of the content in the film. It is a great story, but I could see a lot of the audience being turned off by some of the violence. I don't expect the remake to be quite as dark.
 
ok.

i'd watch it.

less cringy than i thought.

it looks waaaaay too close to the original picture-wise. almost... let's just chg the language.

but ... this came out of a tarantino hater?

sam jackson looked a bit cartoony.

i'm trying to find anything online about lee workin w jackson after django...

i'd watch it tho. the trailer definitely did its job :)
 
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