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Author Topic: "Pelham One Two Three" remake: Let's predict if they're going to ruin it! Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-19-2008 02:59 PM                        As many of you probably know, director Tony Scott ("Top Gun") is doing a remake of one of my all-time favorite movies, the 1974 thriller "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three." The story is about four men hijacking a New York subway train and demanding one million dollars ransom in one hour, otherwise they will kill one hostage for every minute the money is late. The 1974 movie stars Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw and Jerry Stiller, among others. Matthau is a transit policeman who has to negotiate with the crooks; Robert Shaw is the leader of the gang. The new one (coming out next year) has John Travolta playing the Robert Shaw role, with Denzel Washington in Walter Matthau's spot. The remake has a lot going for it, but a red flag here and there is cropping up. Tony Scott directing means it will have plenty of action (although the original was thrilling without the need for much action). It'll be great to see Travolta playing a bad guy again. I'm not sure I can imagine Denzel Washington as a NYC transit cop, but who knows? What will they screw up? Or will it be that elusive beast, the great remake? Let's make predictions and see how many come true. Note: If you want to watch the original movie on your computer, it is available for streaming on hulu.com. Click here to watch it  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 08-19-2008 03:22 PM                     Wasn't this already remade as The Money Train?  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 08-19-2008 03:30 PM                     There was a 1998 TV movie remake.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 08-19-2008 04:15 PM                     There's little doubt the remake will draw crowds over the star power of Denzel Washington and John Travolta. My guess is it won't be a huge hit, but maybe moderately successful -perhaps even enough to torture us with a sequel or two. I also think there's a very good chance critics will pan it. Tony Scott has really become overbearing in his directorial style in recent years. Any good performances in the movie will risk being smothered in an avalanche of movie trailer bang/whoosh style. Ridley Scott also loves the style over substance school of directing, but at least knows how to pull it back a few notches.  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 08-19-2008 04:50 PM                     I am not optimistic. Like Mike, this too is one of my favorite films. Another decent Walter Matthau film is Hopscotch, which came out in 1980. And Charley Varrick. Why won't these yahoos remake Vanishing Point? That film has so much ambiguity maybe Scott or his brother can clear it all up for us...(and I know Walter Matthau is NOT in that one.)  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-19-2008 05:16 PM                        quote: Bill Gabel There was a 1998 TV movie remake. ...which sucked. Release date for the new remake is 7/31. I just hope they don't foul up the ending. I can envision replacing the classic "Gesundheit!" with a huge explosion that kills the hijackers, or something.  |  IP: Logged Mike Heenan Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1896 From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 08-19-2008 06:11 PM                     I think they already ruined it with John Travolta as the bad guy. He was pretty laughable in the Punisher.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 08-19-2008 08:35 PM                     What was he in Battlefield Earth?  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-19-2008 09:55 PM                        He was a pretty good bad guy in "Broken Arrow." ('96) But there's no WAY he's going to match the evil-ness of Robert Shaw. When he says "Open the door or I'll blow your head off" in this movie...you believe him.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 08-24-2008 11:12 PM                       quote: Mike Blakesley If you want to watch the original movie on your computer, it is available for streaming Thanks for that link, Mike. EXCELLENT show! I'd missed this picture the first time around as it never played my theatre.  |  IP: Logged Hillary Charles Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 748 From: York, PA, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 08-25-2008 04:53 AM                     quote: James Westbrook Why won't these yahoos remake Vanishing Point? That film has so much ambiguity maybe Scott or his brother can clear it all up for us...(and I know Walter Matthau is NOT in that one.) There was a TV-movie remake of "Vanishing Point" with Viggo Mortensen as Kowalski! If you want the ambiguity cleared up, that should do it for ya, especially the ending.  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 08-25-2008 02:49 PM                     I'll see if I can find that one and check it out... I think I've seen Vanishing Point 10 times now...  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-20-2009 09:35 PM                        Well another hopeful sign that this won't suck: It has been rated R for violence and pervasive language. So they're not watering it down to a PG-13 ... cool! Although that is probably also an indicator it's not going to be a huge hit. Anyone seen a trailer yet?  |  IP: Logged Joe Tommassello Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 547 From: Coatesville, PA, USA Registered: Jan 2008 posted 01-22-2009 03:18 PM                  Edited: Sorry...previous post answered my question.  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-22-2009 10:36 PM                     SPE says: quote: Release Date June 12, 2009 Run Time 95 mins Rating TBD Film Format Scope Sound DTS/ SR/ SRD/ SDDS/ SDDS-6/ SDDS-8 Studio Columbia Pictures SDDS-8?! (?!?!) (And indeed, cara.org says R) --jhawk  |  IP: Logged

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