I usually look at remakes with apprehension. Will the new director maintain the story line? Will the new actor be as good as the old one. Will I get bored of constantly comparing the two movies in my mind as I see the new one?
Michael Caine was slick and suave in the 1971 version of Get Carter. I particularly loved the opening scene where they show Carter travelling by a train to Newcastle. The complete background music had tabla and sitar merging with the sounds of the train on the track. Stallone was crude and crass in the 2000 version.
But what happens when new technology is used? What happens when the story is actually improved? What happens when the new actors are as good?
The Italian Job was one such movie. The new version used superb star cast, implemented slick new technology, and improved the story a bit. Better than the Michael version? Nah! Maybe as good.
Take the case of Don. After you see the new version, Amitabh, Pran, Zeenat and others throwing the diary around and jumping all around looks silly today.
Take the case of Gajini. I did not see Memento, but Surya played the role superbly. But so did Amir, irrespective of the fact that a lot of Bollywood chose to tease him with silly TV shows. The director was the same, and the end was changed a little to suit North Indian tastes.
As discussed a few posts above, Charles Bronson was superb in the 1972 version of The Mechanic. But then I like Jason Stathom a lot also. Some of scenes in the 2010 version were silly - such as Arthur Bishop and Steve McKenna running riot in the middle of a city on a truck, a bus, and then with two heavy machine guns. Leaving aside that, the new version is as slick and set grabbing as the old one. Jason has played the role of Arthur well, and looks a killer. Ben Foster could have performed a little better, bit he is not too bad. The story is as gripping as the old one with a few new twists - a la Don old and Don new.
If you like Jason Stathom, don't miss this movie.
The only time Jason does not have slick come back is when Ben asks him, 'What kind of a man shoots a person in a wheelchair?'. What do you say when you feel sick and guilty at the same time?
Cheers
