Death at a Funeral - Remake Already?

[frogboy4]

Yup. Apparently the Frank Oz original film wasn't American enough that they've got to dumb it down with Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence. However, the dwarf is the same as the one used in the Oz helmed picture.

Of course this film will be a classic from Neil LaBute - the same director who remade "Wicker Man" with Nicholas Cage a few years ago. Here's the 2010 trailer. Here's the Frank Oz 2007 trailer. What the frog? Thoughts...

 

[Beauregard]

Oh...my...

Yes, I can completely understand why the first one was considered too British...In fact, so British and subtle that quiet that I found it hard to believe Frank Oz made it...

But this other one is so loud, and crazy, and slap-stick, and disturbing...It actually looks good. Because they've taken the same concept and completely changed the approach...making it into a whole other movie, rather than just a direct Remake with American actors.

 

[Drtooth]

The film industry is going from understandably idiotic to frustratingly stupid. Fraggle Rock is struggling for financial backing, and we're remaking films that aren't even 5 years old now with bad directors and cheap laughs? Now, I like Chris Rock and all... but Martin Lawrence? Seriously? Does anyone even find him funny, cuz he ain't. I wouldn't be surprised if the original does better at the box office.

I think they should just get off their high horse and make terrible remakes of Shakespear movies with people crossdressing in fat suits, since that's what the industry thinks people want. Stupid little things that stay in theaters temporarily with 3 hours of DVD footage and blistering high definition. It's a terrible movie, but it never looked so good.

 

[redBoobergurl]

I actually just saw the original a few weeks ago and I liked it. Alot. There is NO reason at all to remake it. Then again, maybe my husband and I are weird because we enjoy alot of British shows and movies, but still. I don't see any reason to remake it this soon.

 

[Drtooth]

The only time an American remake of a British program or movie out did the original, it was The Office. At least for the fact that The Office has a huge following over here, and the number of American episodes outnumbers the British one.

At least they're remaking a flop, though... Michael Cain said that the one thing Hollywood always got wrong was that they remade successful movies... when you remake a flop, you can easily get "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." A Movie so popular that it spawned a musical.

 

[frogboy4]

The only time an American remake of a British program or movie out did the original, it was The Office. At least for the fact that The Office has a huge following over here, and the number of American episodes outnumbers the British one.

At least they're remaking a flop, though... Michael Cain said that the one thing Hollywood always got wrong was that they remade successful movies... when you remake a flop, you can easily get "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." A Movie so popular that it spawned a musical.

Death wasn't really a flop, it was a well-made indie picture made for under $10M. It broke even in the US for the brief time it played, but fared better overseas. I remember Oz saying he wanted to get back into filmmaking (after the horrible Stepford experience) with a modest-scale picture. The humor ranged from subtle to slapstick. This Chris Rock flick appears to be missing any subtlety or range. They've turned a quirky little picture into just another Big Mama's House comedy. This saddens me.

 

[Drtooth]

They've turned a quirky little picture into just another Big Mama's House comedy. This saddens me.

The thing that saddens me even more is that these movies are semi-successful. And what's even worse is that Martin Lawrence keeps getting work.

 

[SSLFan]

Okay...when i first saw this thread I thought, "why would they remake a movie that's JUST been made like 2 years ago?" Then I saw the trailer...

And I have to agree with Beau, this does look pretty good imo. Plus, it has a host of good well known comedians/actors like Chris Rock, Danny Glover, Columbus Short, Lorreta Devine, etc. I must admit I am a fan of Martin Lawrence, well, in his heyday. His last few movies haven't faired well. I loved his tv show and stand-up however.

I just hope this movie gets good reviews, it seems any movie Lawrence is in automatically gets a negative review (am I the only one who thought Bad Boys 2 was pretty good?). In all this, I think the one question I want answered is, what does Frank Oz think about the remake?

And I wish he had directed this version also. He's an extremely underrated director IMHO.

 

[Beauregard]

I was wondering...What if Death at a Funeral became a cultural phenomenon...It's been made as a subtle, black comedy in Britain, now its being remade as a slap-stick comedy in America...Will we see an Anime Death at a Funeral popping up any-time soon? Or maybe a Disney version, with cartoon squirrels and teapots instead of death and caskets?

 

[frogboy4]

I was wondering...What if Death at a Funeral became a cultural phenomenon...It's been made as a subtle, black comedy in Britain, now its being remade as a slap-stick comedy in America...Will we see an Anime Death at a Funeral popping up any-time soon? Or maybe a Disney version, with cartoon squirrels and teapots instead of death and caskets?

I actually did a spit-take. You gave me my first smile since being back at work on a difficult day.