The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: twyacht on August 19, 2010, 08:58:08 PM
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:'(
Marshall Cogburn seems to be gesturing a one-handed symbol from the grave.... >:(
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-philbin/2010/08/19/true-ish-grit-hollywood-libs-attempt-remaking-classic
‘True-ish Grit?’ Hollywood Libs Attempt Remaking a Classic
Thu, 08/19/2010 - 13:07 ET
Hollywood westerns don't sell very well anymore. Remakes of westerns don't sell and they tend to remind those who do see them of the superiority of the originals. So remaking the iconic 1969 western, "True Grit," for which John Wayne received his only Best Actor Oscar, seems an odd choice for the Coen brothers.
But the extremely successful directors of "Fargo," "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?" and "No Country for Old Men," are indeed remaking "True Grit." They stress that their effort is based more on the 1968 novel by Charles Portis than the original movie. Still, The Duke's portrayal of hard-drinking, one-eyed Marshall Rooster Cogburn has been a TV staple for decades. Portis' novel - not so much.
The Coens' quirky, often dark and sometimes absurd portraits of America couldn't be much more different from any flick in John Wayne's legendary career. And maybe that's the point. After all, any movie with America-bashing lefty Matt Damon in an important supporting role is bound to be at odds with traditional takes on the American frontier. All the more-so because Damon admitted, "I've never even seen the original John Wayne movie."
The Coens cast 2010 Best Actor Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges as Cogburn. Bridges will have to be a heck of an actor to do the character justice, because in real life, he couldn't be more different than Wayne, a traditional conservative.
Bridges is an admitted pot-smoker and marijuana legalization advocate. On his website, Bridges has a page dedicated to the End Hunger Network, a charity he helped establish. While Bridges work with this charity is admirable, he downplays the role of charities on the page, and advocates for massive government intervention.
We can never end hunger through the wonderful work of local charities - like other western democracies, we must end hunger through governmental leadership. Charity is nice for some things, but not as a way to feed a nation. We don't protect our national security through charities and we shouldn't protect our families that way either.
Included in the cast are Josh Brolin, son of James Brolin and stepson of actress and liberal activist Barbara Streisand. Brolin and Damon, who play's Glenn Campbell's old role as LeBeuf, have collaborated before. They participated (along with Hugo Chavez pal Danny Glover) in a History Channel Miniseries based around the 1980 anti-American revisionist book, "A People's History of the United States," written by communist historian Howard Zinn. And of course, there's Damon, fresh from his failed anti-American agit-prop thriller, "The Green Zone."
So maybe the Coens know what they're doing, and we can all look forward to "A People's History of True Grit."
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Since the original creativity of "Hollywood" has long since died, remaking classics, as posted many times before, is all they have...
"Fill Your Hands, You SOB"""vid at link.
*tw who loves good movies, but hates dumb-a** liberal directors, that don't have enough creativity, to initiate any original cinema.
How's that Red Dawn remake doing?
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Where to start? Matt Damon has never seen True grit? Or, more to the point, Matt Damon actually admits this in public? Its like a 17 year old boy admitting he's a virgin (whether he is or isn't). Its a clear violation of the guy code. Next he'll say he's never seen "Apocolypse Now", which they'll probably remake, only in Vietnamese and Lao (with English sub-titles), directed by Mel Gibson. ::)
Moving on, I've never seen a bigger piece of slime than that article. The words argumentum ad hominum were written for this slime ball author (even though he's right). Slamming someone's charity work? Critiquing their parents? Going after an actor (remember, someone who is payed to act) to go after directors? Thats just pitiful. It would be like me talking trash about TW's mom or Tom threatening my dog. Just sad.
Third. Despite being a slimeball, the author has a good point (which he could have made while staying above board). The overarching question for the Cohen brothers is why? Hemmingway put it best in "The Green Hills of Africa". He said this. "You don't make a classic by emulating a classic. You do it by emmulating a lesser work and improving on it or doing something else entirely new".
The movie may be good, but why would I cheat on my girlfriend to sleep with someone who looks just like her, even if she is a few years younger?
FQ13
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True Grit remake........ >:(
Reminds me of a few lines from the original that might seem appropriate here.....
To paraphrase:
In an exchange between Mattie and Rooster about the 'Original' Mexican Bob:
Rooster: "That there's the original Mexican Bob."
Mattie: "You mean there's two of them?"
Rooster: "Yeah.....but the younger one ain't a patch to this one."
Long live Roster Cogburn!!
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Is nothing ever ever sacred? Obviously not..
FYI FQ, just for the record and for all others that may not know but since you mentioned his name MEL GIBSON is not australian, he was born in New York and didnt move to Oz until he was twelve!!!!
I just think its important for everyone to know this as we can produce our own home grown nutcases ie Martin Bryant, Rebecca Peters etc with out adopting others.
;D ;D ;D
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You don't have to remind us that Mel Gibson is a New Yorker unless you want us to remind you that Paul Hogan is an Aussie...
At least Mel eventually learned how to act!
;D
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Here's a look at the 'new' Rooster and Mattie:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403865/
>:(
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Holy thread-resurrection, Batman! Here's the movie trailer-
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810153253/video/22265614
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Somehow it just sounds like a poor copy rather then a remake.
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Holy thread-resurrection, Batman! Here's the movie trailer-
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810153253/video/22265614
Damn you! I now feel almost compelled to see it. ;D I'd tried to say "Why mess with a classic"? But, that doesn't look half bad. Mattie and the ranger are an improvement, but stll, replacing the Duke? It takes a brave man.
FQ13
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Glen Campbell was pathetic as a Texas Ranger, While No one can ever replace John Wayne, it is possible that this may be much better in the places the original was lacking.
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The original Mattie, might not have been pretty, but she was stoic and you believed her resolve, that's what being an actor is all about, the trailer did not make me think the new girl holds a candle.
Fill your hands you SOB's, one of the most awesome scenes in history.
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Here's the problem with modern westerns. The ONLY exeptions are "Tombstone and the Remake of "310 to Yuma, (I did like a couple of Sellacks TNT moives, Apaloosa wasn't too bad and OPen Range was pretty good.) arethat they are all so sorrow filled. A western is supposed to be uplifting and what is good about this country. It's why I'm not much of an Eastwood fan, his movies are too brooding, while they may be more accurate than the Duke's, Duke always promoted the dignaty of his fellow man and ALWAYS tried to show what was right.
I probably will see this, I just wish they would have retitled it. It looks good but to remake a Duke classic >:(
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Mattie and Rooster are going to be hard to accept with new actors.
La Boeuf ... anybody could do as well or better.
General Lee ... Don't mess with the General !!! >:(
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Well ... Today was screwed up, the roads sucked, and my plans changed about four times. Then tonight I broke down and went to see the new one. Perfect timing after watching the original twice over the weekend.
LaBouef - Matt Damon was great, but anyone would be better than Glen Campbell in this type of roll.
Mattie - A toss up. Not even one picking up where the other was week. Both gals are good and equal.
Rooster - I have to stay with John Wayne. Jeff Bridges is good in it, but in the comparable scenes John seemed more natural and relaxed ... Besides, Jeff blew the "Fill yer hands you son of a bitch!" How do you screw that line up ???
The Story - I actually give that one to the 2010 version. They did something I didn't think they could, but I liked it!
General Lee - Where the hell was the cat!
What I really couldn't believe is how many people were there. Went to a theater with 20 screens (maybe one or two more). There weren't more than 30 cars out front when I pulled in at 7:25 for a 7:30 showing. I was the only one buying a ticket, the only one taking out a lone for a pop, and the only one at True Grit. About fifteen minutes into the show a couple came in, and they left with over half an hour left. Granted I don't go to many shows - first one in over two years, and that was the first in five years. But I recall them at least having people come to them.
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I was told to go and see it and that is was real good from one of the guys at work
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I was told to go and see it and that is was real good from one of the guys at work
Go see it!
I highly recommend it. Like I said, even though it will never replace the original I enjoyed it, and I will watch it to excess when it hits the classic movie channels. I compare it to Tombstone and Wyatt Earp. Two movies about the same thing, but they approach it different. They use many of the same lines, and scenes. Same by different.
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+1. Same but different.
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General Lee Gen. Sterling Price- Where the hell was the cat!
FIFY. :D
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FIFY. :D
Forgive me ... Something else was going on in the room when I typed and I was cornfused :-[ Actually, if I look back I think I screwed it up on my original post and that led me astray last night.
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Forgive me ... Something else was going on in the room when I typed and I was cornfused :-[ Actually, if I look back I think I screwed it up on my original post and that led me astray last night.
Just takin' up the slack.,,,, got to keep you oldsters in line...... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D