The Day the Earth Stood Still remake

[trancejeremy]

Personally, I think it was the pioneer of the "preachy" sort of sci-fi on film, you would later see in the Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, up to the modern "Masters of Sci-Fi" on ABC. Which probably isn't a good thing, IMHO.

I mean, those sort of stories are almost like propaganda or talk radio - they're great if you agree with the message they are spouting, but are painful if you don't.

Really good movies can both push a message, and be entertaining, even if you disagree with that message.

They Live, for instance. On the one hand, it's quite preachy in places. But on the other hand, it's got Roddy Piper and Keith David and some great one liners. It entertains everyone.

Or the Godzilla films. Sure, many of them have messages, but they don't forget the monster smashing.

 

[Thanee]

... "Klaatu barada nikto" ...

So, Ash should have watched this movie, too, eh?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Capellan]

So, Ash should have watched this movie, too, eh?

That was in fact the only time I laughed in Army of Darkness.

I don't have an issue with re-making the film (though I dread to think what the updated 'message of peace' will be) ... but casting Keanu Reeves? The studio just lost my eight bucks.

 

[Rackhir]

That was in fact the only time I laughed in Army of Darkness.

I don't have an issue with re-making the film (though I dread to think what the updated 'message of peace' will be) ... but casting Keanu Reeves? The studio just lost my eight bucks.

You're asking him to play someone who is

a) Somewhat distant
b) Minimally emotional
c) Has to not say "Whoa"

He fits the first two to a T and the third while it will be tough for him, is do able (I'm pretty sure he didn't say "Whoa" in "Much Ado About Nothing").

 

[Mallus]

He fits the first two to a T and the third while it will be tough for him, is do able (I'm pretty sure he didn't say "Whoa" in "Much Ado About Nothing").

He also does not say 'whoa' in Dangerous Liasons.

 

[Mark Hope]

Nor does he say 'whoa' in Bram Stoker's Dracula.

 

[SWBaxter]

And if, at any point, Klatu says "woah!" I will be forced to stab SOMEONE in the eye.

OTOH, if Klaatu says "be excellent to each other!" and gives an air guitar riff before he leaves, I could get behind that.

More seriously, I'm more worried about the script (and the political metaphors that will no doubt be drawn) than the casting. Keanu Reeves doesn't have the kind of overwhelming personality that takes over a role, so it's hard for him to single-handedly ruin a movie. The scriptwriters, OTOH, could completely wreck this one in the process of updating it to today's geopolitical situation.

 

[Mallus]

The scriptwriters, OTOH, could completely wreck this one in the process of updating it to today's geopolitical situation.

It's going to be tough job. Without the Cold War and Christianity, the original would just a movie with not enough robots and spaceships. But I don't see how the writers are going to find any present-day analogues that a studio would be willing to film.

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

I wonder who they will handle the situation with the boarding house - do establishments like that still exists - and the mother letting her 10 year old boy run around all day with a total stranger.

 

[Swoop109]

Thing is, this is not the first time a remake of this film has been considered.
IIRC, about 8 to 10 years ago I saw an interview with Ray Bradbury where he talked about being asked to write a treatment of the remake.
He remarked that a remake would have been a waste of time since the original message still stood up and that instead they should have looked at doing a sequel.
He felt that the original warning had not taken and that we were still a possible threat to any alien races. What he wanted to do was a film where the descendent of Klaatu returned to Earth and gives us a ultimatium of reducing our hostilities to each other and account for all nuclear weapons, and possible material from which said weapons could be made, within a limited amount of time or action will be taken to reduce the threat of humanity to the universe.

I have to agree with this approach. Have Klaatu show up and inform the world leaders that the methods they have been using in running the world have casused new worries among the civilized races of the galaxy. In order to reduce the questions rased by the various races the "intergalatic police" have decided to limit the degree that we have to make war.
Imagine a world that had its weapons tech suddenly reduce to pre-WWII.