Big Budget DAWN OF THE DEAD remake!!? (1 Viewer)

[Kevin M]

If we aim to dismiss every remake solely because it's a remake, we're potentially robbing ourselves of some damn good movies.

Yes indeed and if you read my post you will see that I do not dismiss all remakes, but until I see this for myself and based upon what I have seen & read about this particular remake's history, I will stand by my opinion (based upon what I have learned online, in print etc.) that this is simply for cash and any artistic merit was secondary at best when it was proposed......I might be wrong in that, it is presumptuous of me I suppose, but time will tell what this new director has to bring to the table....what the producers have to bring to the table can be seen by all in Night Of The Living Dead 30th anniversary).....as I said time will tell but I'm not at all optimistic.
I'm not really miffed as much as I am dubious.

 

[Jack Shappa]

I'm not sure I like the running zombies... I like the shuffling ones from the original, gives a sense of slow, impending doom, where you can get away for a while, but like Pepe Le Pew they'll eventually get you
The "hands behind the screen" thing previously referred to was also used in the original, before Gremlins 2
"When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth" is, of course, also from the original. anyone else here remember the other "tagline" from the original? Anyone?
- Jack

 

[Kevin M]

Umm...Night Of the Living Dead is over, Dawn of The Dead has arrived? Something like that.

 

[Robert Anthony]

"More so than your presumption that this wasn't made for any other reason that profit?"

Kevin--I never said one way or the other what I thought this movie was made for. Dont' try to turn that around on me. I don't know WHY this movie was made, to tell the truth--not because it's a Zombie classic or whatever, but for the fact that aside from film geeks, no one really knows about the movie. It's a old mid seventies zombie movie. It's a great movie, yes, but I'm not going to try to guess why it's being remade. Is it a money grab? Maybe it is, as I've said earlier, EVERYTHING greenlit in Hollywood has profit as THE major reason behind it. But I don't know if that's the only reason--if you want to make a money grab based off name recognition, you'd think a studio would pick something a little less semi-obscure to your typical moviegoer.

I know you "reserve the right to my opinion, brother," but what I'm questioning is the things you're building your opinion ON. What places are you reading about this movie that give you these impressions that it's total soulless cash cow milking? From what I've read, Gunn had to shop this around. Gunn wrote this on his own and tried to get it made. That speaks more to a writer trying to get something done based on the material than it does cold heartless moneygrubbing suits sucking the lifeblood out of our favorite movies (which is inching closer and closer to a tired, cliched closed-minded stereotype the older I get) and you seem to be going into this thing with the pre-set notion that this is INDEED what's going on. What you look for is what you'll find.

My thing is, I'm not even LOOKING for that. What I'm looking for is a good movie. Period. The trailer seems to be showing me that's what I have in store. I dont' have anything wrapped up in the writer's reasoning or the producer's reasoning, and to tell the truth, I shouldn't. The only thing that should really matter is if the movie is entertaining to me, if it satisfies me as an audience member. If it does? Great. if it doesn't? Blah. But what you're doing is setting up a standard where only remakes made "for love of the material" should exist, but then you base your opinion on...on what? How do you know Gunn doesn't love the material? I don't know one way or the other. I haven't asked him. I don't see how it should factor in, either, in my watching the movie. All that factors in is whether he does the job well or not.

I read your post very well, man. If there were misunderstandings I apologize for them on my end, and I hope I communicated myself well so that there's none on your end, too.

 

[Ryan Wishton]

I remember that Night of the Living Dead: 30th Anniversary... Damn was that ghastly or what??? And I dont mean in a good way...

I didnt care too much for the Night of the Living Dead 1990 remake either... Turning Barbara into Commando with Moes haircut was too overdone for me... I thought the original was much better (minus the 30th anniversary edition of course)...

But, I do like the full trailer for this Dawn of the Dead remake... I will do what I did when I saw the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake... I will just pretend the movie is a sequel or stand alone, not a remake...

The Texas Chainsawe remake was so different from the original that it shouldnt have even been considered a remake... It was more of a sequel...

Dawn of the Dead is another example of a movie that will be so different from the original it shouldnt even be considered a remake...

I enjoyed the Texas remake on a certain level, so I am just hoping for the same from the Dawn of the Dead remake...

 

[Kevin M]

Robert, what I have read (I'll get the links in a min. but I have also read this in Variety a year ago.) is that Gunn was actually a writer for hire, one of many, and that the original idea for a remake was solely in the hands of Richard Rubenstein, and if you know anything about his treatment of the series (hence my NOTLD 30th Anni comment) then you should have some idea why I don't buy that this is for love of the story.

Google Richard Rubenstein / Dawn of the Dead 2004 and you will find all the material you need to make up your mind pro or con. At the very least you'll understand my weariness.

 

[Alan Erceg]

I just wish Hollywood would leave these classics alone...(TCM Included)

There is NO need to remake this film, none at all, besides money.

The vision that George Romero put forth in his original Dawn of the Dead, is the vision this film is supposed to be, IMO of course...

I watched the teaser trailer...and ugh...

Im downloading the full trailer now to at least give it a shot..

This just hits near and dear to the heart of a big time horror movie fan and a big time Romero fan..

 

[chris winters]

I am open to seeing this. I thought it was a nicely put together trailer as well. Willit be glossier then the origional, yes, will it be more technically crafted, yes, will it be scarier, yes. And I can say that having enjoyed the origional. I will pose a few reasons why I think seeing this is a good thing, just for the sake of argument.
1.If it makes money, then it means more zombie movies, and more horror in general.
2.Somtimes remakes are damn good, as many have cited examples above. Ill also contribute the american version of the ring. Im glad that was made, and it also garnered considerable interest for the origional as well.
3.Perhaos THE hottest pop filmaker right now, peter jackson, clearly has no problem with remakes, as he is currently remaking a film that he loves more then anything, King Kong.
4.zombie movies, even bad ones, kick ass
5.almost every movie that comes down the pike owes a debt to what has come before. How many cop dramas, mob dramas, romantic comedies, etc... are rehashes of various previous movies. Pop culture builds on itself.
6. I found the acting in the origional pretty bad at times, but thats just my oppinion.
7. It lets people who worship the origional feel superior and more sophisticated then the unwashed masses who suddenly discovered the latest rehash
8.Its fun to agrue about remakes.
9.all moviemaking is a marriage of art and commerce.
10.now im padding the list, so ill stop.
keep an open mind, none of these movies were suposed to be taken THAT seriously anyway. If your looking for comments on a comsumer culture, metephores, symbolism, critiques od modern society, etc...there are vastly more sophisticated works of art then the film Dawn of The Dead.

 

[Kevin M]

Quote:

Yeah, I like Dawn Of The Dead therefore I am sophisticated....(burp)...
Sorry, I'm sure this is a joke..I hope so anyway...but I don't watch films to feel superior to other people, I watch them to get trashy women...duh.

 

[Matt Stone]

Also true....then again he called Cabin Fever one of the most original thrillers he had seen in years...

I don't remember Jackson ever saying anything about Cabin Fever being "one of the most original thrillers he had seen in years," here's the quote:
"Horror fans have been waiting years for a movie like 'Cabin Fever.' Eli Roth obviously has a deep love and appreciation of the genre. They don't make them like this anymore -- a definite cult classic. Brilliant!"
Not to derail the thread, but his opinion seemed to be that it was a great change of pace as compared to most of the horror films released today. It was a throwback to the flicks of the mid to late seventies.
As for remakes in general, I don't have an opinion until I actually watch the remake. Sometimes they suck, sometimes the don't. My feeling is that there are very few "new" stories left to tell, so everything is an adaptation of something else. The only thing these films are guilty of is possibly trying to replace their originals, but recently the opposite has proved true. Look at The Ring...the Japanese version may have never been released on DVD in America had the remake not been so successful.

 

[ChuckSolo]

As I stated before, I am really no fan of re-makes and actually, the thought of someone re-making "King Kong", even Peter Jackson leaves me cold, however, once in a while a remake comes along that is worth the effort. I hope the remake of DOTD is on par with say, the remake of "Cape Fear." If this is the case, we zombie fans are in for a real treat.

 

[Patrick Larkin]

I just learned of this remake and I am disappointed. From the little I've read about it, the mall wo't be the focal point of the film. For me, watching it way back when, the mall was the most important part of the film since malls were just coming into their own. The creepiness back then of being stuck in a mall with zombies trying to bust in was so cool. Big thumbs down on this choice of remakes. Why doesn't this guy go do the Poseidon Adventure or something?

 

[Jack Shappa]

So nobody remembers the DOTD tagline other than "Where there's no more room in hell... etc"?. And you call yourselves Romero fans
- Jack

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Just when you thought it was safe to be dead!

 

[Kevin M]

Oh ok Matt, I made a mistake, Eric Campos actually said that in the ad..well before you try to correct me on that point, what he actually said was that "It is one of the best horror films I've seen in years".
Off topic for just a sec...
On the subject of Cabin Fever I have to say that for me, I understood right away that he was paying homage/satire to all of the "Horror in the Woods" films that have come & gone over the years and that is fine but for me the way he just bashed you over the head with the oh so non-subtle "HEY! SEE THIS? THIS IS A WOODS MOVIE CLICHE AND WE ARE MAKING FUN OF IT!!! HAA HAA HAA!!! GET IT?!?!" references that by the end I was just sort of tired and saying out loud "yeah yeah..I get it.". Maybe it's just me and I will try it again on DVD...sometimes films that don't jazz you up at first have a way of growing on you.
Ok back on topic..
In the spirit of honesty I have to say that I was totally incorrect about Richard Rubenstein being connected to the 30th anniversary of Night Of The Living Dead, he had nothing to do with it.
Also I found a Q&A with Romero which connected with some of the topics we are discussing here so (and note that it doesn't wash with some of my opinions), here is what George has to say on some of these topics.

 

[Joey Gunz]

Kevin, is there more of the George Romero interview? Can you post a link for us so we can read the rest? Thanks.

 

[Kevin M]

HERE YOU GO. He also talks about what is going on with the fourth dead film Dead Reckoning....well..as of October 2003 anyway.

 

[RyanPC]

I'm not a fan of remakes but judging from the trailer and an online review of an audience preview that I read, this looks like it could be great, as long as it doesn't directly copy the original (one of my all-time favorite movies) and adds some unique twists to it. I'll definitely be seeing this in theaters.

But I don't want anything like Resident Evil or 28 Days Later-- I want SLOW zombies, and not computer animated ones, either.

 

[Joey Gunz]

Thanks for the link, Kevin.

But I don't want anything like Resident Evil or 28 Days Later-- I want SLOW zombies, and not computer animated ones, either.

I heard that there are slow zombies as well as fast ones in the "Dawn" remake (you can see the slow ones in the 2nd trailer too). I'm guessing that it depends on how much decay each zombie is suffering from. The recently deceased and/or undamaged zombies will probably be the fast ones because they're still fresh from reanimation. And the zombies that were either damaged or dead longer will be the slow ones. Makes sense to me. We'll find out for sure in March when the movie opens.

 

[Todd H]

Wonder how much gore the remake will have. A zombie movie isn't a zombie movie without some good flesh eating scenes.