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Harry chimes in on the Nick Cage / OLDBOY remake rumors
Hey folks, Harry here... I love Chan Wook Park's OLDBOY passionately. So much so, that I let it be the first film that I did a feature length audio commentary for. That new 4 disc super OLDBOY limited edition, that sold out instantly in South Korea... yup, that's got my first commentary subtitled in Korean. Before I get on to the Nick Cage part of this story, I just have to comment on the process of recording a film commentary. It's very relaxing. You sit in a sound booth, big ass microphone recording your every thought. You're supposed to keep talking, and I suppose had I been a part of production, I'd have endless anecdotes regarding my experiences, but I don't. So - I was armed with what limited knowledge there is to read in English regarding Wook Park's method, inspiration and future. And then, just my personal impressions on this towering work of genius. The process forces you to make note of things, almost becoming movie therapy. But - I love that my commentary is attached to that film. And when you find the track listings on the score cd - they're classic.
Ok, now to this Nick Cage / OLDBOY thing. First off, it isn't anything more than Nick wanting to be involved and cast in the American remake. Originally - I know some at Universal were thinking along the lines of trying to get Mel Gibson attached to the film, but... due to PASSION OF THE CHRIST doing what it did, and Mel's subsequent shyness in terms of signing on to a new project for acting, they'll move on. With Mel pretty much out of the picture - and Nick Cage doing fantastic at the box office with NATIONAL TREASURE - it's a good bet that if Cage wants OLDBOY, he'll get it.
What do I think about that? Well - If Universal allows Justin Lin to make OLDBOY and go all the way with it, instead of toning down or white-washing the story - then I think Cage could be a very very strong choice for casting. When Chan Wook Park created Oh-Dae-Su, he was borrowing from personalities and swaggers as widely variant as Elvis in JAILHOUSE ROCK to Jimmy Stewart in VERTIGO to even Michael Caine in DRESSED TO KILL. The character is quirked and damaged, yet cooler than cool. Perfect vintage Nick Cage material. If Lynch were directing this my confidence would soar, but we'll see where Justin comes in. He's definitely going to try and raise his game tremendously with this film. And no matter what, I doubt seriously a remake will touch Park's genius.
I know this rumor broke out about a week ago - but I was trapped in my post-BNAT hibernation and recovery mode back then. Here's who reminded me...
Dear Gang,
I live in Seoul right now, heard this rumor and thought I'd pass it
along. As I'm sure you know Nicholas Cage married a 21 year old
Korean American girl a few months back and is here in Korea now doing
double duty, promoting National Treasure and meeting the inlaws. Now
this rumor is not even second hand, it's more like third hand, but it
goes like this. Supposedly a friend of a friend of a friend met Cage,
and they spoke about what he might be doing next. The rumor goes that
Cage is very much interested in starring in the American version of
Oldboy. I have nothing to back this up, but thought maybe you could
confirm it one way or the other. Personally I'm not a huge Nicholas
Cage fan, but having seen the original Oldboy and loving it, I think
Cage might be perfect. That being said, I'm not sure a new version
needs to be made at all. The original was a classic in its own right.
If you use this call me the man with 12 gold teeth.
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+ Expand All
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think of new ideas please. kthxbye
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Hollywood is so fuckin
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Just like I said on CHUD when this was first mentioned, I've always pictured Harrison Ford more for the part in an American version as a way to relaunch his career. Or as someone else mentioned on CHUD, Gary Oldman would be a good choice as well. Oldman has that gruff, hard-ass look that would work perfectly for it.
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This is the worst idea I've heard in a long time. Just fucking give the original a decent limited release. Why fuck up something great? Audiences are smarter than Hollywood gives them credit for, take a chance, it will pay off.
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If David Fincher is involved, or, what the heck, Chris Cunningham.
But all in all, it's kinda useless since the original will never be equaled, let alone surpassed.
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He plays the same goddamn character in every movie he is in.
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Not thrilled about an American remake, but if it must be then I hope they don't go with Cage. The guy's put in a few good performances in a handful of decent movies, but he's got to be one of the most overrated actors in the industry. Keitel or DeNiro would be so much better for this role.
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well, I'm PRETTY SURE a new version is TOTALLY UNNECESSARY!
And certainly not with Justin Timber...ups i mean Lin? who is Lin???
If they are so horny to make a remake than please ask David Fincher to do it with (already mentioned) Gary Oldman, Mel Gibson or Harvey Keitel! -
Dec 23, 2004 3:50:16 PM CST
If anyone from Hollywood reads this I have a message for you...
by anlashok
Your are a bunch of sorry, sad, bastards.
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Dec 23, 2004 4:49:40 PM CST
if he wasn't Francis Coppola's nephew, he probably never would'v
by beamish13
being an extra. Probably true. Goddamn nepotism
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I cant believe the praise i see for his first film.The only reason this film got praise was becuse it featured an all asian american cast.Ive seen the film twice already and you could actually replace all the actors with either black, hispanic ext. and barely change any dialogue and it would play out the same.This is just another guy who watched alot of scorcese films and isnt adding anything new that we havent seen before.Plus remaking this incredable film is just plain stupid.The only way i would even consider seeing this is if it starred gary oldman and was directed by david cronenberg..peace
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Fucking love that scene :)
And that grin at end... priceless! -
Don't remake it just release it over here.
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On an almost hourly basis
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Why do hollywood keep remaking foreign films? I think i have the answer. Hollywood think most Americans are stupid, they can't watch a movie with subtitles because most of them can't read.
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if for no other reason than I'm just dying to see this guy in good movies again. But I'm perfectly excited about Cage as well.
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O.K. Fair enough Oldboy wasn't as by the numbers as your average flick, but anyone who's a parent (not many here I know) surely knows that the big 'twist' is so ridiculous that it undermines the rest of the film. Speaking of parents/uncles and 'nepotism', what a load of old cobblers. If he really wanted to play that card why did he change his name from Coppola to Cage? Huh? Yes, he was in Rumble Fish, but Fast Times was before that. Actually going to Beverly Hills high was probably the better career move. Anyway...
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Nic Cage for gettin' some young Korean-American poontang.
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Harry, erase this shit.
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Hopefully this is not true...
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It's ripe for a remake, according to Hollyfook "logic". How old is it? Practically ancient in eyes of the imbeciles at whom remakes such as TCM2003 are targeted.
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that there is a studio out there with the testicles to not try and tame this story. We really really really dont need a remake anyways.
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Thanx for the complete absence of a spoiler warning, moron. Harry, why do your mods let people get away with crap like that, but ban dudes who just happen to disagree with your opinions/question the veracity of some of the stuff you say? I love ya big guy, but PLEASE! half vader should have been booted out on his ear for that post, yet there it is, days later - screwing up the film for anybody unlucky enough to have not seen it yet. Halfwit: finding Oldboy's subject matter unbelievable is as irrelevant as saying that Mr White would never have told Mr Orange his real name if Reservoir Dogs had been a real situation. It isn't a real situation fuckwit, it's a MOVIE. Movies and novels require you to suspend disbelief sometimes, you know? For example, a movie of your life might ask us to believe that you are something other than a complete gimp. OK, rant over. Harry, you know as well as I do that a remake of Old Boy is a complete travesty, it should never happen, I hope to god it does never happen. OldBoy has quite possibly made it into my top 5 all-time favorite films - some achievement for such a relatively recent film. Yes, Cage might be a decent choice for that kind of character, so would Oldman be. That doesn't legitamise this awful awful idea. I cried when I read about the remake a few weeks ago. PLEASE HOLLYWOOD, DON'T DO THIS!!!
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...but I guess by your own argument you're a fuckwit too - (and I quote) "I cried when I read about the remake" - It isn't a real situation fuckwit, it's a MOVIE. That goes for you too. Oh! Sorry! There were no stupid little smileys to tip us off to your use of sarcasm! As for Oldboy, unlike Star Wars, you'll always have the original. Don't see the remake, and spare us your whining. Nobody moans about Seven Samurai, Hidden Fortress or Yojimbo. BTW, if you haven't seen the film you wouldn't know what the hell I was talking about with that post, so I don't think that constitutes a spoiler warning. At least it doesn't justify your subjective histrionics (no-one else complained). If you want to whinge then go off on the guy who posted "When Bruce Willis dies at the start of Sixth Sense" and didn't get banned. Now THAT'S worthwhile. ------------Don't lecture me about suspension of disbelief - the reason the film is so good is precisely because it does this so well in building the tension - but then it lets us down with a ludicrous resolution. Just like M. Night's last 2 films. Your analogy was also woefully innapropriate to boot. Fine. You're obviously just a teenager. Next time I'll try to choose my words more carefully so that fools like you don't actually draw attention to what I never gave away in the first place. You should have read the post more carefully. I'll agree to disagree with you. Besides, no-one else is reading our stuff anyway. That's why everyone posts the same damn thing like they discovered it themselves.
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Dec 30, 2004 6:20:23 AM CST
WHO THE FUCK IS JUSTIN LIN? Anyone tell me? Please...... : - )
by silentbobafett2
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