Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. I'm concerned.

I love THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123. Robert Shaw, Walter Matthau, Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo and Lee Wallace as The Mayor (he also played the Mayor of Gotham in Tim Burton's BATMAN). Great stuff.

Now, I don't hate Tony Scott like a lot of people do, but I'm worried. The remake is Denzel Washington in the Walter Matthau role of a NY transit cop who deals with a hostage situation as one of the subway trains get held for ransom. Robert Shaw was the leader in the original and John Travolta is the leader now. Again, I don't have a hate-on for Travolta like a lot of people do, but... Robert Shaw? Not even in the same league.

Now we have The Mayor in James Gandolfini. In the original, the mayor was an idiot, who didn't want to make any decisions, let alone decisions that would mean coming up with a huge sum of money or let a train full of his citizens get blown away.

Of course, Gandolfini could playing against type here, but I have the feeling they cast a strong man for a strong character. If I'm wrong, great. If not, then this won't bear much resemblance to the movie I know and love. It might find its own identity. I hope so. I like most involved in this project... I just happen to love the original.