Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news.

The Weinstein Company's Remake of THE SEVEN SAMURAI has a star and a screenwriter!

This conflicts with... by crazyeyezkillah	Jun 9th, 2006 02:07:57 AM
I've read recently. I've read that Zhang Ziyi is attached to doing the live action Mulan for the Weinsteins and that Donnie Yen is to star in their Seven Samurai remake, with George Clooney rumored to feature as well. Yen has talked to the press about it, sometimes only refering to the project as the Weinsteins wanting to "remake a Kurasowa film." What's your source on this information, anyway?
my favorite film of all time by mr suave	Jun 9th, 2006 02:08:24 AM
why? it is already perfection. but it would be nice to see in color. director? maybe edward zwick? just bcoz of last samurai.
And yes... by crazyeyezkillah	Jun 9th, 2006 02:09:18 AM
I know, it's "Kurosawa." Thank you.
Last Samurai was a terrible, terrible movie by Monkey Butler	Jun 9th, 2006 02:09:59 AM
And you should feel bad for liking it.
Why by VanLingoMungo	Jun 9th, 2006 02:10:48 AM
WHY WHY WHY. WHY WHY. We need this remake about as much as we need, well, a Transformers movie. I heard there's this movie about a British fella who goes out to the desert and helps the Arabs defeat the Ottoman Turks. That would be excellent remake fodder as well. Idiots. Then again, it's the Weinstein's so I'm not too shocked. Fat, rude, stupid, arrogant Weinsteins. I eagerly await your inevitable heart attacks. Eat more sausages...seriously.
Yikes by martinsmith93	Jun 9th, 2006 02:13:54 AM
I can't even be bothered any more. If I have to type the word remake one more time i'm just gonna fall aslee........
Sammo Hung ought to make that Soul Calibur... by crazyeyezkillah	Jun 9th, 2006 02:19:45 AM
movie that he's been talking about. With Yen as Mitsurugi.
Too Soon... by Alonzo Mosely	Jun 9th, 2006 02:23:35 AM
It'll be ready to be remade shortly after never...
Apparently Donnie Yen and George Clooney by seppukudkurosawa	Jun 9th, 2006 02:27:25 AM
are also gonna play big roles in this remake. I heard about this a week ago, and I went from being pretty apathetic, to being apoplectic, to being apathetic again. In most cases I'd probably scream for John Fusco/Clooney's balls on a hook, but I'd imagine my extreme annoyance with all those other remakes (see Wicker Man for example) is often inpspired by a fear that I'll go back and watch the original and like it less, or be distracted by comparing it to the direness of the remake. In this instance I have no fear of that happening, because I love Kurosawa too much to let the guy be tainted by a bunch of suits. Although when I say I love Kurosawa, I mean only because his name sounds pretty. I don't particularly like those black and white movies where people sit around and talk unEnglish languages and do a whole lot of nothing. Ever heard of a Jump-Cut, Kurosawa? I think not. If they coloured those movies in and got an editor and taught all the actors to speak English they might be half-decent.
I can tell the Japos from the rest by Bob of the Shire	Jun 9th, 2006 02:31:47 AM
Probably all that AV Idol porn I digest. Anyway, this is a horrible idea. What's up next? Lucas is going to remake the OT with new actors and a sympathetic Jawa character named Twiddles who farts and talks like a mexican.
Harry, I'm kinda with you here.... by ian216a	Jun 9th, 2006 02:34:24 AM
.... I have recently just been spending some time watching all my Kurosawa DVD's whilst reading The Emperor and the Wolf (gonna take me some time!), and I'm as precious about his work as the next person. But I'm not too worried about non-japanese actors in any remake, which isn't really a dirty word where Kurosawa is concerned. Battle Beyond the Stars excluded of course. Is this one gonna be set in the right time and place though? If so, getting good actors rather than analysing their lineage should be the main concern, surely. I mean, who gives a damn when American and Brit actors play each other? And who would be too surprised if Kambei ended up being played by Sean Connery. With a fucking scottish accent? And Hey - when the hell did ANYONE have to have a reason to want to look at Ziyi Zhang?
I think it's high time by litzapalooza	Jun 9th, 2006 02:42:46 AM
for a remake of King Kong. It's been, what... several months since the last one. And The Matrix, that's a film that needs to be remade. Today's teenagers weren't old enough to see the original version in theaters. Get John Moore to direct it.
stop the madness by CuervoJones	Jun 9th, 2006 02:45:05 AM

Don't be a hypocryte Harry! by GriffinMill	Jun 9th, 2006 02:53:29 AM
You are just looking for a stick to beat this remake with and you found one in het whole Chinese-is-not-Japanese thing. How come I never heard you bitching about Hopkins not being an American (or a Lithouanian for that matter) when he played Hannibal Lecter? Or Yul Brynner being a Russian/Mongolian when he portrayed a cowboy in (o irony!) Magnificent Seven? Not to mention daughter of CHINESE immigrants Lucy Liu playing a partly Japanese assassin in your beloved Kill Bill? I myself don't think remaking Seven Samurai is a good idea, but please let's wait until we see some footage before we start bashing the project. After all, some remakes - however ill advised - turn out to be superior to the original (Maltese Falcon, Ocean's Eleven, Some Like It Hot and His Girl Friday spring immediatley to mind).
Re: DrTurning by HEADGEEK	Jun 9th, 2006 02:58:10 AM
Actually - she has nothing to do with it. She loves the actress on GILMORE GIRLS that's playing the Korean girl even though she's not Korean. My problem with this type of thing comes from films that are supposed to be immersed in a specific culture. Like MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA fucking drove me nuts. The 90% Chinese actors and actresses... everytime the word GEISHA was spoken - it just woke me up. --- When Tarantino used Lucy Liu - he actually made her ancestry a plot device - and didn't try to pass her off as pure Japanese. Otherwise - he was pretty fucking authentic with his actors. Hell... if they attempt to give Zhang a japanese look - I might even accept it, but if they end up casting 100% chinese actors, just because they're more POPULAR in the U.S. right now... then shift the whole story to China and change the name of the film. And do a Chinese version of SEVEN SAMURAI.... like SEVEN BROTHERS VS THE GOLDEN VAMPIRE. heh.
you could tell MoaG wasn't authentic? by Holodigm	Jun 9th, 2006 02:58:19 AM
harry...you used to be a geisha didn't you? come on now, don't lie, i know you pulled in the men like buttercups. or was Buttercups their pet name for you?
GriffinMill by Monkey Butler	Jun 9th, 2006 02:58:57 AM
You think this could be better than the original? Better than Kurosawa?
Gordon Liu by crazyeyezkillah	Jun 9th, 2006 03:02:43 AM

Monkey Butler by GriffinMill	Jun 9th, 2006 03:07:36 AM
I'm just saying to keep an open mind. Once in a while Holywood throws you a surprising curveball and actually delivers the goods. Chances are quite big of course the remake won't reach the heights of the original Kurosawa film, but it could still turn out to be a pretty decent flick.
Old films - and ethnicity by HEADGEEK	Jun 9th, 2006 03:10:40 AM
Oh admittedly - I love old movies where with make-up they attempted to portray different ethnicities. Boris Karloff's Fu Manchu and Christopher Lee's Fu Manchu became part of that Sax Rohmer pulp stylized "yellow peril" story telling. And I was quite excited when Alex de la Iglesia was trying to mount his FU MANCHU film and said he was going to find an Anglo-actor to play the title part. I was hoping for Jeremy Irons - as he has the perfect bone structure for classic FU MANCHU make-up. BUT - unless I'm insane - they'll be talking and marketing this film as being HIGHLY AUTHENTIC and HISTORICALLY RESEARCHED.... Now - if they just want to turn it into a pulpy balls out - flying chop-socky Samurai flick that doesn't give two shits about history... and make a full on crazed - don't think about it SEVEN SAMURAI - then... that's something else entirely to think about. Personally - I really like the Anime SAMURAI 7 that came out. Very cool.
GriffinMill by litzapalooza	Jun 9th, 2006 03:12:20 AM
Because the original Seven Samurai is the masterpiece that it is , it is guaranteed that this film will never emerge from the shadow of Kurosawa's film if it is merely a remake. The only way it can succeed in my eyes is by following a different path... doing things differently. Therefore, if originality is a necessity for success, why make it a remake in the first place? Why not just create something completely new? Why is Hollywood so dead set on putting the least possible effort into their projects these days?
Jesus, it's the apocalypse! by theoneofblood	Jun 9th, 2006 03:15:35 AM
Please no. GOD no! What the fuck?! My brain, my sanity!!! Why don't we re-make fucking Cries and Whispers while we're at it? How about Week End? Jesus Christ, Hollywood you've broken my heart.
It's going to happen... by CellarDoor	Jun 9th, 2006 03:15:50 AM
So lets just hope they make it good. The original will still exist and will not be diminished by a remake. Needless to say, it has been re-made before, as The magnificent seven, a very watchable movie. Seven samurai is no less because of that. Just film it in Japan, not New Zealand.
litzapalooza by GriffinMill	Jun 9th, 2006 03:16:33 AM
Couldn't agree more with you. Hollywood needs to turn to originals more. But it's not as if this remaking and sequel thing is new. Hollywood's been doing it forever, especially in their golden years in the 30s, 40s and 50s.
Thanks for adding the source, Harry... by crazyeyezkillah	Jun 9th, 2006 03:24:23 AM
but how come you make zero mention of the fact that Zhang Ziyi is doing Mulan first? That's a pretty big factor in the Seven Samurai remake reaching the screen, if you ask me. Here's a link to the article, if you don't feel like searching variety.com. http://tinyurl.com/ocmco
This has already been remade: by mondriandroid	Jun 9th, 2006 03:27:50 AM
It's called The Magnificent Seven.
Dude, it is fucking REMAKE-MANIA-A-GO-GO this week by Doctor_Sin	Jun 9th, 2006 03:34:12 AM
I say just be done with it and remake "Birth of a Nation" then the circle will be complete and we may hopefully cast out the Remake Demons. I have nothing wrong with 'riffs' on older material - like Battle Beyond the Stars and Mag7 were both remakes of 7 Samurai, essentially. For some reason, I guess this is one remake I could live with. But, the minute they touch "Lone Wolf and Cub," the gloves come OFF!
Oh, and Harry...who would you love to see in... by Doctor_Sin	Jun 9th, 2006 03:40:33 AM
A remake of Charlie Chan films?
It's amazing that Spielberg can't get a greenlight .. by Jon E Cin	Jun 9th, 2006 03:45:28 AM
...I thought that guy can do any project he desires...oh well.
Lone Wolf and Cub by kuryakin	Jun 9th, 2006 03:47:46 AM
With Bruce Willis and Dakota Fanning. Except set in the old west. And she's riding a donkey with guns and shit strapped to it... Doctor_Sin - you've just given some exec an idea. We'll all be blaming you when they announce it.
Jeremy Irons by kuryakin	Jun 9th, 2006 03:50:27 AM
Fuck me that guy is as bad an actor as Angelina Jolie. If he spoke with an American accent he'd be working in MacDonalds by now.
film fodder by Moshi	Jun 9th, 2006 03:53:27 AM
Agreed, why remake such a good film? The only reason is to do a diferent take on it. So go ahead & change it around, but to strip it of all Japanese involvement removes it too much from the culture so essential to it. If memoirs of a geisha has made Japan the current hot flavour in Hollywood, there are better stories to be told than one already done so well by Kyrasawa. Hiroshima springs to mind. The human tragedy there eclipses 911 by a magnitude.
I think you might be wrong, Harry by Retlaw Kciuq	Jun 9th, 2006 03:54:10 AM
CHUD reported that Ziyi Zhang was attached to a live action Mulan film, not the Seven Samurai. Maybe I'm wrong but that's what they said and I'm much too tired to read the article and the rest of the talkback.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! by Ra Ra Rasputin	Jun 9th, 2006 04:14:58 AM
Dear god no, please i beg you no. I didnt like Hostel I thought the desire to torture human beings for "sport" was a bit cruel and unworthy of attention from descent ordinary folk but Now the concept seems quite ordinary, like for instance torturing a person attempting to remake Seven Samurai is very acceptable. (repeat) NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
SACRILEGE ! by TheDarkLord	Jun 9th, 2006 04:29:30 AM
Even if the most beautiful woman in the world signs up this is a movie that can NEVER be improved on. Why on earth do we have to have remakes of great movies instead of original movies? Not to mention the fact that there are so many movies obvioulsly inspired by 7 Samurai and few of them are any good (Magnificent Seven the expecption).
Is nothing sacred? by Fenton Meiks	Jun 9th, 2006 04:32:13 AM
Right, coming hot on the heels of Battle Royale: The Remake, this is probably the most ridiculous news I have ever heard. I mean, why would you? What could you possibly hope to gain by remaking Seven Samurai? They'll probably have Clooney wearing make-up looking like Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's. That cock-stacker Weinstein might as well just admit that he'd let Satan bugger him for a fistful of dollars. It's one thing to remake the film as the Magnificent Seven, because at least you're admitting your inspiration, then putting a new spin on it in an entirely different setting. But to shoot a direct remake is to show complete disrespect for the history of cinema. I hope Weinstein is impaled through the eye by one of his own cigars.
It's not a pet peeve Harry... by Darth Thoth	Jun 9th, 2006 04:48:51 AM
It's a legitimate gripe. It speaks to the ignorance of our society. Look, it's ok for someone of one nationality to play another one from time to time. But the problem is when these differences are consistently glossed over and totally disregarded. For example, I'll make it easy to understand by using race instead of nationality. Take Halle Berry as Storm. I don't care if she had the acting chops of Josephine Baker, Katharine Hepburn, and Jodie Foster all rolled into one. She's could never play Storm. Angela Bassett should've been Storm. But to these suits, they said- "oh, she's black.. she'll do." It's blanket assumption. When they look at Zhang Ziyi they don't think she's Chinese. They say- "she's Asian... we can have her play Japanese, Filipino, whatever." And that's fundamentally wrong especially when say a movie like Seven Samurai stands as a cultural milestone for Japanese world cinema. It's literally known as arguably the greatest Japanese film ever made. I could go on but you get my point. Your gripe Harry is legitimate and I'm glad you voiced it. Secondly, I'm getting real sick and tired of all these remakes. Again, to underscore a point I've been harping on forever- these studio execs are shackling creativity. This is one of the problems of capitalism- it shuns creativity because the profit motive rules. Look at rap. It used to be creative music. Now it's just "copy the next guy" because the formula is proven and it's sure to make money. That's why mainstream rap all sounds the same today. And it sucks. Same with movies. We're seeing all these remakes b/c these studios want to go with proven formulas and name recognition, etc. We get WEAK remakes while creative projects don't see the light of day. And it sucks! Lastly, I know I'm mad. And I've been mad since seeing X3 a few weeks ago. But let me say that I feel so strong about all of this because it's 2006 and we still have a ways to go regarding prejudice. Also, I'm a die hard old school rap fan and the stuff today makes me puke. Lastly, Seven Samurai is my favorite movies of all time (tied w/ Empire Strikes Back and Lord of the Rings (taken as 1 long movie, yes I'm cheating, lol) and remaking this classic is doomed to fail. Sure Magnificent Seven was a classic. But it A) it had it's realm in the western and B)it still can't compare to Seven Samurai. Sure A Bug's Life was able to borrow themes and do well. But let's let the original just be. Instead of remaking it how about finding a way to get kids to go check out the original classic and understand that good cinema doesn't have to have a gazillion special effects with no real plot or direction (see X3). Just let the doggone movie be!
Frankly, The Magnificent Seven isn't even fit to lick- by seppukudkurosawa	Jun 9th, 2006 05:23:43 AM
the blood off Seven Samurai's swords. Yul Brynner VS Toshiro. Sure, Yul's a nice guy, and he did an alright job as a Chinese man in King & I, but he sure as shit ain't Toshiro Mifune. Here are a few random facts about my man Toshi: Toshiro's tears cure cancer; too bad he's never cried. When Toshi has sex with a man, it's not because he's gay, it's because he's run out of women. Toshi lost his virginity before his dad did. Fuck Yul Brynner and his bald, shiny head.
To quote Clancy Wiggum... by VanLingoMungo	Jun 9th, 2006 05:23:54 AM
Lay off the Asians, Lou.
Even though the trailers looked nice and ziyi is by emeraldboy	Jun 9th, 2006 05:26:21 AM
Gorgeous I never, mustered enough interested to go see geisha. The Japanese have very long memories and have never forgiven the Chinese, for what they did do them in world war 2 etc and some of the comments about Ziyi on message boards were fierce.
What the Chinese did to the Japanese?! by seppukudkurosawa	Jun 9th, 2006 05:27:22 AM
I think it's the Chinese coolies who got the short end of the stick on this one.
The worst part about what China did... by VanLingoMungo	Jun 9th, 2006 05:30:43 AM
Was having their women raped and children murdered by the Japanese...Chinese people are so self-absorbed.
Well not the coolies exactly by seppukudkurosawa	Jun 9th, 2006 05:30:50 AM
they were the lucky ones chosen by the Japanese to live, but I'm pretty sure you'll find that it was the Japanese who were waging the war and doing the most killings with neighbours.
Isn't the original in BLACK AND WHITE? by godoffireinhell	Jun 9th, 2006 05:30:51 AM
I'm pretty sure it is. I remember seeing the VHS in the video store a few years ago and not renting it because I like my movies in color and English and not b/w and moonlanguage with maybe texted dialogue at the bottom. Why they ever made the film like that in the first place is quite baffling. Hopefully they'll get it right this time.
TomZinger:I'm not saying I don't like The Magnificent 7 by seppukudkurosawa	Jun 9th, 2006 05:39:08 AM
I'm not even saying that I don't find things to enjoy in the ten sequels, but come on let's be realistic here. This reminds me of that episode of Cheers where Carla and the gang want to go catch a screening of TMS, while poor old stuck-up Diane keeps on talking about The Seven Samurai. Well colour me Diane! That being said, if this movie can do pull off the same sort of trick as TMS, then I won't be too disatisfied. TMS was its own movie, it took the broad template and made something completely different out of it. Let's hope this is as balls to the wall as possible, and then I might just have a reason to watch it.
King Sepookoo is tired by seppukudkurosawa	Jun 9th, 2006 05:43:20 AM
And his posts sound like he is too. My last word on this is: keep in the last lines, "So again we are defeated. The farmers have won, not us." and I'll be a very happy bunny.
Harry & emeraldboy by CurryIce	Jun 9th, 2006 06:00:26 AM
thx Harry for your comment. You nailed it. And to all the guys shouting out loud "Magnificent Seven": You should really see the big DIFFERENCE between a "remake" like "Magnificent Seven" and the case we have here! To emeraldboy: Please inform your self a little bit about the time from the late 19th century to the end of WW2 in Asia. You'll see that Japan committed cruelties which were at least as horrible as the cruelties commited by the German Nazis in the Third Reich. Just inform yourself what Japan has done in China, Korea (especially the colonization) and Philippine in that time and especially about the Japanese death/concentration camps,human experiments and how Japan covered or hushed up the whole period in their historical research.
In Princess Raccoon Ziyi played Japanese too... by Lutz	Jun 9th, 2006 06:32:01 AM
Asian's make pan Asian movies too.
I just had a thought... by Spiegeltrui	Jun 9th, 2006 06:33:26 AM
If this keeps up, in a hundred years or so every movie ever made will have at least one remake. You'll always have to mention the year the movie was made, or people won't know what version you're talking about. Completely normal conversion in the year 2106: "Hey man, I watched Gone with the Wind yesterday." - "Ah, man that's like 4 hours isn't it?" - "Nah, it was the 2012 version, that one is only 90 minutes." - "Oh, ok, I actually prefer the 2097 version, but the 2043 version is definitely the worst." - "Totally dude."
Wait... by Spiegeltrui	Jun 9th, 2006 06:38:46 AM
I was trying to be farfetched, but I guess three remakes of Gone with the Wind in 2106 is actually pretty likely to happen. Ah screw you anyway Hollywood, Asian cinema will dethrone you soon.
CurryIce by irishfella	Jun 9th, 2006 06:44:37 AM
That's a long, long time ago. Japan's pretty much one of the most peaceful nations there is right now. A lot of cuntries have histories with eachother, some good and some not so good, it would be better if people could just leave things that happened before their time be and just move on.
Let's remember another Seven Samurai remake... by old_toby	Jun 9th, 2006 06:51:26 AM
...A Bug's Life.
by ELGordo	Jun 9th, 2006 06:54:49 AM
Yeah. As two have already said on here Seven Samurai has already been remade and Yojimbo was remade as Fist full of dollars. Films that movie lovers adore and didn't bitch about them being remade. And CurryIce. What case do we have here? Where does it say that they are going to remake it as a periot piece that takes place in Japan? With two chinese people involved, if Donnie Yen is indeed on board as well, then the picture most likely will take place in China. And if Clooney is involved as well I seriously doupt that it's a periot piece, unless it takes place during colonial era. So far we know this, the Weinstein want to remake Seven Samurai. How they will remake it we have no idea. Zhang Ziyi is said to be starring but again we have no idea if this is a straight remake or just the basic story structure that takes place somewhere else or at a different time. With the Weinsteins taking so much interest in Chinese films lately I wouldn't be surprised that this will be a Heroesque wuxia flick.
Highlander by irishfella	Jun 9th, 2006 06:59:07 AM
Sean Connery was Spanish in Highlander and Christopher Lambert played a Scot. That was damn funny.
Legion is right... by VanLingoMungo	Jun 9th, 2006 07:02:16 AM
All us WASPS look the same. We can't swim, either.
sammo hung by kung_fu_fan	Jun 9th, 2006 07:05:58 AM
he should choreograph the movie..the man is a legend.
There are no words for this. by thatpeterguy	Jun 9th, 2006 07:10:34 AM
What a disgrace. You just don't fuckin remake classics. You just don't do it. Remaking a deeply flawed Ocean's 11 is fine. That is the type of film that should be remade. But as long schlubs keep paying then we will keep seeing these cinematic abortions. As much as it pains me to hear about remakes like this it is a business and I can't think of a remake that has bombed. Feel free to point one out if you can but until they don't make money we should just strap ourselves in for more. You gotta know that Citizen Kane is coming soon.
mother of god stop hollywood by Onyx390	Jun 9th, 2006 07:11:06 AM
i won't even watch a trailer for this for fear of it tainting my memory of one of the greatest films of all time.
WORST. IDEA.. EVER by phanboi	Jun 9th, 2006 07:16:13 AM
Kurosawa will ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL in his grave. Fuck these fat fucks. Fuck'em up their stupid asses
next up, Ashton Kutcher by Onyx390	Jun 9th, 2006 07:25:08 AM
in the role he was born to play! Last Tango in Paris 2: Electric Boogaloo!
If they're going to use fake Japanese actors by chrth	Jun 9th, 2006 07:26:51 AM
How about Mickey Rooney reprising his star turn in Breakfast at Tiffany's?
irishfella by CurryIce	Jun 9th, 2006 07:33:18 AM
You're absolutely right but my post was a response to emeraldboy who seems to have a wrong perception about the past history of China and Japan and i just wanted to encourage him to inform himself before posting ignorant messages. I don't have a grudge against Japan and of course they're peaceful, duh. But there is actually a big difference between a nation like Germany and Japan. Both nations were responsible for one of the biggest war crimes in the 20th century BUT Germany for instance made a tremendous progress to learn from their past and to admit their mistake to the whole world and especially to all the nations(they invaded during WW2) and the Jews. Germany faced their ugly past. They made an incredible job politically, socially, economically and in many variuos ways to retrieval and to make up for their faults and mistakes. There is an incredible consciousness about the German crime in German society and i'm sure there is no country like Germany itself where you can find such a tremendous historical research about Germans Third Reich and which begins already in schools and where the pupils and students learn how fucked up the time was between the end of the Weimar Republic to 1945. Hell they even have a term for this which is unique and only exists in German: "Vergangenheitsbew
Nice Call chrth... by VanLingoMungo	Jun 9th, 2006 07:35:14 AM
It's a shame that Peter Sellers isn't available. That would be fake Chinee playing fake Japanese...Top that.
I thought the remake to the Seven Samurai by I Dunno	Jun 9th, 2006 07:36:18 AM
...was called The Dirty Dozen.
Re: Mickey Rooney by Spiegeltrui	Jun 9th, 2006 07:39:37 AM
That is some fucking funny shit. Mickey Rooney, George Clooney, Zhang Ziyi as samurai. Four more to go. One of them has to be black of course, Hollywood doesn't want to be racist.
Okay...all this being said... by Blue_Demon	Jun 9th, 2006 07:44:15 AM
How many of us will see the movie and justify Harvey's idea? Rent the original guys, ignore this one. I've never seen the "Psycho" remake and I think I can go to my grave feeling okay about that. Oh...and the Chinese didn't do much to the Japanese other than bleed all over them when Japan committed their atrocities in Nan King. I heard even the Nazis were shocked. When Nazis tell you to chill, you know you're evil.
Cracking idea...Uwe Boll to direct? by loggerlee	Jun 9th, 2006 07:46:38 AM

Well, we can dip into the Theatre scene ... by chrth	Jun 9th, 2006 07:48:34 AM
And get Jonathon Pryce as well. He did create the role of the Engineer in Miss Saigon (a character that was supposed to be 100% Vietnamese). And he'll make the geeks happy because he starred in Adventures of Baron Munchausen (he was the main bad guy ... well, not all that bad, he did order Sting killed for heroism).
Even better Harry... by Kid Z	Jun 9th, 2006 07:50:00 AM
... They'll probably have Akiva Goldsman do extensive rewriting, hire Brett Ratner to direct and find some way to fit Will Smith into the cast!
by Psychobilly	Jun 9th, 2006 07:55:07 AM
Let
Psychobilly ... are you an idiot? by chrth	Jun 9th, 2006 07:58:00 AM
The Americans killed TENS of Thousands of non-combatant women, children and elderly. But they didn't need atomic weaponry -- they did it firebombing Tokyo. But wait, the British and Germans did that to each other as well, so I guess we can't bring that up because it disproves your idiotic point.
From a victim perspective, the firebombing was by chrth	Jun 9th, 2006 08:09:32 AM
probably worst. Months of attacks versus a quick blast? More people died in Tokyo than in Nagasaki.
Battle Beyond The Stars by Melvin Junko	Jun 9th, 2006 08:13:11 AM
Much love for BBTS. Heck, maybe we could even get Sybil Danning to play her role in the new 7 Samurai screaming "Live fast, fight well and have a beautiful ending!" while her monster suck bags flop all over the place. Here are my top five movies they'll remake next. 1. Streets of Fire (with Casey Affleck & Amber Tamblyn) 2. Critters (a Disney/Pixar co production) 3. The Man Who Came To Dinner ( A Farrely Bros. version) 4. Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Starring Gretchen Wilson and Toby Keith) 5. Suspiria (a Sony Screen Gems PG-13 bastardization starring some CW network chick) Melvin Junko - OUT!!!
Ziyi Zhang is F'N over-rated by turk128	Jun 9th, 2006 08:21:43 AM
Seriously. She probably will get the role but if it's as one of the samurais... that would be a travesty. But if they insist on it, get Michelle Yeoh instead!!!
SACRILEGE! NOW YOU ARE GOING TOO FUCKING FAR! by sevadro	Jun 9th, 2006 08:36:47 AM
You fucking untalented pricks! When are you going to wake up and fucking smell the coffee? I don't give a shit if Harvey WeicomeupwithnewideaswhenIcans tein puts a slant eyed-approved stamp on some Hollywood slick, Crouching Tiger, fake fucking wire-fu remake of my favorite classic film. And just because you got a bunch of Asians on board doesn't mean shit either! Some things you just don't do! These fucks are remaking everything and you people sit back and say "Don't knock it until you see it!" I hate you apethetic cocksuckers. Burn in hell - every one of you. Stop remaking perfect films - DIE YOU FUCKS! I HOPE THERE IS A 10.5 QUAKE AND CALIFORNIA IS SUCKED UNDER THE SEA ALONG WITH ALL THESE LAZY FUCKS WHO CAN'T COME UP WITH AN ORIGINAL IDEA TO SAVE THEIR FUCKING LIVES! FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU! Hi Fred.
Gong Li by jackinitraw	Jun 9th, 2006 08:46:05 AM
She's hot. I was made about them casting so many Chinese in Memoirs of a Geisha but I got over it quick when I saw her. Tadanobu Asano needs to work on his English before he can make the Hollywood transistion. Ryuhei Matsuda would be good to see too but again...English lessons. Hell it's just a bad fuckin idea all around remaking these parts with Asian actors. It's not like the plot was that good anyway, just give this fucking writer the same pay check and have him write something original.
Ethnicity and Authenticity by tile_mcgillus	Jun 9th, 2006 08:50:50 AM
Honestly, whether or not they really are or are not Japanese isnt the thing that would bother me. People play different cultures all the time, Harry do you freak out when someone uses a british accent? What is going to piss me off is the soon to be bastardized brillance of Kurosawa. If Zhang Ziyi is attached, you know she is going to play a samurai...they obviously are going to try and stay really close to the original. WHat they should do is make it totally different and call it something else....
God bless originality by hatchling	Jun 9th, 2006 08:53:22 AM
Not much else needs to be said, other than whoever tries to remake Seven Samurai should rot in hell, while flames lick at their feet and turds anoint their heads.
Deep down inside in places I don't talk about @ parties by chrth	Jun 9th, 2006 09:01:40 AM
...wouldn't it be funny if it was better than the original? Can you imagine the howling and gnashing of teeth? See that's why I support remakes -- the whole angrying up the blood of it.
Harvey Weinstein is on CRACK by OGREISHERE	Jun 9th, 2006 09:09:23 AM
Why else would he want to do this? The world has already had 2 perfectly good 2 Samurai remakes (The Magnificent 7 and A Bug's Life).
Don't... Just don't by moviemaniac-7	Jun 9th, 2006 09:12:12 AM
This is a bad idea and you know it, Weinsteins. Goddamnit, you once were at the top of your game with original stuff (the 1990s), but the new century surely sucks balls for you. Sad, sad, sad...
is it a straight remake by S_Jenkis	Jun 9th, 2006 09:13:43 AM
or another Magnificent Seven style redooooo? Last Man Standing wasn't that long ago, and that was a remake of the same story. If it's a new film with a nod to the old, then that's fine. A straight-up remake with a female lead of the wrong ethnicity, fuck you Harvey.
Pacino plays Italian, Jewish, Puerto Rican... by Dannychico	Jun 9th, 2006 09:18:46 AM

Tokyo firebombing by 5thBusiness	Jun 9th, 2006 09:20:49 AM
The US military did a study and determined that more people died in the 10 March 1945 firebombing in Tokyo (around 100,000) that at any one time in human history. But even this is less of a tragedy than a seven samurai remake.
I'm not... by UncleEthan	Jun 9th, 2006 09:22:44 AM
disareeing with any of the opinion or positions you folks have. I would say, however...do what Goddard would do when he wanted to critisize Hollywood filmmaking. Get you're Mini-DV, crank up the old lap top...and make a goddamn movie...while you do that I shall be in my bathroom, sitting on the toilet, pants around my ankles, completing my paint-by-numbers rendetion of "Starry Night".
Where does Clooney fall in this? by the beef	Jun 9th, 2006 09:23:47 AM
I did hear that Clooney may have a role in it right? What exactly is a white guy doing in Japan in the 19th century? Just curious. Also, Kurosawa films have a very very good track record for being reimagined. I use reimagined because hardly ever are movies actually REMADE, aside from PSYCHO the newer versions do something to try and set themselves apart from the originals. This could turn out well. They should try and get Anthony Minghella to direct it being as how the Weinsteins seem to use him frequently and he's an extremely visually talented director and seems to get great performances from his actors, that'd be my #1 choice. And whoever made the comparisons earlier between Brynner and Mifune, if you're gonna compare two people from the same movie then at least compare the two that played the same parts. I believe Brynner played Takashi Shimura's part, and on that note i felt he did extremely well as did the rest of the MAGNIFICENT SEVEN cast.
Hell, let's re-make Gone With the Wind or Citizen Kane by Movietool	Jun 9th, 2006 09:28:09 AM
Cause there's always room for improvement, right? Ugh. This is vomitus news.
by Sinisterjim	Jun 9th, 2006 09:29:07 AM
This one of my all-time favorite films, a masterpiece, and now, once again, some suits who have zero knowledge or respect for cinema history are going to completely rape and pilage it...FUCK THIS!!!!
Baz Lurman's "Seven Brides for Seven Samurai" by HypeEndsHere	Jun 9th, 2006 09:35:03 AM
or Fincher's "Se7en S7a7m7u7r7a7i"
Harry, for sanity's sake... by mysteryperfecta	Jun 9th, 2006 09:44:08 AM
...stop obscessing over niggling details in films. First it the minutia in The Omen remake. Now it's minutia in the Seven Samurai remake. It's becoming a neurosis. They're just movies. Don't get bogged down in that stuff. Just a friendly suggestion.
Instead, base a new samurai movie on Mag 7 by BrandLoyalist	Jun 9th, 2006 09:51:51 AM
Then adapt that into a new Western... then another samurai movie... and so on. Theoretically they should converge to the same movie, with the same cast and everything, within a few hundred iterations. Then Clooney could play a Japanese (HAWAII FIVE-0 cast Ricardo Montalban as Japanese, so why not Clooney).
So Clooney will be playing... by brycemonkey	Jun 9th, 2006 09:52:48 AM
Danny Ocean San?
Yay, a Remake. by DOGSOUP	Jun 9th, 2006 09:53:01 AM
I don't think we'll ever get TIRED of these.
I want to make passionate love to Ziyi Zhang. by Osmosis Jones	Jun 9th, 2006 10:05:59 AM
That is all.
Last Man Standing was a remake of Yojimbo by JackRabbitSlim	Jun 9th, 2006 10:06:33 AM
I know - they all look the same to me too
i think you're on to something brycemonkey by the beef	Jun 9th, 2006 10:08:08 AM
It does seem that if they're doing a remake of a movie with a number in the title then Clooney seems to be cast in it. I-N-T-E-R-E-S-T-I-N-G. That's like the Steven Seagal would only do movies with 3 word titles.
All Look Same by Duck of Death	Jun 9th, 2006 10:09:36 AM
No matter where you stand on the Asian casting issue, you should try the test at alllooksame.com -- it's pretty interesting. I'm Asian, and I thought I could easily tell the difference between a Chinese, Japanese, and Korean person before I took that test.
Damn, I only got 5 of 18 by chrth	Jun 9th, 2006 10:17:50 AM
But I did get the first 2 right.
MIDGETS!!!!!!! by Borgnine JR	Jun 9th, 2006 10:25:56 AM
They oughta remake this with an all midget cast. Cuz nothin's funnier than a midget, unless it's a monkey riding a midget. Or a midget riding a dog like a jockey.
No Crth no YOU by Psychobilly	Jun 9th, 2006 10:26:44 AM
The Americans killed HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF NON-COMBATANTS in Nagasaki and Hiroshima not
SS not really a great action picture.... by cookylamoo	Jun 9th, 2006 10:28:29 AM
I mean what the Samurai do makes perfect sense. They seperate one horseman from the pack and then gang up on him and kill him. Good tactics but not exactly the kind of Duel in the Sun Ameican audiences are used to.
Good Lord, this is a travesty.... by veritasses	Jun 9th, 2006 10:34:31 AM
on so many levels. First of all, there's a big difference between one or maybe two main characters being played by a person who isn't of the nationality where the film takes place vs 90% of the main cast (like Geisha) being from a different country playing parts in a story that takes place entirely in their non-native country. Sure we Americans may not be able to tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese and Korean but keep in mind that there are over 1.5 Billion Asians who can. Also, we're talking about period pieces here where tradition, social values, cultures/customs play an incredibly important role in the film, and you're just not going to get that authentic feel if you get a large number of non-Japanese people trying to play the role of cultural icons like the Samurai. It's like if Kurosawa used an all Chinese cast in the original, you think it would've been the same film? Of course not, and not just because of the language thing either. Maybe if the movie were set in present day Japan, they can get away with using a large number of Chinese actors playing Japanese, but not for a period piece and not for a cinematic classic like the Seven Samurai. And keep in mind that China and Japan are practially at war with each other right at this very moment so casting a large number of Chinese in a classic Japanese film about the revered Samurai is as bad as it gets. Don't expect a big box office in Asia if they keep the cast 90% Chinese. But I guess it doesn't matter what we think since the dumb ass suits are going to do whatever the hell they want.
Harry, thats not a pet peeve, its a legitimate argument by modlight	Jun 9th, 2006 10:40:51 AM
Go up to a japanese person and call them chinese, or to a Korean and call them Thai, see if they get mildly annoyed or completely roll their eyes then Karate chop your round eye ass. Its offensive to make "Asian" a casting type. ITs like making a World War II movie and casting "European" for Nazis and you wind up with Hitler and Himmler speaking with French and Spanish Accents.
seven samurai by detroitred	Jun 9th, 2006 10:44:17 AM
i understand we all get bugged by different things,but who really cares if a japanese character is played by a japanese actor or whatever?as long as they can do the character justice and their look doesnt take away form the role.denzel played jamacian,jude law has played american,and harrison ford for god sakes played a russian guy,so as long as the dialect and culture are there,and as long as the role goes to an asian actor then its all good!
the guy they got to play Yoda in the new Star Wars by HypeEndsHere	Jun 9th, 2006 10:47:55 AM
didn't look anything like the real Dagoban from the actual Star Wars movies. so what?
Who cares if she's not Japanese by andenu	Jun 9th, 2006 10:50:09 AM
Where was all the bitching that Raph Fiennes isn't German? Or that Russell Crowe isn't Spanish? This list goes on. Give me a break.
Actually I thought Russell Crowe as a Spaniard was odd. by modlight	Jun 9th, 2006 10:53:52 AM
"Roit then mates!!! Lets geet crakin on them gauls! Oim a bloody Spainiard!"
Comic REEEEEEMAAAAAAAKE!!!! by NathanH	Jun 9th, 2006 10:55:33 AM
So I guess none of you dorks are pissed that Superman is being remade, again? Eh, fuck it. I have the Criterion collection dvd which has lived inside my dvd player longer than my cock has been inside yo mamma's asses, or something. A shite Hollywood remake in which they will find some way to include a huge explosion wont change my feelings for the original. I found these in the dusky, nether-regions of the net, actual notes from studio execs concerning what additions and subtractions should be made from the new S.S. screenplay..................On e, the overall length of the film should be shortened to 90m if possible...........Two, we need some steam between Katsushiro and Shino, try to include some nipple peekage, and bobbing jap-man-ass................... Three, try to appeal to a wider audience by making one of the 7 either female or black......................... .....Four,Kikyuchios charachter should be replaced with a wacky CGI animal/monster to appeal to the 13 and under demo........................Fi ve, The Bandits should try to blast their way in at some point, audiences love explosions.................... ...........Six, does the film need to be set in Japan?........................ .......
I think we can all agree that Mifune can only be replac by HypeEndsHere	Jun 9th, 2006 11:01:04 AM
"..replaced by..... a strategically lovable Gungan.
Nukes were worse atrocity. by irishfella	Jun 9th, 2006 11:03:25 AM
I should think so anyway.The explosions were followed by radiation which caused a lot of suffereing. I spent many an hour last summer studying the bombing of Hiroshima for my Leaving Cert history project.
NO by DeCypher44	Jun 9th, 2006 11:17:03 AM
No no no no no no no. Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot?
For all those in LA, who listen to KROQ...sing along! by R.C. the "Wise"	Jun 9th, 2006 11:17:18 AM
(In best D-won voice) "I-I-I-I-I-I... H-H-H-A-A-T-T-E-E... H-O-L-L-L-L-Y-Y-W-O-O-O-O-D-D! !!"
I don't care ZZY isnt Japanese. I care that she bitez! by AhQ	Jun 9th, 2006 11:33:17 AM
Seriously... Zhang Ziyi is a talentless bimbo, the weakest link in all the big films she has been in. House of Flying Daggers was about the stupidest action movie I have ever seen; this and many of the other big budget films ZZY has been in are basically a Chinese director's attempt to sell Asian "exoticism" to a Western audience without regard for quality or originality. Most Chinese people I know (and I know a lot) are sick of ZZY, and see her as a second-rate hollywood sellout... don't believe me? Ask a few Chinese people what they think, see how many can't stand the silly bimbo. If this shitfest remake has her character break out into girlie kungfu, I swear to god that I will rip out my own eyeballs in disgust, so that I never accidentally catch a glimpse of it. In any case, why does hollywood have to steal the name off of a good movie to market their steaming shitpile? Its just like the big man says, name recognition.
Whoever greenlit this needs to be sterilized. Stat. by s00p3rm4n	Jun 9th, 2006 11:38:17 AM

i guess harry and i are the only ones that watched... by seekshelter	Jun 9th, 2006 11:47:44 AM
the anime Samurai 7 tv series. liberties were taken. most notable change was turning the bandits into giant robots. it might sound strange, but it worked. you watch the first 10 episodes or so waiting to see what it could possibly look like to see a samurai fight a giant robot. and when they show it... it works. around the 16th episode, most of the events that happen in the seven samurai have already happened. there are a few extra characters added, and the scope is widened to not just one village but an entire ... i guess you would call it a kindgom... the remaining episodes go off into political manueverings... and it works... i was really skeptical about this show at first, but once i sat down and realized what they were doing with the story, it really has paid off. i still havent seen the last 3 episodes yet... and its really bugging me that i have to wait 2 more months to see what happens... point is... as with anything, given to the right people... something good can be made from it. i wouldnt be surprised if this remake was something similar to this anime series ... we'll see...
Psychobilly, you just made yourself look stupider by chrth	Jun 9th, 2006 11:48:39 AM
(I know, hard to believe, huh?) ... I said TENS of thousands because YOU said Thousands at first. You're the idiot that undercut the death toll, not I. And "Hundreds" of Thousands were NOT killed at Nagasaki or Hiroshima. The total death is about 200,000, but that was over time, not just on the day the bombs dropped. Wow, you might just want to stop before you get further behind.
an afterthought by seekshelter	Jun 9th, 2006 11:54:16 AM
you can use the seven samurai concept on pretty much any age in history. i would like to see a medieval castle defence story... with a ragtag band of weary knights trying to reclaim some bit of honor ... or even on a futuristic mars colony or even cavemen.... you have your orders.. now get to it screenwriters...
Jarv and Psychobilly by Tai_Pan	Jun 9th, 2006 12:05:32 PM
Sorry Jarv and Psychobilly, but I can't let that one pass. Hiroshima + Nagasaki = 260,000 dead (roughly). Cumulative firebombing and conventional bombing campaign deaths killed more than this in total and happened continuously over a long period of time creating horrible psychological warfare that the surprise attack of the first atomic bomb cannot claim. The second atomic bombing was was announced. One of the Japanese firebombings still holds the record as the most devastating air strike in history, and that includes both atomic strikes (124K dead, 3/4 of Tokyo completely burned, 1Mil homeless). The atomic strikes may be more memorable because they are a rarity, but the firebombings were worse. Put into a historical perspective, fire was the worst thing that could happen to cities which, for centuries, have been made of paper and wood houses and buildings. Arson was considered one of the most horrible crimes (if not THE most horrible crime) that could be committed in Japan because of its effect. The morale of the Japanese people was totally devastated by the firebombings. Entire cities were wiped out, not just the 2 well-known atomic cities.
big deal, this movies last remake was brilliant... by s0nicdeathmonkey	Jun 9th, 2006 12:24:44 PM
but right now i'm still thinking about Dawson's spectacular ass and that one scene in kids...
They oughta make a live action Samurai 7 by Johnno	Jun 9th, 2006 12:39:26 PM
It would be prefect to release that next to Transformers! And I'm all for thinking up a concept for a Se7en Samurai :D
Learn to READ chrth!! by Psychobilly	Jun 9th, 2006 12:39:56 PM
Thousands could imply tens or hundreds or more! If I said I owned thousands of DVDs and I actually owned 15,000, it doesn
Make Samurai 7 instead you fucks by 999666	Jun 9th, 2006 12:50:31 PM
A remake of the classic will insult everyone, but a live action version of the anime re-imagined version? Fuck yeah you could cast japanese, nonjapanese, even non humans! and there would be very big robots.
Harry if you legitimately have a problem with people by Demosthenes2	Jun 9th, 2006 12:57:30 PM
like Hugh Jackman or Renee Zellweger or any of that, then fine. But I see it as a weird unconscious form of racism that people are getting their panties in a wad just over Asians playing different nationalities when they don't protest nearly as much with white people. Whether or not it's intentional, I believe making such a big deal about only Asians ties into an artificial preconception of a specific cultural mystique in Eastern worlds. To say that only the Japanese understand what it is to be Japanese is actually quite condescending to their culture in separating them from everyone else when films are really meant to bring us together and show the same humanity in everyone.
Tai_Pei by Psychobilly	Jun 9th, 2006 01:24:42 PM
I don
ANOTHER remake, so soon and everything. by alucardvsdracula	Jun 9th, 2006 01:30:23 PM
GET FUCKED AND DIE.
I liked it the first time they remade Seven Samurai... by ldm882	Jun 9th, 2006 01:58:02 PM
...and called it The Magnificent Seven.
ROOTS remake starring the cast of "Dawson's Creek" by Tai_Pan	Jun 9th, 2006 02:21:36 PM
It does matter a bit. The race/nationality thing makes a difference to those who can detect the differences in the features, mannerisms, and dialects of Asian cultures. If this is a straight remake with a non-Japanese cast, there is no way I will pay money to see it. This isn't really a problem for me with Euro/Caucasian actors criss-crossing their origins with their character's heritage due to the melting pot effect, but many asian island nations have very distinct features (such as the Japanese). For me, it was very distracting in Memoirs, as was the use of New Zealand.
Lets "remake" Citizen Kane while we're at it by Bong	Jun 9th, 2006 02:46:41 PM

Disrespect for one of the best directors of all time by goondock	Jun 9th, 2006 02:48:14 PM
Hopefully this project will get dumped for the lack of creative talent because I could never see any director who is good enough for the material to take the project on. In the age of the internet it would be an almost certain possibility that millions of people would mistake this remake for an original movie...specially if its a "non stop action thrill ride" kind of deal, and Kurasawa's artistry will be raped in a gangbang of viewers who can't read fast enough to watch a subtitled film. Please please no...Kurasawa was the director who opened my eyes to the fantastic world of international cinema...and I know from being a film student that he has done the same for so many...I know the Weinsteins have done some dirty shit before, but in my opinion this would be the worst....WHY DON'T THEY JUST REMAKE CASABLANCA OR CITIZEN CANE AND LEAVE THE REAL CULTURAL GEMS ALONE
AAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!!! STOP IT NOW!!! by ZombieSolutions	Jun 9th, 2006 02:50:30 PM
Why, Whoreywood, why? Just... why? I hate you so much... goddamn culturally ignorant bastards...
Blasphemy... by KurosawaDisciple	Jun 9th, 2006 02:55:19 PM
My user ID should sum up where I stand on this news. So many others have hit it on the head already...a re-imagining (like the approach Sturges took) is one thing, but a flat out remake is just unnecessary. It's arguably the greatest film of all time for god's sake. $10 says the Kubrick filmography gets raided next...
If They Even Breathe On Kubrick's Films... by ZombieSolutions	Jun 9th, 2006 03:00:47 PM
then its time for all out war. Kurosawa has been ripped off by Whoreywood so many times, this is just adding insult to injury. But KUBRICK? reamking KUBRICK??? thats like, shit, pissing on the alter adter raping a bag full of kittens for Satan.
Gotta a problem with Zhang Ziyi playing a samurai? by UncleSam	Jun 9th, 2006 03:22:46 PM
First of all she's supposedly not playing a samurai but a peasant girl. Interesting that some of you have a problem with Chinese playing Japanese yet haven't mention that GEORGE CLOONEY IS (supposedly) A PART OF THE CAST! A lot of the critics here are pretty ignorant od Asian cinema because different ethnicities in the region commonly play other ethnicities in movies there. A lot of Chinese movies have Japanese actors playing Chinese. Chinese actors are in Korean movies. So it's apparently more of an issue only when Americans are involved. Maybe because Americans ignorantly display their ignorance like some of the alternate universe versions of history displayed in the is talkback. The next thing you'll see is the next generation Americans will believe it was China that bombed Pearl Harbor. Why doesn't American cinema go back to its politically incorrect unapologetic era and film a brutal WWII movie where all the Japanese were played by Mexicans. Now that was funny!
Kubrick by Fenton Meiks	Jun 9th, 2006 03:26:57 PM
I heard they were remaking Dr Strangelove, but setting it in Bin Laden's lair and starring the versatile Martin Lawrence in the Sellers role(s). J-Lo and Freddie Prince Jnr are also going to star in a remake of The Killing, with Eddie Murphy providing the voice of a "comedy" cgi horse.
would Harry take his 5 year old nephew by durhay	Jun 9th, 2006 03:41:32 PM
to a movie set in Japan while starring Chinese actors?
Bring it on!!! I'm psyched about this remake! by ELGordo	Jun 9th, 2006 03:53:43 PM
It just amazes me how many stupid fuckwads frequent this website. Igonarant fucking fuckwads who think they know better than anyone else.
Fucking fuckwads we may be by Fenton Meiks	Jun 9th, 2006 04:01:06 PM
But we know how to spell ignorant.
Uncle Sam by Tai_Pan	Jun 9th, 2006 04:31:44 PM
When you say that it is "common" for an exchange of ethnicities in asian cinema, what are you basing this on? Are you talking about a couple of incidents, or should we take your words literally and say it is truly common? Furthermore, you fail to discuss whether this allegedly common practice meets with resistence from their respective communities. You also are not considering whether this practice occurs in a modern timeframe ( current day where the character being portrayed could realistically have a mixed heritage while still claiming to be "Japanese" "Chinese" "Korean" or Vietnamese") as opposed to an ancient timeframe like the world of the Seven Samurai, where a particular audience might be put off when they see a foreigner with a foreign accent portraying a character that should not possess those qualities. Also, we should consider the quality of the films you are mentioning. Are we talking SERIOUS dramas or mindless action or comedy where ethnicity probably doesn't detract from the purpose of the film?
"Common" as there seems to be no problem over there. by UncleSam	Jun 9th, 2006 04:43:27 PM
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon had a Japanese guy playing Chinese. "Serious" is a matter of perspective. CTHD didn't do that well in China. There's a whole slew of movies that I hear about where the cast includes Japanese people playing Chinese in period pieces. Just go to monkeypeaches.com and they have casting news all the time and the majority of the movies they discuss are "quality" pieces from the big name directors in Asia.
Look what they did to The Omen by Giant Ape Balls	Jun 9th, 2006 04:58:41 PM
They took a perfect movie,bent it over and curled onein. I can just imagine the Hollywood execs, sat around atable , brainstorming. "Hey, wouldn't it be greatif we remade The Godfather? We could cast Ashton Kutchner as Micheal". STOP THESE POINTLESS REMAKES NOW!!!
Why? by Evil Chicken	Jun 9th, 2006 05:44:11 PM
I
Fuck this. by Johnny Ahab	Jun 9th, 2006 05:46:17 PM
This is a perfect film that still holds up to this day. Just turned on 2 neophytes who've never seen the movie to its greatness -- and their jaws dropped. Oh look. Plague. I think I'll avoid it.
The original film is wonderful by jasper Stillwell	Jun 9th, 2006 05:58:03 PM
...but apart from the passionate talkbackers who post here outraged every day most average movie-goers don't give a rat's arse about 'foreign' films and would rather force a spoon up their arse than watch a black and white film. Anything that doesn't look like its aimed at attention-deficit kids paging Michael Bay and is drenched in CGI is now consigned to the 'marginal' bin. Classic or no classic. That's why great films these days are re-made by idiots FOR idiots. Old films just make their little heads hurt. That's the fact of it. Well maybe that last comment's a little bit harsh but you kind of get the idea....must leave off the late night coffee
Jasper Stillwell is right :( by Spiegeltrui	Jun 9th, 2006 06:43:46 PM
Haven't we all been there? You're talking to someone for the first time. This person seems to be pretty normal and intelligent. Then the topic changes to film. All of a sudden this person tells you that he/she has never seen any film before 1980 and doesn't intend to, because it's all boring black and white crap. You cry a little inside and try to convince this person that is oh so very untrue. But of course you fail, and you end up getting really drunk and puking over that expensive tapestry your sister in law just bought.
Kubrick, you say? by psyclical	Jun 9th, 2006 07:19:07 PM
You don't think Skeet Ulrich moving in for a bit of the old ultraviolece to the tunes of Lil Jon and Ludacris would work? Hell, they could even throw in a cameo by Malcolm as the prison chaplain.
Your all hypocrites... by Kampbell-Kid	Jun 9th, 2006 07:20:00 PM
If any of you are film geeks, this announcement doesn't come as any real shocker or surprise. I mean honestly... how many films steal and rip off from Akira K. and/or his film THE SEVEN SAMURAI. I mean STAR WARS for crying out loud was a blatant rip off inspiration from THE SEVEN SAMURAI. Give up people, this isn't the new atrocity to hit the film business. >.>
..hypocrites part 2... by Kampbell-Kid	Jun 9th, 2006 07:35:50 PM
...and don't subject me to the nitpickyness when you watch films. Learn to seperate watching a story and it's actual production value. I know it's hard to do because younger I did projection for a theater and whenever I visit a shit theater with bad projection practices I can't help but notice the dirt, scratches, glue splices, and reel changes all the time... however I've conditioned myself to seperate that shit from watching a story. I'm so sick and tired of hearing the only complaint about Memiors of a Gheisha getting bashed over that retarded "chinese actors playing japanese". Thats like you assholes refusing to watch GLADIATOR because Russell Crowe wasn't really Roman since he's an Aussie. Or like bitching about Pierce Brosnan playing James Bond when he was fucking born and raised in Ireland. Same with Sean fucking Connery playing Bond and he was from Scotland. Learn to seperate the fact you are watching actors act a story and not watch a film at his face production value instead. >.>
It's not about how many people rip-off Kurosawa by seppukudkurosawa	Jun 9th, 2006 07:47:11 PM
or homage or reference, whatever you want to call it. It's about how many people do it with his name on the box. This is going to be called The Seven Samurai, and be touted as inspired by his original story, and as such if it's a limpid piece of shit, it'll shrug off onto the original.
seppukudkurosawa by Kampbell-Kid	Jun 9th, 2006 07:53:40 PM
Completely agree and get your point... but this isn't the first time THE SEVEN SAMURAI has got remade with or without it's name. Even a video game named THE SEVEN SAMURAI 2021, but based in the future is out... so my point is it's a little late to get your panties in a bunch over remaking this perticular film either using the same name or not. The idea has been played out over a dozen times.
Clooney by MCVamp	Jun 9th, 2006 08:04:45 PM
What if HE'S directing?
Fair game. by seppukudkurosawa	Jun 9th, 2006 08:06:08 PM
And good point with the video game. This is why I'm finding it hard to get all righteous about this movie: it's just happened too many times to cry now. I think the fact that this will give Kurosawa SOME kind of exposure is a good thing. His name is just something that floats about, and few people have actually seen his films, so at least this might help put them on the right track.
Spiegeltrui by jasper Stillwell	Jun 9th, 2006 08:10:18 PM
thanks chap, remember hearing about loads of kids refusing to watch the original King Kong for those very reasons - man that should never have to happen, KING KONG ferchrissakes??? Ah well....
this is asinine by Holodigm	Jun 9th, 2006 08:30:02 PM
because russell crowe looked so much like a spaniard in gladiator. because ashanti looked so much like judy garland in the muppets wizard of oz. because jessica simpson looked so much like someone who has a soul in dukes of hazzard. seriously, i can't believe harry's calling for blackface. liberal my ass.
...AND by alienindisguise	Jun 9th, 2006 08:34:34 PM
Most, if not all of us here, know how great Kurosawa's films are but some of those greats are remakes of Shakespeare's work with Samurai in them and not as original as some would like to believe. The story of the Seven Samurai is so simple I find it hard to think someone could butcher it but we'll see. Just imagine if it comes out better than the original because there is that tiny, tiny chance that could happen. Either way, expect every Kurosawa flick to be remade one way or another.
alienindisguise by seppukudkurosawa	Jun 9th, 2006 08:39:17 PM
There is no tiny, tiny chance. Trust me on that score.
Seppukudkurosawa... by VanLingoMungo	Jun 9th, 2006 08:49:10 PM
You don't need to worry about a Hidden Fortress remake. Our man Lucas took care of that long ago.
Well at least you didn't mention Last Man Standing... by seppukudkurosawa	Jun 9th, 2006 08:50:54 PM

WHAT THE FUCK'S NEXT? by Gilkuliehe	Jun 10th, 2006 12:01:13 AM
A remake of PSYCHO, for chrissakes?! Oh, right.
UncleSam in Asia it's worst by turk128	Jun 10th, 2006 12:20:11 AM
Asians in general are freakin' zenophobic, this isn't a stereotype, it's the truth (especially applies to each other). Too many fans have rose colored glasses when it comes to Asia, you'd think we were in neo-Orientalist age./// Two reasons why I'm not complaining about Clooney attached to this: he's a freakin' great actor (something that Ziyi the Hale Berry of HK can't come close) and Samurai Champloo... imagine a foreigner who's in love with the exotic culture and the noble warrior code wanting to be a samurai himself. Kind of like the first otaku.
if anyone ever really cared about movies by beerbaby	Jun 10th, 2006 01:45:21 AM
They would stop this film from being made. rerealase the original in all its glory. This is wrong. I beg all directors and actors and moviegoers to boycot this movie and to not even talk about it.
I've always wanted a Seven Samurai remake by hiperaktiv	Jun 10th, 2006 01:49:52 AM
The first is a classic no doubt, but ive always wanted an updated take on it made, with much better action choreography than the first. The last hour and half battle scene of SS is its weakest part. Now whats with this Zhang Ziyi casting bullshit? She's not Japanese, and you can tell between Japanese and Chinese women. There are plenty of Japanese women actors around for the part. I just hope they dont make Zhang a female samurai (there were no female samurai!) and make her a villager love interest or something. Oh and if your reading this producers for the love of fuck cast Ken Watanabe in this movie! He is so awesome! Oh and Takashi Kitano to fucken direct this please! His Zatoichi movie was proof enough that he can make a good movie with great characters, story, and action!
You can bet your ass... by Harysuxafat1	Jun 10th, 2006 02:06:25 AM
this is gonna suck dick in ways most fags only dream about. Who the fuck would even dream of remaking this let alone cast a fucking chinese dude in it? What kind of insipid fuck came up with this idea? When Hollywood finally bankrupts itself with shit movies I'm gonna laugh.
Turk 128, Americans are worse! by UncleSam	Jun 10th, 2006 03:34:31 AM
I read that in China, African -American celebrities are more recognized than WASP celebrities. African-Americn athletic products out-sell Yao Ming's in China. So that alone shows you don't know what you're talking about and you are probably just stereotyping. The world embraces American culture more than Americans accept theirs in return. Mainstream Americans don't even watch foreign movies. You've given no proof to support your argument so it's just your opinion not fact. So what's the point of your argument if it doesn't at all counter my point that in Asian cinema, actors are able to cross cultures contrary to what people here think. Are you arguing to me it doesn't happen? It only seems when Asians have a problem is when Americans are involved. Probably because Americans are notorious for stereotyping and butchering foreign cultures in movies. The only people who seem to generally have a problem are Americans. Just look at this thread and threads before that have brushed the subject.
Will Hollywood ever learn? by one9deuce	Jun 10th, 2006 03:39:39 AM
A classic can't be improved upon. The strange alchemy that produces a classic can't be repeated again. Two perfect examples of this are King Kong and Psycho. Both titans in the history of cinema. Both remade in the last decade. Neither remake approaches the perfection of the originals. Psycho is a shot for shot remake with some seriously talented people in front and behind the camera and it still just isn't great like the original. Not even close. King Kong is an old movie that was shot in black & white and used stop-motion special effects yet it still towers over both remakes. The reasons could be discussed for hours and hours, but the main idea here is that you can't catch lightning in a bottle twice.
You did mean Hidden Fortress, didn't you Kampbell-Kid? by half vader	Jun 10th, 2006 04:08:54 AM
Not Seven Samurai. But I thought Star Wars was actually a pretty GOOD version of Fortress. It's not like Lucas doesn't acknowledge it. Thanks for the Shakespeare point, Alien. Surprised that wasn't said earlier, as you know no-one reads other people's posts at this stage of the game.
While they are at it....... by The Ender	Jun 10th, 2006 06:01:18 AM
Remake Lone Wolf Mcquade!! Ashton Kutcher Could play Chuck Norrises Role, and that Spanish Kid from Napoleon Dynamite can play the slow minded but true hearted Mexican Side-Kick! JESUS CHRIST !!
Harvey Weinstein's an Idiot by Gortomatron	Jun 10th, 2006 06:41:59 AM
Some people in Hollywood will never understand that there are just some works of film that should never be touched. Ever. In the case of Weinstein and the Seven Samurai, it's nothing short of trampling.
Firebombing - for anyone unfamiliar by ManosTHOF	Jun 10th, 2006 09:57:18 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F irebombing_of_Tokyo And I don't support this remake, but oh well...
Miike by seekshelter	Jun 10th, 2006 10:32:03 AM
should direct this thing. yyyeaaahh!!!!
most any Asian can play Japanese by Rupee88	Jun 10th, 2006 10:53:22 AM
99% of the moviegoing public won't be able to tell...or care. That's like being upset than a non-Irish person is playing and Irishman.
UncleSam / Pan-Asian casting in Asia by Mallard	Jun 10th, 2006 11:09:23 AM
There were no Japanese actors playing Chinese parts in Crouching Tiger as far as I'm aware. Did you mean Kaneshiro in Flying Daggers, (if so, talk about all looking the same ;\) because he is actually of Taiwanese nationality. And in terms of Chinese/Japanese films casting against nationality, they do it all the time and not just in the 'old days'. Zhang Ziyi was Japanese in Princess Tanuki, almost the entire cast of the Initial D movie were Chinese playing Japanese, etc etc.
To the guy who said there was a Japanese by gillbates	Jun 10th, 2006 11:59:21 AM
actor in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, you're smoking crack. With the exception of Michelle Yeoh (who is Malaysian) all the actors in that movie are Chinese. NOTE that CTHD was a PERIOD piece where EVERYONE was Chinese OR spoke fluent Chinese (in the case of Michelle Yeoh). And the movie didn't do well over there because it was seen as an "American sell out" movie. You seem like the type of person who Googles a few web sites and instantly thinks he knows enough to be an expert on the matter. Well, you might as well stay out of this discussion because you don't know jack shit. I'm a Japanese guy who's lived in both Japan and the US for extended periods and have lots of Asian friends of all nationalities so I think I might be just a little bit more qualified then you on this topic. First of all, there's a huge difference between white/western cultures and Asian/eastern cultures. The guy above who said Asians are xenophobic is pretty much right. In the mild cases it's xenophobia, but in many cases you'll find out right hatred and racism. The rifts between China and Japan and Korea and Japan that exist to this day isn't even in the same league as say England and France or America and Russia (during the Cold War). In Europe and the US there's pretty much been a "melting pot" of people and a free flow across borders which you won't find in Asian cultures (and don't even try the "Japanese people came from China" bullshit because that's not what I'm talking about). An Asian marrying outside of their nationality is going to be ostracized in ways that you couldn't imagine. Also keep in mind that the govt purposely kept Japan in isolation for centuries and to a great extent still does to this day. China and Korea may not have had an "official" policy of isolationism but you can rest assured that the Chinese like other Chinese running things and the Koreans like other Koreans running things. As far as movies go, even In the FEW instances where you have Japanese actors in Chinese/Korean movies (or vice versa), it's because 1. they're playing their own nationality or 2. they speak the language the movie is being made in FLUENTLY/Natively or 3. they have dual citizenship because they have parents from that country or 4. are playing a role in a film that takes place in the modern era and one of the first 3 criteria applies or 5. they're just a "pop idol" and have managed to get their songs to become popular in mulitple countries (for example HK and Taiwan often by CDs of Japanese Artists or some Korean TV shows become popular in Japan). You will NEVER see an Asian directed/produced film like the totaly ludicrous Memoirs of a Geisha where the MAJORITY of an ENSEMBLE cast in a PERIOD piece is played by actors from a different country. It just ain't gonna happen. History and Culture are sacred in Asian cultures and you don't fuck with that by having your (more or less) national enemies playing key roles in these historically/culturally sensitive films. And The Seven Samurai is a film classic where history, culture and values are at the very heart of the movie. I don't think anyone has a problem with a "Re-imagining" the Seven Samurai. Hollywood can go make themselves happy and make as many Magnificent Seven or Samurai 7s as they want. But if they're going to "recreate" they had better respect the history, the people and the culture and do it right.
I'm far too late to this talkback, but... by Strabo	Jun 10th, 2006 12:00:39 PM
if they have to do this, then, goddammit, they'd better have Takeshi Kitano directing AND playing Takashi Shimura's role, Kambei, from the original. And please god, if I hear anyone involved with the production of the film say that there are no good Japanese actors or actresses for the parts--and that's why they're casting a bunch of Chinese actors--I'm going to go batshit crazy and hunt them down and strangle them.
OK, fine, then that means... by helvis	Jun 10th, 2006 12:47:43 PM
That Anthony Hopkins can't play Nixon (born in the UK). Mel Gibson can't play William Wallace (Not Scottish). Tom Hanks can't play Andrew Beckett (not gay). Reese Witherspoon, Gweneth Paltrow, and Renee Zellweger would have no careers (Not British). I understand and respect the "Not of this Asian descent but playing one in the movies" arguement. But I disagree with getting that worked up about it. When going to see a movie you are supposed to get lost in the film and if the story and actors and everything put together works then who cares where the people are from? The whole point is that they are ACTING.
gillbates, i don't want to be nitpicky by CurryIce	Jun 10th, 2006 01:23:56 PM
but i just want to correct one tiny thing in your post. Although Michelle Yeoh was born in Malaysia and has the Malaysian nationality you can count her actually also as a Chinese person because ethnically she is Chinese!(Her parents are Chinese)
gillbates, stop reading those Japanese history books! by UncleSam	Jun 10th, 2006 03:03:03 PM
I can say the same of having friends of all nationalities. Interesting for someone who comes from xenophobia, how do you have so many friends of different Asian nationalities? Don
Gee, I get pissed too by Roger Thornhill	Jun 10th, 2006 05:41:44 PM
When Brits or Aussies play Americans. I mean, that's total buillshit dude. Who cares if a Chinese plays a Japanese?
UncleSam by gillbates	Jun 10th, 2006 07:49:28 PM
Clearly you're not Asian and you don't hang out with and have large groups of Asian friends so I'll pass off your smack talk for just plain ignorance and arrogance that you somehow can speak for Asians when you obviously know nothing about Asians. First, How do I have so many Asian friends of different Asian nationalities when Asians have xenophobia? Obivously I'm not racist or have xenophobia, neither do the other Asians I'm friends with and you've clearly never been part of an Asian American organization, gone to a school with lots of Asians or worked in an environment with a diverse Asian workforce or else this would be really easy for you to understand and you wouldn't even raise it as an issue. The Xenophobic attitude does still exist even in the US (to a lesser extent) but there's also a lot of mingling within Asian groups, esp among younger generations. Again, you'd know this if you were Asian or knew anything about REAL LIFE Asian culture, as opposed to what you've learned through Google. You're also pretty retarded to think that I'm going to be able to discuss something as complex as xenophobia in Western and Eastern Asian cultures in a TB message box but suffice to say there are many reasons for Asian Xenophobia and it's not just foreign invasion. That's another sign of your ignorance. As far as African-American athletes endorsed products outselling Yao Ming's if you think THAT's evidence of the lack of xenophobia then you just don't understand Asian culture or the celebrity phenomenon. There's a BIG, HUGE difference between some people idolizing NBA athletes/celebrities/etc and buying products that they endorse vs not wanting non-Asians proliferating the population and letting the country become a melting pot and wanting to maintain an isolationist policy. There are some things I would expect anyone to know regardless of their nationality or cultural background. This is one of them. But I'll let it slide as ignorance. Next. Korean pop culture is not "all the rage" in Japan and vice versa. While it is true that there are a few Korean television shows and a few Korean pop-idols that have had some popularity in certain demographics in Japan (again the reverse is true as well) that doesn't mean that it's lessened the xenophobia or the racism (btw, in case you weren't aware, xenophobia and racism are separate issues). First, not every single one of the 120 million or so Japanese has xenophobia or is racist and having an isolationist policy in this day and age doesn't mean that people from other countries don't regularly enter the country and live their peacefully. If you somehow thought that I was implying that, you're a bigger idiot than I thought and I'm wasting my time writing all this for you. I'll assume that you're not an idiot and continue. Second, what I said about xenophobia and NBA/MLB/NFL atheletes applies here too. Just because some Korean television show becomes a hit doesn't mean that Japan has embraced Korea and welcomes them with open arms and all the wounds are healed and all the animosity is gone (and vice versa). Trust me. The antagonism going both ways is still very strong. You should also know, that Taiwan and HK (that's Hong Kong to you) and Japan have much closer ties then do China and Japan. I won't go into it in any great deal of depth but don't confuse HK and Taiwan with China (yes I know Britain gave back HK to China, if you thought that as a rebuttal you're clearly missing the point). I can't even believe that you mentioned Buddhism as an argument. That was really, really stupid. I think I've been patient enough and wasted enough time explaining things to you. Frankly, I can't even believe that you even have the balls to be arguing this issue with someone who knows Asian culture first hand. But you go on believing whatever the hell you want. You can go back to learning about life through Google now. Oh, and you're embarassing "Uncle Sam" by using that User ID. If you have any respect/loyalty to Uncle Sam, you'd stop using that ID while writing such nonsense.
Ridiculous. Zhang is a box office draw. by superninja	Jun 10th, 2006 11:28:30 PM
Internationally. That is like saying Brits can't play Americans or a Frenchie can't play a Russian.
UncleSam... oh, some1 beat me to it ;) by turk128	Jun 11th, 2006 05:02:53 AM
Gillbates nailed it right on the head. Please don't freely call someone ignorant until you actually do some real research. I lived and was raised in and around Asian culture. Ask any Asian who isn't a 'banana' and they wouldn't disagree with the fact that Asians are zenophobic (heck, we chuckle about it.. it's just part of life, laissez-faire)... heck, if anything, they'll be shocked that you gaijins/fanboys noticed. So basically, stop drinking the PC cool-aid, hombre./// Funny thing: the circle of zenophobia amongst Asia is interesting, China and Korea have gripes against Japan for obvious reasons, yet through HK... there's acutally Japan towns (unofficial maybe) in China. Latest phenomenon is Korean culture getting a boost in Japan right now through their entertainment. Both Korea and Japan feed off each other when it comes to fashion, too.// Anyways, Zhang Ziyi is still over-rated no matter what race she is.
F*#K RACIST HOLLYWOOD EXECS! by Knugen	Jun 11th, 2006 09:20:38 PM
If it wasn't illegal I would advocate their murder.
Uncle Sam by Tai_Pan	Jun 11th, 2006 10:58:39 PM
Except for the namecalling, I tend to agree with gillbates assessment. A few instances of criss-crossing asian nationalities in a few films doesn't exactly indicate that the practice is normal under ordinary circumstances. I'm still beating my head in the desk on a few of these posts. A few feel it necessary to list off films where actors "can't portray" their characters because of nationality/ethnicity when it has already been pointed out MANY times on this thread that an actor such as Mel Gibson, could realistically portray a Scot even though he is not, himself, a Scot because there is no feature he possesses that could rule him out as potentially being Scottish himself. The same goes for Tom Hanks not being gay. There is no feature of Mr. Hanks that rules out the possibility of playing a gay chracter. This is entirely different from a film like Memoirs, where it is evident that the actors possess traits that cast doubt as to the authenticity of the character they are playing. It's not that an actor has to be "X" to play "X", it's just that they must be able to pass as "X" and can't be clearly "Y." Like I said above... if ethnicity is so interchangeable in acting, then how about casting Ashton Kutcher as Kunta Kinte in a remake of ROOTS? Uh-oh... that whole interchangeable ethnicity thing seems pretty distracting, doesn't it?
It's all in your minds or is it? by sillypig	Jun 12th, 2006 03:05:49 AM
it's like this... You know how the well to do white man is always super duper polite to the black man, to the point where the black man goes, "dude this is almost racism in itself but backwards." Here is why, in Japan they use Korean actors and actresses as they are the in thing right now. In Orient the entertainment biz has always mish-mashed Japanese, Taiwanese, Korean and Chinese. Hong Kong/China use a lot of Japanese and Koreans and they don't play the roles of their nationality either!... Oh I could go on!! See It's all in your minds. We Orientals don't mind it. Why do you?
Sillypig is an obvious fake. by gillbates	Jun 12th, 2006 10:43:21 AM
Before I get into Sillypig, first, while I don't feel the name calling I did in my post was excessively harsh (compared to the other stuff I see on this board), TaiPan does have a point and I should apologize to UncleSam. So I do apologize, UncleSam, if any of my name calling offended you. It was probably the complete unwillingness of people to even try to understand the legitimate points that others like TaiPan are trying to make and the meritless arrogant attitude of assumtion of those that don't know what they're talkning about that got me a bit ticked off. Now on to my original point. Sillypig's post, trying to pass himself as an Asian is as fake as it gets so please ignore it. Please read TaiPan's post and my previous post (as well as some others who've written above) for the reasons why. Sillypig and some of the other "persistent" defenders of the Weinstein's attempt at a remake are probably employees of the Weinstein production company. There seems to be some confusion among westerners that somehow just because "it works here in the West" that it "must therefore work everywhere else in the world." Just because Mel Gibson (and yes I know Australia is not considered "the West") can play an American/Scott and Russell Crowe can play a Brit etc that therefore a Chinese actor can play a Japanese person, and a Japanese actor can play Korean etc. That's simply not true. What works in the West does __NOT__ mean that it works in the East or other parts of the world. Things like culture, history, politics, sociology, psychology, languge etc which all influence a person's acceptance of another nationality are VASTLY different in other parts of the world. Also keep in mind that while to most Westerners "All Asians are the same and look the same and talk the same" this is imply not true if you ask any Asian. Language is typically a dead giveaway but yes, there ARE physical differences and yes Asians CAN distinguish between other Asians just by their physical appearence. Westerners (most notably Americans) don't seem to understand this. Now, the Weinsteins can do the same thing with The Seven Samurai remake as what Hollywood did with Geisha, and it may very well be successful in the West and even win some critical acclaim, but don't expect the 1.5+ __BILLION__ Asians to buy into it and don't expect the same reaction or the same box office success/DVD sales in the East. If they want to "re-imagine" the film and turn it into something completely different (like the anime Samurai 7) then they can take a lot more liberties in what they do. But if it's a "remake" then the film needs to be in Japanese and it needs to be filmed in Japan (the New Zealand shots are painfully obvious) and should have an all Japanese cast. The original film met all this criteria and is considered by critics and filmmakers to be one of the best films of all time so there should be no argument against the all Japanese criteria... For some odd reason, I don't think the original would have had any success if it had a Chinese cast playing the main roles and the movie was in English... If the Weinsteins are worried that their remake is going to be unpopular or inferior to the original unless they have Chinese actors and unless it's in English, then WHY ARE THEY REMAKING THIS FILM?? They should go remake some othe film. Citizen Kane and Casablanca are ripe for consideration. Let's see Ziyi Zhang in the Ingrid Bergman role.
Mr Bates... by sillypig	Jun 12th, 2006 01:02:41 PM
If you read my post again which by the way is very short! I don't know where your confusion comes from regarding me supporting Weinstein. I'm saying it's all in your mind. Calm down man. I was once like you but since Hollywood persists with ignorance what else can I do but watch the films. Put it this way, take Zhang out, you somehow don't learn that the cast is 90% Chinese. You would sit down and watch it and not be affected thus it wouldn't drive you guys crazy. Hey I would like 100% authenticity too but we will never get that. If we block out some facts for a couple of hours a day the world seems a better place. Also people that can distinguish Koreans from Japanese from Chinese, hey well done! How kind of you guys to be that considerate. I don't know about you guys but over in the East there are common terms known as "gaijin" and "gwai-lo" literal translations for ghost-man, ghost-spirit and alike, due to the pale skin much like a ghost. Orientals care that much for the West that you guys look all the same so they termed those kind words. And back to the Weinsteins and Hollywoods, hey at least they are giving some Eastern exposure and it's a lot better than none. And lastly... How can you say that I am fake! I eat noodles for heavens sake!
Sillypig by gillbates	Jun 12th, 2006 11:07:16 PM
I'm not sure I completely understand what your trying to get across in both your posts so I apologize in advance if I'm missing your point. Let me start with your first post. You say that Korean actors are "the in thing" right now in Japan. That's very misleading. There are a very very tiny handful of Korean actors who have any popularity in Japan and their popularity is not widespread or long lasting and is a rather limited demographic. I would hardly categorize them as being "in." You next state "In the Orient the entertainment biz has always mish-mashed Japanese, Taiwanese, Korean and Chinese. Hong Kong/China use a lot of Japanese and Koreans and they don't play the roles of their nationality either" This again, is very misleading. There are certainly Asian actors who have "crossed over" into other countries but they are few in number and as I pointed out in my earlier post, it's usually actors who 1. are playing their own nationality or 2. they speak the "foreign" language like a native because 3. they have blood lines that go back to that country (eg: a Japanese born actor who has a mother or father who is Taiwanese) 4. they're playing a role in a movie that takes place in modern times (ie NOT a period piece which would be much more "sacred") or 5. they're just a "pop-idol" that have songs that have become popular or a particular TV show that has become popular. For example, in the movie "House of Flying Daggers, one of the male leads was played by a Japanese actor who is actually half Taiwanese and speaks fluent Mandarin. There's also a Korean singer "BoA" who speak some Japanese and has had some limited success as a pop-singer in Japan but not as an actor. And last, you state "We Orientals don't mind it." As I've mentioned above, not every single one of the 120 million Japanese (or whatever country) cares that much , and Japanese people in general are rather outwardly passive by nature and are not going to organize massive boycots and what not, but it would be a mistake to think that Japanese "wouldn't mind" if something like the Seven Samurai remake had a majority non-Japanese cast. They likely won't get "upset" in the ways Westerners might imagine in some overtly negative way but their, shall we say "lack of respect" for the decision to put non-Japanese people in the title roles will be reflected in the box office numbers. In your second post, immediately above you say "take Zhang out and somehow don't learn that the cast is 90% Chinese" and then imply that we wouldn't somehow notice. First of all, that would be impossible as one of the points of casting Chinese actors in this film is for "name recognition" for the sole purpose of some imagined boxoffice draw (for some reason they don't believe an all Japanese cast in a classic Japanese film rich in Japanese history/culture won't be a seller). But even if it were, most Asians (not just Japanese) would notice. It would be clear in the language, the subtle mannerisms, the physical features etc. And it's not just the Japanese who would "disapprove". My Chinese friends were just as disappointed/angry about the choices they made for Geisha. Next you say, "if we block out some facts for a couple hours a day the world seems a better place." I guess burying your head in the sand is your personal philosophy to dealing with problems but it would be a dangerous one if everyone adapted that attitude. How great would the world really be if we all just "let things slide" and simply ignored the things that were wrong? I won't dig any deeper into that one but my point should be clear. Next you said "Also people that can distinguish Koreans from Japanese from Chinese, hey well done! How kind of you guys to be that considerate." I'm not sure what you mean by that so I can't really comment. Next you talk about "Gaijin" and "Gwai Lo." I'm not an expert in Chinese so I can't really comment about the Gwai Lo part but "Gaijin" in Japanese literally translated means "Foreign Person". It has nothing to do with pale skin or ghost. But I'm not certain what point you were trying to make was so I'm moving on. Next you state that "at least they are giving some Eastern exposure and it's a lot better than none." So I suppose bad/fake/misleading/inaccurate /offensive exposure is better than none? Really? So I guess it's good to have Warner Oland (a white guy) speaking in a ludicrous accent in "slanty eye" makeup playing Charlie Chan in a movie where a gong goes off followed by the classic "this is a Chinese/HonkKongFooey movie" riff at every scene change. No thanks. I'd rather have NO expsoure in this case. The point though is that they can JUST AS EASILY cast an all Japanese cast but they believe that Chinese actors with "name value" will get more people to see the movie and make more money. The original did JUST FINE with an all Japanese cast, filmed in Japan and with subtitles for foreigners. And this isn't some hack movie that they're trying to re-make. It's the most classic of all Japanese films made by the most revered of Japanese directors about Samurai who have extreme cultural sginificance (even to this day). The Weinsteins are walking on sacred ground here and just saying "f_ck tradition, f_ck the classic film, f_ck the Japanese we'll piss on all of them and do whatever the hell we want because we don't really care about any of that sh_t." They should just re-imagine it and make another Magnificent Seven instead of trying to remake it, then nobody would care what they did or who they cast. After they're done with this film they can remake a Chan-wook Park film like "Lady Vengeance" and a Yimou Zhang film like "Ju Dou" with an all Japanese cast speaking english and shot in New Zealand.
Everyone concerned must DIE! by workshed	Jun 13th, 2006 07:32:40 AM
That's my 2 cents.
Look by sillypig	Jun 13th, 2006 11:41:03 PM
I bury my head in the sand because it's a film and I'm just trying to save you guys the anger. You too are burying your head in the sand by not enrolling in film school right now, become a film mogul and sort Hollywood out. How many times have I been asked "speak some Japanese" etc etc and vice a versa. Hollywood knows that most of the cash comes from people who don't give a damn. I personally don't like it so I just lay back and watch a film. And when I watch the Bastardized American remake I won't even associate the original with it. Just chill for a couple of hours and if it's crap it's crap! At least then I know. I'm a film buff so I'd rather be watching something that could be crap rather than do nothing. Off topic: I'm not going to go all dictionary on you but Gaijin is a nasty word as is Gwai-lo. English speakers call Chinese "chinks" and Japanese "Japs" and they are the counters. It's not common knowledge how bad those terms are because The Chinese and Japanese don't have the guts to tell you guys the real meaning. I have. And it's just that much in the East that it's become normal and it's impossible for people to stop using those words unless they ban the use of it.

Talkbacks

The Weinstein Company's Remake of THE SEVEN SAMURAI has a star and a screenwriter!

User login

Quick Talkback

Talkbacks