Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: "Pelham One Two Three" remake: Let's predict if they're going to ruin it!

This is topic "Pelham One Two Three" remake: Let's predict if they're going to ruin it! in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=005558

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-19-2008, 02:59 PM:

As many of you probably know, director Tony Scott ("Top Gun") is doing a remake of one of my all-time favorite movies, the 1974 thriller "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three." The story is about four men hijacking a New York subway train and demanding one million dollars ransom in one hour, otherwise they will kill one hostage for every minute the money is late.

The 1974 movie stars Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw and Jerry Stiller, among others. Matthau is a transit policeman who has to negotiate with the crooks; Robert Shaw is the leader of the gang.

The new one (coming out next year) has John Travolta playing the Robert Shaw role, with Denzel Washington in Walter Matthau's spot.

The remake has a lot going for it, but a red flag here and there is cropping up. Tony Scott directing means it will have plenty of action (although the original was thrilling without the need for much action). It'll be great to see Travolta playing a bad guy again. I'm not sure I can imagine Denzel Washington as a NYC transit cop, but who knows?

What will they screw up? Or will it be that elusive beast, the great remake? Let's make predictions and see how many come true.

Note: If you want to watch the original movie on your computer, it is available for streaming on hulu.com. Click here to watch it

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 08-19-2008, 03:22 PM:

Wasn't this already remade as The Money Train?

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-19-2008, 03:30 PM:

There was a 1998 TV movie remake.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 08-19-2008, 04:15 PM:

There's little doubt the remake will draw crowds over the star power of Denzel Washington and John Travolta. My guess is it won't be a huge hit, but maybe moderately successful -perhaps even enough to torture us with a sequel or two.

I also think there's a very good chance critics will pan it. Tony Scott has really become overbearing in his directorial style in recent years. Any good performances in the movie will risk being smothered in an avalanche of movie trailer bang/whoosh style. Ridley Scott also loves the style over substance school of directing, but at least knows how to pull it back a few notches.

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 08-19-2008, 04:50 PM:

I am not optimistic. Like Mike, this too is one of my favorite films.
Another decent Walter Matthau film is Hopscotch, which came out in 1980.
And Charley Varrick.
Why won't these yahoos remake Vanishing Point? That film has so much ambiguity maybe Scott or his brother can clear it all up for us...(and I know Walter Matthau is NOT in that one.)

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-19-2008, 05:16 PM:

quote: Bill Gabel
There was a 1998 TV movie remake.

...which sucked.

Release date for the new remake is 7/31.

I just hope they don't foul up the ending. I can envision replacing the classic "Gesundheit!" with a huge explosion that kills the hijackers, or something.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 08-19-2008, 06:11 PM:

I think they already ruined it with John Travolta as the bad guy. He was pretty laughable in the Punisher.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 08-19-2008, 08:35 PM:

What was he in Battlefield Earth?
[Razz]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-19-2008, 09:55 PM:

He was a pretty good bad guy in "Broken Arrow." ('96)

But there's no WAY he's going to match the evil-ness of Robert Shaw.

When he says "Open the door or I'll blow your head off" in this movie...you believe him.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 08-24-2008, 11:12 PM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
If you want to watch the original movie on your computer, it is available for streaming

Thanks for that link, Mike. EXCELLENT show! I'd missed this picture the first time around as it never played my theatre.

Posted by Hillary Charles (Member # 769) on 08-25-2008, 04:53 AM:

quote: James Westbrook
Why won't these yahoos remake Vanishing Point? That film has so much ambiguity maybe Scott or his brother can clear it all up for us...(and I know Walter Matthau is NOT in that one.)

There was a TV-movie remake of "Vanishing Point" with Viggo Mortensen as Kowalski! If you want the ambiguity cleared up, that should do it for ya, especially the ending. [puke]

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 08-25-2008, 02:49 PM:

I'll see if I can find that one and check it out...
I think I've seen Vanishing Point 10 times now...

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-20-2009, 09:35 PM:

Well another hopeful sign that this won't suck:

It has been rated R for violence and pervasive language. So they're not watering it down to a PG-13 ... cool!

Although that is probably also an indicator it's not going to be a huge hit.

Anyone seen a trailer yet?

Posted by Joe Tommassello (Member # 4632) on 01-22-2009, 03:18 PM:

Edited: Sorry...previous post answered my question.

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 01-22-2009, 10:36 PM:

SPE says:

quote:

Release Date June 12, 2009
Run Time 95 mins
Rating TBD
Film Format Scope
Sound DTS/ SR/ SRD/ SDDS/ SDDS-6/ SDDS-8
Studio Columbia Pictures

SDDS-8?! (?!?!)

(And indeed, cara.org says R)

--jhawk

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-23-2009, 08:56 AM:

Sony/Columbia has still had 1 or 2 8-channel films a summer and sometimes one or two in the winter. Oddly enough, SDDS-8 outlived, out issued Dolby's Surround-EX.

Steve

Posted by Todd Shelskt (Member # 4684) on 01-26-2009, 09:53 PM:

Sorry to disappoint everyone, but Miley Cyrus is doing the music for the new "Pelham." Two of her songs are "Why my train derailed" and "The sneezing bad guy." Shia LeBeouf is the voice of a Rottweiler. The Pelham train is plastered with "Cream of Wheat" advertisements. Jeff Goldblum is a fly on the wall crying "Please help me!" to the ghost of Water Matthau.

Directed by Michael Bay.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 01-26-2009, 10:44 PM:

???
[Confused]

Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 02-13-2009, 06:03 AM:

The trailer for 'The taking of Pelham 123' is online and heres your link trailer time

I don't think it looks that bad, should be a decent summer thriller in the middle of big budget action fair.

Posted by Tyler Potts (Member # 4952) on 02-13-2009, 07:21 AM:

[ 03-10-2009, 10:50 AM: Message edited by: Tyler Potts ]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-13-2009, 09:48 AM:

quote: Kurt Zupin
I don't think it looks that bad

Are you kidding? The original was unique and tense without the need for stupid huge blowing-things-up sequences. This is going to be a pedestrian action movie with apparent loads of stupidity thrown in ("bring home a gallon of milk"??). [sigh] Plus the trailer reveals one of the major twists/surprises in the story (the accident). [sigh again]

My fears are confirmed, but thanks for the link.

Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 02-13-2009, 11:34 PM:

Like I said, I don't think it looks THAT BAD...it will most likley not be great. If you can't at least go in with an open mind and give a movie a chance then I'm not really sure what to tell you.

And you welcome Mike [Razz]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-14-2009, 01:48 PM:

I'll definitely want to watch it....although on another viewing of the trailer I realized they've done away with the "gang of four" concept and Travolta is the lone bad guy. (Travolta and Denzel probably cost so much they couldn't afford to hire three other guys!)

Looking at it as though it was not a remake, it looks like a pretty compelling movie. I still wish the trailer had less giveaways of what's going to happen ... but then I always wish that.

Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 02-28-2009, 08:39 AM:

I love the original - it has one of the smartest endings to a movie, ever!

It will be a hard act to follow.

At least they're not trying to re-make the John Boorman movie 'Point Blank'. That's one of my favourite movies and I think a remake would be...well, good luck is all I can say!

What other movies would be a remake disaster just waiting to happen? I'm going to nominate:

Klute
Nashville
Annie Hall

Posted by Ray Faultless (Member # 903) on 02-28-2009, 11:02 AM:

Mike Point Blank was remade as Payback in 1999.

Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 02-28-2009, 02:29 PM:

Thanks!

I would never have known that the two films were related, apart from the basic revenge plotline. It just goes to show that Point Blank is simply not remakable (if that's a word).