Why? Why? Why is this happening? Why can't we let things rest? Why does Opie feel the need to remake East of Eden? East of Eden of all movies... This is just wrong. Kazan's picture is amazing and there is not one person on this earth that could approach James Dean in this picture. Why can't they just re-release it? Wouldn't that make more sense?
To be honest, this really comes as a shock to me. I've watched the original Kazan masterpiece four times in the last two weeks. I love every frame in that movie. I imagine a lot of people do. I was doing some research on the IMDB just a few minutes ago and I stumbled across this, much to my fury.
James Dean was a revelation in that picture. He was an icon in that picture. I've not been able to get the image of him wrapping his sweater around himself on top of the train back to Salinas out of my head. The imagery in the movie still has such a resonance. I can't possibly imagine why anyone would feel the need to re-do it. I mean, I don't know as I've never read it, but maybe the movie wasn't faithful to the book. My point is this: who cares. There's the movie and the book. If you prefer the book, read the book. It sickens me how no one in Hollywood these days can come up with an original idea, they just want to repackage old ones. Why doesn't he remake Grand Theft Auto, or some other movie no one cares about anymore. But no one should remake a movie as good or as important as Elia Kazan's East of Eden.
Go watch the original and spit on the idea of a remake. Especially when Ron Howard is the one behind it.
Jesus Christ.
UPDATE: Why aren't there more revivals in the theatre? Why do they have to be special screenings or at midnight? If all of these goddamn megaplexes insist on shutting all the small theatres out, why don't they all devote one screen to a different classic movie each week? I think it would get people back into the theatres more often. Wouldn't it be great? Yes it would be. That's the answer to that.
3 comments:
I agree.
I think back to when I was in high school, and they re-released Gone with the Wind. I saw it at the Crossroads Mall in SLC and was moved in ways I haven't on DVD.
Also in high school, the "re-released" Star Wars, but I was moved in other ways...
-Bob
Don't get me started on how much Star Wars moves me to openly weep in the theatre. But you're right about gone with the wind.
I think the best experience I've had in a theatre was seeing a 70mm print of Bridge on the River Kwai in a movie palace built in the 40's. It was awe-inspiring.
I would kill to see Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen.
I got to see Mr. Smith goes to Washington and the first Superman on the bigscreen too and the experience was WAY more magical than the video experience. (To be honest, Mr. Smith goes to Washington is pretty flat on DVD)
I meant bridge on the river kwai was the best experience outside of Star Wars... just to clarify to those of you who know me well enough to realize the mistake I made...
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