That's what I think of this idea. NO! Harry here, AICN's buddy Smilin' Jack Ruby put us on the story he broke at 13thStreet.Com regarding David Seltzer's revealed obscenity/stupidity. The man wants to make remake of STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, perhaps one of the most perfect movies ever constructed on the planet earth. Oh yes, remaking STRANGERS ON A TRAIN is one of those sooooooper ideas... UGH!
It is absolutely metaphysically impossible to improve upon Alfred Hitchcock's original film. "Criss cross, your murder for my murder." The movie has already been spoofed by the comedy, THROW MAMA FROM THE TRAIN, so that angle has already been taken care of. As for a serious remake why? Can it be better told? Does the movie need to have 40 minutes of unnecessary ejaculatory padding? Does it need big A-List stars? Does it cry out to be 'better' in color? NO! NO! NO!
What doesn't make a lick of sense is that if you loved the movie STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, you should never ever want to remake it, you should become intimately familiar with the inspirations for the movie... In this case, loving the movie would lead you to Strangers on a Train novel by Patricia Highsmith. Upon discovering that novel, you would instantly remember that Patricia Highsmith is also the genius behind the MR RIPLEY novels. Now realizing that Patricia has turned out STRANGERS ON A TRAIN and those RIPLEY novel, it might be reasonable to buy A Suspension of Mercy or The Blunderer or Those Who Walk Away or The Tremor of Forgery or Tales of Natural and Unnatural Catastrophes! These are all highly regarded novels that are loved by readers of Highsmith's other works. Some, more highly regarded than even STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. You have the freedom as the filmmaker to not have the comparison to that perfect film, but the chance to make your own perfect film that is not the pale reflection of a greater film.
How someone could waste the energy, the thought and the hours at the keyboard to even conceive and execute the script for a remake to this classic is beyond me. What on earth was David Seltzer thinking? Was he thinking, "Gosh, I love STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. I'll remake it!" That's the same sort of stupidity that led Scottie Ferguson to try and remake Madeleine Elster into Judy Barton... or even worse when Michael Courtland set out to transform Sandra Portinari into the spitting image of his dealy departed Elizabeth Courtland. If you pay attention to the movies, the answers to your ponderances are there. Don't be a tragic character in a suspense noir film. Remaking things you love isn't a really great idea. This isn't like taking the theme of the story and taking it to a different culture.... It isn't like the adaptation of Highsmith's original novel left out important details. Hitchcock nailed it. Recreating that is stupid. A waste of time. Ignorant. Sigh... For all of those out there that haven't seen the original click on Strangers on a Train DVD. This is an excellent DVD with not only the original theatrical cut, but also the original British cut of the film which is a revelation. The British censors were more forgiving at the time and WOW... Like watching the film for the first time all over again. FANTASTIC! Below you'll find what set me off...
Hey,
Thought you might find this interesting.
I interviewed screenwriter/director David Seltzer about "Dragonfly" and he announced that he just finished up work on a screenplay for a big budget, big double-star remake of Alfred Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train" for Warner Brothers that they're now looking to attach a "big" director to (Seltzer, who has directed films like "Lucas," "Punchline" and "Shining Through" admitted that he wanted to direct it himself, but that the studio hadn't asked. He's hoping for a "Sam Mendes or Steven Soderbergh").
13thStreet.Com's original story!
Lata!
-S.J.R.
