I love Asian cinema but it took my friend, Amanda, breaking out her collection of dvds to really get me into some of the films I’d never heard of.
Like Oldboy. It’s the second in Park Chan-wook’s “Vengence Trilogy†but it was the first one that Amanda suggested that I see. After watching it I understood why. It’s brutal with its plot and twists. It can be hard to watch, and not just because of the violence, but because of the gritty situation and the realistic way it’s presented. And how can I not mention the amazing fight scene with the hammer? Seriously. It’s brilliant.
But if you’ve seen Oldboy and love it you might find yourself a little nervous at this latest bit of news.
Talks of an American remake are back in the news….with Spike Lee as the director, according to Twitch.
Nothing against Spike Lee but as you can probably guess, I’m not a huge fan of remakes. Particularly American remakes of foreign films. I’m terrified of how “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo†will end up looking. I’m afraid to imagine how they’ll change Oldboy. After all, part of what makes the movie so wonderful is the harshness of it. The parts that make you feel squicky. I hate to say it but American horror cinema tends to rely more on just plain gore these days rather than a great storyline (not all films are like that but admit it, many of them are). And they like to remove or change those things that make us cringe in certain ways.
But without those things, Oldboy wouldn’t be Oldboy.
Thinking of an American remake makes me want to check out what might be a Bollywood version of Oldboy called “Zindaâ€. I’m skeptical but from what I’ve read it’s pretty much a remake as well.
In any case, I’m sorta hoping an American remake of Oldboy never sees the light of day. What’s your opinion on the matter?
