comment #1

lipranzer says ...

So after doing one bad remake (MAN ON FIRE), Washington and Scott are going to do another bad remake, this time of a classic? Ugh.

comment #2

actionman says ...

Man on Fire is incredible, one of the best films of Tony Scott's career. Incredibly stylish, well plotted, awesome action sequences, and terrific performances. Hard-core stuff.

I love the original Taking of Pelham and I am extremely excited about Tony and Denzel and Travolta doing this remake. Travolta is always at his best when playing a bad guy and Denzel can do no wrong in my book.

The only thing that scares me is that Koepp is writing the script; not that he's terrible (far from it)...just some times...he's a little...I don't know...lazy. But overall I like Koepp and expect a slick, tight action film.

comment #3

silver says ...

For folks in the LA area:
it's an odd coincidence but a couple days ago, checking the local Los Angeles listings, I remember noting that The Taking of Pelham is playing next week at the American Cinematheque's Aero (and as half of a double bill, IIRC).

comment #4

D.Z. says ...

I like him better without the goatee, even though it worked in Malcolm X. Though it's probably the shaved head. He looks too much like Keenan with the 'do(or lack thereof), and I can't take him as seriously because of it.

comment #5

Rosebudsthesled says ...

TAKING OF PELHAM 123 is the best movie Joe Sargent ever made. I hate to think of it being remade. It's so perfect.
LOVE the look on Walter Matthau's face in the last shot. One of my favorite movie moments of all time.

comment #6

D.Z. says ...

Rosebud: "TAKING OF PELHAM 123 is the best movie Joe Sargent ever made. I hate to think of it being remade."

Then you missed the boat; they released one already it was called Reservoir Dogs.

comment #7

deadre says ...

Don't care for the denzel look, hate the travolta look but if it's true that helgeland did a polish, this might work.

comment #8

actionman says ...

Helgeland has been "polishing" Tony Scott scripts for a while now

comment #9

Joe Leydon says ...

In the original novel The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, the character played by Walter Matthau in the first movie was.... African-American.

comment #10

MPNeeb says ...

Well, at least this will almost guarantee we'll get a good DVD of the original...

comment #11

frankbooth says ...

I thought Reservoir Dogs was a remake of City on Fire. Make up your mind.

Actionman: There is good in you. I can sense it. Fight the dark side! Fight it with all your might!

comment #12

BurmaShave says ...

lipranzer, I'm no Tony Scott apologist, but MAN ON FIRE is by no means terrible. I wonder how close Denzel will hue towards his INSIDE MAN characterization. That was already almost a remake, and this will almost be a sequel.

comment #13

actionman says ...

frankbooth: I am a HUGE fan of Tony Scott and his filmmaking aesthetic. I worked for the guy, saw him in his element, it's a fucking sight to see. I think he's the cat's pj's. So...if Tony Scott is the dark side...I am Darth Vader.

comment #14

D.Z. says ...

frank: It's a remake of both films.

comment #15

rr3333 says ...

Lets not forget the tv movie version with Eddie Jim Olmos ...

Loved the original. Hope in the new version they keep the humor in the 'Matthau' character.

comment #16

BurmaShave says ...

D.Z., you know know the difference between a pastiche, an homage, and a remake?

comment #17

Rosebudsthesled says ...

D.Z., I was going to add to my post how I love the way Tarantino pays homage to PELHAM 123. But aside from that how do the two have anything in common?

comment #18

christian says ...

Well, they both have actors. Duh. QT totally ripped that off.

comment #19

D.Z. says ...

Burma: "D.Z., you know know the difference between a pastiche, an homage, and a remake?"

That's something you should ask QT.

comment #20

K. Bowen says ...

Tony Scott is the auteur. His brother is the hack. A high-class hack, yes. Tony has motifs and themes that run throughout at least his recent work.

Man on Fire is a really, really outstanding film. I love the discotheque scene, when Denzel clears out the crowd, the place explodes, and the partiers on the street cheer with each blast. The sense of institutional order present in the early parts of the film is being eroded and replaced by the carnal impulses that underpin it.

That said, I'm not really enthusiastic about this project. But maybe it will turn out well.

comment #21

Cadavra says ...

Denzel Is The New Matthau!

comment #22

moorish says ...

I was half dreading this movie until I read that John-freakin'-Travolta is playing the Robert Shaw role. REALLY? Jesus, this will suck. Travolta hasn't been in a good movie in forever. And as for his ridiculous hair-weave, don't get me started. I'm sure Denzel will be great, he usually is even in utter dreck, but I really don't think Pelham needs a remake.

comment #23

moorish says ...

I was half dreading this movie until I read that John-freakin'-Travolta is playing the Robert Shaw role. REALLY? Jesus, this will suck. Travolta hasn't been in a good movie in forever. And as for his ridiculous hair-weave, don't get me started. I'm sure Denzel will be great, he usually is even in utter dreck, but I really don't think Pelham needs a remake.

comment #24

bmcintire says ...

Don't expect too much in the way of a new DVD release of the original. Maybe a newer, better transfer, but given the broken affiliation between the studios (this was to have been an MGM/Sony project before the split) Fox will probably be less likely to spend too much money on a tie-in product (though I wouldn't be surprised to see a DVD release of the 1998 made-for-TV version).

comment #25

GKLondon says ...

The theme music is unstoppable! If they don't use this theme, I'm walking out. And Wells, it's much appreciated that you link the title sequence to the original in each posting, keep it up.

It's up there with the Bourne scores for making one feel like a 'badass' while walking the streets going about one's business. Buying my morning coffee never feels more sinister...

comment #26

BurmaShave says ...

DZ, a simple "no I do not" would have sufficed.

comment #27

Spacesheik says ...

Travolta sucks at villains (SWORDFISH, FACE OFF) -he never plays 'em straight, always on campy Lorenzo Semple mode, lots of winking and snarling and laughs.

To go from a serious, menacing, intelligent and articulate turn from Robert Shaw to John Travolta, its extremely depressing.

And besides, the new movie won't have the grit or great music of the original, it will probably be a MONEY TRAIN clone shot in a typical erratically-edited-Tony Scott-goldenfilter-headache-inducing-mode.

comment #28

houmas says ...

Agree with spacesheik about Travolta and villains. There's nothing remotely real or threatening about him when he plays a bad guy (he also was a fairly lame and overcooked bad guy in The Punisher). He just hams it up shamelessly, and always looks like well paid, well fed actor trying to be "scary". Denzel would be well cast in either the protagonist or antagonist role, but since he actually knows how to play a bad guy (or anti-hero) and be believably meanacing and lethal, I think it'd be a better move to have him in the Shaw role. They haven't started shooting, so maybe it isn't too late for them to trade up....

comment #29

houmas says ...

Gotta echo the respect for Man On Fire as well. Brilliant filmmaking, and I'm speaking as someone whose never been a huge fan of Tony Scott (Crimson Tide and True Romance are about the only other films of his that I really rate). But everyone's in top form in Man On Fire, and for once, I think Tony's stylistic touches and camera work actually add depth to the film and main character. It's really the film The Punisher should have been.

comment #30

Meegosh says ...

I thought Travolta did an ok job in Broken Arrow. The movie sucked, but not because of him. Face/Off he took a step down but still wasn't horrible. Pretty much everything after that has been outright horrible. I would much rather like to see Denzel in the villain role, but I guess he doesn't want to do it every time even though he might be the best at it of any of the really well paid actors.

comment #31

Josh says ...

The original Pelham 1 2 3 had the worst over acting New Yorkers I've ever seen on film. It had to be a joke after a while on set. The accents and everything. Wow.

comment #32

D.Z. says ...

Burma: "DZ, a simple "no I do not" would have sufficed."

But I do know the difference. An homage=Lost Skeleton of Cadavra. A pastiche=Raiders of the Lost Ark. A remake=every film QT's ever made.

comment #33

Cadavra says ...

Josh, apart from Shaw, virtually everyone in the cast was a New Yorker. Those accents were real. Do you actually think Jerry Stiller, Doris Roberts, Dick O'Neill, et al sound different in other movies and TV shows than they do in PELHAM?