Pale remade copies
The intention might have been to flatter, but the imitation of a true classic film doesn’t meet the grade. I’m referring to the remake of True Grit.
Given that the title was up for possible honours at the big statue show last weekend, I’d taken the time to watch, from start to finish. I had the story line clear in my head when Netflix offered up the original this evening. Compare and contrast is easy, when the difference in quality is so clear.
I’d seen John Wayne’s version before, but I’d never taken the time to watch with a critical eye. In fact, if you’d ask me to tell the story, I’d have been hard done by. Something along the line of “a cowboy with an eyepatch, etc.” Tonight, I can only offer praise. The version from 1969 is simply larger. In every way, from the rich orchestral soundtrack, through the bits and pieces of furniture, all the way to the snake pit. Hollywood loves to do remakes, but they don’t always get things better, the second time around.
Maybe I’ll spend some time (and money) over the next few years and seek out original vs remake film sets. There’s been lots, and IMDB can put me on course. Maybe I’ll figure out an “advanced search term” to make things easy.
And in light of that, I also tried to watch Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas. Lasted only a few minutes. Hunter S Thompson writes a mean story. The movie crowd simply get lost in the detail. In this case, the book wins.
