“Hey, little girl. Want to buy a lemur?”
One film that no one around here seems curious about sans me is December’s remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still. I’ve read some recent interviews with Keanu Reeves and he seems to think this movie is going to drastically change the world for the better. Not only do I like sci-fi films that are crazily ambitious, I dig them even when they fail miserably. Unlike most, I am glad to live in a world where a $75 million Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 gets the green light, complete with a star push on Oprah. And I want to see Keanu land on Earth in a UFO as an alien named Klaatu, even if he’s not wearing a suit accessorized with giant, rubber appendages. Even if it’s just Keanu in an American Apparel hoodie, I want to see that movie. Bring it on, like Dunst.
To a cast that also includes Oscar Winner Kathy Bates, Oscar Winner Jennifer Connelly, and Afro Winner Jaden Smith, we can now add A Fish Called Wanda’s John Cleese. The Monty Python legend will play a physicist named Dr. Barnhardt who is pivotal in communicating to the world why Klaatu’s arrival on Earth is important. If you’ve never seen the 1951 original film, Klaatu tells humankind that unless we stop the violence, the E.T. peace keepers of which he is a member will destroy the planet. Wow, thanks Klaatu, you sound like every Earth-bound warlord ever.
On IMDB, it says that in the film “Laptop Woman” will be played by actress Alison Down. Now I can sleep soundly. In related news, did any /Film readers purchase a MacBook Air yet? Heard they are kind of womp womp, but I still might pillage my bank account anyway.
January 25th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
This film is really coming together. Every time I’m on the edge of forgetting about it, some piece of cool news like this pops up. I have no idea or expectation of what the final film will look like. That’s oddly refreshing and freeing.
January 25th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I’m not sure how they are going to successfully transfer the original film’s old school cold war message to a contemporary audience. The only way to really strike a cord with today’s society would be if they seriously over-worked the Jesus/klaatu angle, which the original smartly never connected outright.
Like we saw with Superman returns, that may just bite them in the ass in the end and turn people off.
January 25th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
The more I read about this…I’m reminded of Palahniuks RANT…where they listen to car accident’s in other countries…that haven’t happened yet in your own time zone.
January 25th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
@ R&J
But it’s fun ain’t it?
January 25th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
yah… I’m with you Hunter…… I love a good disaster film.
Whether they meant it to be one or not.
heheheh… :]
January 25th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Excuse me, but you “read interviews where Keanu said this movie would drastically change the world for the better”? WHERE?! When? Could I ask? Because Keanu Reeves doesn’t give interviews when he isn’t promoting a movie and his last movie was 2006 The Lake House… it’s been a while without a single new photo or interview by the man himself… that’s really strange.
Aside that, I think the cast is shaping up VERY nicely and I am confident the movie will be one of the biggest surprises of 2008.
I think Scott Derrickson is a real talent , won’t screw with the subject matter and explore some subjects that the original movie only hinted.
January 25th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Geez Lizzy…
If John Cleese is in a film… It will be shit. He is like the Ted McGinley of film’s…. He is the rock that will drag it to the bottom of the ocean. Look at any film he’s been in since the python days. All shit. He is the shit barometer.
January 25th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
@ Lizzy
I can dig you up references, but not now. I’m off and enjoying some Coppola $6.99 syrah. I’m pretty sure Reeves mentioned the film in Rolling Stone, and on MTV. He’s definitely talked up his excitement for this movie a few times though, as I mentioned.
Like I said, I think this movie could go either way. I have no opinion of the director just yet.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Sorry Hunter! Reeves didn’t mention this movie one single time! I’m a fan and I know what I am saying. Reeves didn’t have an interview out for a long time now, his last words to MTV were about another movie, The Night Watchman, directed by David Ayer, wich is out in april. And that was just after The Lake House release, in 2006. Since he signed to TDTESS he didn’t say a note about it or about the character, Klaatu (much less saying it will change the world… it’s so not his style). Get the facts straight.
The fact that Gleese was in some shi tty movies in the last years doesn’t make him a bad actor by any means! What’s with it? Someone can act, has a kick ass career, gets old and suddenly is a bad actor? I don’t get this hate. And, BTW, even for the ones who doesn’t give credit to the man… how many scenes do Barnhardt has in the original movie? 2? I think that’s about it. It was a nice choice and I am glad.
Plus, I read some interviews with Scott Derrickson and he is a very intelligent guy with very powerful ideas, I believe he can make a good movie. Although the original movie is a classic among some people, it isn’t by any means a flawless movie, well on the contrary. The subject matter is really important right now and with a good script they can, yes, update and improve the ideas and concept, not only visual effects. The cast is shaping up really well, they have real talent behind the cameras, and I really don’t get the hate even before REAL words from the cast and crew, and info about the movie is out there. Remakes aren’t always bad things, they can improve things when good talent is envolved and this one has great potential that some are trying to overlook because of pre concepted visions.
That my opinion, anyway.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
@ Lizzy
[thumb war]
January 25th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
To Serve Man…It’s a cookbook!!! Sorry, Twilight Zone episode flashback.
January 25th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
What are the odds, you think, they won’t action it up? The original was great in part because of it’s slow, plodding, but ominous tone. Not that there aren’t cool things that you can do with a remake, especially improving upon the design of Gort, and doing more than stopping the film when the Earth “stands still”, as long as Keanu and Gort don’t fight thier way through a hundred soldiers with their message of peace.
January 26th, 2008 at 12:26 am
>>Don’t mention the war. I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it all right.
January 26th, 2008 at 7:21 am
Lizzy… concerning the supposed interview(s), this guy made it up, to fit his blogging needs. Now, move along and let the children play at movie commentary as they please.
January 26th, 2008 at 9:39 am
the one thing i hope they don’t change is the score.
hopefully reeves doesn’t screw it up this movie.
March 19th, 2008 at 2:27 am
Filmed at my school ,simon fraser university also know as “Fort Linwood Military Academy” in the movie