DOES SPIKE LEE WANT TO SIN TOO MUCH, AND DIRECT OLDBOY?

Huh. This could actually get interesting. Assuming, that is. that the Lee wants to push things and the studio is going to let him. certainly much more interesting than Spielberg doing it.

At this point, I've just kinda had it with Hollywood trying to remake this movie and think, "Just get it over with."
 

Spike Lee IS a great choice for someone to take it and get it over with.  Waaaay more interesting than Justin Lin (...) or even Spielberg.  I would rather Will Smith not come with the package deal.

Spielberg's been sitting on the rights to Ghost In The Shell for the last decade. If he's got to get his "I need to direct an Asian film" jollies, that property awaits him.

Oldboy: A Spike Lee Joint is interesting to say the least, though.

Actually would've preferred to see Spielberg doing it. I get why people think Lee's a more interesting choice, I simply disagree. But hey, anything that keeps Smith away from the lead role...

Is Lee adapting the manga or the film? It was my understanding that Spielberg was going to adapt the manga and NOT the film which has some huge changes to the story (mainly the reason why people didn't think Spielberg was up to the task).

If Lee ends up signing on, I might be legitimately excited about a remake of a film I am quite fond of. Bring it on.

I want to see Spike Lee make anything. He's been MIA for too long.

What people forget about Spike (and what, I hope, they remember from Inside Man) is that he's a very visceral, intense filmmaker and has skills perfectly suited to the genre work he apparently never pursued. I think he's a natural for something so confrontational and potentially exciting as this.

Spot on, Gabe T. Considering how visual and kinetic Lee's dramas are, it would be great to see him delve into his bag of tricks for a genre piece. I mentioned in a past thread how I'd love to have seen Spike given the new Spidey flick, and the idea of him taking on Oldboy is equally mouth-watering. Double-dolly shot on the ready!

I just can't imagine this movie without korean actors, curious who will be cast after his last big success starred Edward Norton.

I can kinda imagine it with any cast of actors, no? I mean, the story feels so archetypal that it can translate to many different languages and scenarios. That's why I was NOT excited by the prospect of a version by Spielberg or Justin Lin, but Lee excites me - he's got a genuine cultural sensibility that will probably allow for a very different interpretation of this story.

I do recall Lin telling me he wasn't doing Oldboy anymore and saying Scorsese would take the reigns - that was years ago, and that would have been pretty cool.

Denzel would work in this.

Denzel is too old to play fifteen years younger.

My dream combo for this was Werner Herzog and Nic Cage, but that already happened, I guess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe T 

Denzel is too old to play fifteen years younger.

He really isn't. He looks pretty damn good for his age.

Actually, the original actor didn't look young enough either. But that didn't hurt the flick for me.

I don't wan't Denzel in this at all. It's just too obvious.

Also it's funny that the only black director brave enough to make films about race issues is labelled "culturally sensitive" and seemingly can't develop a movie without being expected to incorporate some of these preoccupations into the story.

Since it's Spike, it's easy to begin to see black actors in the role but I hope he goes the 25th Hour route & just gets the best actor for the job. That said, I love to see Spike tap the "dramatic" Robert Downey Jr whom we haven't seen much of in a decade (with a touch of CGI de-aging, maybe).

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMulder 

I don't wan't Denzel in this at all. It's just too obvious.

Also it's funny that the only black director brave enough to make films about race issues is labelled "culturally sensitive" and seemingly can't develop a movie without being expected to incorporate some of these preoccupations into the story.

I didn't meant to imply that the "black director" is more culturally sensitive, but rather that there's something very American and very contemporary about Lee's filmmaking (which is part of the reason why Miracle At St. Anna doesn't work). I don't think Spielberg or Lin have those kinds of roots.

Seconded on Spielberg doing Ghost In The Shell. A.I. and Minority Report showed a Spielberg I would love to see return to the big screen.

As for Spike its a daring choice I sort of like it. I get heavy Let Me In vibes. While that turned out ok it wasn't as good as the original. I think that will apply here.

So Spike earns a paycheck and makes an ok movie I wish he'd make something original and great shoot me.

Ok I have been thinking about this for awhile..

I dont hate remakes. Just pointless remakes, i.e. shot for shot.

I fucking LOVE oldboy. I dont consider it sacred. I am open to different interpretations.

Infernal affairs is a slick, michael mann type cop film. The Departed is a bloody, scuzzy criminal epic. Same plot, different take. The result? Two great films.

So getting to my point- I would love to see a blacksploitation Oldboy remake. A working class black protagonist imprisoned by a snooty white 'The Man' type.

Having Spike Lee direct this it would feel like a rebuttal to Tarantino's upcoming 'black man vs. honky' film Django Unchained.

I would love to see someone like Ghost Dog star. Thoughts?