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And they won't, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I speak for many when I say that the 1939 "Wizard Of Oz" is in my bloodstream, and is part of my DNA. Nothing can ever surpass it.
Well, some upstart hack named Nicole Kassell, whom I never heard of, or could care about, and who directed three episodes of a 2019 miniseries called "Watchmen," which I never heard of, or could care about, is slated, with New Line Cinema, to do a remake of "The Wizard Of Oz." The sheer, unadulterated gaul!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But let me reassure some. First, those on here will never see it. I certainly won't, and it will never stand the test of time for 80 plus years, as the Garland film has. I can tell you, this film will not run for eight weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To further assuage you, it is not to be a replica of the MGM film. Kassell is proposing a "fresh take" on the story, and God knows what that means. But, for sure, it will not be a musical, which means there will be no desecration of "Over The Rainbow," or any other part of the Arlen-Harburg score.
So, what's the point? Who gives a damn???????????????
Let me tell you something. In Mel Torme's 1971 book, "The Other Side Of The Rainbow," recounting Judy Garland's ill-fated variety show, he recounted an incident where the star lashed back at her writers, for suggesting a funny sketch built around her song, "Over The Rainbow." According to the book, Garland herself said, "There will be no jokes of any kind about 'Over The Rainbow.' It's kind of sacred. I don't want anyone...anywhere...to lose the thing they have about Dorothy, or that song!"
The lady knew her audience.
Which is why this production and set will be cursed, as was "The Exorcist." Judy will haunt the productiion from the grave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The graves of the MGM cast must be spinning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7 comments:
Exactly!
What is thee point!
Name one remake that was as good as the original.
I cannot think of any!
Victoria,
I agree. I can't even name
a movie remake.
There are many; The Beguiled, Black Narcissus, Psycho, Ben-hur, The Music Man, Willy Wonka, Red Dawn, Fame, The Parent Trap,
Victoria,
You are right. I saw both "The Beguiled"
and "Black Narcissus." Awful. Oh, and
"Psycho," too.
All one need do is view a single episode of "Watchmen" to know where this is going: "Fruitvale Station" thinly disguised in "Oz" trappings. And it will be an inexplicable hit, just as the grotesquely re-imagined, obnoxiously on-the-nose and instantly-dating-itself "Watchmen" is a hit (so far removed from it ambiguous origins its unrecognizable to anyone who came of age with it).
Expect this new version to make Diana Ross'shaky movie of "The Wiz" look as good as the Garland version, and the Garland version look like "Citizen Kane" by comparison.
No thanks. If I want urban, I'll listen "The Wiz" broadway cast album. If I want perverse and creepy, I'll watch Fairuza Balk and Jean Marsh in "Return To Oz". If I want dark and feminist, I'll watch "Emerald City" (wherein at least one gets to ogle Oliver Jackson Cohen in a loincloth).
On an Oz-adjacent note, I fell on the floor in surprise the other night when I was idly flipping channels and came across an old 1978 "Love Boat" episode featuring Patty McCormack playing a wannabe-wife kissing up to potential in-laws Billy Barty and Patty Maloney (who were playing little-people parents to tall Edward Albert). Had never seen Patty playing an adult "babe" before: always kinda thought she disappeared after Rhoda Penmark (how could she ever top that, really...)
My Dear,
Patty had a short recurring role
on "The Sporanos."
Also, as to above, the Garland version
was, is, and always will be on the level
of "Citizen Kane!"
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