I finally watched “A Star Is Born” the other day. I enjoyed it.
Oh, you think I’m talking about that Lady Gaga thing? No. I watched the Janet Gaynor version from 1937.
I haven’t made plans to watch the 1954 version yet. Or the 1976 version. or 2009’s Crazy Heart, which is a rip-off, isn’t it?
If I do watch the new version, it’ll be a while. I have to watch the other ones first. But I do kinda like the trailer for it.
Oh, in the Janet Gaynor version? There’s a scene early on where Esther (Janet Gaynor) go to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. She stops at Harold Lloyd’s prints. You can see the end of the signature in the square next to Lloyd’s. That signature? Janet Gaynor’s.*
Enough of my watching movies. What’s on your mind? Got something you’d like to share? It’s Wednesday Night Open Thread.
Who wants to start?
I think this’ll be an interesting experiment, Basil.
Every time I’ve seen a remake of a movie that I’ve seen (let’s put aside Brian DePalma ripoffs of Hitchcock films), I’ve found it educational to see how a later generation interprets a story. What scenes are glossed over or deleted? Which ones are expanded? What new ideas, themes, or scenes are inserted or just more emphasized?
The positive, motivational Bill Murray remake of The Razor’s Edge was so superior to the original moody black-and-white whining waaah film that I wondered if they were even based on the same book.
But the vast majority of remakes work the opposite way: The original film so outshines the remake featuring a gay, hippie, or SJW subplot that I wonder why they bothered to redo the film.
I assume you will find subtle differences among the three or four versions you watch. I hope you’ll report on them like you did with Dr. Who. I haven’t seen any of them.
I’ve not seen “The Razor’s Edge.” Of the film’s I have seen, off the top of my head, the only remake that exceeds the original is John Carpenter’s “The Thing.” I may think of more later.
Having a hard time thinking of others … it appears I steer clear of remakes.
The Philadelphia Story was remade as something I steered well clear of.
Odd case: Original (Audrey Hepburn) Sabrina = Remade (Harrison Ford) version.
I’ve yet to see the remake of Sabrina.
But I did think of a good remake. Not saying it’s superior to the original, but is great on it’s own: The Magnificent Seven.
Yep. Both outstanding. Now that’s how you do a remake!
When you say “remake” are you referring to the fact the 1960 version of The Magnificent Seven is a remake of The Seven Samurai or are your referring to the 2016 version of the Magnificent Seven?
Oh, I was referring to the 1960 version. I’ve not seen that other thing.
Me too. I was unaware there was a 2016 version.
I’m waiting for the “Sanford and Son” origin story “Esther Is Born.”
Or the tennis docudrama “A Star Is Bjorn.”
Tonight’s history lesson………..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx_GuNizRNk
This is far from a universally recognizable song — so I’m not hoping for a Song Parody placement out of it.
But it did pop into an unoccupied portion of my head as I moseyed along:
♪
A long time ago
In 2019
There were more socialist candidates
Than you’ve ever seen!
They’d run around yelling “Free!”
And “The Earth is being warmed!”
And “We’ll pay for it all
Via unicorns.”
You’ll see Green agitators
And long-neglected geeks
Some antifa cabals
Backed by the Chinese,
Some tats, weird hats, irrelevence,
And sure as you’re born
They’re never going to lose their uniform.
Old NOAA was there
To answer the call
It ramped up the animus
Just as the temps started falling
It blacklisted enemies
Two by two
And when called out
They swore it was all true:
“Hey Gore!”
I got your Green agitators,
Long-neglected geeks
Never-Trumpy-backed cabals
Speaking pimpanese
Democrats & dilettantes,
But sure as you’re born,
You’re never going to milk no unicorn.
♪
I’ve already scheduled something for Saturday night, but if I can find a video of the song, I’ll bump the one I’ve scheduled in favor of the inspiration for this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4bc9UwZsYs
Hey, Walrus:
From that “White Privilege Album”:
“Happiness Is A Warned Gen”
__
♩♫♪
She’s not a girl
Hobbes misses much!!
Doo-doo-doo-die-doo-doo-doo . . .
Oh yeah
Unacquainted with “Invisible Hand”
Like a loser out of Thomas Paine.
Demands
In a cloud
With her multiculture minions, of her
Calvin / Hobbes-nailed beauts . . .
Lying
No surprise,
For the hands
Who’re
Working overtime
Aesop impressions of
Ant-and-grasshopper relations
Who’re
Promoted to the national trust
Mother Pelosi jumped the gun
Mother Pelosi jumped the gun
Mother Pelosi jumped the gun
Mother Pelosi jumped the gun
Half of This Is Armageddon
Half of This Is Armageddon
(Well don’t you know that)
Half of This Is Armageddon, yeah
♩♫♪
In honor of Nancy Pelosi having to deal with the crazy new Dem congresscritters.
Sung to the tune of “Careful with that axe Eugene.’ by Pink Floyd
(5 minutes of music)♩♫♪
Careful those wacks Nancy
(5 more minutes of music)♩♫♪