Casablanca to get Indian remake

Classic Hollywood romance Casablanca is to be remade - in an Indian setting. The new version, entitled Ezham Mudra, will relocate the Humphrey Bogart film to contemporary south India.

Actor Suresh Gopi will play a restaurant owner who helps his lover, a Tamil separatist rebel fighting the Sri Lankan government, escape from India.

Director Rajeev Nath told Reuters that his film would be "a tribute" to the original and that he hoped to hold the premiere in Casablanca itself. "As a student of films, I had watched this great classic 20 times," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6936642.stm

It was only a matter of time before someone took a big ol' shit on this movie icon.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe It was only a matter of time before someone took a big ol' shit on this movie icon. Phil

Phil,

You have got to see the MST3K version of this.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089759/

It's not that the original is any good, in my opinion, but it is a juggernaught in American cinema so it's really impossible to remake. Think Psycho '98 times 10.

I love Casablanca. I think it's every bit as good as it's hype, which is enormous. I'm not saying it's the greatest movie of all time, but it's definitely an excellent film and one of the giants of American classics, as T.J. pointed out. The fact is there are movies that should just be left alone. Casablanca is one of them. It's a great film, why can't they just leave it?


Matt.

Ah well. Now the Americans will know how the Japanese feel when their great movies get remade in another language. Robert McKee is gonna freak out. Lol.

Quoted from Takeshi Ah well. Now the Americans will know how the Japanese feel when their great movies get remade in another language. Robert McKee is gonna freak out. Lol.

Another language isn't the issue.  This movie shouldn't be remade at all.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe Another language isn't the issue.  This movie shouldn't be remade at all.

Which is probably what the Japanese (amongst others) feel about some of their movies.

I normally welcome remakes of movies I feel could be improved, and I can list a good half dozen remakes that surpassed the original, but in this case it's just impossible because the characters are so intrinsically bound to the actors.

Another concern for me is the dialogue. It was already kinda hokey in the 40s so how's it gonna read today? And without the corny one-liners how do we know Casablanca?

No, leave it alone and remake Logan's Run already.

Maybe it won't be hokey, Death Monkey. In these permissive times they might actually show some full frontal nudity. Hell, they might even show Rick going down on IIsa. :o

Quoted from Takeshi Maybe it won't be hokey, Death Monkey. In these permissive times they might actually show some full frontal nudity. Hell, they might even show Rick going down on IIsa. :o

That'll improve the movie, I'm sure.  That's probably what the director was thinking.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe That'll improve the movie, I'm sure.  That's probably what the director was thinking. Phil

You're joking? How curious. As if you somehow mean to imply nudity won't improve Casablanca?

My wife watched an Indian movie a few months back that literally stole about 45 minutes right out of the middle of Ferris Bueller.

It was completely ridiculous.

Is nudity allowed in Indian films?

I love Casablanca. I don’t find it hokey at all. I think it’s an excellent movie. I don’t see how any remake can improve upon it. Sometimes a work of art just turns out to be magic, whether intended or not. Casablanca is such a film. It’s highly doubtful that any remake can recapture that magic. I seriously doubt anyone is even going to try to recapture the magic of Casablanca though. These remakes are just guaranteed returns for investors, nothing more.

I love Bogey and Bergman. I only hope the day ever comes when my own hokey dialogue is ever as well known as the dialogue in Casablanca. The whole movie is like an endless stream of famous movie quotes. I only hope to write something that good one day.


Breanne

We all remaked all Greek stories, so what?!

Casablanca? No, Casablanca is a master piece! It is unique! The rest is the rest! I'll try to make my verison of it too...one day!

Rick, my friend, how about to sell me your dive bar?

I'd like to see Marty remade with Paul Giamatti or Jack Black.

I love Casablanca as a movie and, personally, I think the dialogue in it is great. Some movies should be left alone and this is one of them. I shudder at the thought of an Indian remake (or any remake for that matter) of this classic movie. Oh well.

I don't think they show kissing yet in Bollywood films, do they?  If not, then the nudity is out.



Phil

Quoted from Harry_Tuttle Director Rajeev Nath told Reuters that his film would be "a tribute" to the original and that he hoped to hold the premiere in Casablanca itself.

When doing a remake, how many directors actually says, "I'm going to take a steaming dump on the original in my remake?"

And how often do they end up taking that dump?



Phil

Quoted from Harry_Tuttle I'd like to see Marty remade with Paul Giamatti or Jack Black.

And here I thought I was the only one who wouldn't mind seeing a Marty remake.  I actually have a "tribute" outlined.

I think Giamatti would be really good in the role, not so sure about Jack Black though.  I think he would take some getting used to for me.  I liked him in the Holiday, but I think Marty requires a bit more drama.

I'd vote for Steve Buscemi as Angie and Lili Taylor for Clara, even though there both a bit older than the role calls for.