The area of East Nashville I live in is in turnaround. Decrepit old houses are being done up. Young couples are moving in.
Which got to me to thinking. There’s plenty of crappy movies out there. Movies that, for whatever reason, poor script, ineffectual acting, befuddled direction, are just not worth watching.
But there’s a lot of them – and there was a lot of effort, time, money expended. They’re a resource of sorts.
So, as I propose here:
Let’s Have a 5 Year Limit on Movie Copyright
why not shorten movie copyright so we can rehabilitate these old, worn out, hard to bear watching, flicks?
I suggest using Disney’s ‘The Black Hole’ as a test case. Obviously a huge amount of money went into the production: massive sets, bespoke wardrobe, beautiful special effects, (check out those background paintings of stars!), rousing John Barry score and even robots.
The cast is bizarre in a kind of low-rent dinner-theatre meets cast of Poseidon Adventure meets 50′s live television meet’s Orson Welle’s European Period kind of way: Anthony Perkins, Maximilian Schell, Joseph Bottoms, Robert Forster, Yvette Mimieux, Roddy McDowall and…Slim Pickens!
But the film isn’t any good.
So why not re-cut it / re-dub / change the plot – make it an hour long exploration of something, not just a kiddie ride to compete with the Star Wars franchise.
I mean you’ve got Robert Forster, a fascinating actor who’s career, well it’s not a career, it’s more like, well I don’t know what, but it’s not a career – anyway, he’s a fascinating presence. So why not cut together other Forster appearances into the flick?
You’ve already got him in another ‘sci-fi ghost ship’ dog, ‘Supernova’, (an ‘Allen Smithee’ film that you can just barely get a sense could have been could something special, maybe before they got Coppola in to work on it, who knows? If you have the DVD check out the original opening scene, it’s a beautiful mediation by Forster on man and infinity; in the theatrical cut it’s replaced by a sex scene and two guys playing ping pong).
So let’s start off with ‘The Black Hole’: At the end of the pic our surviving crew of heroes makes it through the cataclysm that is the collapsed star only to be reborn in another time. It’d be a more dramatic ending than the original and we’d get to see Robert Forster back in ‘Medium Cool’.
- – -
(Photos of North St. Louis, (standing-in for the purpose of this post for East Nashville), taken by Jett Loe, 2008, other images taken from ‘The Black Hole’ trailer and lobby cards, ‘Supernova’ image is taken from the theatrical cut)
I like the idea, but are you concerned with someone butchering a masterpiece, or does it matter?
And has Slim Pickens been in virtually every genre of film? Comedies, westerns, dramas, sci-fi….from the best movies ever made (Dr. Strangelove) to some of the worst movies ever made (J.C.). Slim is a man for all seasons (and films).
I don't think of it as butchering – the original still exists. In fact the more remixes and remakes the better: in this age of infinite content being KNOWN ABOUT then SEEN is key.
And don't forget Ernest Borgnine! Ah..The Black Hole, what childhood memories have come flooding back. This is a special film for Gareth too, if memory serves.
The one that comes to mind every time I think of a movie that should be “fixed up” is Le Pacte de Loups/ Brotherhood of the Wolf. 2001 is outside your 5-year copyright plan.
I really loved that film (reminds me I should re-watch it soon), but maaan the cgi stunk to high-heaven. What made it worse was the fact that the cgi involves the central fearsome “wolf”, which should be scary, but instead is just ridiculous. I can see why for many this killed the film.
Surely it'd be simple enough to pull out the crap wolf and shove in some proper effects. I would think even some “fan” wishing to prove a point/ get work would be able to do better -especially with the cgi advancements in the past 8 years.
So, re-make or re-cut? What you suggested – hour long and that ending – sounds a little
like a Dr Who episode
what's wrong with a Dr. Who episode? ;)
Maybe make it 3 hours long, slow down the frames for a hypnotic effect – and completely re-dub to change the plot?
I love a Dr Who episode … you know …when it's a Dr Who episode. Cheeky :)
Can't wait to see what the new 'kid' is like! :)
And “kid” is right, too, isn't it? :)
Ahh – this family sure are going to miss David Tennant on Saturday evenings. The new 'kid' has a LOT to live up to.
Yes, he does – but I'm hopeful. I've enjoyed the writers the have. We'll have to see how much a part of the soul of Who RTD really was :) And, I have to add – I'm jealous you get to see the show as it airs.
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