What Film In History Would You Love To Have Made And Why?

[George Clarke]

I noticed some cobwebs gathering on the old discussion board after a few days of quiet - obviously I can't sleep enough and am on here too much, but here's a question I got asked today for an interview - so I thought it would be fun to get your thoughts... my own answer was Chaplins 'Modern Times' simply to work with such a genius - not to change in any way. If you're talking about remaking... then it may be any number of films. Ill have to have a good think!

[Josh Darling]

It's fuinny you say Chaplin I just bought "The Kid." For me it would be either a "A Clockwork Orange" "The Thing" or "The Fly". Clockwork because it's so perfactly lined up and shot and put toigether. The Lighting, which a lot of was available is just amazing, the technical ability of Kubrick with a camera is like a virtuoso violinist.

"The Thing" To me that Carpenters best work, it takes it time in it's set up and I always feel like the film is begining... I know it falls in the Syd Field "rules" but it never feels like act 1 2 3, but just like "Here is the whole story and you take it in."

And I love the "The Fly" because it's the "new" horror that staled, body horror, and it's emotive. Cronenberg claims it's a metaphor for watching someone you love die slowly and painfuly and I can (unfortuantly) relate to the pain and suffering of the film,.

I'd die and murder to remake "Night Breed" the movie is close to greatness, if the studio didn't fuck the shit out of that film it would have become a classic, more then just a kind of cult film.

[Jason Pitt]

Josh, I can definitely understand your choices - in particular "The Thing". While I don't believe it is Carpenter's best film, I do believe it to be an incredible science-fiction thriller, which obviously displays Carpenter's incredible talent for generating suspense. But I do agree with you, the film seems to just progress, and I would be hard pressed to identify the plot points that separate the three acts.

Curse you screenwriting books... I always try to identify the plot points of films when I watch them now... Dammit!

I personally would have liked to be the mastermind behind the original "Halloween"(My opinion... Carpenter's best film, and the most effective horror film ever made). It simply showcases Carpenters mastery of the craft, and is the perfect example of why suspense is more effective than shock.

I also would have liked to have directed William Goldman's "The Princess Bride". Rob Reiner did a fantastic job, and crafted a timeless movie that incorporates nearly everything that makes a fantasy movie great... Swordfighting, torture, evil prices, true love... and of course Pirates and Giants. What movie would be complete without Pirates and Giants.

I'm with George though, If I had to decide chose an imperfect film to remake... that's a whole 'nother story. Have to think on that for a while.

[Josh Darling]

Here is something to wax about on plot points and Syd Field... Films are typicaly 90 mintues to 120 because that is what in the past the "budget" allows and it's the "format" but now with the low cost of DV and Red (When I was in Cali I got to touch a Red Camera, exciting I know, fuck I'm a nerd) as wel as the very unstable future of film distrubution, what's to say we wont some day have 7 hour films... It's a prime number (ha so much for the rule of 3's) those formula's a great to know but yeah I hate it when I start watching films and go ut- 30 min in HELLO PLOT POINT! But this is coming from the man that looked at the poster for Titanic and said to himself "Biggest failure ever, who doesn't know how it ends."

But when you look at those books they are flawed in they say "all films fit into this..." What about Linkletter's Slacker, Blue in the Face, Goddard, Anthology films etc...

I love Haloween, my only "Snag" is I saw all the copies of it before I actully saw the film itself. I think the film set up the archatype for all slasher flims to follow. But don't get me wrong it is brilliant, it's a fucking Archatype.

Funny you mention William Goldman, I saw Magic last night for the frist time Alesandre showed that to me... I love his work because he's such a romantic and Anthony Hopkins prefromance in that is CRAZY! and the Princess Bride is one of my favriote films...

I'm suprised no one said "Pink Flamingos" joke.

[Jason Pitt]

In my last post, I commented on a few films that I respect and admire... But, I recently watched the original "Die Hard", and I have to say I had forgotten how technically sound the film is. As far as action films go, I'd love to have had John McTiernan's job in 1988.