This is topic Number Five is alive? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
 
"Short Circuit" remake planned.

Hard for me to get worked up about this either way. Short Circuit seems to be remembered, judging by the ten zillion posts I've seen claiming WALL-E "must be a rip-off, because it just MUST be!"

Still, I'm betting most of this memory relies on the fact that it was one of those movies they played all the time on cable during the mid-to-late 80s, and it had a cute robot. I've seen DVDs of it selling for only a little over three bucks at the local Krogers. This isn't exactly classic material. But nostalgia gives things a wonderful glow, even sappy robots comparing soup stains to birds and butterflies. [Wink]
 
Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :
 
I remember "Short Circuit." My bf and I watched it a few weeks ago on the netflix website. We were even bemoaning the fact that a remake is almost inevitable these days.

I just don't see the point.
 
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
 
No disassemble! No disassemble Johnny Five!
 
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
 
Nothing can replace my childhood fantasies of Ally Sheedy and Ste... er... No, just Ally. Sweet, sweet Ally.

Look at IMDB's plot outline...

quote:
Updating/re-imagining of the classic John Badham film where Number 5, one of a group of experimental military robots, undergoes a sudden transformation after being struck by lightning. He develops self-awareness, consciousness, and a fear of the reprogramming that awaits him back at the factory. With the help of a young woman, Number 5 tries to evade capture and convince his creator that he has truly become alive.
Makes Number 5 sound borderline malicious, doesn't it?

And it's being written by the same guys that did the two original movies, so maybe there's still hope.
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
I'm imagine the robot will look cooler with today's technology, but despite the outdated look of the old Johnny 5, his voice and eyes were still fairly expressive.

I LOVE Short Circuit though. Heck I even loved the sequel. I don't know how I feel about this remake. I wonder if they can get the original voice actor back again. If it's written by the original writers, that gives me some hope too, but, hm, I don't know.
 
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
 
quote:
And it's being written by the same guys that did the two original movies.
That makes even less sense than most remakes.
 
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
Nice software!
 
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
 
Why must they remake every single 60s 70s 80s movie?
Don't they have any original movies they can make instead?
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
Not really.

The recent spate of comic book live action movies and fantasy books being turned into movies, combined with a plethora of cookie cutter teen and romance movies has proven to me that no, original screenplays are not readily available.
 
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
 
Johhny Five Lego Robot
 
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Lyrhawn:
The recent spate of comic book live action movies and fantasy books being turned into movies, combined with a plethora of cookie cutter teen and romance movies has proven to me that no, original screenplays are not readily available.

Yup. When so many people were rallying behind the writers during the recent strike, I just sort of shrugged my shoulders and thought, "Maybe I'll support them when they stop producing so much dreck."
 
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
 
I just hope they can get Steve Guttenberg back.
 
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
 
God, I hope you're not serious...
 
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Lyrhawn:
Not really.

The recent spate of comic book live action movies and fantasy books being turned into movies, combined with a plethora of cookie cutter teen and romance movies has proven to me that no, original screenplays are not readily available.

Aw c'mon. Every other waiter, bellhop, and taxi driver in Las Angeles has a screenplay they'd love someone to see. I can't believe that they're all re-makes of television shows and movies from twenty years ago. I'm sure than ninety-nine percent of them are crap, but there's got to be *some* quasi-original ideas out there.

It seems more likely that the current thinking in Hollywood is that an "existing property", however laughable, is a more likely financial bet than a new and untested premise.

Of course, you also might think by now that someone would have realized that thowing handfulls of darts in the forms of $5-$20 million dollar original ideas with up-and-comers is more likely to provide something useful than putting that same money into $100 million dollar re-makes of sit-coms.

The "Short Circuit" movies were kind of amusing at the time... But I kind've think that at this point in my life seeing a remake of a movie that only got as high as "kind've amusing" in my book in the first place isn't the sort of thing that's going to make me feel good about myself.

I'd almost rather see a movie I know is going to be bad.

Preferably with friends at a place that serves beer. [Smile]
 
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
 
If you take away the remakes, fantasy/SF book adaptations, super-heroes, CGI animated comedies, and "edgy" comedies...what high concept Hollywood films are left, really?
 
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Sterling:
]Aw c'mon. Every other waiter, bellhop, and taxi driver in Las Angeles has a screenplay they'd love someone to see. I can't believe that they're all re-makes of television shows and movies from twenty years ago. I'm sure than ninety-nine percent of them are crap, but there's got to be *some* quasi-original ideas out there.


Well, Romancing the Stone was written by a waitress during her breaks...

Diane Thomas. She died in a car accident at age 39. A real loss. [Frown]
 


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