Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Hollywood Does It Again...
#1
For those who are fans of the 1962 Inagaki film Chushingura http://www.columbia.edu/~hds2/chushingu ... nagaki.htm

or the kabuki play Kanadehon Chushingura, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0y-TEZrFQ8

or just the history of the 47 Ronin, http://www.47ronins.com/

this article from Daily Variety will set your teeth on edge. Like finger nails on a chalkboard.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111799 ... =1236&cs=1

[size=150:1cswc70f]Keanu Reeves to lead '47 Ronin'[/size]
Chris Morgan to write Universal feature
By MICHAEL FLEMING
Keanu Reeves will star in "47 Ronin," an epic period film for Universal Pictures based on the true tale of a band of samurai swordsmen who avenged the death of their master in 18th century Japan.
Chris Morgan, who co-wrote "Wanted" and penned the upcoming "Fast and Furious" for Universal, is writing the script. Scott Stuber will produce through his Stuber Prods. banner.

Reeves stars in sci-fi remake "The Day the Earth Stood Still," which Fox bows Friday.

In "47 Ronin," he will play one of the swordsmen; the group and their master are revered in Japan for their revenge attack on Dec. 14, 1702.

The film will tell a stylized version of the story, mixing fantasy elements of the sort seen in "The Lord of the Rings" pics, with gritty battle scenes akin to those in films such as "Gladiator."
Morgan is writing the script and tailoring it so that Reeves -- who's half-Asian -- can fit the role as one of the swordsmen. The intention is to begin shooting next year after a director is hired.

Walter Hamada and Chris Fenton will be exec producers.

Under his U-based shingle, Stuber is shooting the Vince Vaughn starrer "Couples Retreat" and is preparing for the release of the Joe Johnston-directed "The Wolfman," the Jennifer Aniston starrer "Traveling" and "Repossession Mambo." Stuber is prepping "Your Highness," with David Gordon Green to direct and Danny McBride to star.


:? | shock:

Narukami
David Reinke
Burbank CA
Reply
#2
Keanu Reeves as 1 of the 47 Ronin..... Confusedhock:

words fail.
gr,
Jeroen Pelgrom
Rules for Posting

I would rather have fire storms of atmospheres than this cruel descent from a thousand years of dreams.
Reply
#3
Kurosawa's Seven Samurai was remade as The Magnificent Seven; Abre los ojos became Vanilla Sky. Some remakes are acceptable. And Keanu Reeves can rise above the mediocre. Disaster is likely, but not necessarily inevitable.
Jona Lendering
Relevance is the enemy of history
My website
Reply
#4
Reeves is the avatar of mediocrity. I expect nothing less than tripe.
Reply
#5
WTF!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

WHY???????????????????????????????????

Did I mention WTF!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?


It's not even the Keanu Reeves aspect...it's who's writing the script!!!! "Stylized action scenes" NOOOOOOO!!!!!
____________________________________________________________
Magnus/Matt
Du Courage Viens La Verité

Legion: TBD
Reply
#6
I've read that the story of the 47 ronin has been filmed at least once each year as long as movies have been made in Japan. So there's got to be close to 100 made. Face it, most of those are probably pretty bad. Everybody remembers the Inagaki version (which is actually based on the Kabuki play rather than the historical incident) but what about the others? If this one turns out to be bad, it will just be one in a long tradition of bad 47 ronin movies.
Pecunia non olet
Reply
#7
Luckily I know hartly anything about samurais china and or Japan.
So I am not bodered with any knowledge
and can just go to this movie, don't care about it's authenticy or likelyness and enjoy.... :lol: :mrgreen:
Folkert van Wijk
Celtic Auxilia, Legio II Augusta.
With a wide interrest for everything Celtic BC
Reply
#8
Quote:I am not bodered with any knowledge and can just go to this movie, don't care about its authenticy or likelyness and enjoy.... :lol: :mrgreen:
That's how I could enjoy Valkyrie. What do I know about the accurate representation of Nazi uniforms? Ignorance is bliss.
Jona Lendering
Relevance is the enemy of history
My website
Reply
#9
Quote:Ignorance is bliss.
Yes. And War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery. :twisted:
It's true. Sometimes knowing the history of how things really happened will set the mind to picking apart a movie/TV show/book, and we will lose the story altogether amongst our footnoted thinking. People who ask, I tell, "Well, Gladiator was historically accurate in some aspects: there was a city named Rome, and they did have gladiator combat. There were generals in the Army who ran afoul of the various Emperors. They did ride horses sometimes, and had archers and onagers." They nod, usually, and walk away smiling happily. If they ask anything else, I tell them the other side of the story. Why is there such a fascination by filmmakers for having an Emperor killed in the arena?

Just watched The Transporter. Totally unbelievable, in almost every way. But fun nevertheless. No policeman an any country would release a suspect from jail to go capture the bad guys, when he had thirty or forty dead bodies that all pointed to that suspect. And not even Bruce Lee in his prime could have fought that long, that intensely, against so many, and gotten through with scarcely a scratch. But the girl was cute and resourceful, that's worth something, and the pyrotechnics were predictably big and blast-ish. What's not to like about that?
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)

Saepe veritas est dura.
Reply
#10
Quote:the girl was cute and resourceful, that's worth something, and the pyrotechnics were predictably big and blast-ish. What's not to like about that?
Just one babe? :wink: :?
Jona Lendering
Relevance is the enemy of history
My website
Reply
#11
Yeah, I'm only wired for one anyway. :lol: :oops:
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)

Saepe veritas est dura.
Reply
#12
Stands on stage with two 'ninja blades'
"Are you not entertained?! Are you not entertained?!"



Seriously Keanu Reeves as a Ronin isn't so bad compared to some (Last Samurai anyone?) In fact it might be pretty good I just hope they get the fights and whatnot right (I.E The Swords aren't straight and chisel-tipped! :x )
Ben.
Reply
#13
That's true...I don't mind Keanu as an actor. I'll be happy though if a couple things happen: A) the costuming is period and accurate, and B) when a katana is drawn, they don't add in that raspy metal on metal sound. Rather impossible given how japanese scabbards are constructed...lol.
____________________________________________________________
Magnus/Matt
Du Courage Viens La Verité

Legion: TBD
Reply
#14
Well...

I am probably being overly sensitive about this. We worked for over a year to lean the kabuki play and since then I have read just about everything printed about this story. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0y-TEZrFQ8

Be that as it may...

This story has been filmed over 100 times (most versions no longer exist) so one more seems par for the course.

And I d like many of the re-makes of Kurosawa films. The Seven Samurai has been redone several times including Magnificent Seven, Battle Beyond the Stars and Bug's Life. Yojimbo became a Fist Full Of Dollars, Last Man Standing and Sukiyaki Denju.

My impression is that this new film of the 47 Ronin will be set in Japan and be period correct. Perhaps the intention is for Reeves to play it as a native Japanese. I have often wondered about re-telling this story in a Western setting but so much of it is uniquely Japanese that short of a Sci-Fi setting I have my doubts it would have the same meaning or impact. http://www.columbia.edu/~hds2/hds2_chushingura.html

What I want to know is: How will Keanu deliver his signature line in Japanese...? :?

:wink:

Narukami
David Reinke
Burbank CA
Reply
#15
Quote:How will Keanu deliver his signature line in Japanese...?
That's easy. Subtitles in Japanese....
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)

Saepe veritas est dura.
Reply


Forum Jump: