It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
#0It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/7/03 at 2:35pm
Tim Burton is doing a re-make of WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. And guess who is in talks of playing Mr. Wonka?
Go on, guess!
No, not Harvey (who actually would be a better choice). Burton wants MICHAEL KEATON.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#1re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/7/03 at 2:39pmnot that i want it to happen, but whatever happened to the idea of Marilyn Manson, and why is Keaton so bad??? He's a great actor, i can see him playing Wonka.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#2re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/7/03 at 2:48pmIs this a re-make of the old film version or a new adaptation of the original book? I think Burton is a good choice to direct. His main flaw is in storytelling and this story is pretty strong. I look forward to seeing his vision. As for Keaton…how boring. Go out on a limb in casting this one. Marilyn Manson would have been a very brave choice. But at least Eddie Murphy or Jim Carey are not involved! (YET!)
#3re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/7/03 at 3:53pmMarilyn Manson is doing NBC's remake of ROCKY HORROR.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
#4re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/7/03 at 4:06pmWhy do I find Marilyn Manson in RHPS to be scarier than a Wonka remake? (Maybe because I think he's just plain scary?)
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#5re: re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/7/03 at 10:09pmPray tell, who are Michael Keaton and Marlene Manson?
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
Mr. Tuttle
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#6re: re: re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/7/03 at 10:14pmMichael needs the work. Has he made a film since "Mr. Mom"?
Ignorance is temporary. Stupidity last forever.
Watch out BWW...
HE'S BACK.
#7re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/7/03 at 10:15pm
I think Keaton's a potentially very good choice. He's a solid actor who can be very mainstream but still keep a wicked gleam in his eye.
I would look forward to this with Burton and Keaton involved.
#8re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 1:23am
In response to DollyPop:
Michael Keaton is an over rated actor, and Marilyn Manson is a freak of nature.
I don't know why they want to mess with a classic. I still love watching Willy Wonka the way it is now, I will never get tired of that movie. I think it would actually make a great Broadway Show (I love the song he sings when they first enter the chocolate room). And you really can't get anyone better than Gene Wilder to play Wonka!
I'm so sick of the fact that Hollywood has run out of ideas, and therefore they are making nothing but remakes. And the ironc part: The remakes are costing millions of dollars because of the over-paid actors, directors, and Producers...and yet most of the time, the original versions (that were done for much less money) are better.
"It's the little things; the details, that distinguish the Barbra Streisands from the Rosalyn Kinds."~Gilmore Girls~
MsNina
Stand-by Joined: 5/15/03
#9re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 1:52am
I totally agree with you Theaterbaby. Remakes and revivals, I'm sorry but how boring! At least Broadway's better off with the recycling (on a personal note- I've been listening to Nine non freakin stop). Hollywood sucks at making re-makes and I don't know who thought this Charlie and the Golden Wonka Ticket movie (destine to be a train wreck) would be a good idea. As for Keaton, his eyebrows freak me out. It would be fun to see Kevin Spacy as Wonka, but I still don't like the idea of a movie all together. Unless Kerry Butler plays Charlie. Ok, sorry, that was a sick joke.
attn Producers: we want original work!
#10re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 8:33amHalf of the new musicals on Broadway last year were remakes. Were half of the new movies last year remakes? I'm thinking no.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#11re: re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 1:44pmOkay....The day that Marilyn Manson can go to Broadway is the day I hang myself with my shower curtain. What's THAT about? Are we so desperate for performers that we need to resort to people like this?
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#12re: re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 1:44pm
And yes, TheaterBaby, I agree. No one could ever play Wonka like Gene Wilder. 
#13re: re: re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 1:49pmManson was referred to in reference to a film version. The notion was actually dispelled pretty quickly but people still love to talk about it for some reason.
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#14re: re: re: re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 1:51pmthey still refer to it becuase some film sites still have him listed as having signed on as Frank.
#15re: re: re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 1:55pm
No, half of the movies last year were not remakes, but can someone name a movie from the past couple of years that did not steal its concept from an old movie?
I love movies, please don't get me wrong, but I like to be surprised. I thought "The Others" and "Dragonfly" were 2 good movies because the endings surprised me. Even "It Runs In The Family" had a few plot twists that I didn't expect. But I don't like when I can figure out what will happen throughout the entire movie in the first 10 minutes. That's actually why I prefer theatre....anything can happen because it's live...even if the story has been done before.
"It's the little things; the details, that distinguish the Barbra Streisands from the Rosalyn Kinds."~Gilmore Girls~
#16re: re: re: re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 2:28pm
Yes I hate all these movies based on old movies. Unlike all the musicals that are much more originally based on things like Urban Cowboy, Hairspray, The Full Monty, A Man of No Importance, Nine etc ...
Musical theater is probably the least surprising creative medium around. It is almost always based on an existing property. If you're being surprised by the endings of musicals you must be REALLY easily shocked. Rarely, if ever, is a musical relying on shock twists to attract an audience. What musical has a genuinely shocking or surprising plot?
sabrelady
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
#17re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 2:36pmApparently the author disliked the film adaptation intensely. His daughter Sophie controls the estae & wants a "darker" More true adaptation. HMMMM
JakeB
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#18re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 4:38pmWhen I saw this thread I thought Nathan Lane.
#19re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 4:39pmI was surprised by a few scenes in the Off-Broadway play "Temporary Help." The entire show was very suspensful; I loved it.
"It's the little things; the details, that distinguish the Barbra Streisands from the Rosalyn Kinds."~Gilmore Girls~
sambaflora
Chorus Member Joined: 5/27/03
#20re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/8/03 at 5:09pm
I would welcome a 'remake' of 'Willy Wonka', but would prefer an actual film version of 'Charlie And The Chocolate Factory'. Any fans of Roald Dahl's adult or children's fiction know that as amusing and campy as 'Willy Wonka' might be, it was a fairly bastard attempt at realizing the author's voice. I would be none suprised if Dahl was not pleased with the 'Willy Wonka' movie......That said, the Oompa Loompas were pretty fabulous.
Anyhow, here is hoping that Tim Burton keeps more in the vein of the film versions of Dahl's other books for children('The Witches', 'Matilda', 'James and the Giant Peach'), and doesn't shy away from the grotesque and bittersweet qualities that make the stories a hit with kids and adults. As for Michael Keaton's acting abilities, he certainly rose to subversive heights for Tim Burton in 'Beetlejuice'...perhaps he could do it again.
Me fail English? That's unpossible! - Ralph Wiggum
Updated On: 7/8/03 at 05:09 PM
#21Originality In Films
Posted: 7/8/03 at 5:16pm
Oh c'mon... the thought of movies ripping off other movies should come as no surprise to anyone. The fact is, pretty much every 'original' story these days has been told in SOME other form at SOME point in history. There is no way around old archetypes and formulas. No matter what you write, someone will have come up with something similar previously, be it last year or thousands of years ago.
Most, if not all of Shakespeare's plays were based quite obviously on something else. And all of Rodgers and Hammerstein's major works were adaptations of some other work (with the exception of South Pacific, which took some themes from Mitchner's 'Tales of the South Pacific' but is far too different to be considered an adaptation). There really shouldn't be a stigma attatched to writing something based on something else.
And there DEFINITELY shouldn't be one with an actor playing a role that was done definitively in the past. It's true that no one will ever play Willy Wonka like Gene Wilder did. But that's not nessassarily a bad thing... Michael Keaton really is a very good actor, as 'overrated' as you may feel he is. He did a great job of playing a diminunitve billionaire and a troubled superhero in Batman, something no one really expected from him then, either, and he's generally proved to be a very versatile performer. So I'd say we should at least give him the chance if the movie does get made.
As for Marilyn Manson as Frank, I can't imagine him being vocally capable for the role (he sounds like more of a Riff Raff to me) but he definitely has the personality down. I guess we'll have to see.
#22re: re: re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/10/03 at 9:44am
Dollypop; you might be being serious since you claim to not have seen a movie since "Dolly."
Michael Keaton's a comedic actor who surprised everyone when he played Batman in "Batman" and "Batman Returns" (Didn't surprise me, I'd seen him in "The Squeeze" and knew he could do action.)
Marilyn Manson... hmmm. Imagine an underweight nasty growling singer who takes makeup tips from The Phantom of the Opera and you just might be in the ballpark!
#23re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/10/03 at 9:46am
>I don't know why they want to mess with a classic. I still love >watching Willy Wonka the way it is now, I will never get tired >of that movie. I think it would actually make a great Broadway >Show (I love the song he sings when they first enter the >chocolate room). And you really can't get anyone better than >Gene Wilder to play Wonka!
Well, remaking the film isn't going to make the first one go away.
Chorus Member Joined: 12/31/69
#24re: re: re: re: It's the end of the world as we know it -- Wonka Remake -- Guess who?
Posted: 7/10/03 at 6:05pm
yah there's just soooo many remakes, who cares anymore, DO SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE!!! :)
we're still waiting for
DreamGirls
Miss Saigon
and others
instead they want to remake
Willy Wonka
Fiddler on the Roof
Guys and Dolls
and have already remade
Gypsy which was actually better than the orignal
Bye Bye Birdie (which was better too)
South Pacific (not better)
Music Man (Not Better)
Annie (NOT netter)
Only make remakes if the orignal movie was far from the musical. Or if it can be better. DON'T MESS with perfection. Don't mess with Guys and Dolls and FIDDLER, I mean come on how can a new one be better!?
STOP WITH THE INSANITY! AHHHHHH!
Updated On: 7/10/03 at 06:05 PM
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