The Producers *REMAKE*

[Andykev]

I often wonder if the writers and producers in Hollywood are lacking in imagination, talent, and creativity.

They are remaking "THE PRODUCERS", the Mel Brooks comedy classic. You all remember "Spring Time for Hitler"...

What is up? I viewed the trailer, and it is funny, but certainly no improvement on the original. Sometimes I think they just ruin a good thing by remaking an already successful movie. This is not like another "Peral Harbor" movie (ie. vs. Tora Tora Tora) where you can represent a historical event, from a different vantage point. What this film is, as I can tell from the trailer, is just the same script, with more modern actors. Kind of sad. Are they just appealing to a new generation of movie goers?

The Producers (2005)

Mel Brooks (screenplay) and
Thomas Meehan (screenplay) ...


Plot Outline: Bringing the Tony-Award Winning musical back to the big screen -The Producers tells the story of a down on his luck producer (Lane) and his accountant (Broderick) and their get rich quick plan.

Credited cast:
Nathan Lane .... Max Bialystock
Matthew Broderick .... Leo Bloom
Uma Thurman .... Ulla
Will Ferrell .... Franz Liebkind
Roger Bart .... Carmen Ghia
Gary Beach .... Roger De Bris
Andrea Martin .... Little Old Lady Investor
Debra Monk .... Little Old Lady Invest

 

[Doh!]

I'm a HUGE fan of the original, but this one's no mere remake -- it's a filmed version of the Broadway musical. Hopefully it'll work as such; the trailer does look like a lot of fun so I'll give it a chance.

Note that the history of this one has followed the exact same path as "Little Shop of Horrors" -- movie to musical to movie-based-on-musical. Both films have merit.

 

[Ken]

I am looking forward to this. I loved the original. You are right that it seems to be a rehash of it, even the acting seems to be an emulation of the original, but it seems they are making it more like the film Chicago, incorportating the music as Doh! says.

If nothing else I think it will be entertaining and good fun

Ken

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick are awesome together. That's what kept it on Broadway for so long. Now everyone has an opportunity to see them. Personally, I am excited, though I will wait for the DVD as I do for every movie.

 

[DanielJones]

Figuring that Nathan Lane & Matthew Broderick have been quite successful on Broasway with the play, It stands to reason that they would do the film as well. Look at Chicago. It translated to film quite well and still maintained that Broadway musical play at the same time.
I think it'll be fun, especially for those that haven't seen the original.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Marc Chevalier]

A musical about a musical. That's one too many musicals for me.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Saw the play, love the first one, looking forward to this too...

I will wait for the DVD as I do for every movie.

Hey, HJ, I'm with you on waiting to see some movies until they're out on DVD but I've got to say that others are much better -- even if the cost of a movie in this area is now $10.00 -- on the big screen. Some recent ones I'm glad I saw in the theater include...

- The Constant Gardener
- Pride and Prejudice
- Walk the Line
- King Kong

And, being a HUGE Rocky Mountains guy (born on a ranch on the West Slope of the Tetons), I'm looking forward to watching Brokeback Mountain this week.

ZF

PS: My vanity plate is "Movies" so I guess I'm kinda biased on this point!

 

[Mr. Rover]

Nothing is going to live up to seeing these two guys on Broadway. I had the oppurtunity to see them do Producers live, and they have great chemistry!
This is no remake as far as I'm aware. It's a musical made by Mel Brooks, who made the original. It is simply a filmed version of the live show.
Bascially, they said they wanted to do the Broadway show on film to preserve it for future generations- nothing more, nothing less.

ray

 

[jamespowers]

I guess I am the only one who agrees with you AK. Give me the Original with Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. :cheers1:
I really hate musicals anyway. They remind me why Elvis never made it big in movies. You just can't switch from acting to singing and then back again. It just makes me tune out. The last musical that I could actually watch all the way through was Hallelujah I'm a Bum (1933) but that had an interesting plot to back it up.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Twitch]

From strictly a standpoint of topic, what could be more funny than Hitler and the 3rd Reich in a comedy. The original didn't make that big an impression on me so if I see the new one I figure it will fly at least with me. Now for a Hogans' Heros full length movie!

 

[jake_fink]

I'm not hot to see this one. I don't think Mathew Broderick can hold a candle to Gene Wilder in his prime. (Has Mathew Broderick even had a prime?) And in a Texas cage match pitting Nathan Lane against Zero Mostel all my money's on Zero.

Still, it can't be as bad as The Chronicles of Inania.

 

[Michael Mallory]

I think the point behind this one (aside from trying to squeeze out whatever additional money they can) is the reason they made films of Broadway musicals back in the 1950s and 60s: there's a huge chunk of the country that doesn't get to see the stage version, but can go to the movies. I didn't get to see Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick on stage, but I saw Jason Alexander and Martin Short do it. The show is hysterical, and the songs are (IMO) brilliantly demented (or perhaps dementedly brilliant). But is it better than the original 1968 version? Well...no. There's only one Zero, one Gene, and we'll probably not ever see their likes again. I remember seeing Mel Brooks on "The Steve Allen Show" in '68 showing clips from the film, and vividly recall being delightfully scandalized by the "Springtime for Hitler" number. But nobody today can be shocked by it, because we've seen it. That's the difference.

But in terms of the general creative bankruptcy of Hollywood, I'm just waiting for someone to remake "Citizen Kane" with Adam Sandler.

 

[Solid Citizen]

Critics on new "The Producers"

I've read a good number of poor to terrible rated reviews by critics for this film. First, it doesn't improve on the original & is in fact inferior due to the films director. Second, the magic that both Lane & Broderick brought to their Broadway roles does not translate to the film. I' m mean who could top Dick Shawn as LSD "Baby, your bumming me out"! Peter :cry:

 

[Doctor Strange]

This one fell off my see-it-in-a-theater-list based on the abominable reviews.

Oh, I'm vaguely curious to see it - I'm a huge fan of the 1968 original (which my parents took me to see when it was first playing, how cool is that?!?) - but I will definitely wait for cable or DVD. Not everything that works on stage can work in a movie, and letting Susan Strohman direct this as her first film appears to have been a mistake. It really looks like a stinker...

[singing onstage while holding a flower:]

"...And I give one to my landlord when the rent comes round.
He take it and he flush it down!
And it goes into the sewer,
With the yecch a runnin' through 'er,
And it ends up in the water that we drink!
Oh world, YOU STINK!"

Dick Shawn as crazed hippie Lorenzo St. Dubois ("My friends call me LSD.") singing "Love Power" at his audition for Hitler in the 1968 film - a hilarious character/scene/song that I understand is *not* included in the current musical verison.

 

[Doh!]

You are correct -- "Love Power" is not in the Broadway version of the story. I've seen neither but a buddy of mine saw it on stage in NY. When I heard about the deleted song, my jaw dropped a bit... but I still want to see this.

And if it stinks, I still have the original on DVD to fall back on ("Didn't I meet you on a summer cruise?").

 

[miss1934]

After seeing the movie I was not impressed by the period costuming and sets, with the exception of the workroom set, which was fantastic. Other than that the period was left as indiscernable and the clothing vague. I saw everything from 30's to 60's in clothing and the occaisonal 60's car in the background. The showgirls were very 20's, 30's with the obviouslly plastic pearls. I was just disapointed with the costumes and thought that the humor was a bit too crude. They seem to have lowered it to todays standards. I prefer the witticisms that are tastefuly crude or insulting.
~Anne
For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake.
-Alfred Hitchcock

 

[katiemakeup]

I love the look on Gene Wilder's face!

My blue blankie!

See it? Touch it, kiss it!

If everyone had flower instead of a gun, there'd be no wars!