Rocky Horror Remake

[Lordmoon]

Looks like MTV is going to be doing a Rocky Horror Picture Show remake. Marilyn Manson is rumored to be playing the lead roll.

MTV will remake the 1975 SF cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Variety reported.

Lou Adler, executive producer of the original film, is partnering with BermanBraun and Fox Television Studios on the new rendition.

The two-hour remake will use the original screenplay by Jim Sharman and Richard O'Brien, but may also include music not featured in the original.

Helmer and casting decisions have yet to be announced.

Timetable for the start of production hasn't been established yet, but the partners aim to move forward quickly once the final elements are in place.

The original Rocky Horror, starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick and Meat Loaf, has grossed $140 million in domestic box office over the years, primarily from the wallets of youthful audience members who have shown up for midnight screenings over the past three decades.

On a personal note, I think this is one of those movies that should never, ever be remade. There is nothing in this film that could truely benefit from modern tech and there is no way that the remake could ever have a cult following as the first. Why not just remaster the original and re-release it?

[LadyStarblade]

Heard about this this morning, and I don't think I've stopped cursing yet.

Speaking as someone whose Dad played the criminologist, Mom was Magenta, and who made a great Columbia until her voice broke (I still have my glitter top hat)...

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!

Why can't people leave things well enough alone these days?

[drew]

Unfortunately, being in a position wherein your job depends on making money in the television/film industry means you have to throw things like respect for something as unique as Rocky Horror out the window. For all we know, the guy who pitched the idea of a remake (unless it was Lou Adler himself) was hoping to God that it wouldn't happen, but had to make a pitch they would like to save his job.

In the same vain, I'm dreading the day that a staff writer pitches a remake of Casablanca or The Godfather (which probably happens three times a day in some form), and a producer decides that it's a great idea.

[Lordmoon]

Weren't Benifer in line to make a Casablanca remake starting themselves right before their split? Thank Jebus that never went through.

[TheOogieBoogieMan]

Y'know, I get why they think Marilyn Manson could pull off Frankenfurter, but... no. I'd rather not hear a song like "Sweet Transvestite" get Manson's down-tuned dirge treatment.

Also, this remake is a terrible idea and further proof that MTV sucks big-time.

[ThatGuy]

Absolutely horrible...

Please let this abysmal idea wind up in production hell, never to see the light of day.

[sandrine]

I don't think anything has ever made me want to cry quite so much.

[DarthShady]

...

Do they not get that the whole point of the original is that people love to keep watching it? That that's why it's so popular? Ergo, the remake will fail because it won't have enough mainstream appeal to draw in new viewers & true fans will stick to the original, as it is infinitely better than anything MTV could come up with? How did they ever think this was a good idea?

I'm very angry right now. My hope is that they're just plotting an overly elaborate prank on the film-loving community.

[orangejesus]

Guys, guys, guys, can everyone please calm down a bit?

Now, before I get accosted for sacrilege, let's all remember what the thing is here. The Rocky Horror Show started out as a play, and it has been done, easily, a bagillion-gatrillion times with any number of different casts.

Look, I love the original flick as much as anyone on this board, and the stage version is pretty much responsible for my chosen career path, but it isn't carved into the gates of Heaven "None Shall Redo Richard O'Brien's Masterpiece" or anything.

Am I the only one who thinks a new take by a new cast could be really interesting, seriously?

Part of the nature of the theatre is the constant shifting of ideas on how characters should look, sound, speak, etc., and this story is nothing if not eminently theatrical.

And if you really think that a remake would somehow alter the awesomeness of the original, well, Dammit Janet, that just doesn't make any sense to me. After all, Shock Treatment didn't really do any harm to it, did it?

[sandrine]

I suppose it's mostly a case of "the first one was perfect, so why bother making another one instead of doing something original?"

It pains me when younger people (jeeze, I sound so old and I'm not yet 20) don't realise that songs and films aren't copies. For instance, there are quite a few tweenies out there who probably don't know that Queen sang 'Don't Stop Me Now' before McFly did. The same goes for 'Take On Me', which A1 copied a while ago. 'The Manchurian Candidate' didn't need a re-make, and now lots of people aren't aware of the original film.

Now some people are going to grow up with a pointless re-make of 'Rocky Horror', and the first one might well be lost when the people who loved it die off. It's a very sad idea.

[orangejesus]

See, and you call it pointless, but I'm still wondering:

Isn't that like saying that it was pointless to make a film version of Sweeney Todd when there have been several versions of the stage show filmed and available?

Is it pointless to do all remakes/updates? I hope not (Get Smart was AWESOME).

This merely opens up a great show to another, possible wider, audience--and how is that a bad thing? Rocky Horror isn't just a quirky little '75 flick--it's a grand piece of entertainment that deserves an update as much as anything.

P.S., welcome to the board, sandrine.
I promise, I'm not trying to rant at anyone; it's just that, having seen many versions of The Rocky Horror Show, I don't get why people are up in arms about a new version. There have been a lot of new versions of this show done over the years.

[TheOogieBoogieMan]

Well, OJ, you're right about a few things. If this remake does go through, it won't affect the popularity of the original, I agree. And remakes aren't pointless when they offer a new perspective on the material - David Cronenberg's remake of "The Fly" is one of my all-time favourite movies.

But...this idea, especially because it's coming from MTV, reeks of "we want money, gimme, gimme, gimme". I can just imagine the changes made in the remake being total products of the money-making-formula that most people go by today. Product placement up the ying-yang (Brad and Janet with Blackberries, Frankenfurter wearing whatever sort of shoes are popular); cheap startle-scares; ten minute long sex scenes that are meant to pad the running time; original songs being adapted into a trendy pop-punk-emo-flavour-of-the-month style; a lame new song tacked on to the end for the sole purpose of getting nominated for a "Best Song" Oscar.

Or, perhaps worst of all, any and all of the graphic content would end up getting toned down in order to get a PG-13 rating, so that the Hot-Topic preteens will be able to surrender their dough to watch it.

If the remake does end up offering a new and refreshing take on the original, then fine; but I can't help but think that this project has almost nothing to do with creativity.

[orangejesus]

I guess I can kind of understand your trepidation here, but still not entirely. Plus, I think your characterization of MTV being all about the money and not about creativity is a bit unfair. Sure, their film division has put out some clunkers (Pootie Tang and Murderball aren't making it on my 100 best list anytime soon), but they've made some damn fine films too.

200 Cigarettes, The Wood, Election, Orange County, Napoleon Dynamite was funny as hell even if it did get way overquoted, and I've even got a soft spot for Varsity Blues and Joe's Apartment. Let's not come down on the whole company, is all I'm sayin' here, and maybe give it a shot.

Though, I am curious, does anyone know what Jim Sharman and Richard O'Brien think of all this?

[sandrine]

Thank you for the welcome, OJ!

Don't forget the problems that MTV will probably have with the homosexual aspect of the story. I'd hate to see it cut down or cut out entirely because they would have doubts about it being marketable. Which, let's face it, they probably would.

[orangejesus]

I don't think so. I think it will be fine. How do you leave in all the songs and cut down on the homo-friendliness of this show?