I just spotted this:

http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/Artists/E/Eisner_Breck/2005/10/20/1271034-ca.html



Director Breck Eisner ("Sahara") is set to helm his second feature film, a remake of "Creature From the Black Lagoon," Variety reports.

The film will be a present-day update of the 1954 horror flick, which featured the character Gill Man, who terrorized archaeologists exploring in the Amazon.

Filming for the updated version will take place in the U.S and in either Central or South America. Eisner is the son of former Disney chief Michael Eisner, and his other directing credits include a TV segment of "Steven Spielberg Presents Taken," and pilots for "Thought Crimes" and "The Invisible Man."

Huzz

uhh, lemme guess......This time our reptilian gill man will be an amphibian covered in goo with more goo coming out of it's mouth and gills.


if so, that's not horror, that's just plan disgusting.

Oh, thank goodness! They're finally going to correct all the problems of that lousy rubber suit through the miracle of CGI!

I'll defer judgement until I get more details but the pessimistic side of me knows that many of Hollywood's recent remakes have been artistic, critical and box-office flops.

Let's hope that a fabulous sci-fi horror piece like the Creature gets better treatment than that. Remakes don't have to be disasters; the first Brendan Fraser Mummy flic I think did rather well at the box office, enough so to spawn two sequels, and was a rousing, fun and entertaining flic. And of course there was the John Carpenter remake of The Thing. Let's hope that any Creature remake meets a standard like those as a minimum.

Huzz

Oh, thank goodness! They're finally going to correct all the problems of that lousy rubber suit through the miracle of CGI!

Agreed. I don't much like remakes in any genre to begin with - but, matched only by Geiger's creature design on Alien, that rubber suit design was a work of artistic perfection - it just looks right - you totally believe that such a being could have evolved out of the premordial soup. The re-make doesn't look like a big budget production to begin with but no matter what state-of-the-art special effects are brought to bear - the Creature design will pale in comparison to the original.

In this same vein, look at the "original" Karloff Frankenstein monster. There have been many F.monsters over the years, and I actually like quite a few of the variations (the various Hammers, the Michael Sarrazin, and yes I like the DeNiro monster) but there is a certain timeless something, a certain distinctive Yosemite half-dome/El Capitan quality to the Jack Pearce design that cannot be touched and never will be.

It really is the unique (and symmetrical) look of the Creature that makes the movie. So a remake is artistically moot.

From the Cinescape site:

"Universal Pictures' has hired Breck Eisner to direct the remake of CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. Gary Ross, who wrote the most recent draft of the script, will produce.

The story follows a scientific expedition searching for fossils in the Amazon that discovers a prehistoric creature able to breathe underwater. The creature terrorizes the group and falls in love with the fiancee of a member of the expedition.

Eisner, who most recently directed SAHARA, told Variety, "What I really want to do is update an iconic image from the '50s and bring in more of the sci-fi sensibility of ALIEN or John Carpenter's THE THING."

The update will shoot in the U.S. as well as a location in Central or South America."

Oh yeah, this sounds real promising. :rolleyes: An "update of an iconic image". Okay boys, and girls, can you say "Lost In Space", or "Wild, Wild West".

David.

I agree about the classic timless quality of the original Creature. But, I'm encouraged that Eisner mentioned Alien and John Carpenter's The Thing. We'll have to wait and see if he hits the mark or not.

Huzz

There is only one Creature, and we already have him. He is a perfect monster, and to remake him, is like saying it was a bad design. I can't stand these jerks, who think we need to remake every movie.

I have yet to decide on King Kong yet.

Didn't I see pictures of a suit designed for another Creature remake years ago?

Hollywood has NO NEW IDEAS, and no creative types to come up with any!

Hollywood has NO NEW IDEAS, and no creative types to come up with any!

There's plenty of creative people with original ideas - they just don't make the kinds of movies we generally discuss on these boards.

How can one remake a movie that is already perfect? If they do remake it iI would like to see them use the same locations as the original....I only live about an hour away from the river and springs

Yeah. How could they even think about remaking such an original idea? I mean, there never was a movie before CREATURE about an expedition into an unexplored jungle area and discovering a previously unknown creature that becomes infatuated with the sole female member of the party.

I'm sorry, but when you look at the what makes a movie good, an original idea is way down there. The fact is if someone ever made a 100% original film, it would at best be incomprehensible, at worst unwatchable.

Yeah. How could they even think about remaking such an original idea? I mean, there never was a movie before CREATURE about an expedition into an unexplored jungle area and discovering a previously unknown creature that becomes infatuated with the sole female member of the party.

I'm sorry, but when you look at the what makes a movie good, an original idea is way down there. The fact is if someone ever made a 100% original film, it would at best be incomprehensible, at worst unwatchable.
I said "perfect"....when I mentioned "original" I was refering to the shooting locations....the story is far from original....but the movie is Perfect :thumbsup:

Actually, I wasn't responding to your message, but to the complaint about Hollywood having no original ideas. I really don't care how original an idea is. I just want them to do it well.

Actually, I wasn't responding to your message, but to the complaint about Hollywood having no original ideas. I really don't care how original an idea is. I just want them to do it well.


Good point.

Director Breck Eisner ("Sahara")...I hope it's better than Sahara, that was rubbish.

I think "rubbish" in reference to Sahara is a bit harsh. I rented it and watched it at home. it may never be viewed as a classic of the genre like the Indiana Jones movies but nevertheless I found it to be reasonably entertaining and an enjoyable way to pass a couple of hours.

Huzz

I believe here's one of the preliminary full-color sketches for the design and look of the creature:

The Creature (http://www.ppgworld.com/screenshots4/113/Dzl4310.jpg)

Evidently, he's a bit bigger and has a few extra abilities than I remember the original having.
(http://www.ppgworld.com/screenshots4/113/Dzl4310.jpg)

Ha!! :thumbsup:

A couple of years ago I was skulking around - you guessed it Brent Gair - Canadian Tire - and I found a way cool full face Creature PVC mask. And wouldn't you know it that I couldn't find that thing today no matter where I look in the house!

Too bad, if I could find it I might be tempted to post my own Creature update!


Huzz

Actually, I'll reserve judgement as well. The remakes of both "The Mummy" and "The Thing" were enjoyable and stood on their own merits - "The Mummy" as a rollicking adventure in the vein of Indiana Jones, "The Thing" as a more visceral version of the original story "Who Goes There?". Other remakes such as "The Haunting" or "Planet of the Apes", on the other hand, just don't stand up under the scrutiny (IMHO).
Our greatest "monsters" had a sense of empathy or sympathy - the Creature was protecting his home, while being smitten by the beauty of Julie Adams. Even though Browning's face is hidden during the entire scene, the haunting (and sensual) "underwater ballet" sequence made it obvious even to kids...

Chris - one of the gang here posted a link to a diorama of that very scene. It was quite impressive and fabulously well done.

Huzz

Considering that Eisner is directing and already using the term "updating" - I bet it'll stink! Which would be a shame!

At the same time I have high hopes for King Kong. Even though Jacksons "updating" as well, it seems he has a lot of respect for the original and even set it in the same time period.

ive seen some of the various sketches for new creature.....

i was reminded of an incident the day the american godzilla came out. i was standing behind a couple of factory workers in line at taco bell, where they had jusnt unveiled a standee featuring the monster. one of the workers said to the other "well its a cool looking lizard, but it's not godzilla".

the very same thing goes for all the sketches i saw. i think that straying too far from the original design would be a huge mistake. its simply a matter of audience expectations.

QUOTE
(i was reminded of an incident the day the american godzilla came out. i was standing behind a couple of factory workers in line at taco bell, where they had jusnt unveiled a standee featuring the monster. one of the workers said to the other "well its a cool looking lizard, but it's not godzilla".)

I liked the new Godzilla as a stand alone movie but have often wondered how much better reception it would have gotten in they had given the monster radioactive blood, had it attack a lighthouse and then killed it in an amusement park. I just think that monster design (and movie) would have made a much better "Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" remake that it did Gozilla. Before you jump on me, I'd like to say that I was a Ray Harryhausen fan long before many of you were born and he is still my favorite special effects man. Just saying that changing the "look" of Godzilla was like taking John Wayne, putting him in Oriental clothes and makeup with the eyes and all and making him a Mongol leader. Anybody think he was right for the part of Gengis Khan? But that didn't stop Hollyweird from doing it. Let's wait and see what the new Kong has for us before we trash it too much. Granted, it could be another Bridges/Grodin Kong or it could be another Mummy.

A point I'll agree with wholeheartedly. While far from perfect, the "new" Godzilla wasn't a bad film. But calling it Godzilla was a way to cash in on the established public awareness - kind of like saying "I know Godzilla, and you, sir, are no Godzilla"...

yea, I agree, Thing-Carpenters version IS much better, Mummy is OK, where I was bored by the original. I think the elegence of the original Creature costume, and the style/mood of the original is great for the time produced. I'm just afraid that the new one will be an effects show instead of an actual story with plot. Lost in space had no real story line after the 1st 45 minutes of copying the basis of the original show, and became an effects show instead - AND IT STUNK!

Actors and Directors have too much ego for the kind of films produced these days. They just don't want to pay the dues of hard work for the sake of the art instead substituting ego and attitude for the quick buck. Why has Hollywood had such a bad year? Boring flicks.

luke and chris, your point is well taken, but the problem is that it wasnt as if they had this giant lizard movie and then decided to call it godzilla. the plan from the git-go was to make an american godzilla film. the public rejected the new monster, while the real godzilla just keeps stomping along.

lets just hope they keep that in mind when making the new creature

Didn't I see pictures of a suit designed for another Creature remake years ago?

Phil- Do you have the Creature DVD set? if so you recall the Smoother Version Creech head Bob Burns shows off? I believe he mentioned that it was ALMOST used for a "Female Creature" Well anyway I've seen (for several years now ) on-Line a Picture of a Mask Sculpt by iirc Steve Wang,well this mask looked something like the one Bob was displaying.and this mask looked more like the "Land Of The Lost" Sleastacks lol imho This maybe what you saw at some point?



John/Lonfan - I'm still disgusted by that Planet Of The Apes 2001 Version!

omg why bother, nothing can top that rare classic, I hate remakes, last 5 years, hollywood just doing remakes, the only fresh idea movie was the Saw.The thing and the blob remake were good.Next they will want to remake the incredible shrinking man.....or the godfather.....etc....war of the worlds remake was trash,
it was the tom cruise adventure hour....nuff said.