Hey folks, Harry here. We've been listening to news about Robert Towne and a 39 STEPS remake for 5 years now, and he's apparently only 'mid-screenplay' at the moment. In fact, back in 1997, within Moriarty's first 10 reports here on AICN. Personally, this is one of my favorite Hitchcock movies. I LOVE THE ORIGINAL. Now Robert Towne is a helluva screenwriter, but frankly I don't really think it'll be as sublimely perfect as Hitch's, but therereally isn't a real harm with a filmmaker of Towne's talent trying. Who knows he might take the idea of THE 39 STEPS and do something wonderfully new with it. maybe...
39 Steps Remake to Film in Australia
Robert Towne, the acclaimed screenwriter of "Chinatown", tells Empire Magazine Australia that he's setting the remake of "The 39 Steps" in Australia. Towne is writing and directing a new version of the classic Hitchcock film, which he says will be set down under. "I'm using the movie primarily although I have read and enjoyed the John Buchan book. I'm setting it in Australia. It'll be similiar to the old movie, but also quite different because of where it's set and partly because of the nature of the central characters", says Towne. He says it's in "mid-screenplay" status, and that a few Australian productions of late have really impressed him, hence the decision to do the movie in oz. "I don't think anything has impressed me more than Blue Murder. It's not technically a film, but there are lots of Australian films that have impressed me - the work of Peter Weir, Fred Schepsi, Bruce Beresford. The story revolves about Richard Hannay, who finds he must escape from his flat after he discovers that the mysterious woman to whom he had given refuge the night before has been murdered. The killers are now after him, although he really isn't sure why, and he flees, following a single clue.
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