According to Variety's Anne Thompson, producer Scott Rudin is currently prepping a remake of Akira Kurosawa's classic kidnapping thriller, HIGH AND LOW. It will be directed by Mike Nichols and written by David Mamet, and I wish them all the best as they try to improve on one of the master's top five works (the other four: YOJIMBO, SEVEN SAMURAI, THRONE OF BLOOD and RAN).
One element working in their favor: Kurosawa based his picture on KING'S RANSOM, one of Ed McBain's "87th Precinct" crime novels. I'm sure the Manhattan-based Rudin would love to shoot the film locally, but if Nichols were hot to return to the story's pulpy origins, why not go back to the original title? Is it because they're more interested in retaining Kurosawa's ingenious two-act structure? Or are they simply trying to distance themselves from this 2005 act of violence starring Anthony Anderson?
I'll trust Rudin and Co. not to fuck this up. Time to track down Mamet's screenplay!
