Hey folks, Harry here... this is an interesting case of remaking a classic. The original STRAW DOGS rivals THE WILD BUNCH as cinema master's Sam Peckinpah's greatest film. STRAW DOGS has been released by Criterion, which I thought was a defense mechanism against it being remade, because if Criterion puts it out - it is a classic, right? At least in my home. BUT - then Screen Gems, the company behind this week's PRIEST release - has gone and remade the film. That's not usually a good sign, but they did nab Rod Lurie as the director - and he's a damn fine one. He's gone and cast James Marsden in the Dustin Hoffman role and Kate Bosworth in the Susan George role. This is where I get my initial red flags. Don't get me wrong, unlike many - I adore Kate Bosworth ever since BLUE CRUSH, but I don't know if she has quite the "slut" in her that Susan George screamed out. I'm not saying Susan George was a slut, but on film... she reeked of sexual availability. Then James Marsden in lieu of Dustin Hoffman... well, if fucking CYCLOPS can't clean the earth with TRUE BLOOD's Eric Northman, he's not the X-MEN I'm familiar with. Heh. But seriously, psychologically speaking from an audience member's point of view... Marsden is a pretty solid MAN. Personally, the weaker the man you cast in that role, the better. Instantly in the original - my mind feared for Hoffman, because he's a little guy.
Anyway - here's the new trailer...
Ok, so there's that... Now - let's watch the trailer for the original... I like doing that on remakes - one to see how they were both being sold.
Ok... SO the original was sold on Susan George's rack in a sweater and this one has Bosworth's buns in shorts... The original trailer was brilliantly edited, and the sequel goes over some of the same material twice for some reason.
Let's hope Lurie nailed it, but even so, I feel that the original is unbeatable in this situation. I just can't imagine this beating Peckinpah's...
Alright,
