If you read Screen Rant regularly you know that I am not a fan of remakes. For the most part they reek of a lack of creativity and just cashing in on the original film’s popularity to guarantee an audience. However with this story I have to ask: When is a remake not really a remake?
The original starred Bruce Lee as a martial artist hired by the FBI to infiltrate a drug smuggling operation by entering a huge martial arts tournament hosted by the head honcho. It’s a seminal kung fu movie and showed studios that a martial arts movie could be extremely profitable, opening the door to making the genre mainstream.
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This version, on the other hand is described as:
“…a contemporized drama about a lone FBI agent who pursues a rogue Shaolin monk into the bloody world of underground martial arts fight clubs.”
Ok, that sounds kind of similar, but it will take place in the setting of underground fight clubs and it sounds to me like they’re shooting for fight scenes reminiscent of those from Fight Club. The goal is to make the action raw and show how brutal Shaolin kung fu can be in a fight.
Another difference is that first time director Kurt Sutter wants a “noir” feel to the film, and that they’re not even giving it the same title. This one will be called Awaken the Dragon.
Just the fact that they’re not calling the new version Enter the Dragon scores points with me. It’s way early but I’ll be keeping an eye on this one.
Source: The Movie Blog
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13 Comments
Actually, the Fugitive remake wasn’t bad. It actually made the series better to some extent.
Being a huge Bruce Lee fan, I’m not at all excited to hear about this. Enter the Dragon is a classic in it’s own right. To me it’s like remaking The Godfather or something like that. Remakes are good only if the original sucked. Enter the Dragon did not suck at all.
Matt, that’s true, but as PG pointed out a pretty good rule of thumb is that a good remake usually comes from a weak original source.
Vic
Who’s gonna star in it? If it’s gonna have some half-ass pretty face with no fighting background, the fight scenes are gonna look like crap no matter how many fast-cuts and wirework you use.
For instance, given Keanu Reeves’ lame acting in The Matrix triology, I’ve always thought that Mark Dacascos would have been a better choice. He has similarly pan-Asian looks (but Dacascos looks sharper), not-so-expressive acting skills, and Dacascos has an added advantage – REAL martial arts background.
From the description given for the movie I can only assume (hope?) that they get someone with some serious MA skills to play the role.
Vic
Speaking not only as a Bruce Lee fan, but as a martial artist, I have to say I think Mr. Sutter should call this off. The odds of him pissing off the martial arts community are way to high, and they’re not the kind of people you want angry with you. And there are a lot of other Bruce Lee fans out there and some of them probbably have guns. Statisticly speaking.
Movies as good as Enter The Dragon should reaally just be left alone.
I’m with you. There are some movies that should just be left alone (as I have said MANY times).
Vic
Enter the Dragon was Bruce Lee’s Casablance and to piss on it would be a disgrace to Bruce and the remaining live actors that made this movie. Let lying dogs lie and leave this one alone. If you plan on doing a martial arts movie fine, but to link it with a classic just to make money is a crime. As Bubba said to Fred Sanford, “Do do it!”
So if it’s not really a remake are they just saying it is to get it some attention?
Either way I can’t see it being good.
Kevin,
EXACTLY. It’s a common practice in Hollywood to take and existing well known film and grab the title to just for the name recognition aspect. Often the new version can have very little resemblance to the original, but the name brings people to the theater (at least on opening weekend).
Vic
i’m a big bruce lee fan, and me and brother, during the 80s, would tape many of lee’s kung fu classics (when the vhs, not vcr, was king of entertainment). and to take you guys further back, i remember when his movies would come on sundays on fox 5 and fox would call that segment “the drive in.”
i do agree that they should leave this film alone. if you want to make an excellent kung fu flick, which hasn’t been scene in ,ugh….30yrs, be original about it, and don’t try to ride the coattails of a classic contender.
Well I just heard about this and I agree they should leave “ETD” alone but if they get Tony Jaa to star in the lead role this movie will be great…well maybe not lol but at least the fighting will be great!!
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