Oldboy

[theruiner]

Thread to discuss the (brilliant) original or the (God damn) remake.

The original is amazing. One of my top ten favorite movies. I'm not crazy about it being remade, but at least it seems to be in pretty good hands. Last I heard they're supposed to start shooting in March. In the meantime, it's my personal mission to get as many people to see the original as I can. So...yeah. Go rent it. It's awesome. It's incredibly dark. But it's a beautiful film.

[iamanexit]

Love the film.
Didn't know they were remaking it. Puke. No thanks.

[theruiner]

Yup. Spike Lee is directing, Josh Brolin is going to star. They said they're keeping the same ending. Which I'm actually kind of looking forward to. I can't wait to sit in a mainstream American audience at the end of that movie.

I can't imagine it will hold a candle to the original, even if it turns out to be good. I do wonder if they'll keep that big emotional scene Daesu has toward the end. It's one of the most powerful things I've ever seen in a movie. No way they can top that.

[NotoriousTIMP]

I LOVED this movie, here's the trailer if you haven't seen it yet......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Paw9Myjf2gA&feature=related

and someone tell me he isnt going to be apart of the remake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4omsbqREoU&feature=related

[theruiner]

Nope. Smith's out. The whole Smith/Spielberg version completely fell apart, thank God.

And that trailer doesn't even begin to do the movie justice, unfortunately. Like, not even a tiny bit. But it's the only one we've got. ha.

[NotoriousTIMP]

I saw this movie a few years ago base only off word of mouth and by the end of the film I knew I had just finished watching one of the best films of all time. Hmm...maybe its time to finally buy this and add it to my collection. I wonder if its on blu-ray yet.....

[theruiner]

It is indeed. I am going to buy it on Blu-ray eventually (when I actually get a Blu-ray player), but I'm keeping my three-disc ultra-mega-deluxe edition, thank you very much. Unfortunately, I think the Blu-ray is only one disc and doesn't have all the extras.

[jrdsctt]

By far my favorite foreign film, if not one of my favorite films of all time. I saw it for the first time about 8 years ago, and every time I rewatch it still blows my mind. The beauty, the pain, the humor, the sadness, all of it is just so well done. Beautiful.

[ImTheWiseJanitor]

It is indeed. I am going to buy it on Blu-ray eventually (when I actually get a Blu-ray player), but I'm keeping my three-disc ultra-mega-deluxe edition, thank you very much. Unfortunately, I think the Blu-ray is only one disc and doesn't have all the extras.

Haha, I remember reading about it for the first time here and seeing that same version (the big 3 disc one in a gold metal case) at Hastings in sale the next day. I completely bought it on a whim, just based on what I'd read about it here. Needless to say, I feel like that's been one of the finest additions to my collection. I still haven't read the manga that came with it though. I think I'll do that after finals this week... Along with reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. :P

[theruiner]

Possible spoiler. It's really vague, but if you don't want to know anything, you might want to skip this. But, again, I've kept it really vague.

That scene in the penthouse still breaks my heart, and I've seen it probably ten or fifteen times. It's so brutal, and so different from anything I've ever seen on film before.

[theruiner]

Clive Owen, anyone? (http://www.slashfilm.com/clive-owen-spike-lees-oldboy-bad-guy/)

[RocketScience]

Clive Owen, anyone? (http://www.slashfilm.com/clive-owen-spike-lees-oldboy-bad-guy/)

I'd rather not have this film remade at all but I certainly wouldn't mind that.

[theruiner]

^^I'm with you. I'd rather it wasn't made, but if it has to be, I'd at least like it to be good.

And I guess there will be a certain amount of curiosity to see what they've done with it. And it'll kind of be fun to sit in a theater full of people who have no idea what's about to hit them. Also, I read some interview recently, it might have been with the screenwriter, I'm not sure, but they were saying that the ending is actually more disturbing than the original. So, I'm thinking, well, how is that even possible? Jesus Christ, what else could they possibly do to top that? Then it hit me.

So here's me prediction. Spoilers for the original version and potential spoilers for the new version, if I'm right (and I really think I may have figured it out): So, what could be more disturbing than Daesu (or whatever his name will be) finding out that he's been hypnotically tricked into falling in love- and having sex with- his own daughter? How about finding out that she's pregnant? THAT'S how you top the original ending. I can totally see it right now- it'll be the final shot of the movie when he finds out. She lifts up her jacket or something to reveal the bump underneath. And then, much like the last shot in the original, we are left with the cruel reality that Daesu is aware that this is his daughter, but Mido is not, and only he knows that he's fathering his own grandchild. It's his secret to the grave. Much how in the original Daesu may or may not have known (depending on if the hypnosis worked or not) that Mido was his daughter in that final scene. This not only "tops" the original's ending, but it also ties back perfectly with Woo-jin thinking he impregnated his sister based on what Daesu said. I'm telling you, THAT'S what they're going to do.

[aggroculture]

Great movie, a classic. I have a friend who's seen it 30 times. Pretty much guaranteed that the remake won't pack the same punch as the original, you'd need Martin Scorsese or some big gun like that. Oldboy is the kind of great movie Hollywood has forgotten how to make.

[theruiner]

Also, it looks like me might have our Mido. (http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Mia-Wasikowska-Offered-Female-Lead-Spike-Lee-Oldboy-Remake-28411.html)

I know the character is supposed to be young, but DAMN. She looks REALLY young.

[RocketScience]

Also, it looks like me might have our Mido. (http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Mia-Wasikowska-Offered-Female-Lead-Spike-Lee-Oldboy-Remake-28411.html)

I know the character is supposed to be young, but DAMN. She looks REALLY young.

Thought she did a great job in The Kids Are Alright, look forward to seeing her in this. I haven't cared much for Josh Brolin but so far this movie at least doesn't seem lacking in terms of casting.

On a slightly related note, Wasikowska is also starring in Park Chan-Wook's american debut, Stoker, written by Wentworth Miller of all people.

[Lutz]

I think Chan-wook Park just isn't my cup of tea. OLDBOY falls into M Night Shyamalan territory for me (a movie that isn't independently entertaining without the ending) and I felt the otherwise solid plot of THIRST was ruined by its twee execution. Having only seen those two I'd be happy to be proven wrong but haven't summoned the volition to watch any more of his movies. I'd squarely place Chan-wook Park on par as the Korean Jean Pierre Jeunet where I think a lot of you would rather see him as the Korean Johnnie To.

[theruiner]

^^Yeah, I'm not knocking you or anything, but I definitely disagree. Even without the ending, that movie is amazing. The ending did take it to another level, but it still would have been great otherwise.

[burn.]

There's no way they can top the original.
Oldboy is one of my favorite movies, I find it almost perfect. Everything in it is mind-blowing, from acting, to soundtrack, and don't get me started on the story.

[Lutz]

If you guys like this you should go out and see THE SKIN I LIVE IN.

[october_midnight]

Clive Owen is out. (http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=23744&count=0)

[Sallos]

I saw this movie just a couple of days ago, and knowing how it would end from the beginning might have really spoiled it for me, couse I hardly found it breathtaking.

[Wolfkiller]

Who is willing to vouch for the film enough to tell me they will give me my money back if I order this from amazon? Been hearing about it forever and was gonna watch on netflix while it was still there, but it was english dub only.

[Jon]

Who is willing to vouch for the film enough...

I'll vouch for all of the "Vengeance" trilogy even though this is not my favorite entry.

'Cut' from "Three... Extremes" is amazing (sorry, I know this isn't specifically a Park Chan-wook thread)

[aggroculture]

I wish they would drop this remake idea like they wisely dropped Akira.

[Frozen Beach]

I wish they'd just follow the manga, which honestly I think is a lot better than Park's version.

[theruiner]

Elizabeth Olsen might be Mido in the remake. (http://www.slashfilm.com/elizabeth-olsen-female-lead-oldboy/)

[theruiner]

And now we might have our villian. (http://www.slashfilm.com/district-9-star-sharlto-copley-offered-villain-role-spike-lees-oldboy/)

Interesting choice. He'll never be better than Yoo Ji-tae was in the original, though. But then the same could be said about Josh Brolin (who I'm sure will do a good job, but come on...you can't beat Choi Min-sik in that role).

[theruiner]

Sharlto Copley confirmed as the villian (http://www.slashfilm.com/sharlto-copley-villain-oldboy/)

By the way, MAJOR spoilers in the comments section if you haven't seen the original. The article itself is fine, though.

We also have the character's names now. Dae-su is now Joe Douchett and Woo-jin is now Adrian Pyrce. Worst names EVER.

[ImTheWiseJanitor]

Dae-su is now Joe Douchett.

The fact that somebody thought that Douchett was a name that nobody will snicker at just...amazes me. I've only known about it for 60 seconds and now I know I'm gonna be saying "Douchette" in my head when I inevitably go see this movie.

I think this might still be able to save itself. Maybe. Probably not. But maybe.

[theruiner]

I'm of two minds on this. On the one hand, I don't think this should be remade. At all. We have a perfectly great version already, and I think it should be left well enough alone.

That being said, I will still judge this movie on its own merits, and if it turns out to be good, then ok. I can appreciate the new one, and acknowledge that it's good and still wish they had never remade it.

[exilajei]

The trailer is out there on YouTube now, I don't want to link to any particular one because some have already been taken down from earlier today...

Any open-mindedness I had completely faded away while watching it. If you're remaking a film almost shot-for-shot, 10 years later, what's the point?

[Frozen Beach]

It doesn't look that shot for shot. Josh Brolin looks pretty awesome in the role, at least.

[thevoid99]

It does look good. I hope it is good as Spike Lee is in need of something good since Inside Man though his documentary work is still superb.

[aggroculture]

I might just watch this out of curiosity, when it makes netflix.

[thefragile_jake]

I still don't know how I should feel about this one...

[theruiner]

I was not impressed by the trailer at all. And I'm not happy about the remake. But I'm still going to be in the theater because my curiosity will get the best of me AND because I want to watch this with an unsuspecting audience (they've said that they're keeping the original's ending). That part will be fun.

[hobochic]

I'm good, thanks but no.

http://mykoreanboyfriend.com/kdramafilm/files/2012/10/Korean-Film-Old-Boy-03.jpg

[ImTheWiseJanitor]

I was not impressed by the trailer at all. And I'm not happy about the remake. But I'm still going to be in the theater because my curiosity will get the best of me AND because I want to watch this with an unsuspecting audience (they've said that they're keeping the original's ending). That part will be fun.

I'm keeping this on the same level as I had Let Me In. A totally unnecessary remake, but it turned out well on its own. If Let the Right One didn't already exist, and Let Me In came first, I think it would've been fine. Not as great, but still a pretty good film. I'm looking at Oldboy the same way. I don't expect it to hit the high marks of the original, but so far, the only thing really making me think it could be bad is my gut. Everyone else involved seems to know what fans of the original are expecting, and holding that in at least some kind of regard. I don't expect it to be great, but I'm sure I'll at least like it. Who knows? It could be pretty good.

I kinda like seeing Brolin as the lead character, too (I'm so glad that Will Smith thing fell through). If nothing else, I'm sure he'll deliver a good performance.

[Emil Dorbell]

I like that they're remaking it. Why? Because, as sad as it is, there's a huge number of people who'd never watch a korean film, and they've been missing out on this fantastic story. And hey, it can't be worse than the Indian version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q-rW1FZMX8

[theruiner]

So, I saw the remake today. It was bad, you guys. Really bad.

You know, for the first half of the movie, even though it paled in comparison to the original, I kept thinking to myself, this is actually ok. Not great, but decent. Not the epic disaster I feared it might be. Then the bad guy showed up. Sharlto Copley is HORRIBLE in this. Absolutely terrible. Yoo Ji-tae was awesome in the original, and really added emotional depth to that character. Sharlto is so far over the top he doesn't even know where the top is anymore. And the character is pretty poorly written and not in the least sympathetic or likable. Once he became prominent, about halfway through the movie, it just became a disaster.

Josh Brolin is fine in the role. Nothing spectacular. He isn't nearly as likable or relateable as Oh Dae-su was. Maybe that was on purpose but it sure didn't help me sympathize or root for his character. I didn't really give all that much of a shit about him or any of the characters, really. But at least the first half had moments that grabbed me, even if it was just a little bit. But after the halfway point things just went completely downhill. And the climax was just...wow.

Oh, and that ending. Jesus. It did not feel earned at all. It did not hit the same heartstrings as the original. Not even close. Where the original felt like a gut punch this felt like a shrug.

Overall I would say it was just this vapid, empty imitation of the original- all flash and no substance. I know a lot of people say you have to take this movie on its own merits but I feel like if you're telling the same story (and this one, with a few notable exceptions, pretty much did) then it's perfectly fair to compare the two versions and say which one is better and why. There were things that worked in the original that did not work here and I think it's interesting to try to figure out what made it work the first time and where it failed here.

If this movie worked on its own, I would have happily said, you know, I still think it was stupid to make this but at least it was good. For the first half of the movie, I was really feeling like the new version might actually be pretty decent. If they had gotten a different actor than Sharlto Copley, if they had fleshed out the characters more (or differently) and if they had worked a bit more on that damn ending it really could have been ok. As it stands now it's pretty much a disaster.

[mfte]

and then there is this...


http://juanluisgarcia.com/dear-spike-lee/

[Iran_Ed]

I like that they're remaking it. Why? Because, as sad as it is, there's a huge number of people who'd never watch a korean film, and they've been missing out on this fantastic story. And hey, it can't be worse than the Indian version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q-rW1FZMX8

The way the reviews for this film are going it seems like this is the version Spike saw.

I showed the original to some friends and family about two months ago. When the reveal happened it became one of those moments where nobody said anything. Just facial reactions of shock.