# It's the same freaking midget! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 15, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232 "2010-04-15T16:52:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/1 "2010-04-15T16:52:36Z")
So having expressed an interested in seeing the, currently being heavily promoted movie, “Death At a Funeral”, a friend points out something I did not know. It’s actually a remake of an earlier British film. So we scare up a copy. I assumed it was a much earlier film. I was expecting an old, perhaps black and white, silly British comedy. I was wrong. It is actually not more than a few years old. And it was really, really good, I quite enjoyed it. In case you are unaware there is a ‘little person’ in it. The more I see the promos for the latest version the more it makes me cringe a little, and I begin to think seeing the original is going to end up ruining the American version for me. Haven’t seen it yet, so I can’t say for sure, just an impression. The US version seems more over the top and cartoonish, from what I’ve seen. Whereas the British version was somewhat more subtle in many ways. I caught another promo yesterday and was shocked to discover they’ve used the same ‘little person’ for both films. Anybody else find that, just a little odd? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/2 "2010-04-15T16:55:20Z")
His name is \*\*Peter Dinklage \*\*and he is an accomplished actor who did a great job in the first one…I think re-including him is meant to be part of the Funny… ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/3 "2010-04-15T17:48:53Z")
Christy Lemire’s two-and-a-half-star review for the Associated Press says > [@](#): > > And of course, the key figure connecting both movies is Peter Dinklage, reprising his role as a diminutive man who shows up at the house with a big secret – and even bigger demands. His return is a prime reason why _Death at a Funeral_ surprisingly deserves a second life. The original version was from 2007. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/4 "2010-04-15T17:49:26Z")
He is the only reason I would even consider seeing the movie. It looks painfully unfunny. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/5 "2010-04-15T18:48:46Z")
An Penelope Cruz was in both “Abre los ojos (Open Your Eyes)” and its Hollywood remake “Vanilla Sky”. Sometimes they just like a particular element from an original. It’s uncommon but not unheard of, and Dinklage was available, so why not? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/6 "2010-04-15T18:54:14Z")
> [@Eats\_Crayons](#): > > Sometimes they just like a particular element from an original. It’s uncommon but not unheard of, and Dinklage was available, so why not? Plus, how many midget actors are there? Would you have preferred that Chris Rock had gotten Verne Troyer? ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/7 "2010-04-15T18:58:50Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Plus, how many midget actors are there? Would you have preferred that Chris Rock had gotten Verne Troyer? Jordan Prentice who was in “In Bruges” is about the right age and stature. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/8 "2010-04-15T19:14:28Z")
The original was wonderful IMO. I refuse to see the new one because I don’t want to spend 2 hours yelling at the screen for sucking. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/9 "2010-04-15T19:26:43Z")
The original was good, but I wouldn’t call it understated or subtle. Tudyk’s performance alone makes it pretty campy. That said, I liked it a fair bit, and I enjoy Dinklage pretty consistently, so I am considering seeing the remake, even if it does include Martin Lawrence. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/10 "2010-04-15T19:30:55Z")
I have the original in my Netflix queue although I don’t remember what prompted me to put it there (possibly a recommendation from someone here), and when I started seeing ads for the remake I thought my sanity was slipping. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/11 "2010-04-15T19:43:30Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > I have the original in my Netflix queue although I don’t remember what prompted me to put it there ( **possibly a recommendation from someone here** ), and when I started seeing ads for the remake I thought my sanity was slipping. You might be thinking of the thread I started awhile back on this subject: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546181&highlight=death](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546181&highlight=death) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/12 "2010-04-15T19:56:00Z")
This isn’t all that unusual. Sean Connery played James Bond in both **Thunderball** and **never Say Never Again**. Clark Gable played the same part in **red Dust** and **Mogambo**. The same basic cast appeared in three different-language versions of **l’Atlantide** ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/13 "2010-04-15T19:59:58Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > The original was wonderful IMO. I refuse to see the new one because I don’t want to spend 2 hours yelling at the screen for sucking. But the remake is a Black People Movie, so yelling at the screen is required. 😛 [sub]running away[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/14 "2010-04-15T20:28:17Z")
I know that both terms are considered offensive (though honestly I think _little people_ sounds most offensive of all and it’s preferred), but I think Dinklage is technically a dwarf rather than a midget. Whatever he is, he’s a good actor and actually sorta kinda handsome. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/15 "2010-04-15T20:59:37Z")
I think he’s pretty damned cute, personally. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/16 "2010-04-15T21:19:46Z")
Of course I’ll admit I can’t see him without thinking “Oooh… you’re an angry elf.” ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/17 "2010-04-16T01:09:07Z")
As amazed as I was that anyone would remake a film that is A) in English already, and B) less than 3 years old, my biggest surprise was seeing the most recent trailer for the new version of the film. For anyone who hasn’t seen it, I’ll put this in a spoiler box, but the trailer actually flat-out explains that Peter Dinklage’s character… was having an affair with the now-deceased father of Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence, who’s funeral the film is based around. Seriously? How could they blow that in the trailer? Kind of a big plot point that’s _supposed_ to be a secret. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/18 "2010-04-16T01:20:31Z")
Heck, Robert Llewellyn played Kryten the android in the original (British) _Red Dwarf_ and the agonizing but mercifully short-lived American attempt at a remake. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/19 "2010-04-16T01:22:40Z")
> [@TheBoltEater](#): > > Seriously? How could they blow that in the trailer? Kind of a big plot point that’s _supposed_ to be a secret. Americans don’t like shock - they like schtick. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232/20 "2010-04-16T02:20:16Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > You might be thinking of the thread I started awhile back on this subject: > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546181&highlight=death](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546181&highlight=death) That could be it; I watched _Underdog_ solely because Peter Dinklage was in it, so that would have been reason enough for me to add _Death at a Funeral_ to my Netflix queue. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-same-freaking-midget/536232.md?page=2)