The Manchurian Candidate Thread (possible spoilers)

[Rufus_Xavier]

This is for all posts related to the book, the original movie or the upcoming remake.

I will begin. I watched the original movie the other night (for the second or third time, but first time in a few years) and I wanted to share my impressions.

My first impression was that some of the ridiculous casting decisions almost derail the movie: Henry Silva as a Korean? Lawrence Harvey and Angela Lansbury as Americans? :rolleyes: pu-lease…

Sinatra, though…he really holds the movie together. I love the scene where he tries unsuccessfully to light a cigarette and also the scene where he and Silva have a hand-to-hand martial arts battle in Harvey’s living room.

Also, though it’s very very difficult to believe Angela Lansbury as an American (much less as Lawrence Harvey’s mother!), it really is a joy to see her be so deliciously evil.

Overall, I liked the movie, but I think I would have liked it more if it had been cast better. I liked the book more than the movie, although to be fair, most of the less than believable plot points in the movie come straight from the book, as I recall.

As far as the remake, all I know is what I see of the cast list. Looks like the casting decisions were more appropriate this time around. It remains to be seen whether the movie itself will improve at all upon the source material.

IMHO, this is one of those movies that did not need to be remade. :shrug:

[Zebra]

I have no problems with Angela Lansbury or Lawrence Harvey as Americans.

Actually I think they were perfect in their roles.

[NicePete]

I think both Lansbury and Harvey’s accents waver a little through the movie. However, Angela Lansbury’s performance is just about the most chilling thing I’ve ever seen. She’s so civilized and yet so monstrously eeeeevil at the same time.

[liirogue]

I haven’t seen the first movie, nor read the book, so take this for what it’s worth.

So far, I’m lukewarm on the remake. I really like Denzel Washington, so it might be a movie I rent just because of that. As far as seeing it in the theaters? I’m not too sure… Hubby hasn’t really expressed interest. I’ll wait and see what some of the reviewers and Dopers have to say about it.

[Rufus_Xavier]

I just read Ebert’s review here . I actually want to see it now, because it sounds different enough from the original to make it worth checking out. Also, his point here:

Every time I watch the original “Manchurian Candidate,” I’m teased by the possibility that there may be another, deeper, level of conspiracy, one we’re intended to sense without quite understanding. It involves the character of the woman named Rose or Rosie, who Marco meets on a train; she was played in 1962 by Janet Leigh and this time by Kimberly Elise. These characters materialize out of nowhere, fall instantly in love with Marco, and say inexplicable things. To accept them as simply a romantic opportunity is too easy; why would a woman fall for a complete stranger who (in the Sinatra version) is shaking so badly he can’t light his cigarette and (in the Washington version) biting vice presidential candidates? She’s up to something.

is similar to something I wanted to put in the OP, but rejected because it was too longwinded. What would she be up to? And who is she doing it for? hmmmmmmm…