As much as I love the rock opera Tommy, I find the 1975 movie disappointing. Ken Russell’s eccentric directing style emphasized freakish set design and heavy handed satire (as in the parody of the Eucharist by distributing Marilyn Monroe’s last supper, booze and barbituates, to a Marilyn-worshipping congregation during “eyesight to the Blind.” Moreover, Pete Townsend as musical director ruined the music by going heavy on the keyboards in his orchestration. The movie soundtrack lacks the raw energy of the studio album, not to mention that the movie features Jack Nicholson and Oliver Reed in singing roles when neither man could carry a tune in a bucket.
My first job in remaking the movie would be to cast the band. Since the original Who are either too old or too dead to rock out with the explosive energy the music requires, I’ll need new musicians. My choice would be to have Phish play the music, with solo assists from Tom Morello and Bob Mould on “Amazing Journey” and “Pinball Wizard.”
Next, I’ll have to cast the actors.
Tommy: Michael Cerveris, who played the role on Broadway
Nora Walker: Nicole Kidman
Frank: Hugh Jackman
The Hawker (Eyesight to the Blind): Chris Cornell
Cousin Kevin: Thom Yorke
Uncle Ernie: Ewan McGregor
Acid Queen: John Cameron Mitchell
Sally Simpson: Mandy Moore (just because I want to see her get kicked in the face)
Psychiatrist (Go to the Mirror): Marilyn Manson
A Tommy remake sounds keen to me…I too love the rock opera, but the film was embarassing. Entertaining, but embarassing. I’ll have to think about my dream cast, but I think your selection of Nicole Kidman as Mrs. Walker is brilliant.
Hmm. I can think of so many remakes these days that have sucked, and so few that are good (well, I’m sure I could think of one if I tried… right?) that I was ready to say ‘no’ to this. But I admit you’ve got some good ideas - for one, you’ve got two of my favorite singers in there (Yorke and Cornell), and a few of my favorite actors. Tommy was the first Broadway show I ever saw, though I don’t remember it particularly well. McGregor, though I like him, might be a bit young for Uncle Ernie. Nothing insurmountable, I suppose, and he does sing rather well. I think I’d really have to listen to the whole album again to comment further, but it sounds promising. Sounds WAY better than the upcoming remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show featuring Manson. :weeps:
Jesus Christ: Vampire Hunter. It’s only a few years old, admitadely, but it’s such a great idea with such potential, that I’m sure with the right budget and the like, it can avoid the trappings of independant film (i.e. horrible production value, terrible sound and dubing, bad choreography, lame special effects). Again, the movie’s GREAT, even with these problems…but it could be SOOO much better.
BELL BOOK & CANDLE, with Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan replacing Stewart/Novak, the Jack Lemmon “beatnik” brother now an Eminem wannabe, and Carol Burnett as the Elsa Lanchester befuddle aunt.
PYGMALION with an ebonics twist, possibly repairing Steve Martin and Latifah for a movie that actually works. Whoopi Goldberg should play “Eliza’s” mother and in this version she gets a talk-show (just like Alfred Doolittle became a morality lecturer).
I used to be of the opinion that Rollerball would be an exceelent candidate for a remake, sinc the story is so good yet the Norman Jewison film seems extremely dated. Then they did go ahead and “remake” it and I guess I learned to be careful what you wish for.
I would like to see “A Clockwork Orange” remade, the twist being that that instead of the storyline occuring in England in the near future, it would occur in a present-day US urban inner city.
If it were up to me (which it ain’t), I’d keep Baz Luhrmann away from it. I just don’t dig his work - maybe I think he’s too convinced of his own revolutionary genius. I’d prefer someone who’d let the characters breathe and story tell itself. There are so few people doing musicals that I’m not sure who I’d pick for it. Sam Mendes, I guess, since he’s worked on the stage (and did the revival of Cabaret) and in film and been successful in both.
The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, and The Scorpion King are good arguments on this behalf. I don’t see the harm in giving a second shot to story or idea that wasn’t well-executed the first time.
But - and I hope this doesn’t sound like I’m playing to both sides - things really are getting out of hand right now. I remember seeing The Matrix: Reloaded - a sequel itself - and EVERY PREVIEW except one (and this was out of about six) was either for a remake or a sequel.
It’s getting pretty disgusting; you can tell Hollywood is being run by people who see films as nothing but product. On the upside, the pendulum has to swing the other way eventually - if not from within Hollywood, from without.
Upon viewing this thread, I was going to make a tasteless, cheap, and obvious remark about having Uncle Ernie be played by Michael Jackson but I decided not to.
Anyway, I really don’t see the need to remake the movie. The Broadway stage version, on the other hand, is probably different enough to possibly warrant being filmed.
As for casting suggestions, add me to the list of people who think Nicole Kidman is the perfect choice as Tommy’s mother. As for the other roles, I’d like to see Shirley Manson as the Acid Queen mainly because I’ve always wanted her to do a cover of the song.
The 1975 movie was my first exposure to Tommy (and The Who) so for me it will always be the definitive version (YMMV).
Gobear, you say Jack Nicholson can’t carry a tune, yet you’d replace him with Marilyn Freaking Manson? Sounds to me like a perfect example of going from bad to worse…
Damn straight!! What the hell was that hack John Huston thinking remaking The Maltese Falcon As if that Bogart dude made a better Sam Spade than Ricardo Cortez. Or what about that lazy-ass Hitchcock fellow who remade his own damn movie with The Man Who Knew Too Much? Ooh look, it’s in color this time, and has a Doris Day musical number! Get out the field, you hacks!! You too, Cecil B. DeMille, with your just add sound and color to the 10 commandments gambit.
Back on topic: Tommy is the sort of movie that’s perfect for a remake. Great potential in the source material, but a lot of cringeworthy moments in the original execution. If there’s room for improvement, why not try a redo? Sure, a shot-for-shot remake of Psycho was just plain stupid, and Casablanca is perfect the way it is, but if the original is flawed, as is Tommy (IMHO, of course), sure, try again.
I see Bob Hoskins as Uncle Ernie for some reason.
