MovieChat Forums > The Sand Pebbles (1966) Discussion > Remake needed?

Remake needed?

posted 19 years ago by bhague-2
74 replies | jump to latest

Given the changing nature of the relationship between the U.S. and China, and the harsh realities of U.S. imperialism depicted in the original, perhaps it's time for a remake, to bring this story to a modern audience. While it would be tough to match the performances of McQueen, Attenborough and Crenna, I'm sure that if a good cast were assembled, this could be a worthy project for remake. There's also plenty of talented Chinese actors who could fill some of those roles (Mako, who starred in the original, is actually ethnically Japanese), which could provide interest for the Asian market. I'm not sure who could play Jake, (Matt Damon, maybe) but I think Scarlett Johansen would be terrific as Shirley . . .

[–] HansWind 12 years ago

There is NO Steve McQueen film that needs to be remade. Period.

[–] Tashtago 12 years ago

No. And why does someone always have to propose a re-make for an already great film. How about a re-make of the Godfather instead?

[–] photoe 11 years ago

Wont happen because:

1. Hollywood would never green light another movie about a period in history this obscure.

2. THe ships would be done in CGI, and considering how much was shot on deck, it would cost far too much to reshoot the movie, plus the chinese locations, not happening, refer again to point one.

3. The acting is so tremendous, particularly McQueen as the heroic, capable, and yet utterly jaded and hurting soldier. Any actor would be crazy to follow him.

We've got plenty of antiwar stories to do, unfortunately, out of Iraq, Afghanistan, and who knows where else. Maybe something about the Mexican-American war could be saleable, but its a different story than this one. The US has a long, long history of pointless interventions, but good luck making a film about one.

Fact is, you can't recreate a period in time. Saving American missionaries was critical to the plot line here, and that again, has almost no relevance now. Well, maybe in africa against muslim extremists.

I just don't see the offbeat wars film of the 60s to 80s being equalled - Wild Geese, Shout At The Devil, Platoon, High Velocity, Apocalypse Now, Burn, and on and on and on. Noone can question the overlords anymore, for the time being,
and the colonial period is over, at least in the same form as it was.

[–] tristan_erwin 11 years ago

I don't believe there are any ships from this era left around. So it would be pretty close to impossible. Same reason why you don't see WW2 Naval movies most of those ships are gone. I do agree that more naval movies need to be made, especially ones about surface warships. Sand Pebbles is one of the few naval movies not about a submarine.

[–] benkarkis 11 years ago

From what I read they built the movie gunboat specifically for the movie. Spent 250,000 dollars which today is probably 2 million.

[–] avnrulz 10 years ago

This movie does NOT need to be remade.

BOHICA America!

[–] bradford-1 10 years ago

Talk about long-running threads!
A big "no" to remaking TSP. But there are quite a few American military subjects that have never been properly explored:
1) How about a film on the American occupation of the Philippines in the early 1900s? I consider that situation a real precursor to getting involved in the Vietnam quagmire, but as far as I know, there's only been one film that addressed it. Gary Cooper starred in THE REAL GLORY (1939). I saw it on TV years ago, and my memory of it has faded.
2)Didja know American troops fought a short "action" in Korea in the 1870s? I only first read about it maybe six years ago. And the Korean fighters used spears and bows & arrows!
3)Didja know American soldiers participated in the 1919-1921 Russian Civil War? They were part of an international force that backed up the Czarists fighting the Bolsheviks. The Americans were known as the Polar Bear Regiment (or somesuch) Never seen a movie or TV show about this subject.
4) In World War Two, an American tank crew member escaped from a German POW camp, but mistakenly headed East instead of West. He ran into a Soviet tank brigade and served with them in the last few months of the war. He couldn't speak Russian and only one of the officers knew a smattering of English. The American was wounded and ended up in a Red Army hospital when Marshal Zhukov visited and did a double take when he came across the Yank. After much red tape (pun intended), he was returned to the U.S. Army and went home to live and work in obscurity. I only found out about him about 10 yrs. ago when I read a 700-word wire story on the guy and his wife traveling to the Kremlin so he could be awarded a coupla medals. Now THERE's a movie for Bradley Cooper...
May I bone your kipper, Mademoiselle?

[–] MAC-16 9 years ago

"Talk about long-running threads! A big "no" to remaking TSP. But there are quite a few American military subjects that have never been properly explored: "
bradford-1 may I suggest a movie\mini series on Daniel Daly Medal of Honor winner at Peking and Haiti + probably deserved one in WW1 aswell.

[–] AccidntlTourist 10 years ago

This is an absolute classic!

Please don't insult it with plastic remake.

Countless untold stories occurred during this era - real-life dramas that can be retold by cinema to great effect; no need to trample upon this classic.

[–] pswanson00 8 years ago

No, no, no, no, no.

For relaxing times, it's Suntory time.