REMAKE SET FOR 2011 - The Monster Squad (1987) Discussion

[–] Great_Gazoo 16 years ago

Rob Cohen has said he will produce it, I'm just not so sure about it. I hate him and the remake probably won't be as good.

reply

[–] Darthspielberg-1 16 years ago

Um, Rob Cohen was one of the producer's on the original film. He was also very instrumental in getting the original made. I'm not fan of his either, but it's probably the one time I just might feel comfortable with him being involved in a movie.

reply

[–] heelmaster2000 16 years ago

Ah crap, that's all I got to say about this.

reply

[–] araminta107 16 years ago

I sincerely hope not...the film is a classic and is brilliant in its original form.

Why do they always have to remake films that don't need it **sigh** anyone remember The Wicker Man?!?! Nuff said!

reply

[–] Bladerunner 16 years ago

I love the original. It is a great flick, but a remake might be fun. IF they realize it's made for KIDS and not ADULTS and they stay true to the goofy humor while at the same time taking the monsters seriously. Then... maybe it will work. However, if they try to just make it about the make-up... we're screwed.

"...nothing is left of me, each time I see her..." - Catullus

reply

[–] pjcstarfan 16 years ago

Why in God's name would they remake this movie? I just got through watching --all right RE-REwatching--my 20th Anniversary DVD set a few minutes ago and decided to check out imdb. I absolutely love this movie, and see no reason to remake it, even with someone from the original production. Since Fred Dekker said in an interview he thinks its his best film, i don't think even he would re-do it. I'm afraid they'll PC this movie to death if they remake it-- cut out the language, and make it "less scary" so the kids who see it won't be "traumatized." The charm of this movie lies in the fact that, yes, kids do talk like this at that age, and that the suspense and such were not candy coated. Yes, there is a lot of humor-- "Take that, bandaid breath"-- but it flows with the real danger of the situation.

Hollywood needs to stop remaking things and actually find other material to film. Its out there. Its called books and imaginative writers.

reply

[–] Bladerunner 16 years ago

I'm watching it right now, and it's great. I love it. Of course it's Fred Dekker's best film, I mean... look at the guy's filmography!

I totally agree with you, if they PC it... then it's beast bait. But, if you get the right director, someone with a bit of Ron Dahl in them, who knows the 80s (by living through them, not "studying" them), then... it could be a LOT of fun.

This movie had a HUGE budget for what it was in those days. There are MANY movies made now that have a far smaller budget. I'll put it this way, E.T. which was made only five years earlier was made with 10 mil, and Monster Squad had 12 mil. Point being, the studio that makes this MUST commit a bunch of money for excellent OLD FASHIONED effects. Really good make-up, and three really good child actors, not old kids pretending to be young. And NO, NO romantic bs, just good old fashioned monsters and three kids to save the planet (and one teen to make the bullets and stakes).

Casting of roles are as follows:

Critical: Sean, Sean's dad, Scary German Guy and Dracula
Very Important: Patrick, Horace, Eugene, Sean's mom and Wolfman while human (Desperate man), Frankenstein's monster and Pheobe.
Important: Van Helsing, Patrick's sister and the remainder of the monsters.

If the adults in the critical casting aren't done right, or consider their roles to be minor or camp, the movie is toast. Scary German Guy, Dracula and Sean's dad are just absolutely critical. If they change Scary German Guy from being a concentration camp survivor to anything else, the film is beast bait. If they camp up Dracula or Sean's dad, the film has no nards.

If Phoebe doesn't say, "Come on guys, don't be chickensh!t!" when she is introducing Frank, the movie is bogus.

Someone like Robert Zemeckis or even better, John Landis could do wonders.

What they could dump: the African-American cop that says, "I notice things, I'm a very good cop" all the time. Things they could enhance: the relationship between Sean and his dad, and Sean's dad and mom.

Anyway, I hope they respect it and make a good movie. We'll see.

"...nothing is left of me, each time I see her..." - Catullus

reply

[–] Robbmonster 16 years ago

Not a chance I will go to see it.

I don't see remakes I don't approve of.

If everyone who says they hate remakes followed through on that by not actually paying to see them, remakes would go away. Because I've yet to hear a person who says 'remakes are awesome".

Just my two cents.

"It's just a movie" is no excuse for treating us like idiots!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwRqc0KSkJ0

reply

[–] StreetTrash 16 years ago

Don't worry guys...they won't remake it. And if they do, the die hard fans won't go see it. That's all that matters. Hollywood can burn in hell for sure and so can the Cohen Brothers. I don't give a wet fart if they helped financed this masterpiece. The director and other crew members are the ones that brought this back.

reply

[–] JaySherman7 16 years ago

who are the 'Cohen Brothers'? are you referring to the producer Rob Cohen, who has no relation to the Coen Brothers, Joel and Ethan, who have made some brilliant films

reply

[–] koonerkid 16 years ago

All i'm gonna say is get Shane Black to write the script again and give him directing duty too, he's a pro writer and director.

reply

[–] brianf2004 16 years ago

Why do people care so much about remakes? Who cares... it doesn't tarnish or diminish the original in any way. Originals stand alone. I still love the longest yard, even though sandler failed miserably at a remake. Don't see it... i'm looking forward to it, maybe it'll bring more recognition to the overlooked original.

reply

[–] Woodyanders 16 years ago

This film doesn't need a remake; it's fine the way it is.

"We're all part Shatner/And part James Dean/Part Warren Oates/And Steven McQueen"

reply

[–] infamoushoney 16 years ago

Man not another remake???????????? They are going to ruin it. Doesn't anybody know how to right anything original anymore. I just bought the movie today because it reminded me of my childhood now I get this bad news o good grief

reply

[–] bullseyedesigns 16 years ago

What if the remake was animated? That might be an interesting take on it.

reply

[–] silversteeleproductions 16 years ago

This is one of my favorite films ever made, and the thought of a remake both churns my stomach and yet intrigues me. Since I was a kid, I've always yearned for a sequel. There is no way in hell the remake could even break even with the original. I'm just hoping it won't be full of damn CGI.

reply

[–] Murray_the_evil_skull 16 years ago

"I've yet to hear a person who says 'remakes are awesome"."

The Departed was awesome.

King Kong was awesome.

Casino Royale was awesome.

Scarface was awesome.

Dawn of the dead was good.

Nuff said.

reply

[–] Robbmonster 15 years ago

Just what I need, another remake of a movie I like that I am not going to see.

And as someone who tries to write original screenplays, it's another nail in the coffin of another writer who came up with an original idea.

"It's just a movie" is no excuse for treating us like idiots!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwRqc0KSkJ0

reply

[–] exchronos 15 years ago

Okay, upon learning of this remake from Wikipedia I was shocked.

I would be for it, I would've been supportive of it, I'd even list all the good remakes, if it hadn't been for the multi-monster disappointment which was "Van Helsing".

Stephen Sommers had better not get his hands nowhere near touching the sanctity of "The Monster Squad" if anybody even thinks he should ever do it. The fact that man's career wasn't ruined is his miracle and our curse.

Todays films are too politically correct. Kids cursing just doesn't happen in films nowadays, or even having tree houses with cameras set up to shoot the one kid's hot older sister. Today's kids aren't crafty enough to fight monsters. They don't know anything ABOUT classic monsters to fight them! Unless they're planning to scrap the classic Monsters for generalized slasher film icons they are not going to be able to do much.

Let's face it, the last time any horror remake really worked WAS in the 1980s. The 1950s to 1980s ratio worked. Since then it's mostly been miss after miss in the game of hit and miss.

Unless they get Christopher Lee to be Dracula again, this film will fail miserably. "Van Helsing" turned Dracula into a cry-baby, while the original "Monster Squad" brought Lee's sadistic Dracula to a more Universal-looking design to bring everything into a full circle of evil super-villainy.

Today's child humor is so dumbed down (with the exception of the Shrek films) that we'd be getting a schlock. The film was like "Ghostbusters", the comedy is an added bonus, but the story and supernatural threat and the banding together to face that threat is paramount to its success.

"The Monster Squad" paid homage to the classic Universal films on so many levels that unless you've really watched them all to know the little homages and references. In particular the ones to "Son Of Dracula" and "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein".

Stephen Sommers supposedly was a Universal Horror fan, and the first "Mummy" film he did was monster lover gold. By "Van Helsing" we thought he knew what he was doing, but instead we got bat-babies. Bat-babies!

So whoever does dare do this remake had better not tarnish anything. Sure, you think that remakes don't tarnish the originals but they do. A friend of mine who went to college for creating make-ups and animatronics was adamant that she'd never watch the original "Planet Of The Apes" because of her love for the Tim Burton remake, and the original was revolutionary in its time just not in make-up sophistication, but thematically as well. Remakes do have an affect on the younger generations who watch them. Sometimes they inadvertantly replace the originals due to lack of current exposure of the originals to newer generations. Look at how warped "The Phantom Of The Opera" got over time after numerous remakes. Can anybody say born deformed VS acid face? Or Persian criminal mastermind VS you stole my musical masterpiece and then you threw acid in my face you evil copyright infringing nitwit!

Okay, that's enough ranting on this. By the way, I read yesterday they're also remaking "Alien" and "Scream". Will this insanity ever end?

Sincerely,
Exchronos

reply

[–] patkav6 15 years ago

Stan Winston and his crew made awesome customs and makeup effects. The story worked cause the costumes were pretty darn realistic and the characters could be slightly campy as some have stated, which I liked. The kids were young, but not wimps. With all the CGI today and teen actors who are lousy and annoying, a remake would likely fail. They'd have to keep it simple and grounded in the story, don't go overboard. Keep the actors witty and fun but kick***

reply

[–] nessie117-1 15 years ago

I am against the remake for the reason that the original (albeit dated, only slightly) stands very well against newer films of its kind. I believe that a theatrical re-release would be a much better route, or start having it play on basic cable again like it did in the early 90's to get word of mouth going.

When the remake is filmed I'm sure that it won't be as much of a labor of love as the original.

"Live every week like it's Shark Week." - Tracy Jordan, 30 Rock.

reply

[–] dnnyrz 15 years ago

I think a remake would be pretty cool, but if its done right like others have said. As long as it doesn't end up like Van Helsing. I tried watching that movie twice and can never finish it. It just gets worse each time. haha

Anyway it does seem like it would be odd for kids today to go on adventures and fight monsters. That kind of stuff worked in the 80s, but today the only adventurous stuff kids do is on the xbox 360 haha.

But who knows it could be all right. I know a lot of people b*tch about remakes and "omg does anyone have original ideas anymore." But like it or not its gonna happen. its always happened. and it will keep happeneing. So b*tch all u like, remakes in hollywood is a staple.

For this remake I hope it is actually more of a re-imaging. Like same basic idea monsters uniting and kids fighting them. But a different or similar plot.

reply

[–] stikfigure1 15 years ago

It amazes me how far Hollywood will stoop these days. Universal Studios wanted nothing to do with it, the movie ended up being a flop at the box office but on VHS and t.v. it became a HUGE cult hit and one of the most popular bootlegs for years.

Now all of a sudden it hits dvd and less than two years later Hollywood is going to remake it. What a huge slap in the face to Fred Dekker and everyone who worked on this great movie. Dekker created two of the all-time great cult classics with Night Of The Creeps and The Monster Squad. Of course Creeps was already ripped off and re-titled Slither and now The Monster Squad is being remade too. I mean seriously, why not remake it years ago when it was out of print? Why wait and try and remake it now that people are discovering or re-discovering it again on DVD and soon blu ray? WILL THE MADNESS EVER END!?

reply