MovieChat Forums > The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans (2009) Discussion > So, WHY is this named after Ferrara's fi...

So, WHY is this named after Ferrara's film?

posted 14 years ago by pegasusgiraffe
23 replies | jump to latest

I'm not getting drawn into the debate of 'this movie is terrible' vs 'it's-so-bad-it's-really-a-dark-comedy'. I'm just asking if anyone knows exactly why the producers chose to call this "The Bad Lieutenant" when it clearly has nothing to do with the 'original' other than a vaguely similar premise. The obvious answer is built-in name recognition, but the original was a cult classic, not a runaway hit - and if anything, the NC17 extremitude of that movie would turn off mainstream audiences. They should've known there'd be a backlash about 'Hollywood being bereft of original ideas', and that a filmmaker like Herzog would speak out against the label of remake, to an extent that distracted from the movie's marketing.
Speaking for myself, I refused to even look into this movie for those reasons, and only caught it on cable AFTER reading Herzog's and Ferrara's statements about the movie. But I haven't read any statements on the reasoning behind naming it the way they did.

[–] nickthebishop 14 years ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goEkaK6WK98

Start at 12 minutes for relevant info.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] BrianMatrix 14 years ago

they just want to cash in on the name though the films have no resemblance to the previous three films at all.

If you bothered to watch the video (is it really that hard?) you'd see that you're basically right. The producers had the rights to the title, and they wanted to make some sort of franchise. Herzog didn't want to, but they did.

[–] subase 14 years ago

People keep on asking the same question and I think it's obvious, it's a satire/absurdist version of the original films premise.

Herzog may not have wanted a direct comparison but if, he'd called this film, 'Dark Water Alligator' the comparisons to the old film would have still been made.

[–] daedalus1337 14 years ago

I still REALLY don't get this. It's not like the original film was terribly popular. Major Hollywood players in a film that has the namesake of a cult exploitation film?

It'd be like if Martin Scorsese made a film called Cannibal Holocaust: The Lost African Tapes starring Leonardo DiCaprio. It'd just blow my mind.

[–] subase 14 years ago

This is Herzog we're talking about he's a weirdo.

My take is that it was the working title for the film and Herzog fully intended to have a different title when the film was released. But the studio heads liked the title so much they kept it and Herzog was left with a title he had to deny ever wanting to use (which is true, but noone would believe him) otherwise he'd come off as a douche in his elite artistic circle, as everyone would think he intentionally set out out make a satire/absurdist version of an older fairly respected film.

I belive Herzog when he said he hadn't even seen the previous film. But no doubt he either read the script or had the movie described to him. He took it's basic elements and thought it would make a good film.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] roofall 11 years ago

I believe Herzog when he said he hadn't even seen the previous film.

*puke*

P.S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goEkaK6WK98&feature=player_detailp age#t=790

"[..] & then, everything about the development of it - in New Orleans and so on (points with his hand, gestures towards Herzog, lol!) and its realization by
.. ugh, you know, by this gentleman; err.. it.. it.. it.. [..]"

(Hands the mic over, scratches head, wipes the sweat off)

^^ ROTFLMAO, it looks like he had forgotten Herzog's name; Heheh. xD

(& how wouldn't he be, since when Herzog gets hold of the mic again.. we can't understand half of the things that he's saying - I mean the word pronunciation: I can't figure out WTH he's saying, lolz!!)

^^ "civil organs, civility", 0k, pftt, lolo. ;-$

[–] cruisenwithpedro 13 years ago

Nice comparison and I was asking myself the same question through out the film. All I can assume is that Herzog is a very strange complicated some what eccentric man.

I don't think there is much of a reason other then maybe he is a fan of the original and want'ed to expand on an already thought of idea.

LOL @ Cannibal Holocaust: The Lost African Tapes with Leo DiCaprio.

[–] Demarates 13 years ago

'Dark Water Alligator'

-----------------------

Still, that would have been a much cooler title.

http://memegenerator.net/instance/18375385

[–] franzkabuki 14 years ago

Cash in on the name? How many people even remember there once, almost 20 years ago, was this movie named Bad Lieutenant? Not many, that´s for sure. It´d be the case if it were titled "Apocalypse Now, Port Call: New Orleans", but Ferrara´s film never was much of an event to begin with.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] dzukelica 13 years ago

^^
agree, i never heard of him before and i think i have a good movie knowledge.

It`s like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder.. how i keep from goin` under. Ha-Ha.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] roofall 11 years ago

Start at 12 minutes for relevant info.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goEkaK6WK98&feature=player_detailp age#t=712

[–] benjaminwg 9 years ago

Dumb executive producer with the rights to the name, and some even dumber marketing suits.

[–] paultait22 13 years ago

It is a remake, there are so many parallels between the two films it is unreal. From the cop being addicted to cocaine, the prostitutes, the gambling and other debts (it is even the same amount $60k and they even use the same line "You think these people give a *beep* you're a cop....etc" or similar and so many more (the two girls phoney bust/masturbation scene and the phoney bust/handjob etc)

I think that the producers and Herzog tried to distance themselves from it being a remake, because like the original, it was such a poor film.

[–] Xeokym 13 years ago

a vaguely similar premise.

That.

»«ëÕ|{¥(V)
I can't understand your crazy moon language.

[–] zilla7777 13 years ago

They have a similar premise, and that's about it.

The only other thing they have in common is that both are a waste of time; they're both simply craptastic.

[–] ComradeGramsci 13 years ago

I couldn't get past the 40 minute mark of the newer one, so I hope my opinions are still applicable to those who are fans of the original and saw the remake in it's entirety.

What I saw was a childish take on the true grit of the original. This was the "I'm an arrogant bad ass" of the Iron man movies compared to the dark and dirty truths of Travis Bickle. Keitel's was a tragic figure with strong (if not obvious) symbolisms; Cage was a antagonizer of "lol, what a cool badass". As such where Ferrara gave us true confusion is our disgust and empathy of an actual anti-hero, Herzog gave us a street wise cop who doesn't always play by the book, but damn well gets results in a funny and badass manner that connects us with no realistic emotion. Additionally, Herzog's take had the character explained by being perscribed pain medication! SO STARTS HIS FALL INTO CRIMINALITY (but ultimately for good, of course).

To push a couple extra buttons the original had an amazing level of gritty realism. Anyone who had even a semi-comparable experience in such dirt would not be able to help give a shutter and an applaud. Herzog's take, however, becomes laughable, and not in the good dark comedy way. "He gets second hand crack smoke while making the boyfriend watch? Lol, he is such a hardass".

In summation the "remake" should have at best been a cartoon.

P.S. Zoë Lund must surely be turning in her grave. What an insult!

[–] franzkabuki 12 years ago

Herzog´s may be the "comedic" version, but in its own way, it isn´t necessarily that much less serious.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] JimmyMcCool 12 years ago

I thought it was a more positive riff of the Ferrara movie to make the Bad Lieutenant character appeal to a broader audience. Ferrara's movie was dark, depraved and unforgiving - this one is positive, less depraved and forgiving.

[–] eyebrowmorroco 10 years ago

I thought it was a more positive riff of the Ferrara movie to make the Bad Lieutenant character appeal to a broader audience. Ferrara's movie was dark, depraved and unforgiving - this one is positive, less depraved and forgiving.

Nicholas Cage feels it's the reverse. Herzog should have gone with 'The Bliss of Evil'.

[–] Jonny_B_Lately 10 years ago

The production company was hoping to "cash in" on the name from the previous film with Harvey Keitel. I've heard rumors that Herzog did not want the words "Bad Lieutenant" in the title. Also, in very general terms, its the story of a drug-addled, gambling addicted cop, just as the original was.

Watta ya lookn here for?