Clint M
Oct 19 2004, 10:40 AM
I'm not sure of the source, I found it on a message board. Looks AICN-ish.
| QUOTE |
| John Woo will direct a remake of the French action film LE CERCLE ROUGE for Paramount. Rumored to star in the film are a flock of white doves. Woo's version, retitled THE RED CIRCLE, will follow "a thief who is released from prison the same day a murderer escapes police custody. The outlaws pair up and commit a heist as a relentless cop closes in." Woo, who is prepping work on SPY HUNTER with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, was looking for a project that would take him back to his Hong Kong roots with classics like HARD BOILED and THE KILLER. Woo had been a fan of the original for some time and when the chance came his way he jumped at it. Unfortunately, CIRCLE still has some time to hang back. Woo still hasn't begun filming on SPY HUNTER and after that will film THE WAR OF THE RED CLIFF. Then there's that bizarre HE-MAN news. Jeff Pinkner, who has worked on JJ Abrams' series "Alias" and "Lost", has written the current draft of the script. Much has been made of Woo's fall from grace with films like WINDTALKERS and PAYCHECK and here's hoping this film (or any film really) can bring the man back who showed us greatness before. I mean how can you deny FACE/OFF? "It's like looking into a mirror......only not." |
Has anyone here seen Le Cercle Rogue?
opus
Oct 19 2004, 10:59 AM
I have... the influence on Woo's films is fairly obvious, primarily in the way it deals with honor among thieves, dualities between characters - you know, the themes that Woo piles on his films. However, it's a good deal more understated and subtler than any of Woo's stuff, with little-to-none of the hyperkinetic action and emoting. It's a much more cold and calculated film, whereas Woo loves the melodrama.
Personally, I wouldn't mind this too much if it did come to pass, and I would much prefer it to some of his other projects in the pipeline, i.e. He-Man (how's he going to work doves into that). The subject matter is right up Woo's alley, and seeing as how Melville is one of Woo's favorite directors, you'd think he'd try to be somewhat respectful of the original.
Anything that takes Woo back to his HK roots is fine by me...
On a related note, I've got a copy of Le Samourai (the film that inspired The Killer, widely recognized as one of Woo's greatest movies) on the way, and I'm very interested in seeing just how it influenced or relates to The Killer.
Baal_T'shuvah
Oct 19 2004, 08:10 PM
| QUOTE (Clint M @ Oct 19 2004, 08:39 AM) |
| I'm not sure of the source, I found it on a message board. Looks AICN-ish. |
The report came from Daily Variety, which I don't have access to. But here is an article from
AFP that also confirms the story, and quotes Variety.
I haven't seen
Le Cercle Rouge, but it is about 10 spots down on my Netflix queue, along with
Le Samurai, which I saw at the local art house about 5 or 6 years ago in its original cut. A very good movie, and you can see where a lot of Woo's ideas came from for
The Killer.
MLeary
Oct 22 2004, 09:18 AM
What a great film, Woo couldn't touch the tension that Melville builds in this incredible work of commercial film-making.
If you are going to watch Le Cercle, grab Le Samourai. They are well worth watching together.
opus
Oct 22 2004, 09:28 AM
| QUOTE ((M)Leary @ Oct 22 2004, 09:17 AM) |
| If you are going to watch Le Cercle, grab Le Samourai. They are well worth watching together. |
Just got Le Samourai last night. I only watched the first 10 minutes or so, but it was very obvious how much the film influenced The Killer.
opus
Nov 14 2004, 10:52 PM
Finally saw
Le Samourai tonight, and posted some thoughts over in
this thread.