Movies
In reply to the discussion: What Movie(s) Are They Never Allowed to do a Remake of? [View all]onager
(9,356 posts)The 1957 classic with an evil, non-Mayberry Andy Griffith and Patricia Neal.
Budd Schulberg's script was WAY ahead of its time in predicting the unholy nexus of media gasbags, right-wing politics and slick Madison Avenue marketing.
Some years ago, I heard a re-make was in the works. And it was going to be a Whoopi Goldberg project. My skin crawled.
According to the story I read, in the L.A. TIMES IIRC, Ms. Goldberg went to a video store intending to rent a horror movie. Whatever that movie was, the title was similar to "A Face In The Crowd." So she rented it by mistake.
She had never seen it, was captivated, and immediately started planning to re-do it with her in the Andy Griffith role.
I haven't heard any more about this project since, and assume it is dead. And I hope it stays that way. Some movies just don't need a remake, and this is one of 'em.
ON EDIT: you can buy the Special Edition of "AFITC" dirt cheap. If you do, make sure it has the interviews. You get to hear Andy Griffith say the f-word!