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What if he had gotten Vincent Price instead?

posted 18 years ago by majikstl
16 replies | jump to latest

At one point, while trying to persuade Orlok to put off retirement and make his next picture, Sammy says in disgust something like "Forget it, I'll get Vincent Price instead."

Not to take anything away from Boris Karloff, who is excellent here, but what if Bogdanovich had gotten Vincent Price to play the part of Orlok. Of course, the film might not have been made at all without Karloff, because using him was part of the deal with Roger Corman. But in some ways, the part would be more suitable for Price. Vincent was, after all, AIP's resident horror star and his roles as often as not had him playing insane men who turn into serial killers of sorts in all those Poe adaptation. That would provide a nice ironic parallel to Bobby's actions.

On the other hand, part of Karloff's power here is that he seems so frail, even as he stands up to those around him. Price was in his prime at the time and might have come off as too robust.

Anyway, it is something to think about. Is Karloff just so perfect in the role that someone else couldn't have done it as well. Like Price? Or Christopher Lee? Or Peter Cushing?

And if they did a remake, who today would be an equivalent to Karloff?

[–] oblong74 18 years ago

Robert Englund would be Orlok if they did a remake, but don't say that too loud, cuz Paramount might try to make one.

[–] Courtesy_Flush 18 years ago

I'm not sure it would necessarily be a horror star. Think of the violent movies so popular since Peckinpah. I think a remake would star a retired action personality. Charles Bronson would have worked. Clint Eastwood? It would be a slightly different film with maybe the same purpose.

--Foo "Ah, yes, there will be Snakes on a Plane!" Cornelius

[–] koppmeier_kevin 18 years ago

The first name that came to mind was Anthony Hopkins.

[–] teejay6682 18 years ago

it would be practicly the same movie with price just a different energy cause he's a different actor. everyone else listed on this thread would change the movie drastically cause i don't think there are any real "horror movie stars" anymore.

[–] mobocracy 17 years ago

The problem with Vincent Price is that he's too often been a kind of post-modern self-referential actor; playing a "Vincent Price" character as Vincent Price. It would have been more difficult to have him play an off-screen version of himself without some of his persona coming through.

It's a little bit like getting Jack Nicholson in a movie -- too often he ends up turning the character he's portraying into a character imitating Jack Nicholson. It's often entertaining, but it often leaves you wondering if he's actually doing a good job being Jack Nicholson.

Karloff was excellent at portraying himself as an elderly actor who'd had a long horror career without his on-screen persona disturbing it.

[–] BigEugFive 17 years ago

It's pretty interesting that the last post used Jack Nicholson as an example of the "post-modern self-referential actor" because if I'm not mistaken the actor in all the horror movie clips with Karloff is I think a young Jack Nicholson, playing a French Officer. Don't know if previous poster was aware of that, but a swonderful coincidence nonethelss.

[–] vancleef1980 17 years ago

Christopher Lee would be perfect for the role if ever there was a remake. He is the last great king of classic horror and the last link to the golden age of gothic horror.

[–] Balibari 17 years ago

I was thinking Christopher Lee would be perfect too, but now he's had something of a revival with Lord of the Rings and Star Wars he's perhaps not stereotyped enough. Robert Englund's a ridiculous idea.

[–] hachmom-1 17 years ago

Oh you hit on one of my favorite topics....I was saying all thru the 80's that someone should remake it with Vincent price...but he died. Chris Lee is the logical choice now..not only because he is the last link with the golden age of horror but because he was making the kind of horror films they complained of being too violent in the 6o's (they sure look tame now.) Sad to say in another 20 years Nightmare on Elm st will look pretty tame, and then you remake it again with Englund.

It is not our abilities that make us who we are...it is our choices

[–] criddic2 16 years ago

Englund said he would not do a remake of Nightmare. It's obvious the reason Why remake a movie that when the first is just fine the way it is? The question for the ages!

Vincent Price was certainly capable of making this kind of film when he got to be Karloff's age. Remember "The Whales of August" or "Edward Scissorhands"?

But not all films need to be remade. It's kind of refreshing to say "did you see (insert title)?" and not have someone ask, "which version?" Inevitably the answer would be "the new one, of course." or "I didn't know there was an original."

We need more original stories in movies. "Targets" was inspired by a combination of the day's headlines and the fact that they had Boris Karloff as the star. It was thought up by the director. How many movies get made that way anymore?

[–] oilandgarlic 16 years ago

getting back on track with the Vincent Price, the man was a pure ham like John
Carradine, which was part of his charm but not in the case for this film's
delivery.

[–] gayspiritwarrior 16 years ago

>>Is Karloff just so perfect in the role that someone else couldn't have done it as well. Like Price? Or Christopher Lee? Or Peter Cushing?<<

Yes he is so perfect in the role. The point was precisely that Orlock was an old star, at the end of a brilliant career. Everyone else you name was in the middle of theirs, at the height of their fame. Orlock WAS Karloff.

"The value of an idea has nothing to do with the honesty of the man expressing it."--Oscar Wilde

[–] majikstl 16 years ago

Orlock WAS Karloff.

That is because Bogdanovich wrote it around Karloff. What if Boris was uninterested, but Vinnie had been available instead? Bogdanovich could have rewritten the character as, say, "Bryce Vincent," a veteran film star who sees his whole career has become a joke and thinks it is time to retire and pursue his interest in art full time. Or for that matter, why does the aging star have to be a horror movie star? He could be an aging cowboy actor, who questions whether the simple virtue of good vs. evil is any longer relevant in the time or THE WILD BUNCH. Maybe Audie Murphy or Randolph Scott? Or even a film noir tough guy, like Edward G. Robinson.

My point is that TARGETS has such a wonderful premise that pits reality against screen artifice and cliche that the story could have been cleverly built around any legendary screen star. It is just deliciously fortunate that Bogdanovich lucked out and got Karloff, and was able to make both a tidy little thriller and an hommage to a great actor.

[–] uber_geek 16 years ago

At one point, while trying to persuade Orlok to put off retirement and make his next picture, Sammy says in disgust something like "Forget it, I'll get Vincent Price instead." Not to take anything away from Boris Karloff, who is excellent here, but what if Bogdanovich had gotten Vincent Price to play the part of Orlok.
....
On the other hand, part of Karloff's power here is that he seems so frail, even as he stands up to those around him. Price was in his prime at the time and might have come off as too robust.

And that's the thing. Orlok was a frail, depressed, washed-up horror actor who was tired of life and afraid of death. When he drew up the courage and confronts the shooter (after his secretary is shot), he says, "Is THIS what I was afraid of." Not of the killer, but of death. Karloff really was in poor health and died a few years later. It was much more dramatic when Orlok smacks the killer and the killer turns out to be a coward. The killer, don't forget, also freaked out when he sees Orlok's character onscreen and then in front of him--it's like Orlok walked off the screen.

[–] Jakealope 15 years ago

He could have karate kicked them all and looked really badass and stupid simultaneously.

[–] 15 years ago

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