Remake - Black Sunday (1977) Discussion

[–] timdalton007 19 years ago

I would cast:
Richard Roxburgh as Major Kabakov
Robert Patrick as Agent Corley
Michael Rooker as Lander
Bridget Moynahan as Dahlia

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Braggis 18 years ago

Realistic though. Here's mine:

Denzel Washington or Kevin Costner - Major Kabakov
Gary Sinise - Michael J. Lander
Diane Lane - Dahlia Iyad
Hugo Weaving - FBI Agent Sam Corley

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] MindlessFilms 18 years ago

I think it would've been better if Kabakov wasn't an Israeli...that was the only part of the book/movie that I didn't understand and didn't like. I could see if Israel got some information about a supposed terrorist attack that may happen in the united states and them telling our government about it...However after that it would most likely be handed over to the FBI or the CIA. I don't see some Israeli running around Miami, FL having gun fights with supposed terrorists. I think there should've been another character in the film who tries tracking down Dhalia and the others involved once they get to the United States.

Adam Beck
http://www.MindlessFilms.com

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[–] Braggis 18 years ago

Definately.

If there ever would be a remake, Kabakov's origin would be altered. Maybe, he's a Palestinian agent, to make things more modern.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] MindlessFilms 18 years ago

I think they could keep Kabakov an Israeli in a remake...maybe just have him working more on the abroad stuff outside of the United States...like trying to intercept the plastic explosives before they reach the country. I just didn't like how they had him in Miami, FL having shoot-outs on the beach with the supposed terrorists. It would be like having one FBI agent going over to Israel and having shoot outs with Palestinians in the middle of the streets and trying to track down anti-Israeli militants. It would be nice if they introduced maybe a new character who could be an FBI agent who tracks Dhalia and Lander in the United States. It would make a lot more sense I think. An actor like Denzel Washington could be pretty good for the role of an FBI agent.

Adam Beck
http://www.MindlessFilms.com

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] OneWithStrange 18 years ago

Has anyone read the book? It is absolutely essential that Kabakov remain an Israeli.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] bmwhtly 18 years ago

One of my favourite books. Kabakov MUST be Israeli, thats the almost the whole of his character! anything else is just nonsense

'I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis'

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[–] Apolyon 18 years ago

The Mossad and other friendly Intelligence Agencies of close allied nations would most suredly work side by side with U.S. agents in a matter like this. Shaws character knew these terrorists like the back of his hand. There is no way you would leave that kind of expertise behind. Agents like this are actually given U.S. credetials to work in cases of national security.

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[–] MindlessFilms 18 years ago

Yeah nothing really surprises me anymore with the crap that is going on in the united states now...

Adam Beck
http://www.MindlessFilms.com

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[–] Avenger69 18 years ago

Yes, absolutely critical that Kabakov remain a Mossad agent. Read the book to find out why -- it's explained in detail.

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[–] keljor-1 15 years ago

Agreed. So maybe a European star... Shaw was from the UK so I like the idea of Daniel Craig or maybe Clive Owen. Anybody know some truly badass Israeli movie stars who could do it?

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[–] erikbeale 12 years ago

THANK YOU!!!

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[–] sjcal75 16 years ago

Well I hope they don't remake this. Too many remakes
nowadays. If it were originally filmed today Gary
Sinise would make a good Lander. For the role of
Kabakov how about Daniel Craig? Diane Lane would
be a little old to play Iyad. Bridget Monayhan
would be a near perfect choice. To portray Agent
Corley the only one I could thing of is John Finn
from Cold Case.

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[–] keljor-1 15 years ago

Who? Dude, don't leave your day job to go into casting.

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[–] marcel5-1 18 years ago

Eric Bana would make a good Kabakov

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] squalid_razor 18 years ago

Kabakov-Viggo Morteneson
Michael-Lander-Johnny Depp
Corley-Danny Huston

Dahlia-I would actually prefer an unknown for this. Same with Fazil.

The director tailor made for this remake would be Paul Greengrass

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] squalid_razor 18 years ago

I still think that Viggo is a solid choice for Kabakov, but Daniel Craig is not a bad choice either. Despite the negative buzz about him being Bond(which I do not subscribe too), I think he will be great in Casino Royale. Viggo just screams BAD-A$$ to me after LOTR and History of Violence. I think he's a chamleon enough actor to pass off as Isreali. He'll play a Russian mobster in David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises. You'll think that will be his native tongue. This I promise.

Now that I think about it...Clive Owen might be a better choice.

I still stand by Depp playing Lander. He isn't as pretty as you would think he is...and he's getting to a little older as well. I would like to see him be a little devious, and Lander has an unhinged quality that Depp can tap into easily. I think his performances in Secret Window(even tho it was a mediocre movie, he was excellent)and Donnie Brasco can testify to this.

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[–] Catch-52 16 years ago

The director tailor made for this remake would be Paul Greengrass

Greengrass' "run-and-gun" approach is the polar opposite of the style of long, wide shots Frankenheimer used in making this.

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[–] keljor-1 15 years ago

Yeah, Greengrass or Martin Campbell, he of Casino Royale.

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[–] mystangrocks05 18 years ago

For Michael Lander I would cast Vincent D'Onofrio.
He gives me that Bruce Dern looniness. I thought Dern was brilliant in that movie. I'm sure D'onofrio can do that Cokes & Weenies monologue on the mark.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] ElectricEye 17 years ago

I was just thinking about a remake of this film. Pease: don't get me wrong: I absolutely love the original. But I believe a remake would be very interesting to see nowadays. Many things have changed since 1977.

Because I love the original, but because it has been ovelooked and underrated all these yeasrs, I believe a remake will bring to it a part of the attention it really deserves and should have had back in 1977.

I'll think of a cast for it....

Protective, Detective, Electric Eye

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[–] Sourapples 15 years ago

I really enjoyed the book and would love to see an update to the film too.

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[–] dykesy30 15 years ago

I wonder what they would change if it was remade. I know that Black September doesn't exist anymore but the plot could be altered to be middle eastern terrorists (Taliban or some other group). Although I would prefer them not to as there are so many films that have Taliban-esque terrorists in them these days. They could do it as a period piece set in the 70s.

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[–] andymcneill75 15 years ago

Viggo Mortensen or Hugh Jackman for Kabakov

Gary Oldman or Michael Fassbender as Lander

Aitana Sanchez-Gijon or Franka Potente As Dahlia Aya

Danny Huston could be good shout as Corley maybe even Jeff Bridges?

This is a hard one to cast but if they did a remake with some top-notch actors
then this could be a really great remake if done the right way!

Ok who to play Faisal? Potente's Run Lola Run co-star Moritz Bliebtrau might be
a good choice.

If they can't do this justice then they shouldn't mess it up.

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[–] alouette1977 14 years ago

As great as this film is, what makes anyone think a remake could happen? Apparently, this doesn't get shown very much on cable anymore, post 9/11. Look at what happened with The Sum Of All Fears when it got canught by the timing of that event.

The film couldn't be done better, anyway, aside from a few special effects shots. That's the only reason I like to see remakes. No one would substitute the work of Robert Shaw, Bruce Dern and Marthe Keller, or that sinister score by John Williams.

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[–] DoctorDraconian 14 years ago

In the post-9/11 world we live in, I think a remake is a good idea, as long as it's done well and not screwed up like so many remakes have been.

Hollywood has become WAY too damn politically correct, and there would be outcry against Arab stereotyping. I say SCREW THAT!!! Make the Palestinians look bad, and make jihadist groups look bad. You can put perhaps a Muslim agent who condemns jihad and hunts down the terrorists along with Kabakov, but let's call a duck a duck, shall we?

Not all Muslims are terrorists, but most terrorists happen to be Muslim.

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[–] eschwartzkopf 14 years ago

Sure, you could remake this film, but you can't make it better. So why bother?

When John Frankenheimer was on his game -- as he was here -- nobody could touch him in the thriller/action genre. The absolute grip on the material for the last 30 minutes of "Black Sunday" is incredible. All the rewriting and recasting of today isn't going to match Frankenheimer's eye and pacing ... as if Hollywood didn't learn that already with the 2000s-era lite version of "The Manchurian Candidate."

The original also came at a time before the hyperprotection (driven partially by greed, unfortunately) of corporate public images. There's absolutely no way, at this point, that anyone would get companies like Goodyear to allow their corporate symbols to be used in this fashion. And for something like the National Football League to allow filming during an event, let alone something like the Super Bowl? Not going to happen today.

Yes, the special effects in "Black Sunday" could be better, given the limitations of mid-70s production. Without CGI, though, the only way to create many of the shots involved filming real people and things in real time -- and who's going to risk the time, the money and the chance of NOT getting the take by filming for real versus the greenscreen and software today? The image of Marthe Keller driving away from the boat yard with the device, which continues with a pull-back and pan to reveal the Super Bowl crowd in the Orange Bowl and a close-up of Robert Shaw -- all in one shot, no break, no editing -- is breathtaking and gutsy.

A movie, like many creative works, is the melding of its parts into unity, and it's the strength of that unity that determines the artistic (and, often, commercial) value. You can't just add and subtract parts, as with modern Hollywood remakes, and figure that you get a better product by inflating the sum. Leave "Black Sunday" be and try the roads that may not be wholly original, but at least much-less-traveled.

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[–] jerky71 13 years ago

I posted this on other thread, but then I saw this remake thread.

I just watched this again last night. This movie should be remade into a "24" movie with Jack Bauer. I'm serious! Think about it! It would be one of those "based on the book", but not have all the characters.

It's got a great international terrorist plot. The Bruce Dern role can be easily changed to an Afghan or Iraq war veteran. And the Super Bowl finale with the president attending would be a killer climax. The whole scene with the blimp could be exciting as hell with today's effects and cinematography. As long as it isn't cartoony like "Die Hard 4."--more like "The Peacemaker" with George Clooney. Of course this would have to be in the hands of the right people.

Don't flame me! When I saw Robert Shaw running through the stands, I was just thinking that it would be cool to see Kiefer Sutherland do that today.

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[–] nickm2 13 years ago

Why would it have to be an Afghan or Iraq War Vet? The 'psycho Vietnam vet' meme has been dreadfully misused for decades...not to mention a cottage industry of individuals claiming victimhood who never went anywhere NEAR combat--and in some cases never went anywhere near 'The Uniform'. There are CONSTANT efforts to smear the soldiers who served as murderers, killers, psychopaths (remember the erroneous 'one million deaths in Iraq' story--soon it got distorted into "one millions civilians dead' in Iraq" then spun off as "one millions civilians 'murdered' by US Soldiers in Iraq")...and 'fake soldiers' who try to claim "complicity" in War Crimes; if it weren't for the internet & individuals like Michael Yon and other 'imbedded newsmen'...the 'psycho soldier' stereotype would have been established now too.

NM

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[–] jerky71 13 years ago

I was just looking for a modern update to the 'psycho Vietnam vet'. What's needed is an American character with a convincing reason to side up with international terrorists to kill up to 80,000 of his fellow countrymen. Doing it for money would be too blah. Maybe something like Ed Harris' character in "The Rock", but he wasn't going to go through with his plan.

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[–] nickm2 13 years ago

How about an 'Earth First' Nutter--what the heck they used 'Animal Rights Activists' to light the fire in '28 Days Later'? Or some trustfund anarchist?

NM

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[–] drumbri24 12 years ago

Why remake it to begin w/? It's a great film as is. There are (in my opinion) way too many remakes & "re-imaginings" out there right now. Besides, a Robert Shaw film was recently remade ("The Taking Of Pelham 123"). Hollywood producers need to encourage writers to develop NEW ideas for screenplays, not recycle ones that have already been made &, in most cases, are already either classics or films w/ great fan followings! I used to be interested in remakes-that is until MY all-time favorite motion picture, Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho", was hacked by Gus Van Sant. & I actually went into it w/ a very open mind-I was even eager to see it. I was thrilled that a new generation would see it, a generation that usually steers south of B&W films. But I was so let down. Hitch's "Psycho" has been my all time fave since I was 12 years old. So that's why I really am skeptical regarding remakes. There ARE some great ones, though-namley "True Grit", 2006 version of "The Omen", & Rob Zombie's "Halloween" & "Halloween 2"!

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[–] lesg2 10 years ago

It would be construed as "Racist" or "Politically Incorrect"...

Love The Oldies

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