Why the need for a remake!??
Ice Castles is a 1978 American romantic drama, starring Lynn-Holly Johnson and Robby Benson.
The director, Donald Wrye, filmed a remake of the movie in 2009....did he need to pay rent! Why not re-release the film into theaters!!
I wonder what Lynn-Holly Johnson thinks of this!?
Perhaps the director wanted to reinvent what he'd done before. As to a re-release there a many reasons why they might not. One being compensation to the original actors. Another being that not theaters would take it, preferring a more modernized version for the masses. And many other business and financial reasons. Just guessing.
I've seen both now and I prefer the new version but everyone is different.
In this case.......and I rarely advocate remakes.........I can see it. It was a good, if not sappy movie back in the 70's with a good, positive message for teens. It is still good for us old peeps, but very very dated for the kid set it is aimed for. I think it's good to have a film with a positive message, even if it is a recycled one.
Of course I have not seen the remake yet.....just going by the trailer.
The popularity of women's figure skating in the last 32 years is up like a trillion percent. I bet anyone can rattle off a name or two in the skating world over the last 20 years, whereas I couldn't tell you who won the gold in 1980 unless I look it up in Wikipedia. Heck they even got the biggest name of them all, Michelle Kwan, to play herself. They are milking this because of the sport's popularity and releasing it during the 2010 Olympics.
My photography work:
http://www.modelmayhem.com/2162
Annett Potzch of East Germany won the gold in 1980, defeating the USA's Linda Fratianne in a decision that has been suspected of vote trading (like Salt Lake City's pairs scandal). Fratianne, it is argued, was held down to third place in the compulsory figures so the Eastern bloc coudl be assured of the ladies' gold. The West, meanwhile, won the men's event (Robin Cousins of the UK).
shareIn this case.......and I rarely advocate remakes.........I can see it. It was a good, if not sappy movie back in the 70's with a good, positive message for teens. It is still good for us old peeps, but very very dated for the kid set it is aimed for. I think it's good to have a film with a positive message, even if it is a recycled one.
If you ask me, a movie should most importantly have a story worth telling. Production values and cinematography are important, but secondary, because if there is no story to tell, everything else might as well just be window dressing.
The original movie has a really nice story to tell. The actors are well cast. You can really believe that Lexie is a skater that has got caught up in the excitement of it all, she made a mistake. She does not seem bitter when she loses her sight (like this Lexie), she just plain gives up. It is truly exciting when Robbie Benson's character teaches her that she can still skate. I still remember when he shows her how to learn the boundaries of the ice, and I haven't seen the movie in years. Her final skate always brings tears to my eyes when she trips, as she is so vulnerable and he comes and rescues her. They really understand this. In the remake, it is like a joke, "we forgot about the bears!".
As I said in another thread, I wouldn't say the remake is absolute garbage. It is unfortunate milquetoast, harmless and benign and could have been so much better. I think Lexie was very miscast. I don't know why they bother with these if they don't plan to understand what made the original good in the first place.
To each their own...opinion
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