Danny Novo
[This post was drafted last summer. But unlike a bunch of others I just tossed, is still sort of interesting. Caveat lector.]
So, we were watching A Capital Fourth on PBS, and while we could stomach Tony Danza, Elliott Yamin was so awful we actually looked to see what TiVo had recorded for us on its own. Turns out, it had a movie for each of us.
The wife had seen Last of the Mohicans once before, and she had fond memories of a sweaty Daniel Day-Lewis running bare-chested through the woods. Even on AMC, riddled with commercials, and with the sound cutting in and out of stereo, I have to admit those particular scenes were well remembered. I had never seen it before, so while I did surf the Internet while we watched, I did also watch, and it was pretty good.
My choice for the evening was Escape from New York, at which point my wife promptly announced she was going to bed.
Now this is a classic movie. I mean, Ernest Borgnine and Isaac Hayes! And Donald Pleasence! Man. But as I was watching it, I couldn’t help but think that it could do with a remake. Yeah, the early eighties camp is fun (I especially like the Logan’s Run-style computers with strobe lights) but there’s a lot that could be improved with a bigger budget. Better effects, a better ruined city (would they dare keep the World Trade Center from the original movie?), better cars… but what, I wondered, would they do for a cast. Ernest Borgnine is ninety years old, Isaac Hayes is a Scientologist, and Donald Pleasence is twelve years dead. And besides, how would they replace Kurt Russell? Surely he’s too old to do it again? (Harrison Ford notwithstanding.)
A little sleuthing and I discovered that, of course, there is a plan to remake Escape from New York (bite me IMDB), possibly with Gerard Butler in the lead role (despite what you may have heard). I’m sure he’d be fine, but as I watched the movie tonight, it seemed to me that Kurt Russell was channeling Sawyer from Lost for his portrayal of Snake Plissken.
So, to John Carpenter, who is producing this remake, I beg of you, dispose of your pretty-boy Scot and get Josh Holloway to do it. He was born to the role.
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Good Lord, I love that movie. But then, you could put H.D. Stanton in a Taco Bell commercial and I’d love it. And the soundtrack…oh, that gorgeous soundtrack.
Every time I watch the Devil’s rejects I say to myself that Rob Zombie should be the guy that remakes Escape from New York. I like his film style as it has allot of that good old’ 70’s grit, dark humor and just enough dark side to pull off an effective remake. Off the topic of EFNY for a second, when I saw Watchmen I was floored to see the World Trade Center standing tall where it used to be in the NYC skyline. Granted it was an alternate 1985 and they had to be there to complete the feel of New York in that time. My point here is when I saw those two towers staring out at me from the screen I felt very happy to see them there, not offended in the least. It was like seeing an old friend and it just about brought a proud tear to my eye. With this being said the WTC should be put back into the remake of Escape. There are tons of reference photo’s and the inside and outside can be masterfully recreated and matted onto green screen. Imagine Snake running outside the Trade Center looking the way it should have all along. Not some crappy building in LA pretending to be the WTC. Get my point?
Back to Mr. Zombie. If you are listening, you have to be the guy that remakes Escape from New York. Who will play “Snake Plissken” you ask? Well let me tell you. Josh Holloway from Lost is the obvious and only choice. This guy is perfect for the role and I don’t want to hear otherwise. No Butler, or wrestler look a like wanna be just Holloway hands down.
“The Duke” should be played by Ving Rhames he would be a very badass Duke. Already the two opposing characters are creating havoc just thinking how awesome they will look on film.
William Forsyth should without a doubt be “Bob Hauk“talk about a real mother for the police commissioner. He won’t take any shit from Snake.
“The President” should be played by Terry O’ Quinn another great actor who just happens to be on Lost with Josh Holloway. O’Quinn can play a president who fought in a war himself and can take care of himself, might come in handy during the escape don’t you think. Fighting side by side with Plissken would be an inevitable change from the clownish portrayal by Donald “Halloween” Pleasance. Still love ya Donald R.I.P. Dr. Loomis.
Sid Haig would bring a very interesting quality to the character of “Cabbie”, and Haig having played all kinds of sicko’s would bring a level of believability to the character and he would look great behind the wheel of a checkered cab.
Bill Moseley would be an excellent “Brain” He would give Snake back some shit if he gave it to him. I would like to see a world where although Snake is a real bad hombre, that he just can’t walse in and take over the joint. It shouldn’t be a cake walk where he could just walk down the middle of the street at night no less assembling his Mac 10 and nothing happens to him. It has to be a struggle till the end. Moseley will add that dimension to Brain, he just doesn’t figure out things for “The Duke” like making gas and reading maps, there is a reason why him and Snake weren’t boy scouts on the outside and that should come forth.
As far as the rest of the cast which includes “Maggie” I like Selma Blair, or Vanessa Ferlito. Ferlito has that dirty little sex appeal quality that made her really hot in “Death Proof” at least to me. And Blair is a lot less streetwise but would pull it off I believe, especially after portraying Stevie Wayne in the remake of “The Fog” The movie itself was horrible, but she was quite good. Maggie is a strong female character not just the boobs that The Duke gave to brain to squeeze. “See what I mean?”
I also think that Danny Trejo should play one of the main Gypsy hoods, or be in the film as one of the Duke’s heavies for sure.
Romero is up in the air, but I think that John Leguizamo can pull it off nicely.
Slag should be played by Kane of the WWE. That’s about it people. So Mr. Zombie you have to remake Escape from New York. Nuff said.…
Josh Hollway is the second coming of Snake Plissken. He was born to play Snake much like Kurt Russell,why can’t Hollywood see this? Kurt Russell will always be Snake,but he’s getting a bit long in the tooth to play him anymore. If he’s not coming back atleats one more time,maybe it would be a good thing if these two good ol’ boys go out and have a beer and Kurt could pass the torch the right way.Not have Hollywood just strip him of his glory and give it away to some undeserving actor.
Wow, you have some definite opinions on the matter, Hector. I think they are right on the money, too. Funny thing is, with his recent turn on Lost, Josh Holloway is making me think he might be better served looking for loftier roles than Snake Plissken. Mind you, *I* still want to see him as Snake, I just don’t know if it’s the best move for him anymore. He’s got chops, it turns out.