Remakes American Style

     This week a four pack of films that were originally made by other people in other countries and then swallowed by the Hollywood machine for you viewing pleasure.

     Seth is an angel. One of thousands just hanging out in the Los Angeles Public Library and occasionally going for walks around to witness people at their most stressed. Dr. Maggie Rice is a surgeon. She just lost a patient through no fault of her own. This causes Maggie to collapse because she is played by Meg Ryan. Will Seth be able to comfort Maggie in the way he increasingly wants? A remake of the German film Wings of Desire whose whole existence might be just to sell copies of the soundtrack, City of Angels.
     Count Thilbault Malefete is about to wed the beautiful Princess Rosalind. Tragically, a sly plan is enacted by the Earl of Warwick which results in Thibault being arrested and awaiting execution for Rosalind's murder. Fear not as his loyal serf brings a wizard to help. The plan is to slide our daring French Count back in time to save the day. Unfortunately, the spell goes wrong and Thibault finds himself, with his serf, in 2001 Chicago. Assisted by his descendant, who looks shockingly like Rosalind, Thibault must navigate turn of the century America to get back home. A remake of an all time highest grossing French film and retaining the original stars and writer-director, The Visitors.
     Mattie is worried about her ex-boyfriend and hacker, Josh. When she goes to finally check on him, he hangs himself with an ethernet cable. Soon ghostly visitors and impossible webcam feeds begin appearing all over the city. If one of the ghosts, who travel through wi-fi and cellular signals, touches you, you lose your will to live. Now Mattie and a new hunk she just met are on a race against time to stop a virus Josh accidentally unleashed. Can Mattie stop this techno terror before it consumes the world? A remake a wonderful warning about isolation in the digital age by the brilliant Kiyoshi Kurosawa and done in the way only Hollywood can, Pulse.
     When a wealthy businessman's beautiful but terrifyingly accident prone daughter disappears in Mexico, he spares no expense in the search. When a month passes without and progress, despite the endless supply of cash and top tier professionals sent in, he finally agrees to the most ridiculous of ideas. Why not send in someone equally accident prone based who just might stumble their way on to her trail? To accomplish this accountant Eugene Proctor is partnered with hardnosed investigator Raymond Campanella and let loose on an unsuspecting country. One of nine US remakes based on films by Francis Veber, Pure Luck.
    All that and Dave screams on the inside, Tyler tries to pull off a trifecta, and Kevin ignores this pain for Noir. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 388- Remakes American Style

Franchising! The Sequel! Part VIII The Musical

     This week- two films that franchise unlikely originals, an inevitable sequel, and a frustrated Scotsman only out for revenge at this point.

     After surviving her second night in Honey Island Swamp, Marybeth Dunston walks into a police station with the scalp of Victor Crowley. Now Sheriff Fowler leads a team out to see the carnage but it's only a matter of time until Victor returns. The only entry not directed by franchise creator, Adam Green, Hatchet III.
     The twin cities of Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas have lived in the shadow of the Phantom Killer since their 10 week long reign of terror from February to May 1946. Deciding to embrace it, the state line divided communities have yearly Halloween screenings of the 1976 docudrama horror film The Town That Dreaded Sundown. In 2013, a pair of kids leave a makeshift drive-in screening, only to find themselves confronted by a new Phantom Killer. A metafictional sequel produced by Jason Blum and Ryan Murphy, The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
     In a small middle-American town parents have been gathered to hear the tragic story of Jimmy Harper. Jimmy is a normal clean-cut kid, doing well in school, a leader of the local 4H, and in love with the girl next door Mary Lane. Until the day he meets Jack at the local soda shop and is lured to Jack's marijuana den with the promise of swing dance lessons. Before you know it, Jimmy is hooked and going down the depravity drain to murder and prison. The TV movie adaptation of a stage musical adaptation of a classic exploitation film, Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical.
     Join us, won't you?
  Episode 331- Franchising! The Sequel! Part VIII The Musical