Playing The Remake Game

[the_value_of_x]

Remakes seem to popping up almost everywhere you turn these days. Some work out, some fail miserably. In this thread we each craft our own "interpretations" of JAL's novel specifying who we'd cast, where we'd set it, what scences we'd leave in, etc. We are not constrained by space or time. If you want a 40 year old Gary Cooper playing Oskar's dad alongside pre-teen Sean Penn, you can do that.
Another remake would probably not be such a good idea in reality, but that's what the internet is for.

[bore]

Musical version:

Sting as Oskar
Alice Cooper as Eli

Kevin Bacon and John Travolta as bullies

Nothing else really matters, from that setup you can't go wrong.

[Bioroid]

What I'd do is a miniseries, capturing as much novel as possible.

Or, in an ideal world, perhaps 2 long films to capture they whole story (Lord of the Rings style for example).

For Eli, had this been a few years ago, Dominic Scott Kay


Hair dyed black.

For Oskar, I think maybe a blonde Max Records


or maybe Jacob Kogan from Star Trek


Whichever, I think the hair'd have to be dyed blonde.

Håkan

I could see either Philip Seymour Hoffman


or (even though less true to how I see the novel character physically) Jackie Earle Haley


[If it weren't too ironic, possibly Jeffrey Jones]

I'm not too picky with the rest of the cast; I don't have anyone in particular in mind for Virginia or the drunks.

Given the length of the miniseries or film series I'd add try to follow the different points of view in the novel, albeit trimming them down a bit. I'd probably get rid of most of the Yvonne/Tommy/Staffan interactions (like the church thing).

I'd leave in Night of the Living Håkan.

I'd end the film on the train, but include Stefan at the end (which LMI did, thankfully) and then possibly do a one-episode follow up to the miniseries based on LTODD, or if it was an actual film series, expand LTODD (somehow) into a full sequel and develop Stefan and Karin enough to fill a 2 hour movie.

[Nicro]

Musical version:

Sting as Oskar
Alice Cooper as Eli

Kevin Bacon and John Travolta as bullies

Nothing else really matters, from that setup you can't go wrong.

This is....AMAZING.

[danielma]

Oh this is tough...

Eli

Ariel Winter - to be honest, I REALLY liked what I saw in her audition tape...she actually managed to bring a little bit of a 'spunk' to Eli...her audition tape was the one that stood out to me because it wasn't just another 'brooding' vampire performance...it really felt like she took a different stance on it and there was something her 'attiude' that stood out to me...it felt like you could have molded this girl into 'Book' Eli

Oskar

Kodi Smit McPhee - Yeah this sounds cliche but whatever. You know, to be honest, he really was good in the role and if it were me remaking this then I would have kept him. The only thing I would have done with him would be to bring out some of the darker aspects of Oskar...which I felt Owen lacked...he had the sympathy and 'crying' game down...but I think he lacked some of the darker aspects of Oskar...so if I were remaking, I would keep him but try and mold some of those darker tendencies out of him much like book Oskar

or maybe

Max Records - as mentioned above.

Hakan

Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Funnily enough there were rumors going around before LMI began production that he was a possibility for Hakan...and to be honest I'd like to see what he could have bought to the table

Paul Giamatti - Interesting choice you say? maybe, but I don't know...there is a part of me that thinks he could pull it off pretty well. The strange thing about book Hakan was for as vile as he's actions are, the character could kind of make you feel a slight sense of empathy for him in a weird way..that's where I think someone like Giamatti could really shine in this role.

Lacke/Steffan (in my version I would combine the roles for reasons I will mention later)

Joel Edgerton - the role of a jobless drunk once again needs someone to portrayl that sense of regret over their foolish actions...this is where I thought Peter Carlberg (Lacke) really did a great job. I always got that sense that he acts on his impulses but at the same time shows instant regret and sorrow for those actions. When I look at Joel Edgerton I get that feeling, he's fantastic in his short role in Animal Kingdom and I don't know I think he could do well here.

Virginia (a hard one)

I actually really don't know who I would cast in this role...so I'm leaving this blank

Tommy

Yet another one I have to leave blank for now cause I am struggling to think of some decent teenage actors

Plot

To be honest I would keep a lot of the first half of the movie as is...However, I would make drastic changes in regards to the later acts of the film. First things first, I would combine the Lacke and Steffan character. I would have him married to Virgina with his Step Son Tommy...they would live in the same Apartment complex as Oskar and Eli. I would play up the idea of Eli attacking (inadvertingly) Virginia, this leads to a fall out between the Lacke/Steffan character and Tommy. I would keep the Zom-kan story in and I would make the final act be a build to the Zom-kan attack. In a very Requeim for a Dream fashion, I would be cross cutting between the stories of Oskar, Eli & Zom-Kan, Tommy, and Steffan as we build into the final conflict between them all. The events that will change their lives indefinently.

The only problem with this is the bullying side of things for Oskar...I would flirt with the idea of nixxing the bullying altogether or I would try to fit that aspect in...the only way I could see that working is exactly the way it is in the book..you would cross cut between the shelter situation (between Tommy, Zom-kan and Eli) whilst cutting back to the Train Station situation with Oskar.

I would build the whole third act up on a tight rope of suspense...keep the slow burning opening in and then proceed to just go nuts in the third and final act by doing exactly what the book does and bringing all these seperate threads into one final climactic conclusion.

But in doing, there is apart of me that wonders would it be necessary to keep the bullies at all? If you kept the Hakan is a Pedophile trait and made it more glaringly obvious then you could probably turn the story of Oskar and Eli into a very positive one of them finally trusting one another, like this would be the first good thing to happen to Eli in a long time.

Keep in mind, this is not fleshed out in any real way...but it is kind of a general gist of what I would do...or at least try to do in script form. But to be honest, its kind of hard to imagine how one could pull any of this off.

[abner_mohl]

Virginia (a hard one)

I actually really don't know who I would cast in this role...so I'm leaving this blank

How about Helen Hunt. And watched the movie Thor, and couldn't help but think that Stellan Skarsgård would make a great Lacke. Not only is he Swedish, but he does a convincing American accent.

[DavidZahir]

Well, as far as casting goes...

Eli...12-year-old Anna Paquin
Oscar...12-year-old Haley Joel Osment
Hakkan...fiftysomething Colin Firth


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[Bioroid]

Oooh Colin Firth is a good one.

I think I'd also add Geoffrey Rush to my list for that character.

[lombano]

For Eli, had this been a few years ago, Dominic Scott Kay


Hair dyed black.

For Oskar, I think maybe a blonde Max Records

They definitely look the part. A younger Isabelle Fuhrman could've also been interesting.

Well, as far as casting goes...

Eli...12-year-old Anna Paquin

Also interesting...

[ofelia]

Well, as far as casting goes...

Eli...12-year-old Anna Paquin
Oscar...12-year-old Haley Joel Osment
Hakkan...fiftysomething Colin Firth


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I completely agree about Anna Paquin. Except if she had larger eyes, then she would be able to look sadder. She had such an expressive face for a child.