| Date | Original Topic |
| 15th October 2002 | Zulu remake?
By Alex Rossiter
Having just typed "zulu remake" in yahoo i found a site that claims theres a zulu remake in development does anyone have any more info on this ! , i remember seeing on the rdvc board a while ago rumours of a remake of zulu |
| Date | Replies |
| 16th October 2002 | Arthur Bainbridge
We must stop a remake at all costs.The movie will be backed by our American cousins who will insist on Ben Affleck in the leading part and take libertys with the facts,I think we should just treasure the original movie, |
| 16th October 2002 | Trevor
Disagree Mate! Let them make it. Think of the fun tearing it to bits!!! |
| 16th October 2002 | Alex Rossiter
I agree it would be hacked but and totaly un factual (unless a small british or non american country takes it on) but i would love to see a modern zulu war film think of what special effects they could have in it ./
A the begining say they could have the battle of isandlwana or the closing staged of it and then move on to rorkes drift . |
| 16th October 2002 | Alex Rossiter
sorry about the bad spelling and grammar :-( |
| 16th October 2002 | Mark Hobson
News of a possible remake first started circulating about a year ago. From what I heard then it would be a South African funded project based on a play, looking at Rorke's Drift from the Zulu perspective. All the actors would be South African. It sounds to me to be more of a TV movie (if it ever happens) but should be worth seeing, although it might go straight to video |
| 16th October 2002 | James Garland
Why do a remake of Zulu when there are other stories to be told. What about the battle at Intombi River and the heroic rearguard of Sgt Browne's party the the court martial of Lieutenant Harward. |
| 17th October 2002 | Leigh Tarrant
Imagine a remake!!! Whats the point!!! You just won't better the original. Imagine a Zulu war without the John Barry music thundering in the background for one!!!! Anyway, there's many more battles to focus on that would be interesting...... |
| 17th October 2002 | David Bluestein
A remake!!!! That would be fabulous. However I would only look forward to it, if the filmmakers actually stayed TRUE to the historical facts of events AND characters. Having Ben Afleck in a US made debacle of the real story would be a horrible disservice to the heroes of that action. After seeing and being mostly disappointed with the “Four Feathers” recently I would be so pleased to have the British take on this project: Have Ridley Scott give it a "Gladiator" treatment combined with an epic, edge of seat soundtrack...An I would be in Heaven!!! With all that said nothing would ever replace the original, which I credit for shaping the interests I have today. (Every time I watch “Zulu Dawn”; I’m always waiting for scenes that I know are not in the movie, like Younghusbands last stand or a longer and more detailed view of the battle. Zulu Dawn is by far in my top five movies of all time) |
| 19th October 2002 | David Simon
I'm surprised by the opposition! Zulu is one of my favourite films but to be honest much as I love it, it does seem a little dated, even boy's ownish especially by today'standards. Modern war films like Black Hawke Down are realistic in portraying the horrors of war but are let down by poor characterizations whereas "Zulu" had great characters like Hook and Hitch. I would love to see a remake combining realism, perhaps more historical in-sight and fully rounded characters. I would prefer less Known actors rather than stars and definitely no Americans!!!! |
| 19th October 2002 | John Young
David,
Why no Americans? ( I jest!) 'Black Hawk Down' is actually filled with British actors - most of the Rangers in fact! As well as an Aussie for one of the Delta Force men, there's a Danish actor playing one of the Medal of Honor winners. Now even the Americans can't play Americans!
Still we apparently soon to see George Clooney & Bruce Willis combating the Persians at Thermopylae, ye gods!
I'd love to see a remake - provided it was done properly, but I can't see it. I speak as one who had a script based on the court-martial of Jahleel Carey turned into a love story '...to appeal to African-Americans.' To do that, guess what? They cut the trial scenes! That's when I cut and ran. Thank Heaven the backers pulled the plug on it.
John Young,
Chairman,
Anglo-Zulu War Research Society.
|
| 19th October 2002 | Alex Rossiter
i never new how universal the appeal to zulu was untill in my history class the subject of redcoats came up and to my surprise the kids who steal cars etc.....were talking about zulu and commenting it was the coolest war film theve ever seen .
Apparently theres 2 alexander the great films being made and there both fighting over leanardo dicaprio so we can guess these two films are ruined already :-( |
| 19th October 2002 | Julian whybra
Forget the argument over actors, just think of the in-fighting over whose version of events would make up the screenplay!
Talking of which David Jackson's long-awaited definitive (dare I use the word?) book on Isandhlwana now has the publication date of 1st December (just in time for Xmas). |
| 19th October 2002 | Glenn Wade
Here's a posible list of cast members. Perhaps Ioan Gruffud, Sean Bean, Jason Durr (Heartbeat for us Brits). Maybe Mel Gibson (English Accent). I reckon that re-enactment groups should be allowed to be extras. That's what happened in the movie 'Gettysburg', all the extras were self-equiped re-enactors. The1879 Group, the Diehards etc.
Any thoughts?
Glenn |
| 25th October 2002 | mark smith
Why can't you just discuss the Anglo-Zulu war and its battles as this site was designed for? I am greatly saddened by all the American-bashing that constantly flows through this site . |
| 25th October 2002 | Arthur Bainbridge
The problem is not anti Americanism its the subject of a movie remake which if it is to be done on a epic scale will need American money.The film would have to apeal to USA audiences as film making is a financial business so realistically big American stars would play key partsmwhich would surely dilute its effect on the history it seeks to portray, |
| 27th October 2002 | Ian Essex
Why all the American bashing and condemnation before you actually see anything? I too think Zulu is a wonderful film and wouldn't particularly want to see a re-make but I would make my mind up once I had actually seen it! As far as I know there is nothing in production but if it was...none of us have read the script, seen a clip, know who has been cast? But it is assumed that it will be American money and actors! Doesn't have to be. And so what? If an American actor can pull off an English, Irish, Scot's, Welsh, Afrikaans accent and he's right for a part...so what? America makes some wonderful films, and some awful one's too. It dependent on a lot of things.
When all is said and done, Zulu is a film that just about represents the defence of Rorke's Drift...in very loose terms. There is a lot wrong in the film in terms of what we know to have actually happened. A lot of which has already been gone over on this site before. Some of the reasons that it may stay in our minds so much is: a wonderful script by John Prebble, full of wonderful often inacurate characters. A brilliant, evocative score, even though it is used to only highten the dramatic effect, you don't hear music in real life. Adventurous direction, despite the many gaffs.
Zulu is pure entertainment in all reality and the subject could stand a decent re-doing whether that be by Americans or whoever.
|
| 27th October 2002 | Trevor
Re-doing. Yep! Americans in it. Nope |
| 27th October 2002 | Ian Essex
Yep? Nope? American terms?
Obviously all this talk is hypothetical but...without Americans there would probably not be the cinema that we know today. Granted, I believe India is the biggest producer of films, but America is the country that has embrassed film as an art form. I know that for every Godfather you have to put up with a Rambo but just to vilify something because it has Americans 'in it' or 'starring an American' doesn't make sense. We make just as bad films without anybodies help or backing. So does the BBC and Channel Four.
Trevor, simply put, America makes some good films and some bad films, just like everybody else. Don't judge till you've seen it.
|
| 8th November 2002 | Miguel
I think we all agree in that we would LOVE to see a remake as far as the historical inaccuracies in the original Zulu are solved. I would really enjoy watching a remake and visiting this site afterwards to find out that no one including John was able to find a mistake in uniforms, characters or events portrayed in the film. |
