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Re-make Of Zulu (Again!)
TonyJones


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 188
Location: Essex
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Dear Discussion Forum Contributors,
the topic of a re-make of the film Zulu has been mentioned and debated about several times via this discussion forum. If it was eventually decided, by a more discerning director, to re-make the film based on historical accuracy rather than artistic licence, who would our discussion forum contributors choose to play the various roles associated with the film, based on their choice being governed by which actors would accurately reflect the particular characters whose roles they portray. For example, and for starters, my choice to play Bromhead would be Hugh Grant.Who would you pick to play the various characters.

Tony.
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Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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Tony

But wouldn't that repeat the canard perpetrated in the original version? Bromhead was, by all accounts (if one ignores Wolseley!) a reasonably accomplished officer. So MC hams him up as a fop in true 1960s "denigrate-the-officer-class" fashion.

Surely Grant would do exactly the same, only this time without having to try?

Well researched truth or historical accuracy would appear to be no good at all for film directors, as it would seem that that is not at all what they want. An average, steady, well trained officer who (probably like most of his ilk) could be relied upon in an emergency - the real Bromhead for example - doesn't make for the controversy or "story-line" which film makers or some modern authors seem to crave.

In other words, is there such a thing as "a more discerning director"?

Peter
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Andrew Garton


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 25
Location: Larimore North Dakota
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Tony
I think Grant would make a great Bromhead,how about Ross Kemp as Hook?I have to think a little longer but I'll add some more later.
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ANDY LEE


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 167
Location: Bournville,West Midlands, UK
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Tony

Having thought about it more can I change my Britney Spears for Natalie Portman for the role of Margaretta Witt.

Andy
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TonyJones


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 188
Location: Essex
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Dear all,

Peter-I agree with you in full about directors lack of interest in historical accuracy.I took my dad (Ex-Parachute Regiment) to see 'Saving Private Ryan'.His expletives about the film wouldn't be fit to print on this discussion forum.In today's film culture,sensationalism and sales rule the decisions of directors rather than historical accuracy.

Andrew-Good choice,but let's see what Diana Blackwell thinks as well.

Andy-I would choose Britney Spears,probably because any man in his mid-forties would.Did you know that her grandparents came from the East-End of London.It was noted in the press,that on a recent UK visit she never popped in to see them.

If any of the discussion forum contributors put themselves in the role of director,rather than some current director involved in the industry,who would you choose given that freedom.All the best.

Tony
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Diana Blackwell


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 13
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Tony,
Thanks for wondering what I think, but I haven't seen Ross Kemp in any role. However, it would be just about impossible for him or anybody else to equal, much less improve on, what Booth did with the role as written. The thought of anybody else trying to be Hookie-the-rogue arouses a hearty HAH!. The only sensible course for a remake would be to present a different sort of Hook altogether--say, a historically correct Hook. That would make a lot of people feel better and it would free the actor from burdensome comparisons. It would give employment to some big, burly dude with a moustache who can do good action scenes. (Or else...Uma Thurman? She'd look good in the jacket and neckscarf, and I'll bet she can do some of the characteristic movements.)

Andy,
What? Are you giving up on Britney already? Just as she needs you? Shocking, sir!
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Dawn


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 610
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Ross Kemp would be great in a sergeant major role, look what he did with "Ultimate Force", and how about putting in his mate Jamie as one of the Jones's? That'll be more like it.

Leave out Britney Spears, Natalie Portman etc, there were no female defenders at Rorke's Drift and they'd have to stay out of it if you want an historically correct version. (Sorry, guys, no eye candy this time around Wink)

Sadly I don't think a remake would ever be attempted but who would want to replace the original? If they did, wouldn't we all be comparing it with the first and finding fault with No.2?

Dawn
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ANDY LEE


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 167
Location: Bournville,West Midlands, UK
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Dawn/Diana

Agreed you will never be able to equal the original version but it would be interesting to have a modern day version if not only to generate interest for the next generation!

Sad Dawn, is there no chance we can have a Margretta Witt)

And
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Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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Andy

No!!! No Witts at all - only Smiths, please!!! Laughing And Smith never married anyway, so no beautiful young Maggie Smith either ...

Margaretta, or whatever her name was, was fictional (as you know). So no Margaretta & no Otto Witt (other than his trip up Shiyane & his complaint about the abuse of his mission). And, sorry, but this also means no silly parleying with Cetshwayo at the beginning of the picture (although this very scene was common enough between the 1820s and 1878); no miraculous flight from Ulundi to R/Drift in the course of a few minutes, especially in a ridiculous little carriage that wouldn't have conveyed a missionary twenty yards in the Zululand of 1879 (they travelled by horse or ox-wagon) - so, altogether, not much in the way of females, Andy. Laughing

No doubt the new director will introduce little "Pip" - perhaps she can be female?

Peter
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Dawn


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 610
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Peter
Hear, hear.

If there is one part of Zulu that I don't like it's the whole 'de Witt' nonsense. The bodice ripping scene and then the old soak whispering in the young private's ear, aaargh!! No, it would all have to go. Just stick to the facts, Mr Director, please.

Are you listening, Peter Jackson?

Dawn
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diagralex


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 208
Location: Broomfield, Essex
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What If he just turned up to complain about all the noise that was taking place ?

Graham
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Dawn


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 610
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Perhaps I should just direct him to this site and he can see for himself what all the noise is about.

Dawn
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Sheldon Hall


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 377
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Alas, it is not just directors of today who don't make historical accuracy their first priority - this has always been the case with filmmakers everywhere, as they see themselves as storytellers, not historians!

In the unlikely event that another film about Rorke's Drift gets made (unlikely because both economic and political considerations militate against it), you can be sure that absolute fidelity to the facts will be the last thing on the makers' minds... 'twas ever thus, I'm afraid.

Incidentally, Peter Jackson would not be a bad choice if a remake were to be made; in one of the documentaries on the TWO TOWERS DVD he talks about how his inspiration for the Battle of Helms Deep came from ZULU.

Sheldon

PS Peter, although WE know the Royal homestead was at Ulundi, some distance from RD, Ulundi is nowhere mentioned in the film. It's just a convenient plot device to have the homestead within easy reach of the mission station. 'Creative geography', I think you could call it...
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ANDY LEE


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 167
Location: Bournville,West Midlands, UK
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Sheldon

Soon as the subject of a 'Zulu' Re-make was floated along with potential directors, have to be honest, your name came to mind straight away, fancy it mate.

And
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Sheldon Hall


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 377
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Thanks for the thought, Andy - but I'm just a writer! And I like the movie as it is, so I wouldn't want to remake it anyway...

Sheldon
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Re-make Of Zulu (Again!)
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