The Remake of Alfred Hickcock’s “The Lodger”

I just read an article at slashfilm.com regarding the remaking of Alfred Hickcock’s The Lodger. Writer/Director David Ondaatje annouced that production for this remake will begin early next year.The movie based on a novel by Marie Belloc Lowdes is about a serial killer killing women circa 1800′s in London. Basically based on Jack The Ripper. “A mysterious man arrives at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Bunting looking for a room to rent. The Bunting’s daughter is a blonde model and is seeing one of the detectives assigned to the case. The detective becomes jealous of the lodger and begins to suspect he may be the avenger.”

Hitch once called this the first true “Hitchcock movie”. The film has been remade before in 1932, 1944, & 1953. I’ve not seen any of the preceding, but I did see the silent one (1926). Pretty good for a silent film. The film is definitely Hitchcock–he knew what frightened us, and managed to do just that without the bells and whistles of today. You know animation, sound, and lets not forget the gore. That took talent don’t you think?

I am a little worried about the remake. Remakes, in my humble opinion just don’t work. I am not saying all of them, but sadly most are just no good. I don’t know if it’s because I compare today’s standards to Hollywood’s old standards, but I just can’t see old movies being redone. Hollywood’s Golden Era had great actors, directors, and writers. Today’s actors, directors, and writers just don’t measure. Again I am not saying all, but most. Maybe I am just bias.

More than likely the remake will have blood, gore, cursing and sex—-Hitchcock’s orginal had a couple of these, but all done in good taste. We didn’t have to see any of it—but he made sure we imagined it. That to me is good directing. What do you think?

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