The Flight of the Phoenix

[Sandman]

Saw a reference to this movie in Hang's airplane thread...

Found this while I was searching for info on the movie.

Twentieth Century Fox is in talks with director John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines) to remake of the 1965 thriller The Flight of the Phoenix. Fox is aiming for a possible summer start for "Phoenix" with a script by Scott Frank ("Out of Sight"). William Aldrich and Davis Entertainment chief John Davis are on board to produce.

Here's some info on the remake: http://www.upcomingmovies.com/flightofthephoenix.html

[Braz]

Hurrumph!

I loved the original, and would bet most plane folks do too. What do these re-makes hope to acomplish other than to line their pockets on someone else's idea. The 1st version is timeless, and plays well to a contemporary audience. Unlike King Kong, special effects don't play an important part in FOTP. So do they expect Matt Damon to do a better job of acting than James Stewart??

Do they think a modern script could explore bravery, honor, and duty in more depth? Give me a break. Re-making a well loved film has a poor track record. Wish 'em the best, but expect the worst.

[AKIron]

Originally posted by Braz
So do they expect Matt Damon to do a better job of acting than James Stewart??

I agree with ya Braz to a point, but how many young people today watch or have seen those old movies? I have to twist my youngest's arm (19) to get him to watch anything older than him.

It was a good story and warrants retelling.

[Hangtime]

the original was perfect.. and where are they gonna find a better plane for the plot than the C-119 'Flying Boxcar' they used in the movie?? it was perfect too... and so simple. Just take the intact outer wing panel, engine and boom, marry it to the undamaged other wingtip, cut down the stab, add flight and engine controls, prop it all up on a skid, make a runway in the sahara..

Loved when they were trying to start that monster, down to the last starting cartridge... damn; whot a great movie that wuz.

[Yeager]

Yup, FotP was a rare classic amongst the great classics.

Go ahead and do a remake.  If its any good (or sucks) at least people from "several generations since" might be compelled to watch the original.

No harm done imo.

[AKWeav]

The plane that they leave on at the end of the film was originally a C-82 Boom aircraft. The
stunt of taking off was too dangerous, and thus pilot Paul Mantz was asked to merely come in
low, run his landing gear along the ground, and then take off again, simulating a take-off. On
the second take, Mantz was killed and the plane destroyed. As all main footage had already
been shot, a North American O-47A observation plane from the Air Museum was substituted
for the remaining closeups.

[Sikboy]

I feel a similar twing when I see previews for "The Truth about Charlie" wich is a remake of the Cary Grant Classic "Charade" This is such a good movie, that I'm not sure what they hope to accomplish with a remake. But I'll likely go see it (my wife has some wierd Marky Mark thing going on). I wish they would have kept the title though, because I don't know how well known it will be when it comes out.

-Sikboy

[Masherbrum]

I'm 29 and just saw the whole thing, oh, like a year ago.  My god that had to be an incredible movie for the time!   I will NOT see the remake as I DID NOT waste money on Planet of the Apes.  People will go and see it for Matt Damon, he is NO James Stewart.

I wish Hollywood would get off of the destroy classic movies bandwagon and do some original movies.

Masher

[Charon]

This is crap. I bet they add a chick and a love triangle. What tools.

Charon

[Rude]

Old things are better

[hblair]

I remember laying in my grandads floor with my brothers as a kid watching the original movie back in the seventies. I loved it. Wasn't the guy doing the engineering a model builder? The hooey hit the fan when they found out. I thought it was cool when the model builders design flew As already mentioned, another good scene was the cartridges. Remember the ragged looking fella countin em out on his fingers? I might just have to rent that tonight.

[Hangtime]

Just saw the remake..

I'm kinda ambivelant... it does not top the original in acting, but the special effects were pretty decent (and entirely bogus).

Nonetheless watchin that big 'ol C-119 monster do the low passes gave me tingles in the opening scenes.

Charon was right.. they tossed in a chick.

..and when they find out the geek is a model desiginer... that part they did pretty good.

I miss Jimmy Stewart and Ernest Borgnine.

Over all; a 7 outta 10. Worth the 3 bucks I paid to rent it.

[StarOfAfrica2]

Movie was ok.  Not as good as the original.  Hated the flying brick.  God those things were smurfy.  Only plane I've ever been glad to see crash.  I'd agree with the rating, 7.

[GtoRA2]

yeah not as good as the original but a faster pace.


Decent, better then much of the other crap out there.

[DREDIOCK]

One of those movies Ill wait for the DVD to come out.
I agree the original was timeless.
Dont see the need for a remake.

But I also think King Kong is timeless also. While the special efects arent up to todays standards they still arent totally terrible.
I think its still a damn good movie even by todays standards.

Its a classic in my house and both my kids have each had a copy of it.

The first remake of is sucked in a major way.  You just cant take that story and make it happen in modern or even semi modern times and make it work.
This new version is supposed to be closer and more loyal to the original. And supposed to take place during the same time period.

It may very well work provided they dont deviate too far from the original. But only because of the special effects.

I was reading yesterday in fact how they were trying to get Fay Wray to be in this version before sshe died.
They wanted her to be the one who utters the line
"Oh no it wasnt the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast"

Gotta admit that woulda been pretty cool