Ben at Animated News wrote:Bedknobs and Corpse Brides
It seems Disney is tapping into its vast libraray of properties to look for more potential Narnia hits with the news that writer Pamela Pettler has been hired to update one of the Mouse House's most popular films. Pettler, who took on duties for Tim Burton's Corpse Bride and wrote the script in a month, has become a bit of a Burton-head recently, having penned the original draft of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and collaborating again on the Burton produced 9, a CGI version of Shane Acker's award winning short about humanity's fight for survival, for Universal's Focus Features. After doing a rewrite on executive producer Robert Zemeckis' Monster House, she was offered many horror projects, but says in Video Age magazine that the genre is not really for her. "I like fantasy and stories with lots of magical realism" says Pettler, where the news is revealed that her next project is preparing the screenplay for a remake of Bedknobs And Broomsticks. Further details are sketchy at this time, but a new version of Mary Norton's classic book fits in appropriately with Disney's continuing desire to tap into the Harry Potter/Lord Of The Rings market and deliver elaborately filmed stories for all the family. Look for the theatrical release of the "new and improved" Bedknobs And Broomsticks in two years time.
What's everyone's thoughts on this? I am somewhat shocked at the news. Being a fan of the original, I am a bit nervous to see how it may turn out,especially the Naboomboo scenes (if they go into this version), which I'm picturing will be CGI creations. Also, will they retain the song soundtrack (even if it means the songs are used as mood music)? I'm asking many questions to myself.
By the way, for anyone in the UK, Bedknobs and Broomsticks is on BBC1 (the TV channel) on 27th December at 2.50pm, but it is the original theatrical cut edition (lasting around 115 minutes), and not the extended cut on the DVD.
Oh, and by the way, has anyone seen the 98 minute version? Out of curiosity, does anyone know what exactly was cut from that version? And did it ever come on the home video market (don't intend to look for it, but just again wondering)?
Oh happy day! Chalk this up as the most exciting news I've heard in a very long time. I would have chosen Pete's Dragon first (starring Amy Grant as Nora), but I'm so happy to see that Disney wants to revisit this film. There's a lot of potential and my hope is that they would keep at least many of the songs (has Disney remade a musical before?) and possibly even involve Angela Lansbury in some capacity. Plus, this pretty much guarantees a 2-Disc reissue of the original, even if it now might come a little later than I had hoped.
One must ask "Why?". I liked the original, and I'd likely see the remake. But it was a failure in the box office and DVD sales were never really high either.
Bedknobs is one of my all-time favorite Disney films, so the prospect of a remake is intriguing. I usually find remakes fascinating because it's fun to see a story you're so familiar with told through a different perspective (which is why I much prefer them to sequels since they don't destroy what happens to the characters at the end of the film). From what I understand, Disney's Bedknobs isn't very faithful to the novels it's based on, so perhaps this one will be (I wouldn't know; I've never read the books). If that's the case, we can almost be sure that the Sherman Brothers songs will be discarded as well as the soccer match on the Isle of Naboomboo.
Ironically, what makes me so excited for this remake isn't the remake itself, but the fact that we'll almost surely get a 2-Disc Special Edition of the original as Aaron suggested. Since the remake will be released in 2007 and 2006 is the film's 35th anniversary, hopefully Disney will release the SE at the end of next year (December like Mary Poppins' SE, perhaps?). That way, they can take advantage of the film's anniversary (we all know how much Disney loves Anniversary Editions) and still be released closed enough to the remake to promote it (a free movie ticket would be a nice inclusion).
Look for the theatrical release of the "new and improved" Bedknobs And Broomsticks in two years time.
Um, yeah right. I love the original to death. I watched it so many times as a kid. The new one is not going to be better. No way.
I was wondering though for anyone who read the book was there anything really big that was left out that could be in this picture. Just wondering how closely this new one will follow the original.
Lucylover1986 wrote:Um, yeah right. I love the original to death. I watched it so many times as a kid. The new one is not going to be better. No way.
I am also approaching this rumour with mixed emotions, as I do love the original. However, I'm not willing to state that the new one will be inferior based on a rumour that it might be made. If that was the case, and everybody shared that attitude, Hollywood may as well stop making movies. Every concept has been done before.
I take it you won't be looking forward to Narnia or King Kong this summer?
With the right talent and attitude behind it, a remake could look absolutely wonderful with today's technology. Now, I'm not one to suggest that a film should be remade simply to use new technology (as King Kong seems to be), but I think stories like these are modern fairy tales, and if I was honest I'd say that King Kong was part of that as well. Older fairy tales are constantly being adapted and treated as new - Disney was not the first or last to make Snow White, and heaven knows that there are people who hate the Disneyfication of stories. It will be good to see some of these classic tales reinterpreted.
Loomis wrote:I take it you won't be looking forward to Narnia or King Kong this summer?
You mean winter?
Well, it's summer for us. BOY is it summer at the moment.
But you know what I mean. Everybody knows that because Loomis lives in Australia, you have to read everything while standing on your head to understand.
Noooooooo!!!! The original is fine the way it is. I mean it's not like you can get the original actors again. I just wont be the same BABS I grew up with. Ah ha ha ha!!!
What are they going to remake next... Gone with the Wind.
Just like Mary Poppins is not Mary Poppins without Julie Andrews, there is no "Bedknobs" without Angela Lansbury...let them make a remake...let it be crummy...as long as i get a special edition of the original, the remake is justified.
"I love school...to bad classes get in the way"-zack morris...the master of scams
Well Kelvin, Loomis, and I will go see it and the rest of you can pretend it never happened. I can't wait to see what they do with it. (Watch them cast Dakota Fanning as Carey ).
SPOILERS (About the Book):
The original book/books (they're usually combined into one like Alice/Looking Glass) do differ from the movie quite a bit, though it's by no means a total abandonment and there of course scenes and events common to both of them. One of the most striking differences is that the book spends a good chunk of time on an island of cannibals (which was replaced by the soccer-playing version of Naboomboo. It also doesn't take place during the 20th century, but the 1600s or something like that, and the children are neighbors rather than adopted orphans. I also don't remember Emelius Brown or anyone like him being in it or an emphasis on the book of Astoroth's spells, but I could be wrong as it's been probably seven or eight years since I've read it.
[/spoilers]
I really liked the book(s), but I honestly preferred the movie. Maybe I'm biased. It seemed more magical, though. I've also always loved that the movie is set during the war. These are components that I would like to see maintained in the new one, and I think I'd prefer an actual remake of the original movie over a new adaptation of the book(s).
1. Woohoo! This is certainly spelling "2-Disc Anniversary Edition" next year!
2. Wondy, I don't think there ever was a 98 minute version. There's the original 142 minute version (with A Step in the Right Direction), the 117 minute theatrical version, and the current 139 minute restored version (without A Step in the Right Direction). I made a list of what was cut once, but I've since lost it, so this is all from memory:
-Initial dialogue between Captain Greer and Mrs. Hobday: In the theatrical version, the noise Mrs. Hobday hears from outside is the intro to "Soldiers of the old Home Guard". In the extended version, it's the old man going "Halt, who goes there?"
-A bit where the soldiers scatter after singing "Soldiers of the Old Home Guard"
-Extra dialogue about Aunt Bessie: There's a bit before dinner about how they have no parents and they were raised by Aunt Bessie
-Dialogue about the food: After the "No fried foods?" bit, there's more on what they're being served and the dubbing for Charlie was abysmal ("Mango wuzzle?" for example)
-Mr. Jelk: A scene with Mr. Jelk checking the house before giving Eglantine her letter.
-On the bed: Originally, when they try to travel on the bed, it doesn't work because Paul doesn't specify where to go, and the second time around, Charlie jumps on the bed (in the theatrical version, it's cut a bit to have Paul tell it where to go, followed by Charlie jumping to avoid Cosmic Creepus)
-"With A Flair": the song is cut entirely in the theatrical version, and instead just has all the talking parts.
-"Eglantine": the song is shortened in the theatrical version, and in the extended version it includes some spoken parts at the table about Substitutiary Locomotion, followed by the children exploring the house, and in the actual song there's an extension by Eglantine where she sings "don't let me down"
-"Portobello Road": The entire dance sequence is intact in the extended version.
-Swinburne: There's a scene where Swinburne asks Professor Brown why he has to push the bed, followed by them pushing it down the stairs.
-Bookman: there's a bit of dialogue with Bookman and Swinburne about knives
-Back at Pepperidge Eye: A scene with Mrs. Hobday, Professor Brown, Charlie, and Mr. Jelk spying on them.
I'm pretty sure there's a bit more, but that's all I remember.
As for the book, gawd, it's really different from the movie. Aaron mentioned the general stuff, but in white is a synopsis of the book:
In "The Magic Bedknob", Carrie, Charles, and Paul go to visit their aunt one summer and Mrs. Price is their neighbour. Paul sees Mrs. Price flying her broomstick every night but doesn't tell anyone, and when the kids find Mrs. Price laying on the ground, she tells them she sprained her ankle, but Paul later tells them that she flew. Anyways, they visit Mrs. Price and see her witchcraft stuff, and to keep them quiet, she gives them the traveling spell on the bed. They try it one night, but it doesn't work since only Paul can work the spell. They try it again, with Paul doing the spell, and go back to London. A cop finds them, takes them to the police station, but eventually they get back to the bedroom. The next time they use the bed, Mrs. Price goes with them, and they go to an island called Uueepe, for a tropical getaway. But unfortunately for them, cannibals are on the island, and they plan to eat them, until Mrs. Price displays her magic and they escape. When they return, muddy sandy and all, they shock the aunt, who decides to send them back home to mother. Before they leave, the see Mrs. Price who tells them she's giving up magic.
In "Bonfires and Broomsticks", it's a couple years later, and they try and tell Paul that it was all a dream so he doesn't talk about it. Anyways, in the newspaper, they read in the classifieds or something that Mrs. Price is looking for a few people to live with her (rent I guess), so they ask their mother if they can. The mother says yes, and they visit Mrs. Price, who indeed has given up magic. I can't remember the specifics, but it leads to Mrs. Price and Paul trying the bedknob by itself to see if it still works, and they learn that they can't put the bedknob on any bed and make it work, it needs to be on the specific bed. Also, you learn that if you twist it a certain way, instead of where you go, you can also choose when (time travel). They have to find the bed, which they do, and Carrie, Charles, and Paul end up going to the Middle Ages or so, where they meet Emelius Brown (but his name isn't Brown and I can't remember what it is). Emelius is a magician, but he knows it's all a hoax, at least what HE was taught. They then take him back to the present time, introduce him to Eglantine, and they then take him back, where he's supposed to be burned at the stake for witchcraft. Substitutiary Locomotion is introduced, as Eglantine uses it to manipulate a broom and her cloak to rescue Emelius, and they return to the present again. Then Eglantine decides to return to the Middle Ages with Emelius, and brings indoor plumbing with her. They load everything on the bed, and Paul taps the bedknob, sending them back to the Middle Ages. Carrie, Charles, and Paul are now alone, and they go to the woods to find where Emelius's cabin stood, and find the old foundation.
I wonder if Disney's remake will be the 1971 version or if it will be true to the books. I'm hoping it'll be true to the books, so as to make the argument that it's an adaptation of the books and not a remake of their classic film.
Escapay
WIST #60:
AwallaceUNC: Would you prefer Substi-Blu-tiary Locomotion?
WIST #61:
TheSequelOfDisney: Damn, did Lin-Manuel Miranda go and murder all your families?
When will the remakes end? Is there no originality left at Disney? The only good thing about a remake would be a 2 disc loaded SE of the spectacular original. Remake bad films & improve them. I guess we can be thankful Disney didn't make Gone With The Wind, Casablanca... They're probably planning a remake of Pirates of the Carribean for a year after the 2nd sequel comes out. Pathetic!
15 gallon 7 pint blood donor as of 1-4-11. Done donating. Apparently having Cancer makes you kind of ineligible to donate.
If they don't find the footage for 'Step in the Right Direction," then its a waste of time to buy a 35th anniversary dvd. Because, really, the current dvd is enough.
Wonderlicious wrote:Oh, and by the way, has anyone seen the 98 minute version? Out of curiosity, does anyone know what exactly was cut from that version? And did it ever come on the home video market (don't intend to look for it, but just again wondering)?
The version I have is the 30th Anniversary Edition. There's a part when Mr. Brown is in London when they land with the bed and they find Mr. Brown. It's a song during magic that's lengthened. I believe there's about 40 or more minutes missing. There is also a still of a song which they never found the recording so in the special features, they sing the song with stills I believe and it's just after Mrs. Price gets the broom. There's a lot of things missing.
I heard today on Jimhillmedia.com that disney is developing a script for a new version of Bedknobs and Broomsticks.
It will contain none of the songs from the original and it will be done in the style of the books. It hasn't been green lit yet but what would everybody think of a remake?
I would hate to think that this remake would wind up being a Narnia esque movie without any of the creativity or fun of the original (like dancing shoes with clearly visable wires)
I also wouldn't like it because the original movie still hasn't got the DVD treatment it deserves (the 35th Anniversary edition that Escapy made up )
I love the original to death. I watched it so many times as a kid. The new one is not going to be better. No way. 
)
Love It.