I still don't know how I feel about the new trend of taking a respectable story and throwing a horror element into it. While the original concept might have been appealing, it's now becoming as bad as remakes and Asian horror craze as everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. Tonight it was revealed that the director of Dead Snow is taking on the tale of "Hansel and Gretel", only in the film the duo become witch hunters. Don't get too excited, at least until you see Dead Snow this summer from IFC (yuck).
How do you follow the wicked joy of zombie Nazis attacking medical students on a ski vacation?
The Norwegian co-writer/director of the horror comedy "Dead Snow," a Sundance midnight selection that IFC Films picked up for release in June, is putting together his next cockeyed picture. The ICM-repped Wirkola pitched Gary Sanchez Prods. on the idea of exploring how things played out for the poor siblings 15 years after that whole gingerbread house incident.
Simply put, they're now specialized bounty hunters looking to put down the cackling black-hat set.
Sanchez honchos Adam McKay and Will Ferrell jumped at the idea of bringing a "Shaun of the Dead"/"Evil Dead 2" comedy action vibe to the proceedings.
"The idea is, they've grown up and they hunt witches," McKay said. "It's a hybrid sort of old-timey feeling, yet there's pump-action shotguns. Modern technology but in an old style. We heard it and we were just like, 'That's a freakin' franchise! You could make three of those!' "
Producer Kevin Messick, who brought the project to the company, will make the film his first produced feature as an official new member of the Sanchez crew.
"Kevin Messick knows how to put together movies as well as how to make them," McKay said. "He's one of the best producers I have ever worked with, and the fact that he only asked for $8,000 a year shows his commitment to filmmaking."
McKay, Ferrell and Chris Henchy also will produce for Paramount.
The original stories were horror stories. Over the years they have been homogenized. This, Cinderella, Snow White, Goldilocks, were all grimms Fairy tales, derived from nasty European versions that involves eating children and chopping off body parts...very gruesome stuff.
The story of Hansel and Gretel didn't already have "a horror element" in it, Mr. D.? I dunno, cannibalistic witches eating little kids seems like a fairly horrific idea to me.
The idea of making an untamed version of Hansel and Gretel could be a great idea. See Snow White: A Tale of Terror to see how to do that right (horrible title, great movie). However, making them "witch hunters" is really stupid and takes away the most horrifying element of the story: the complete abandonment of the children by those charged with caring for them.
I love how you manage to complain about Dead Snow every time you post a story that's semi-related to it, and that you are the ONLY site to bash that movie so far. Yet you're excited about fucking S. Darko. Then again, I guess it's in keeping with the whole ass-backwards vibe you have going on here.
I love when they make these fairytales with a horror element. Snow White: A Tale of Terror with Sigourney Weaver was a good one. And Shelly Winters did Whoever Slew Auntie Roo back in the 70's. That was sort of a Hansel and Gretel tale. And Tim Burton is doing Alice in Wonderland no doubt with his dark and moody style. Too bad they didn't make Ever After with Drew Barrymore into a horror film lol.
I hate it when they try to put an action spin on classic literature. What next seven dwarves who are a secret team of special ops agents going after a known terrorist and evil queen who is trying to assassinate Snow White, the daughter of a king?
Little ole Lady who lived in an Army Boot full of commandos in training?
Nancy Drew becoming a La Femme Nikita? Hardy Boys becoming Riggs and Murtaugh?
Van Helsing was a shitty excuse, and while Sherlock Holmes with RDJr. might be awesome, him cage fighting is well... sigh.
Icabod Crane becoming a police detective?.... oh wait. Atleast that one was done with taste and subtlety.
Just pathetic how desperate studios are to please dimwitted teenagers suffering from A.D.D. who just can't stand watching a film without action in it, so they have to bastardize classic tales by putting in an authority angle. Witch hunters? For fuck sake.
In the original Snow White there were no stupid Disney dwarves. HighlyTense, Disney is not "classic lit". The original Snow White had necrophilia, rape, murder, adultry, sodomy, attempted cannibalism (of children), and revenge...lots of death. That was the original classic, not the stuff you refer to.
If you want to see a good adaptation of Handsel and Gretal, read No Rest For the Wicked webcomic. It comes up in the second or third chapter, and its amazingly written.
Comments Page 1 of 1 | You have to be logged in to comment! If you don't have an account register now for free! Your account allows you to post comments and reviews, upload videos and images, access or our forums, write personal blogs, and maintain your profile.
Print Story
Send to a Friend
