Leekbrookgull
Well-known member
Classic gritty british post war b&w film much of which was shot on location,any news on the 'so called' re-make ? Apart from it is colour ?
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Brighton rock,the re-make.
- Thread starter Leekbrookgull
- Start date
Leekbrookgull
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #3
Can you ever re-make a classic ?
kevo
Well-known member
- Mar 8, 2008
- 9,811
One of the central themes of the book (and the original film) is that it's set in the 1930s, and the underworld of spivs and petty gangsters that ruled Brighton at the time. Can't see how they can update it to the 60s without losing the essence of what it's about. Sounds like they were trying to remake Quadrophenia rather than Brighton Rock.
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Seagull on the wing
New member
My Dad was an extra in the original BR,I was looking after my little sister while they were filming on the racecourse.Have yet to see the remake
Cadiz Seagull
Grey bearded old man
More shots of Eastbourne than Brighton, mainly because the West pier is no more and the Palace Pier (yes I know the name has changed!) is too modern.
I don't know why it was set in the mods and rockers period, maybe because Brighton is very different now to the post war setting of the original. They got the rockers right but I thought the clothes worn by the mods were all wrong - not at all what I remembered, and I was there.
And most scooters only had one or two wing mirrors; in the 60's most of them had at least half a dozen or more.
A decent enough film I thought but didn't really get across the menace that the original did.
I don't know why it was set in the mods and rockers period, maybe because Brighton is very different now to the post war setting of the original. They got the rockers right but I thought the clothes worn by the mods were all wrong - not at all what I remembered, and I was there.
And most scooters only had one or two wing mirrors; in the 60's most of them had at least half a dozen or more.
A decent enough film I thought but didn't really get across the menace that the original did.
Norman Potting
Well-known member
Am going to see it on Thursday and will let you know my views on it then. Big fan of the book and B & W version which I watched again on Saturday. I suspect the reviews will be influenced by by whether you are familiar with the book or are viewing the remake without any preconceptions. I am aware that the remake doesn't feature the racecourse scene or the aftermath which for me is an important part of the story but I will do my best to approach the remake with an open mind.
I believe the era for the remake was chosen as it was sufficiently distant from the original setting to appear fresh whilst just being in the period where the death penalty was still in force.
I believe the era for the remake was chosen as it was sufficiently distant from the original setting to appear fresh whilst just being in the period where the death penalty was still in force.
The Large One
Who's Next?
Go to the 'Film 2011' thread for some NSC reviews.
scooter1
How soon is now?
I was an extra in this re-make for the scooter scenes in Eastbourne. It was an odd one because as we were filming it, it felt like we were in some sort of Quadrophenia clone environment. And then the fight scene on the pier, and we're all on the beach singing "we are the mods", it just felt so wrong..
As for the scooters, the makers wanted a bunch of early 20-somethings on lovely vintage scooters, but your average 20 year old these days has a Corsa or a Saxo. So they had to settle for us mid to late 30 somethings - those of us that have half decent vintage scooters.
They did the scenes in Eastbourne for two reasons, the first and obvious one is that it still looks like it could pass for a 60's town, and the second reason was that its a shit load cheaper to close Eastbourne seafront for a Sunday than it is to close Brighton - according to the director
As for the scooters, the makers wanted a bunch of early 20-somethings on lovely vintage scooters, but your average 20 year old these days has a Corsa or a Saxo. So they had to settle for us mid to late 30 somethings - those of us that have half decent vintage scooters.
They did the scenes in Eastbourne for two reasons, the first and obvious one is that it still looks like it could pass for a 60's town, and the second reason was that its a shit load cheaper to close Eastbourne seafront for a Sunday than it is to close Brighton - according to the director
pasty
A different kind of pasty
Went to see it on Sunday. If you have never seen the original, or read the book, and don't come from or recognise Brighton, you will probably enjoy it, otherwise you probably won't.
As I have seen the original, read the book and do come from Brighton I found it a bit of a waste of time really - maybe just me, I dunno
As I have seen the original, read the book and do come from Brighton I found it a bit of a waste of time really - maybe just me, I dunno
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Westdene Wonder
New member
I read the book and saw the earlier film, had planned to watch the remake until i learnt that they had changed the story and shot part of it in Eastbourne so why call it Brighton Rock, its misleading cinema goers.
Leekbrookgull
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #12
Westdene,are you surprised ?
As otherwise posted, it does lack the menace of the original which is strange as it's much more voilent. It is spoiled by local knowledge - it's clealy Eastbourne, and clearly also a smaller looking town than Brighton is.
It's alright, but won't be remembered in the same way as the 1947 film.
It's alright, but won't be remembered in the same way as the 1947 film.
Zamora For England
New member
I saw them filming this in Eastbourne. Saw the film last week, quite disappointed.
Having lived in Eastbourne for a couple of years, it kind of spoiled it knowing where they were - not in Brighton.
Also, considering the 'hard man' context set by the film, that has to go down as one of the wettest endings ever.
Having lived in Eastbourne for a couple of years, it kind of spoiled it knowing where they were - not in Brighton.
Also, considering the 'hard man' context set by the film, that has to go down as one of the wettest endings ever.
portlock seagull
Well-known member
- Jul 28, 2003
- 17,793
Saw on Sunday pm. Never read book, never seen original. Thought it was ok but laboured. Not worst, not the best film I've ever seen. 6/10.
Norman Potting
Well-known member
Saw it last night at Uckfield (best cinema in Sussex?). Went with low expectations having read the reviews here and elsewhere but was pleasantly surprised. Not a classic, 3.5/5 maybe but I enjoyed it. Honest effort to make it a bit different although all the main characters appeared (albeit in different roles from the book/B & W movie) and all the main incidents were covered, my misgivings about the lack of the "Racecourse scene" were unfounded and they gave it a credible equivalent. The ending managed to be faithful to both book and B & W film.
Liked. The way Rose was bit more "feisty" than in the book, Ida and Phil, and Andy Serkis doing his best evil lounge lizard impersonation.
Didn't like. The music I thought was too intrusive.
Didn't mind. The use of Eastbourne (mostly) instead of Brighton, suspect most of those who see the film won't even notice or care. Thought that they captured the look of the era even if those who were really there (I was 4 so don't really remember) can find faults in some of the details (square pin plugs in the final scene?).
Amused by. The rather mature "Mods" as explained by a previous poster and the scenes where the action switches from Brighton to Eastbourne and back, even making it as far as Hastings Old Town at one point. Also the brief mystical appearance of the complete West Pier near the start, ain't CGI wonderful!
Is the "Caff" they used real or a movie set somewhere?. Saw some of the filming at Eastbourne and believe that the "Cafe Belgique" opposite the Pier was used as "Snow's".
Liked. The way Rose was bit more "feisty" than in the book, Ida and Phil, and Andy Serkis doing his best evil lounge lizard impersonation.
Didn't like. The music I thought was too intrusive.
Didn't mind. The use of Eastbourne (mostly) instead of Brighton, suspect most of those who see the film won't even notice or care. Thought that they captured the look of the era even if those who were really there (I was 4 so don't really remember) can find faults in some of the details (square pin plugs in the final scene?).
Amused by. The rather mature "Mods" as explained by a previous poster and the scenes where the action switches from Brighton to Eastbourne and back, even making it as far as Hastings Old Town at one point. Also the brief mystical appearance of the complete West Pier near the start, ain't CGI wonderful!
Is the "Caff" they used real or a movie set somewhere?. Saw some of the filming at Eastbourne and believe that the "Cafe Belgique" opposite the Pier was used as "Snow's".
Lyndhurst 14
Well-known member
- Jan 16, 2008
- 5,245
Just been released in the States – will be going to see it tomorrow. It’s had pretty good reviews from the press including the heavies like the New York Times. And anything with Helen Mirren will do well out here. Hopefully it will mean Brighton gets some spin off tourism trade when Americans realise that there are other cities to visit in England besides London.