The revolution has begun. After years of American directors poaching from Asian works, and years of lesser known Asian productions blatantly copyright infringing American films (I’m looking at you, Lady Terminator), a Chinese director is remaking an American horror film.
House of Flying Daggers director Yimou Zhang is partnering with Sony Pictures Classics to remake Blood Simple – the debut film from the Coen Brothers.
Alright – so it’s not exactly a horror film, but tell me you weren’t scared when you saw M. Emmet Walsh’s face as he’s chasing Abby. Call it neo-noir, call it thriller, but no matter what it’s scary as hell.
When Blood Simple first came out, it got a ton of positive response, and it’s only detractors seemed to focus on a choice of style over substance. That oddly seems perfect for a director like Zhang who has a fantastic visual style.
There will be a few changes to the story obviously, but the only ones we know from the press release are that:
- It will be set in a noodle shop in a little-inhabited desert instead of a small Texas town
- The owner of the shop will be plotting to kill his wife and her lover, but the plan goes awry when a gun is introduced into a group that is used to dealing with swords and knives
It’s unclear whether the humor will shine through, but Zhang is a very capable director with a great eye for detail, so the movie could be a successful addition into the remake bin.
What do you think?
