Universal Updates TURN OF THE SCREW (Or: An INNOCENTS Rave)

[AndyDursin]

Just got my review copy (at last!) of THE INNOCENTS and then this crosses the wire...heck I'd check it out!


Universal Takes a Spooky 'Turn'
Tue, Sep 20, 2005, 08:09 AM PT
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com)- Universal Pictures and Vertigo Entertainment are eying a modern update on Henry James' "The Turn of the Screw."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio has nabbed a pitch for "The Turning" -- renamed, presumably, so as not to scare off the high school English-phobic -- from Chad and Carey Hayes.

The twin brothers have apparently devised a new spin on the oft-adapted tale, which first appeared in 1898 in serial form in Collier's Weekly. The story focuses on a young woman hired to take care of two adorable children, only to discover that her new and isolated home may also be a little ghost-laden for her tastes.

Previous adaptations have included a 1990 telefilm starring Amy Irving, a 1959 version with Ingrid Bergman and a 1999 take, co-starring Colin Firth.

Chad and Carey Hayes adapted the recent remake of "House of Wax" and most recently wrote "The Reaping," another horror/thriller set to star Hilary Swank. They're also writing the latest in a long line of remakes of "The Blob."

[Carlson2005]

As if the Patsy Kensit version wasn't bad enough...

[AndyDursin]

As if the Patsy Kensit version wasn't bad enough...

True -- that one wasn't very good, was it?

[Torrance]

Wait a second ... there's going to be another remake of The BLOB? I hadn't heard of that one - why bother? The original is campy but enjoyable and the remake is still a solid horror effort (with decent effects even by today's standards) - so do we really need another version of the story? When will the horror remakes end? Hopefully that proposed remake of THE FLY never gets off the ground - I dread to think of what it'd turn out to be like.

[AndyDursin]

Wait a second ... there's going to be another remake of The BLOB? I hadn't heard of that one - why bother? The original is campy but enjoyable and the remake is still a solid horror effort (with decent effects even by today's standards) - so do we really need another version of the story? When will the horror remakes end? Hopefully that proposed remake of THE FLY never gets off the ground - I dread to think of what it'd turn out to be like.

That BLOB deal has been floating around (literally) over the last couple of years. Wonder if it'll actually get produced or not.

[romanD]

yeah... I hope so... THE BLOB is one of my favs! And I think with FX advance and moving the setup to a big city maybe you can have a lot of fun with it...

INNOCENTS? I dont know... I thought the original movie from the 50ies was pretty boring and ridiculously plotted. That woman was getting on my nerves and a total whacko. Hm, maybe that was the point... but I see another HAUNTING desaster coming.

Dont know the book though... but I doubt the writers do either... lol...

[AndyDursin]

INNOCENTS? I dont know... I thought the original movie from the 50ies was pretty boring and ridiculously plotted. That woman was getting on my nerves and a total whacko. Hm, maybe that was the point...

Well it's only one of the greatest supernatural movies ever-made! Couldn't disagree with you more Roman. THE INNOCENTS to me remains spookier and more disturbing than virtually ANY modern horror film, and I prefer it to the original "Haunting" as well.

[romanD]

I love the original HAUNTING. But was seriously disappointed with THE INNOCENTS. The only way to tell the plot is her constantly telling the audience what is going on! How does she know what to do, what the ghost wants etc... maybe she is just crazy, that's the point, but otherwise I thought the script was horrible. Really.

[AndyDursin]

I love the original HAUNTING. But was seriously disappointed with THE INNOCENTS. The only way to tell the plot is her constantly telling the audience what is going on! How does she know what to do, what the ghost wants etc... maybe she is just crazy, that's the point, but otherwise I thought the script was horrible. Really.

Roman you're killing me here!!

THE INNOCENTS is an eloquent, classic script -- one of the great genre screenplays of all-time, bar none -- beautifully directed, that has an element of ambiguity that makes it open to interpretation -- but it's ANYTHING but hard to follow. I've never read any criticism of the movie that the plot was difficult to comprehend. Seriously. Unless you can't comprehend the power of suggestion as a cinematic tool, what is it don't you understand about the story? You're pretty much a party of one if you think that script is "horrible".

The nature of the haunting, the sanity of the heroine, the behavior of the children -- all of them are open to interpretation, which is the BEAUTY and subtle nature of Clayton's film. Also makes it haunting, disturbing, open to repeat viewings, and simply one of the great movies of the cinema.

To me the movie has so many layers -- it's mature far beyond its 1961 release date -- that I could watch it annually and get something new out of it every time (which I do). I also believe there IS something supernatural going on -- it's not just a "head trip" on the part of Kerr's character -- but the great thing is that someone can get something entirely different out of it.

[romanD]

Ive seen it a long time ago.. but still I remember that I hated, that Deborah Kerr constantly tells me what is going on. How does she know what to do??? Seriously?! She is just walking around doing nothing and then grabs the kids and says "I have to do this and that to make the ghosts go away!" how... HOW... does she knows that??? (among many other things she knows out of nowhere...)

I remember that annoying me all the time... the directing and set design were fine, no question... but I thought the movie was boring and ridiculous. HAUNTING it aint! ))

[AndyDursin]

Ive seen it a long time ago.. but still I remember that I hated, that Deborah Kerr constantly tells me what is going on. How does she know what to do??? Seriously?! She is just walking around doing nothing and then grabs the kids and says "I have to do this and that to make the ghosts go away!" how... HOW... does she knows that??? (among many other things she knows out of nowhere...)

I remember that annoying me all the time... the directing and set design were fine, no question... but I thought the movie was boring and ridiculous. HAUNTING it aint! ))

We agree to disagree my friend.

[romanD]

well... you cant like all movies out there. Maybe my expectations were too high for it as I just loved HAUNTING so much.