Friday, January 21, 2011

Little Orphan Annie...in Color

Happy Friday Meltingpot Readers,

Have you heard the news? Apparently Willow Smith -- daughter of mega-stars Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith -- will be following up her smash pop hit Whip My Hair with the starring role in a remake of Annie. Reportedly, the new colored version will star Willow, be produced by Will Smith and the new music for the movie will be produced by none other than Jay-Z. For the skinny on the rumors, follow this link.

Of course this announcement got me thinking of all the classic films I"d like to see remade with a more colorful cast. Top of my list would be The Sound of Music with a Black family. And I'd like Elton John and Jaz-Z to collaborate on the music. Next what I'd like to see is a movie version of the Bionic Woman and the Six Million Dollar Man, where Jamie Summers is Black and Steve Austin is Asian. And then I'd like to see West Side Story with real Latinos in the lead roles.

What about you dear readers. Any remakes you'd like to see in color?

I'm listening.

Peace!

10 comments:

evelyn.n.alfred said...

The Sound of Music in color sounds interesting.

I'd like to see Labyrinth.

D.L. Alexander said...

I actually love classics just the way the are. It would be nice for African American filmmakers or all filmmakers to create classics starring various cultures abd colors.

lifeexplorerdiscovery said...

nah, I have always found that "colored" remakes tend to be terrible. For instance, Johnson Family Vaction is a very bad take on the Vaction movie series with Chevy Chase.

I'd say rather than remaking classics, start creating some classics of our own (and none of that tyler perry stuff either).

Joey Driven said...

What if West Side Story had been written, composed and choreographed by Latinos?

Anonymous said...

Wow! I agree with Farah and lifeexplorer. I love the classics to remain the way they are. Creating new ones would be more interesting!

Mi

Shena said...

I too agree with Farah and lifeexplorer. Let the classics remain as they are.

Anonymous said...

Especially since The Sound of Music is based on a true story... One of the last von Trapp survivors died recently, but there are plenty of relatives around who would probably take issue with the idea.

Unknown said...

The recent Broadway revival of West Side Story had Latinos playing the the Puerto Ricans. And some of the dialogue and singing was in Spanish. It was really great proving it can be done.

Professor Tharps said...

Evelyn,
I'm glad you agree.

Farah, Life, Anon 1 & 2, and Shena,
Your point is well taken. I def. agree that new is usually better, but I did so love the Wiz and there is a certain part of me that would like to see 'the classics' reinterpreted through a different cultural lens. But well done, not schlocky like the recent Death at a Funeral.

Martine,
Thanks for the info. Good point.

Anonymous said...

hurray for white people not having anything to call their own anymore!!!!

I will gladly debate anyone who insists there is still 'white privilege' anywhere.