Mike Nichols to Remake Kurosawa's 'High and Low'

True story: The first Akira Kurosawa movie I added to my collection was High and Low. Though we often think of the great Kurosawa because of his monumental period pieces like Rashomon and Seven Samurai, the contemporary High and Low is one of the master's best and most influential. You could make a case that Kurosawa is the greatest filmmaker who ever lived, and many have. In the 2002 Sight and Sound poll, which is more or less the Bible of serious film rankings, Kurosawa was named the third greatest director ever by other directors, trailing only Welles and Fellini. Now, another legendary director is taking a crack at High and Low. Variety reports that Mike Nichols will remake the film (which is based on an old Ed McBain novel). To tell you how much reverence there is for Kurosawa and his original film, Martin Scorsese, who was ranked ninth on that Sight and Sound list, originally commissioned this remake, bringing on David Mamet to adapt the screenplay back in 1999, when Scorsese was thinknig about directing it. Producer Scott Rudin spent two years acquiring the rights to the project, which Scorsese may executive produce.In the original, Toshiro Mifune played a wealthy businessman who becomes the target of kidnappers. Their plot takes a bizarre turn when it is revealed (though not to the kidnappers) that instead of taking Mifune's son, they have actually abducted the son of his chauffer. It not only explores morality, but the action scenes are pretty effective for the time, and there's a classic briefcase switcheroo on board a moving train that's been redone a handful of times. There's no casting to announce yet, nor a production date, but I would expect given the quality of the story and the hall of famers involved, this remake should attract some pretty big names.I know we talk about remakes all the goddamn time, and I've probably worn out my line about some remakes being good moves, others being bad moves, and still others where remaking them makes no difference whatsoever. It's easy to point out a bad remake, but whenever we talk about some remakes being wise decisions, this is precisely what we mean.

Comments

[tina]

i'm actually looking forward to this remake. i've seen the movie and the tv special (which is pretty much the remake of the movie), so it'd be interesting to see what nichols could do with it.

[Get The Big Picture]

It's a great film. And because the vast majority of moviegoers have never even heard of it, a remake is the right move. It'll give the original and Kurosawa exposure they wouldn't otherwise have, and it seems as though it's in fairly capably hands.