The original Korean telling of OLDBOY was one of the first films which I watched and then immediately made other people watch. Not because I love it or because it’s my favorite movie, but simply because I was so struck by what I had seen and felt that I couldn’t help but wish to share the experience. I even set someone up with the Korean original on Netflix Instant Streaming with the intention of then leaving and not going through that experience anew, but of course I ended up watching the whole damn thing.
So while I don’t have any problem with OLDBOY being re-adapted from the manga and made new by Spike Lee, I’m certainly keeping a close eye on all creative decisions and behind-the-scenes workings. Ain’t It Cool News recently spoke with Josh Brolin at a MEN IN BLACK III roundtable, and here’s what Brolin has to say:
“OLDBOY? (Laughs) Literally, you say OLDBOY and my stomach just goes [mimics violent churning noises]. OLDBOY will be an experience. It won’t be like MEN IN BLACK, I’ll tell you that much. I’m really happy about it. We’ve got amazing actors. We’ve got [Elizabeth] Olsen, who I think is fantastic. We’ve also got Sharlto Copley from DISTRICT 9, who I think is going to be unbelievable. He just wrote me an email, it was like, “Look, I’ve got to get this out of the way: dude, GOONIES is my favorite movie.” Which I thought was really sweet. “And now I’m going to make twenty years of your life miserable.” I love OLBOY, and I’m close with Chanwook Park. I emailed him a couple of months ago to ask him for his blessing to do this movie – because if he’d said no, I wouldn’t have done it. But I really respect his movie, and we’ll make a little different movie. This whole idea of the more Hollywood version of it… whatever. We’re going to make a different version, but have respect to the initial story and premise. But I’m looking forward to it, man. I’m talking it about it nervously because it makes me nervous.”
Will there be a hammer fight as brutal as the last? “Yes. And it’s a hammer and knife and all that stuff. And will we keep the octopus and will we keep the other stuff? There are some changes, but I think it’s really good. It still makes me throw down the script halfway through. [Mimics recoiling from the script in horror.] Whoa!”
So what do you think? Is Brolin’s attitude where it needs to be when it comes to tackling this particular project?