Well, there's a new idea for a remake
July 3, 2012 4:33 PM Subscribe
Shelby, drink your juice.
posted by fiercecupcake at 4:47 PM on July 3, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 4:47 PM on July 3, 2012 [7 favorites]
I think this is brilliant casting. The original movie was terrific (I don't have an idea how Queen Latifah is going to top Sally Field's breakdown), but these actresses are all strong, and it's a cool new take on the whole story.
I'm not sure that the always friendly-seeming Alfre Woodard is going to be nasty enough to play Weezer, but she's such a great actress, I'm not too worried.
posted by xingcat at 4:50 PM on July 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm not sure that the always friendly-seeming Alfre Woodard is going to be nasty enough to play Weezer, but she's such a great actress, I'm not too worried.
posted by xingcat at 4:50 PM on July 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm a fan already but why call it Steel Magnolias? Truvy was played by Dolly Parton. The play was about white women in Louisiana. Oh well if SLJ can be Nick Fury I can roll with this reboot.
posted by pdxpogo at 4:52 PM on July 3, 2012
posted by pdxpogo at 4:52 PM on July 3, 2012
"Lifetime's original movie?" That's a definition of original with which I am not familiar.
"Lifetime's re-make of the 1989 movie, which was a remake of the 1987 Broadway play" is more like it.
(Looks pretty good, tho. I like the '89 movie quite a bit, and this cast is outstanding.)
Also, 1989?!?! That's 23 years ago! Man, I'm old.
posted by Frayed Knot at 4:53 PM on July 3, 2012 [8 favorites]
"Lifetime's re-make of the 1989 movie, which was a remake of the 1987 Broadway play" is more like it.
(Looks pretty good, tho. I like the '89 movie quite a bit, and this cast is outstanding.)
Also, 1989?!?! That's 23 years ago! Man, I'm old.
posted by Frayed Knot at 4:53 PM on July 3, 2012 [8 favorites]
Next up: Driving Miss Daisy, with Angela Bassett and Tobey Maguire.
posted by brain_drain at 4:53 PM on July 3, 2012 [14 favorites]
posted by brain_drain at 4:53 PM on July 3, 2012 [14 favorites]
Aw, shoot. Can't see anything on that link here in Europe.
posted by likeso at 4:53 PM on July 3, 2012
posted by likeso at 4:53 PM on July 3, 2012
I'm a fan already but why call it Steel Magnolias?
Maybe because it's the exact same story?
It feels really weird to me that this is an FPP.
posted by phunniemee at 4:55 PM on July 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
Maybe because it's the exact same story?
It feels really weird to me that this is an FPP.
posted by phunniemee at 4:55 PM on July 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
Am I the only one that wants to punch my computer for showing me that preview?!
I mean, I'm sure it's probably great. If the original had not included Dolly and Sally and holy crap, Ouiser Boudreaux, I might get down with it. But as it stands, I'm sorry. I'm so confused as to why they would feel the need to remake this that I don't know whether to scratch my watch or wind my butt.
posted by youandiandaflame at 4:59 PM on July 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
I mean, I'm sure it's probably great. If the original had not included Dolly and Sally and holy crap, Ouiser Boudreaux, I might get down with it. But as it stands, I'm sorry. I'm so confused as to why they would feel the need to remake this that I don't know whether to scratch my watch or wind my butt.
posted by youandiandaflame at 4:59 PM on July 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
Maybe because it's the exact same story?
Which is Why West Side Story went with the classier Romeo + Juliet when they did the remake?
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:59 PM on July 3, 2012
Which is Why West Side Story went with the classier Romeo + Juliet when they did the remake?
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:59 PM on July 3, 2012
Maybe because it's the exact same story?
Which is Why West Side Story went with the classier Romeo + Juliet when they did the remake?
West Side story is..a different story based on Romeo and Juliet. This looks like a direct remake of the earlier movie/film version of the play. What else would they call it?
posted by sweetkid at 5:02 PM on July 3, 2012
"'Lifetime's original movie?' That's a definition of original with which I am not familiar."
It means "originated on Lifetime". That movie is original to the Lifetime network, as opposed to movies which are not original to the Lifetime network — a distinction of interest when the context is a network that rebroadcasts movies that have appeared elsewhere.
The better choice of words would have been Lifetime's original production, because that more clearly distinguishes the movie as a particular narrative that can be variously recreated from a particular production of it, which this is. But 95% of the audience understood what they meant, anyway (really, I just did extensive polling before I wrote this comment and it's exactly 95%).
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 5:04 PM on July 3, 2012
It means "originated on Lifetime". That movie is original to the Lifetime network, as opposed to movies which are not original to the Lifetime network — a distinction of interest when the context is a network that rebroadcasts movies that have appeared elsewhere.
The better choice of words would have been Lifetime's original production, because that more clearly distinguishes the movie as a particular narrative that can be variously recreated from a particular production of it, which this is. But 95% of the audience understood what they meant, anyway (really, I just did extensive polling before I wrote this comment and it's exactly 95%).
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 5:04 PM on July 3, 2012
Great story for great actresses to shine. There is the "black" factor but I would think an original vehicle for this collection of talent would defuse the obvious racial component. I mean I don't care how or who is cast it just seems contrived. I mean could "The Color Purple" be recast with a white cast? Yes it could but why?
posted by pdxpogo at 5:04 PM on July 3, 2012
posted by pdxpogo at 5:04 PM on July 3, 2012
Which is Why West Side Story went with the classier Romeo + Juliet when they did the remake?
Allow me to be more clear. Maybe because it's the exact same story, with the exact same characters, who all have the exact same names, who all (it seems from the preview) follow the exact same script with maybe a few more details thrown in? And by calling it Steel Magnolias, maybe they'll make a few folks from a new generation realize that there was already a movie and a play called Steel Magnolias and maybe they'll want to see the original and that's good.
If not Steel Magnolias, then what should they call it? Iron Black Dahlias, or would that be too on the nose?
posted by phunniemee at 5:06 PM on July 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
Allow me to be more clear. Maybe because it's the exact same story, with the exact same characters, who all have the exact same names, who all (it seems from the preview) follow the exact same script with maybe a few more details thrown in? And by calling it Steel Magnolias, maybe they'll make a few folks from a new generation realize that there was already a movie and a play called Steel Magnolias and maybe they'll want to see the original and that's good.
If not Steel Magnolias, then what should they call it? Iron Black Dahlias, or would that be too on the nose?
posted by phunniemee at 5:06 PM on July 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
"Miss Truvy, I promise that my personal tragedy will not interfere with my ability to do good hair."
Classic.....
posted by pearlybob at 5:26 PM on July 3, 2012
Classic.....
posted by pearlybob at 5:26 PM on July 3, 2012
Awesome cast. I'm very fond of the '89 film which also has an awesome cast but certainly look forward to this production. I'm not always fond of remakes but Titanic, for example, did just fine.
posted by Anitanola at 5:29 PM on July 3, 2012
posted by Anitanola at 5:29 PM on July 3, 2012
Huh? What was Titanic a remake of other than the crash?
posted by ocherdraco at 5:38 PM on July 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by ocherdraco at 5:38 PM on July 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm not sure that the always friendly-seeming Alfre Woodard is going to be nasty enough to play Weezer
I guess you didn't see her playing Lafayette's batshit insane mom on True Blood a few seasons back, then. SHE WAS GLORIOUS.
posted by elizardbits at 5:54 PM on July 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
I guess you didn't see her playing Lafayette's batshit insane mom on True Blood a few seasons back, then. SHE WAS GLORIOUS.
posted by elizardbits at 5:54 PM on July 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
I stage managed a really REALLY good community theater production of Steel Magnolias, it seems a lifetime ago at this point. It was one of the most genuinely wonderful shows to be involved with. Our cast was strong, our set had actual running water (this is a rare thing for theater sets, but you are supposed to wash and set someone's hair during one of the scenes), we had utterly mastered the under-30-second scene changes so the look and feel of the beauty shop (in which the entire stage play is set) would reflect the passage of time, and during M'Lynn's breakdown and the subsequent tone shift worked perfectly every night. (As was reported over the stage crew headset... "okay, hankies are out... I see three, now five, now a lot of hankies"... Then "Here! Hit this!" and uproarious laughter.)
My favorite story to tell about being backstage at that show is to say that I got to get Anele pregnant every night, and only had 20 seconds to do it in. The actor playing that part would walk off stage, and we'd have three stagehands in place. One would unzip her dress and she'd let that fall to the floor, I'd pull on the pregnancy pad over her head, and as she stepped forward into her maternity dress, and we'd all pull that up and get it zipped and in place in time for her to turn around and walk back as the stage lights went up. It never failed to earn a gasp from the audience.
Overall, I think the stageplay is the strongest way for this story to be told. The intimacy of the single setting of the salon, which is truly a "woman's space" especially in the South, makes the play take on a dimension of peering in on these women's lives in a way which never feels as genuine in the expanded settings found in films.
Still, I'm interested in seeing how this version turns out.
(although I have to say, the link in this FPP doesn't work at all on my computer, in any of the four browsers I tried it in. I did finally get to watch the preview at this link, so those frustrated might find that helpful.)
posted by hippybear at 7:09 PM on July 3, 2012 [8 favorites]
My favorite story to tell about being backstage at that show is to say that I got to get Anele pregnant every night, and only had 20 seconds to do it in. The actor playing that part would walk off stage, and we'd have three stagehands in place. One would unzip her dress and she'd let that fall to the floor, I'd pull on the pregnancy pad over her head, and as she stepped forward into her maternity dress, and we'd all pull that up and get it zipped and in place in time for her to turn around and walk back as the stage lights went up. It never failed to earn a gasp from the audience.
Overall, I think the stageplay is the strongest way for this story to be told. The intimacy of the single setting of the salon, which is truly a "woman's space" especially in the South, makes the play take on a dimension of peering in on these women's lives in a way which never feels as genuine in the expanded settings found in films.
Still, I'm interested in seeing how this version turns out.
(although I have to say, the link in this FPP doesn't work at all on my computer, in any of the four browsers I tried it in. I did finally get to watch the preview at this link, so those frustrated might find that helpful.)
posted by hippybear at 7:09 PM on July 3, 2012 [8 favorites]
I love remakes, and I love Steel Magnolias, so I am pretty excited about this. I agree the casting is strong, and I am interested to see these different actors' interpretations of characters I know by heart. I love Phylicia Rashad!
But really, I think I know that movie by heart and there were definitely some phrases towards the end of the preview that didn't sound familiar to me. "Beyonce" instead of "Madonna" (I think?) was the obvious stand-out and that one makes sense, but I think there were others. Maybe it's not a completely exact re-do? Or maybe I just don't know the scenes out of context as well as I think I do.
posted by juliplease at 7:27 PM on July 3, 2012
But really, I think I know that movie by heart and there were definitely some phrases towards the end of the preview that didn't sound familiar to me. "Beyonce" instead of "Madonna" (I think?) was the obvious stand-out and that one makes sense, but I think there were others. Maybe it's not a completely exact re-do? Or maybe I just don't know the scenes out of context as well as I think I do.
posted by juliplease at 7:27 PM on July 3, 2012
Can't play the Lifetime movie player thingie. Does anyone have another link?
posted by deborah at 7:45 PM on July 3, 2012
posted by deborah at 7:45 PM on July 3, 2012
I don't know why they're doing a remake of this--and it looks a lot like the first movie style--but the casting looks terrific. I'd watch it if I had cable.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:46 PM on July 3, 2012
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:46 PM on July 3, 2012
Steel Magnolias is the single chick flick that I love and will watch and re-watch. I've loved Queen Latifah since she was a rapper, and Alfre Woodward is just great in everything. In short, I will be watching the shit out of this.
posted by Athene at 8:14 PM on July 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Athene at 8:14 PM on July 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
Thank you, hippybear, for the new link. The FPP link gives me a video about the size of a postage stamp, but yours gave me an option for a nice full screen version.
posted by NoMich at 8:29 PM on July 3, 2012
posted by NoMich at 8:29 PM on July 3, 2012
Crap. Never mind, the FPP link gave me an option for a nice full screen version as well. I'm a dick. Sorry.
posted by NoMich at 8:30 PM on July 3, 2012
posted by NoMich at 8:30 PM on July 3, 2012
If they have a red velvet cake in the shape of an armadillo, I'm so there.
posted by Leina Rose at 9:02 PM on July 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Leina Rose at 9:02 PM on July 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
Didn't they already make this? It was called Barbershop Beauty Shop, right?
What next, all-Caucasian Porgy and Bess remake? WHAR CONTEXT?
posted by Appropriate Username at 9:21 AM on July 5, 2012
What next, all-Caucasian Porgy and Bess remake? WHAR CONTEXT?
posted by Appropriate Username at 9:21 AM on July 5, 2012
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