I agree to an extent. But with all the crappy remakes that have been put out lately or are in development, it would be nice to see Chris Nolan, The Coens, or even Mike Nichols tackle this.
No, it wouldn't. Remakes are for films for which the original version was flawed, or lacking, in some significant way, so that the remake has potential to be some kind of an improvement.
I could really see, for example, the value of remaking "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." The original was pretty good, but not nearly good enough that a remake couldn't be substantially better.
Nichols' "Catch-22" may not be, like, perfect perfect, but it's close enough to perfect, there's hardly any wiggle room there.
If they remade this movie it would only be for money. I don't think they would be able to better capture the spirit of the story presented in the book than was done originally.
The book brilliantly negotiated a tightrope between black comedy and tragedy that is very hard to do onscreen.
Were this movie remade I believe the result would be a colossal failure.
I've lived upon the edge of chance for 20 years or more... Del Rio's Song
That is true but movies have always been about money. Can you imagine the cost of making a movie with that kind of cast? They did it a lot back then, like Kelly's Heroes and other movies with ensemble casts. Today it would just cost too much and as you say they would be a failure.
Yossarian -John Turturro Cathcart - George Clooney Daneeka - Tony Shalhoub Korn - Matt Damon Major Major - Robert Downey Jr Lt Dobbs - Colin Hanks Milo - Johnny Depp Chaplain - Jon Cryer Gen Dreedle - Gene Hackman
I think Clooney would make a better Orr or Major Major. I was going to say that Turturro was too old, but then I remembered Yossarian is pretty old for a soldier anyway. But, still, isn't he 28 in the book?
How about Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Yossarian. As for the rest, how about Cillian Murphy as the chaplain, Ewan McGregor as Orr, Tobey Maguire as Milo, Jay Hernandez as Nately, Brad Pitt as Cathcart. I can't think of anyone good for Major Major...
Yossarian - Mark Ruffalo Milo Minderbinder - Johnny Depp Col. Cathcart - John C. Reilly Lt. Col. Korn - Stanley Tucci Chaplain Tappmann - James Franco Doc Daneeka - John Hawkes Nately - Ben Foster Clevinger - Andrew Garfield Dunbar - Michael Shannon General Dreedle - Tom Wilkinson Major ---- de Coverley - David Morse Nurse Duckett - Zooey Deschanel Major Danby - Jason Bateman Captain Black - Walton Goggins Flume - Martin Starr Major Major Major Major - Garrett Dillahunt Dobbs - Aaron Paul Orr - Samm Levine Hungry Joe - James Ransone Havermeyer - Eric Nenninger Aarfy - Richard Sommer Chief White Halfoat - Adam Beach McWatt - Sean Bridgers Huple - Charlie McDermott Whitcomb - Billy Lush Appleby - Aaron Staton Wintergreen - Stark Sands
Why are people suggesting actors like George Clooney and Ewan McGregor for Orr? In the book he's described as short, buck-toothed, and generally odd looking. Was anyone paying attention when they read it?