Ben-Hur, the classic 1959 film starring Charlton
Heston, is set to be remade
by MGM.
Hollywood’s lack of imagination for new material threatens to
undermine the influence of well-made, classic films. Maybe this
remake is simply “the sincerest form of flattery,” but imitation
that doesn’t quite hit its mark can result in some pretty
terrifying things. Think of Steve Martin’s feeble attempt in 2006
to mimic Peter Sellers in 1963’s The Pink Panther, or the
unwatchable 2001 remake of Heston’s iconic 1968 Planet of the
Apes.
Slashfilm.com reports the film Noah is in the works
and Pontius Pilate is possibly on the way. The film news
site says, “Biblical epics are extremely hot in Hollywood right
now.”
If Hollywood thinks it can make Biblical epics mainstream, God
save us all.