Bedknobs and Broomsticks

Post by **Wonderlicious** » December 7th, 2005, 4:49 pm

Over on the front page, Ben wrote:Bedknobs and Corpse Brides

It seems Disney is tapping into its vast libraray of properties to look for more potential Narnia hits with the news that writer Pamela Pettler has been hired to update one of the Mouse House's most popular films. Pettler, who took on duties for Tim Burton's Corpse Bride and wrote the script in a month, has become a bit of a Burton-head recently, having penned the original draft of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and collaborating again on the Burton produced 9, a CGI version of Shane Acker's award winning short about humanity's fight for survival, for Universal's Focus Features. After doing a rewrite on executive producer Robert Zemeckis' Monster House, she was offered many horror projects, but says in Video Age magazine that the genre is not really for her. "I like fantasy and stories with lots of magical realism" says Pettler, where the news is revealed that her next project is preparing the screenplay for a remake of Bedknobs And Broomsticks. Further details are sketchy at this time, but a new version of Mary Norton's classic book fits in appropriately with Disney's continuing desire to tap into the Harry Potter/Lord Of The Rings market and deliver elaborately filmed stories for all the family. Look for the theatrical release of the "new and improved" Bedknobs And Broomsticks in two years time.

What's everyone's thoughts on this? I am somewhat shocked at the news. Being a fan of the original, I am a bit nervous to see how it may turn out,especially the Naboomboo scenes (if they go into this version), which I'm picturing will be CGI creations. Also, will they retain the song soundtrack (even if it means the songs are used as mood music)? I'm asking many questions to myself.

By the way, for anyone in the UK, Bedknobs and Broomsticks is on BBC1 (the TV channel) on 27th December at 2.50pm, but it is the original theatrical cut edition (lasting around 115 minutes), and not the extended cut on the DVD.

Post by **ShyViolet** » December 7th, 2005, 4:55 pm

I'm open to it. I saw the original a LONG, LONG time ago, and I remember liking it but not much else.

Post by **Wonderlicious** » December 7th, 2005, 5:05 pm

ShyViolet wrote:I'm open to it. I saw the original a LONG, LONG time ago, and I remember liking it but not much else.

You should check out the original again some time. The DVD is fairly good for a 1 disc set, though if the remake does go through, hopefully they'll make a DVD similar to the Mary Poppins 2 disc set as a promotion.

Post by **PatrickvD** » December 7th, 2005, 5:33 pm

If they're going with a darker fairy tale typ of approach like Burton's work, I'd love to see it. Hope Angela Lansbury will have a little cameo

Post by **Ben** » December 7th, 2005, 6:06 pm

This will more than likely be approached a la Narnia, as I hinted to in the story, especially with Pamela Pettler on board.

My guess is that if they go to Namboomboo - and they will - that the animals will enssentially be photorealistic creations, as they were supposed to be in the book but couldn't be done at the time.

I'm guessing the Lion will also be the pretty mean customer he is in the book as opposed to the cartoony cartoon in the original film.

Post by **Dacey** » December 7th, 2005, 6:10 pm

I don't remember the original. Come to think of it, have I even actually seen it?

Post by **Zoltack** » December 8th, 2005, 12:48 am

No thanks!!! I'll stick with the original because now they're probably use special FX and CGI in the remake.

I like the classic cheesy method of using strings.

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » December 8th, 2005, 3:51 am

I can remember the original Disney Bedknobs and Broomsticks as being memorable for the fact that I didn't care for it much even as a kid.

Yes, I still got the darn film on DVD after it came out on the format, but I have no desire to see yet ANOTHER remake at the theaters.

Haven't the studios gotten the message yet from this year?

Give us something ORIGINAL that's WELL-DONE!

Hollywood's money problems are not about theater ticket prices even IF they ARE ridiculous OR the window time between theatrical openings and DVD streetdates.

It's about the fact that the stories and performances they're giving us in films are not inspiring and are frankly derivatve and cynical.

No sir, I don't have enough years left in my life to waste going to see more movies like that.

Post by **Dacey** » December 8th, 2005, 11:16 am

I have nothing wrong with a remake. It could mean some very nice effects.

Post by **PatrickvD** » December 8th, 2005, 11:59 am

This re-make sounds different than the average, Herbie, Parent Trap or 101 Dalmatians re-make. If they're doing this in a Burton/LOTR/Narnia type of style it's a different matter. It would also mean they're gonna have to go back to the source material rather than copying the original film.

Post by **Meg** » December 9th, 2005, 8:10 am

I haven't seen BaB since I was little, but I remember enjoying it. It reminded me of Mary Poppins.

Post by **Ben** » December 9th, 2005, 10:20 am

Same team, Meg, and was intended to be as close to a Poppins sequel as could be (Andrews was up for Miss Price at one point).

Post by **Steve Carras** » December 14th, 2005, 11:45 pm

As the first bonafide reply here (I'm new) for me, I was 10 when it came out and I've noted how unlike OTHER post-Walt/pre-Eisner, late 1960s to early 70s flicks outt athere, there were no "fmaous names"..yet there was a "begging to be voiced by Phil 'They call me BALLO!" Harris" fisherman bear..Dallas McKennon (Gumby,Disney,etc.) voiced that bea,r Hal Smith the lion, Lennie Weinrib the "Secretary Birds" (at this tiem he was tons of Sat AM work--"Moonrock" on Hanna-Barbera's first FLINSTONES [1966-1971] spinoff "PEBBLES AND BAMM BAMM", --- WHICH..Disney relavant (to TaleSpin fans_ had Sally Struthers!--) and Robert Holt as the cofish. CF.with say, JUNGLE BOOK (also raided for a bear b y ROBIN HOOD

)..

Post by **Ben** » December 16th, 2005, 11:20 am

Hey Steve - love the enthusiasm, but please calm down and try to structure your replies better - they're a bit of a headache to read!

BTW, Tomlinson was, at the time, a fairly big Brit in Hollywood name, while Lansbury was a huge stage star. They headlined the movie with good reason!

Post by **Phil** » December 16th, 2005, 1:43 pm

The original Bedknobs and Broomsticks, in my opinion, was pretty good, but could have been better. It wasn't a bad movie at all, but there was a lot more potential that wasn't taken advantage of.

This is the kind of movie that Hollywood should be re-making. The nearly perfect films don't need to be remade, you can't improve on them. It's the movies with missed potential that deserve a second chance.