Rollerball
Stars:
Chris Klein, Jean Reno, LL Cool J, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Naveen Andrews
Writers:
Larry Fergusson, John Pogue
Director:
John McTiernan
US Release Date:
August 17 2001
UK Release Date:
5th October 2001
Premise: The biggest thing in 2005 is an
ultra-violent sport which ends in death.
Why you should see it: John McTiernan brings his Die Hard mettle to this remake of the well-known 1975 Norman Jewison film starring James Caan. McTiernan expressed concern that the dystopian violence inherent in the story, that seemed so shocking in the Seventies, seemed relatively mundane in 2001, and adapted the script accordingly. In the cast, Jean Reno is doubtless keen to regain his credibility after appearing in Godzilla (mind you, he was the best thing in that) and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos shows there’s more to her than the blue body-paint she wore as the X-Men’s shapeshifting villainess.
But then again: What goes around comes around... Is this perhaps not a remake too far? The original was very much a product of its time, full of post-Vietnam Angst, which is rather frowned upon in film-making now. Also, the original featured performances by Ralph Richardson and John Houseman, which will be difficult to match these days.
Rollerball effects designer John Sullivan interviewed in this issue!
Premise: Young Henry Potter is taken away from
life with his awful uncle and aunt to the magical Hogwarts School.
Premise:
An experimental submarine is dragged by a giant squid to the fabled
underwater city of Atlantis