I’m gonna get Biblical and quote Solomon “there is nothing new under the sun” and there isn’t but why does Hollywood feel they have to give their take on everything? I see film as an art form and as an artist I think that sometimes someone else got it right, their representation of a thought or idea says it best. Hollywood on the other hand sees someone elses work turn popular and decides they need to get in on the action. There are two remakes due out very soon and not long after their originals were rolling in cinemas.

Just three short years ago Frank Oz (the capable director of such recent classics as The Muppets Take Manhattan, Little Shop of Horrors, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, What About Bob? and Bowfinger) released Death at a Funeral a British dark comedy starring some recognizable names- Peter Dinklage and Alan Tudyk alongside a mostly British cast. Death turned out to be a hit, well maybe not a hit but they made money on what was a small indie film in limited release. I suspect that most of the film’s success came from the fact that for the price of admission you got to enjoy a pitch perfect British dark comedy directed by a Hollywood veteran that introduced you to a few new faces on the screen.

Now three years later Hollywood has Easy-Baked you a remake starring a Who’s Who cast including Chris Rock, Danny Glover, Tracy Morgan, Martin Lawrence, Luke Wilson and Peter Dinklage. Yes the same Peter Dinklage in the same role he played three years ago. Directing this time around you’ve got Neil LaBute, who? You know he directed Lakeview Terrace starring Samuel L. Jackson and The Wicker Man (2006 remake) starring Nicolas Cage that Neil LaBute. Honestly I’m not sure who should be more offended, the cast of the original Death or Tyler Perry, one look at the trailer of the new Death at a Funeral and you’ll be left asking where Madea is (I think she’s still in jail). Hollywood is trying to squeeze every dollar it can out of your movie going pockets- don’t let them!

The second remake I’d like to question is that of the 2008′s Swedish vampire suspense thriller Let The Right One In with the Hollywood remake titled Let Me In. Easily the best vampire movie of the decade Let The Right One In needs no remake, sure it was subtitled in English but who’s complaining? In fact I think the lack of spoken English and the success of the film are evidence of just how well made the movie really was. The images told the whole story, isn’t that what all movie makers should strive for? I think so.

Whatever you do, whether you see the remakes or not, watch these two wonderful original foreign films and share your experience, hopefully your appreciation for them with us!

Longtime resident of the View Askew Universe, Jason Lee, will have a role in Kevin Smith’s upcoming buddy-cop film A Couple of Dicks.

Fuzzy

According to /Film, the Clerks director revealed that the star of the now canceled sitcom My Name is Earl, will have an undetermined role in the movie.

Lee has starred in some of Smith’s earlier films including Mallrats (my personal favorite –screw you if you don’t like it), Chasing Amy, Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

A Couple of Dicks stars Tracy Morgan and Bruce Willis as a couple of longtime LAPD detectives who track down a priceless, mint-condition, 1952 baseball card that was stolen by a “memorabilia-obsessed gangster.” The film also stars Nacho Libre and Mexican TV star, the lovely Ana de la Reguera.

Written by TV scribes Robb and Marc Cullen, the movie drops February 26, 2010.