Coming soon: "Grittier" remake of Oliver!

"Grittier" -- is that code for it will be Annie-ized and Will Smith's son-ified?

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Grittier-OLIVER-Reboot-Headed-to-the-Big-Screen-Soon-20150702

Film, glorious film! According to the Daily Mail, a "grittier" big screen version of Lionel Bart's OLIVER! will likely go into production next year, via Cameron Mackintosh and Working Title Films.

Broadway World reported last winter that a reboot of the 1960 musical was in the works, with Tony- and Olivier-winning choregrapher Matthew Bourne on the creative team. OLIVER!, with music and lyrics by Lionel Bart, is based upon the novel OLIVER TWIST by Charles Dickens, which follows a boy who runs away from an orphanage and joins a group of pickpockets. It premiered in the West End in 1960, enjoying a long run, a successful Broadway production in 1963 and further tours and revivals. Major London revivals played in the late '70s, mid-'90s and late '00s -- all of which were produced by Mackintosh.

The first film adaptation, directed by Carol Reed, debuted in 1968 and won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Music/Score and Best Art Direction/Set Decoration. OLIVER! starred Mark Lester as Oliver, Jack Wild as The Artful Dodger, Ron Moody as Fagin and Shani Wallis as Nancy.

Among Mackintosh's producing credits are LES MISERABLES, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, MARY POPPINS, MISS SAIGON and CATS.

 

Will Smith's son is way too old to play Oliver.

And the 2014 "Annie" wasn't "gritty" at all - it was still pretty mushy.

I actually thought the 2014 "Annie" was surprisingly entertaining - way more enjoyable than the awful 1982 film, at least!

A new "Oliver!" can't be worse than the 1968 version - just not possible...

 

Yep, nothing like the need to remake an Academy Award Best Picture winner. Surely they will "improve" on it. The best thing about Oliver are the buoyant musical numbers. Nothing like more "grit" to help you have a great rollicking item at the theater. Nancy's death is already a big enough, bummer I think. Maybe we can add some more domestic violence scenes for fun!

And why am I sick of the word "reboot?" Aren't there more uses for this computer terminology? Like: "Why can't we reboot our relationship?" or "If the car won't start for the first time, reboot the engine. " "When one dies, you are rebooted into a another life."

 

I don't want a remake. I don't want a reboot. Can't Hollywood come up with one original idea, just once in a while, and leave the classics alone????

 

THIS.