There are plenty of people in the world who are vehemently against remaking films. Some think that, if not done right, can damage the memory and reputation of the original film. I admit, there are quite a number of films I would never want to see remade (The Goonies, Back to the Future, The Godfather), but at some point, I personally feel it’s ok to update classics and give them appeal to a younger audience. Let’s face it, not a lot of kids these days are going to sit through Citizen Kane, or Casablanca, but the stories are still interesting, and could be modernized to pique the interest of the younger members of our population.
However, maintaining the integrity of the source material doesn’t always happen (Psycho anyone?) One challenge the remake has against it is the perception of the original. Let’s be real…when I heard The Karate Kid was being remade, my heart sank a little. I didn’t have the heart to watch the new one. I’ve been told it’s not bad…but I don’t think I’ll ever know.
The premise of the invisible man has been done. But I’m not talking about the premise of a man who cannot be seen. I don’t want to see another Hollow Man, or Memoirs of an Invisible Man. I’m talking about a brand new adaptation of the 1933 classic, based on the novel by H.G. Wells. There are merits to completely modernizing the story, but I think an early 20th century setting would be best, so as not to convolute the story with technological advances (would it be that hard to find an invisible man with current technology?).
So, the question of the week is…who would play the titular character in The Invisible Man? Claude Rains was so effective because of his voice. His maniacal laugh and matter-of-fact tone added to the madness of his character, Dr. Griffin. The ideal candidate in my mind’s eye would be a good physical actor with strong vocal talents. Someone who can be brash, intelligent, mad, but also maintain a bit of humanity.
My first choice:
Andy Serkis, in my opinion, is a great choice to play Dr. Griffin, the Invisible Man. His vocal range is incredible. His portrayal of Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy show that he can go from friendly to maniacally insane at the drop of a hat. He is a great physical actor, which could be used to add another dimension to the Invisible Man. His dedication to giving great performances, and as mentioned earlier, his voice make him a great candidate.
Secondly:
Tom Hiddleston is really growing on me. I hated him as Loki in The Avengers. Okay, let me rephrase. I hated Loki. It was a great performance, and Hiddleston was very effective in his role as the villain. He made me hate him. He has a classic look about him that would be perfect for a scientist in the early 20th century. Reading interviews, and watching his performances, I do believe he would put forth the effort to portraying Dr. Griffin with impressive poise, and a dynamic that would steal the scenes and put them on him, even though he remains unseen, much like Claude Rains in the original.
Honorable mentions:
Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Karl Urban
What do you think? Do you agree? Do you hate my choices? Feel free to do either. Leave a comment and let me know. I know last week, I turned the Munsters (here and here) into a two part article, and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun with that. This week, I wanted to keep the casting call fairly simple, and try something brand new on Friday…so at least you have that to look forward to. As always, share this with your friends, and stay tuned for “something completely different” (a little nod to Monty Python there). If you have any suggestions, or there is something you would like to discuss, feel free to email us at MovieTheaterSnackBar@gmail.com.
Until next time,
Safe Watching.
Movie Theater Snack Bar 
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