Hollywood will remake anything. We know this, and we expect that others in Hollywood know this too. In fact, I'd dare call it naive for anyone involved in the making of any film ever to not just out-and-out assume that film will be remade some day, whether you are involved or not. So it is with some bemusement that we find ourselves with the case of James Toback, screenwriter and filmmaker of nearly 40 years and a man apparently as quick to anger as he is verbose in telling you about it.
The issue at hand arises from the news that Martin Scorsese will be re-teaming with The Departed screenwriter William Monahan and its star, Leonardo DiCaprio, to remake 1974's The Gambler, a film starring James Caan that Toback penned both as a nod to Dostoyevsky's novel of the same name, and about his own life as an English professor nearly ruined by a chronic gambling habit. In a lengthy missive posted on Deadline, Toback rails against everyone involved in this remake, though not because he hates the idea of it, but because no one bothered to tell him about it.
The letter is long, rambling, and borderline insane at times, hence why I will not re-post the bulk of it here. However, the basic gist is that Toback learned of the remake via a phone call from his roommate. That roommate? Brett Ratner. Yes, the two apparently live together as they work on their upcoming John DeLorean biopic, but more to the point, Ratner let Toback know about the Deadline story regarding the remake, and Toback was "south of flattered." Most of his issue seems to be a decided lack of common courtesy on behalf of original film producer Irwin Winkler, and his "friend" DiCaprio, who he almost worked on a movie with once. He decries the politics of Hollywood, the impersonal legality of remakes, and just about everything else over the course of the message, but never, exactly, does he come to a point.
Though maybe there doesn't need to be one. He knows the remake will happen, whether he is happy about it or not. And while it's perfectly valid to want some kind of heads-up from those remaking your own life story, this letter doesn't seem likely to foster much of a change of plans from anyone involved. Maybe Scorsese's people will send him an apology letter, but he's still going to make the movie.
Again, you should read the whole thing, if only to read the words of an incredibly eloquent crazy person, but I will re-print the last few words he left for those who have drawn his ire, because they are ridiculous, and vaguely threatening.
As the late, great Jackie Wilson sang:
Just a kiss
Just a smile
Call my name
Just once in a while
And I’ll be satisfied.
Rudeness, on the other hand, and disrespect yield their own unanticipated consequences.
Wow, soul of a poet.
If I found out Scorsese, Monahan and DiCaprio was remaking my movie I'd be thrilled not pissed.
I would too, although I think its natural he would like some sort of acknowledgement that it was a remake of HIS movie.
Not that Scorsese has no right to remake it, or that Toback should be paid or credited; but, considering it was partly autobiographical, I think a simple letter or a phone call to let him know beforehand was a polite thing to do.
I dont doubt the prowess of the people involved but why not make something new instead of remakes? We know that the bulk of them are crap .... oh well not that I would watch it anyway
This is amazingly bananas.