Hatrack River Forum: Freaky Friday?

This is topic Freaky Friday? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :

What the heck is up with this?

Hasn't this been done already? With Kirk Cameron and Dudley Moore if I remember correctly.

Is nothing sacred!!!

*not to say of course that that movie was *sacred*, just that this one was unnecessary*

Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :

Close, with Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris, in 1976. The Dudley Moore/Kirk Cameron film was called Like Father, Like Son, and was the male version of Freaky Friday, which was originally based on a children's book of the same name...and I can't...remember...the author....

Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :

ahhh...so this new one is a remake of an older one that's already been ripped of?

man...it just gets worse.

Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :

oh...and Vice Versa!

remember that?

Judge Reinhold/Fred Savage

Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :

Yup...although the original book was quite cute, if I remember correctly...still looking for that author, though...all I can find is the movie novelization (which I suppose MIGHT be by the same author...)

Edit: Ha! looks like it is the same author...Mary Rodgers--which, upon reflection, might mean that it isn't a novelization at all, but a reprinting with movie stars on the cover, a la LOTR and Harry Potter.

[ August 05, 2003, 02:59 PM: Message edited by: Megan ]

Posted by asQmh (Member # 4590) on :

Plus, there was 18 again with George Burns and . . .what's his face.

Right? Or am I making that up?

I dunno. But I don't see HOW they sold a production company on a theater release of this thing.

Q.

Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :

There have been at least 6 or more feature films with that plot, a kid and their parent trading places.
The plot has been beaten down until it has no life or originality left and I'm sad but not surprised that Hollywood is doing another version. [Frown]

[ August 05, 2003, 03:08 PM: Message edited by: Morbo ]

Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :

Yeah, I'm a little skeptical about this one. Particularly since I grew up on the original. When I was in elementary school, they'd put on Freaky Friday or The Parent Trap every time there was a holiday and the teachers didn't want to prepare a lesson. They're an integral part of my childhood.

On the other hand, about five years ago they remade The Parent Trap. I was skeptical about that one too, but I watched it, and I liked it. It'll never replace the Haley Mills version, but it was a lot better than I expected. I don't know if the writers or the director from that are working on Freaky Friday, but it has Lindsay Lohan (the little girl from the Parent Trap remake) in it, and it's getting some good reviews. So I'm going to see it before I shout blasphemy. If it sucks, though, I will be most upset.

Posted by Shameless Self-Promotion (Member # 4919) on :

I love Disney. If you can't plagiarize yourself, then who can you plagiarize?

Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :

I used to love the Parent Trap when i was a kid...ahhh, the memories.

Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :

I can't see the preview for that movie without saying/thinking "How many times do they have to remake that stupid, stupid movie..." There was already a remake in the 80s/90s!! GRRRR!!!

Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :

Urg! I hate remakes [Wall Bash]

Besides, for some reason kids act better as adults than adults act like kids.
[Confused]

Posted by Leonide (Member # 4157) on :

I don't *hate* remakes. they are just rarely up to par with the originals. the only exception i can think of at the moment is Little Women w/ Winona Ryder, et al. Loved that movie. Still do. If you have some appropriate people, and its been a suitable period of time since the original, by all means direct a new one. Plus movie direction styles have changed. I mean, you could re-do the Parent Trap again with the exact same dialogue as the original and pitch-perfect actors, and it would *still* seem completely different. People are just different now...movies have a different feel to them. Which is why i'm looking forward to the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory remake. I just want to see what they do differently.

Oh, and that being said...i'm not going to see Freaky Friday. [Smile]

Posted by Sweet William (Member # 5212) on :

Ebert and Roper liked it. They, too, thought "do we need this movie again?" but the execution was good. They especially liked Jamie Leigh Curtis' take on being a kid.

I am predisposed to like anything with Jamie Leigh.

Remember back when we heard of "Pirates of the Caribean?" I was expecting awfulness, but was pleasantly suprised.

[ August 05, 2003, 05:16 PM: Message edited by: Sweet William ]

Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :

Speaking of remakes, has anyone seen this ? Has Spielberg ever directed a remake before? I don't know how happy I am with Danny Kaye being played by Jim Carey. I guess we'll see...

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

I agree that this idea has been done before.

OTOH, I adored this book when I was a teen. And Mary Rodgers' other two, similarly-themed books, A Billion for Boris and Summer Switch. And I'm a fan of Jamie Lee Curtis as well... so I plan to see this movie. [Smile]

Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :

I saw this last night and I think a remake should work because the kid (Jodie Foster) from the first one is not that much younger than some of our mothers. It was pretty funny, except I didn't really believe Jamie Lee Curtis was the kid as much as I think I should have. Too bad they couldn't have used accents or something.

Posted by Da_Goat (Member # 5529) on :

I saw it last night too. It was better than I thought it would be. I laughed through most of it, though it was all laced with that ugly, Disney slap-sappiness.

[ January 09, 2004, 03:47 PM: Message edited by: Da_Goat ]

Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :

Every idea has been done before. What makes the book or movie is the way they tweak the idea. Just my 2cents. [Smile]

Posted by Vána (Member # 3262) on :

No! No! Jim Carrey can't be Walter Mitty!

[Cry]

Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :

I think Danny Kaye is great, but I didn't like him as Walter Mitty much. As a backhanded insult, I think Ben Affleck would make a great Walter Mitty.