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"When a stranger calls" remake

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"When a stranger calls" remake

Old 01-08-06, 09:10 AM
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"When a stranger calls" remake

I did a search for this and only came up with a small discussion on the original but i thought this deserved it's own thread.
I was watching Stacked the other day and a tv spot came of a a film that had a very familiar plot. When the girl picked up the phone and the voice says the "Have you checked on the children?" i knew it had to be a remake of When a stranger calls. It said it came out in early Feb which shocked me since i have not heard a damn thing about this. The first one was one of the scariest films i saw as a kid. So i am very interested in seeing how this may turn out. Two to one it may suck, but i'll try it out anyway.
Old 01-08-06, 09:32 AM
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The trailer really walks the viewer through the film, which is a shame. They should've kept the twist quiet, since I doubt many teens today would know about the original film.

But hey, Belle is gorgeous. That should be enough.
Old 01-08-06, 10:26 AM
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Based on the trailer it seems like
Spoiler:
the whole movie will revolve around the babysitter scenario
unlike the original where
Spoiler:
that was only the first half hour or so, and then it turned into an (IMO) terrible movie following the killer years later.
If so this is actually a change I can agree with.
Old 01-08-06, 10:47 AM
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Originally Posted by DRG
Based on the trailer it seems like
Spoiler:
the whole movie will revolve around the babysitter scenario
unlike the original where
Spoiler:
that was only the first half hour or so, and then it turned into an (IMO) terrible movie following the killer years later.
If so this is actually a change I can agree with.
i was actually thinking thinking the same thing.
Old 01-08-06, 10:49 AM
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Originally Posted by scott shelton
The trailer really walks the viewer through the film, which is a shame. They should've kept the twist quiet, since I doubt many teens today would know about the original film.

But hey, Belle is gorgeous. That should be enough.
I remember the comericial for the original and if i remember correctly it was very similar to the remake's trailer. It gave away a lot as well.
Old 01-08-06, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by paradicelost
I remember the comericial for the original and if i remember correctly it was very similar to the remake's trailer. It gave away a lot as well.

Well, there's progress for ya...
Old 01-08-06, 11:27 AM
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The best version of this was the original short.

As for teens not knowing the story, it's one of the most widespread urban legends out there.
Old 01-08-06, 12:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Groucho
As for teens not knowing the story, it's one of the most widespread urban legends out there.
What about the loose chicks in Bratslavia one?
Old 01-08-06, 12:33 PM
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I caught a TV spot for this and it seemed so unporfessional that I assumed it was a regular commercial spoofing When a Stranger Calls. I was waiting for someone to jump out of the upstairs bedroom with a 12 pack of Bud Light or something. Especially the fact that it walked you through the plot
Old 01-08-06, 01:27 PM
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I saw the trailer last night and simply, I don't think this is going to work.

It's actually remaking a film that wasn't so hot to begin with, so there's a lot of improvement there; but how can you stretch a girl getting chased by a killer in a house for 90 minutes? Especially when that sort of scenario has been played out before with the original film and other horror films from the past thirty years like Black Christmas? Then if you take the girl and the killer outside of the house, you're going to suffer complaints from the audience who will bitch and moan about how it's scarier in the house than it it somewhere else (the trailer shows clips outside of the house -- so I'm assuming the "action" will leave the house at some point during the film). Also, if you try and pad out the 90 minute runtime with backstory involving characters and their motives, people will bitch and moan that the screenwriter is trying to come up with different scenarios to fill up the time you're in the theater.

And so on and so on. I'm sure the teenage market will eat this film up and it'll be the number one movie in America the weekend it's released, but I don't see everyone else enjoying it. That is unless they kill off the babysitter and the kids in the house, then people just may enjoy it.

And to top it off, the film is directed by Simon West (the acclaimed director who brought us Tomb Raider and The General's Daughter). So odds are that this film is going to suck is at least 2:1 with that knowledge.
Old 01-08-06, 01:39 PM
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So do they use a cell phone this time? Imagine, the stranger could call whenever, wherever.
Old 01-08-06, 10:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Drexl
So do they use a cell phone this time? Imagine, the stranger could call whenever, wherever.
As long as he doesn't go over her monthly minutes.
Old 01-08-06, 11:30 PM
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Originally Posted by dsa_shea
As long as he doesn't go over her monthly minutes.
And as long as there is no roaming either.
Old 01-09-06, 02:56 AM
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I can see it now, "We've triangulated the caller's location after 6 hours, he's in the visinity of your block, possibly even next door, of course that means he could also be in your house... or not. But again he might be upstairs using the cell phone in the children's bedroom? Boy is he going to have a big bill with those roaming charges since his provider isn't in this area. By the way have you checked the children?"
Old 01-09-06, 04:01 AM
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I caught a TV spot for this and it seemed so unporfessional that I assumed it was a regular commercial spoofing When a Stranger Calls. I was waiting for someone to jump out of the upstairs bedroom with a 12 pack of Bud Light or something. Especially the fact that it walked you through the plot



I thought the same thing...kind of like the "small house" commercial...i think theres going to be a twist on the twist...otherwise how could they get anything going for it? the original twist has already been spoofed its so well known
Old 01-09-06, 10:28 AM
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I actually liked "When a Stranger Calls Back" better.
Old 01-09-06, 10:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Groucho
The best version of this was the original short.

As for teens not knowing the story, it's one of the most widespread urban legends out there.
Not to mention the premise of
Spoiler:
the killer calling from the house
was co-opted for Scream and the urban legend was mentioned in, well, Urban Legend. Of course, to many of today's teens THOSE are old movies.
Old 01-09-06, 11:40 AM
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"Have you 88fbh*^^*%&^$%%^$ the children?"

"I'm sorry, you dropped out there for a second. What was that?"

"Can you hear me now?"
Old 01-09-06, 12:26 PM
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I hope the Killer isn't using a Nextel, because those annoying beeps will give him away.
Old 01-09-06, 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Goldblum
I actually liked "When a Stranger Calls Back" better.
I did to for some reason. Espicially the first 20 minutes. I liked the little twist in that.
Old 01-09-06, 08:57 PM
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What if the killer is calling her, using mobile-to-mobile. Then they could talk for 90 minutes.

I have a feeling this movie will be like the Fog 2005 all over again.
Old 01-11-06, 08:18 AM
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I think "When A Stranger Calls Back" did more to hold some suspense throughout the entire runtime of the film better than "When A Stranger Calls." I have absolutely no hope for this remake.
Old 01-11-06, 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Matthew Chmiel
And as long as there is no roaming either.
The kids are 2, 4, and 6. They'll stand up and represent the service bars.
Old 01-14-06, 05:31 AM
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When I first saw the TV spot a week or two ago, I kept waiting for the punchline. It never came. And I was confused.

-JP
Old 01-14-06, 11:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Goldblum
I actually liked "When a Stranger Calls Back" better.
The first half ranks among my fave scariest films.

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