Wes Craven directed the original “Swamp Thing” movie in 1982 starring Dick Durock, Louis Jourdan and Adrienne Barbeau and it later got a sequel in 1989 called “The Return of Swamp Thing”, this time directed by Jim Wynorski and again starring Durock and Jourdan. Andrienne Barbeau didn’t return for the sequel and the female lead was taken by Heather Locklear. Why am I taking about these two terrible films?
/Film has reported that Joel Silver, Über producer of the Lethal Weapon films, Die Hard 1 & 2 and The Matrix Films, is planning a remake of the DC comic “Swamp Thing”. To quote Mr Silver, “I’m developing a picture now that I’d like to do, I’ll hopefully do Swamp Thing, which is a movie we’ve had for a long time. We think that would be great to do in 3D.”
“Swamp Thing”, even if the title, the comic book origin or the original films seem to say otherwise, is a very deep and subtle story and quite frankly, very hard to film. This is not “Hulk Smash!” territory and in fact, Ang Lee would have been much more suited to this than the Hulk. “Swamp Thing” is a deep, introspective, environmentally aware book that walks a fine line between drama and thriller (almost horror territory). I think that Silver is the wrong producer for this material, he is as subtle as a brick to the head. I love Joel Silver movies, no one blows shit up as well as Silver, but this film would need a careful, delicate hand at the helm. “Swamp Thing” is a tragic character. Joel Silver was attached to produce the “Wonder Woman” movie at one point and that is much more his speed.
For those who haven’t read “Swamp Thing”, not to be confused with Marvel comics other swamp creature “Man-Thing” which was turned into a truly excruciating movie in 2005 by Brett Leonard, it is about a scientist who is trying to help the environment in the Louisiana swamps, he has invented a formula that can basically grow trees in a desert and he is killed by a rival who wants the fame and glory of the invention. The scientist is covered in chemicals during a fire at the lab and he falls into the swamp, what emerges is a shambling mass of vegetation in the shape of a man that seeks revenge. As the books have gone on, Alan Moore (Watchmen) kind of reinvented the characters origin by saying that an elemental was born when the scientist died, but the elemental has all of the personality and memories of the scientist. This elemental Swamp Thing now protects his swamp home, the environment and humans from various supernatural or terrorist threats.
What do you think of a new “Swamp Thing” movie? Should it be in 3D? Who should direct it? Discuss this in the forum here: https://geekactually.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=43&sid=4a39c284c0a8bb95223ac377f092764b.
