Created by one of the most renowned Japanese Science Fiction manga authors, Shotaro Ishinomori, Cyborg 009 tells the story of nine regular humans who were kidnapped and turned into cyborgs with specific super-human abilities. The comic was printed from 1964 till 1981 and spawned 3 motion pictures, 3 TV series plus a game. Last year, Kenji Kamiyama brought this super-hero ensemble back to the big screen in a reboot that was to be souped up by all the best in new technology.
You know the end is truly near when even little indie pics opt to remake rather than create anew. Franck Khalfoun’s Maniac is in fact a slightly artier version of William Lustig’s 1980 horror flick of the same name. The original was nominated for a Saturn Award and inspired Dennis Matkosky to compose the song “Maniac” of Flashdance fame. With the 2013 version we get essentially the same plot with only a slightly unusual choice in filming to make it stand apart.
In 1984, Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey took up arms in guerrilla warfare to safe-guard their America from the the Soviet Union and its Cuban and Nicaraguan allies. In 2012, this premise was re-worked to suit the current political climate, making North Koreans the new big baddies. One was made at a time when the Cold War was still a heavy presence in U.S. culture. The other came about during a time of re-make madness.
The currently unpublished Six Years will see big-screen time.
Snipe London
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