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Le cercle rouge (1970) More at IMDbPro »

3 items from 2013

30 January 2013 10:57 AM, PST | firstshowing.net | See recent FirstShowing.net news »

Over two years ago, director John Woo (and filmmaker John Hillcoat) was linked to a remake of Jean-Pierre Melville's classic 1970 neo-noir Le Cercle Rouge (which translates to The Red Circle). However, Woo was also working on a remake of one of Melville's other revered films. Now Die Welt (via The Film Stage) has learned that Woo is still looking to remake Le Samourai, the 1976 film which followed hitman Jef Costello who flubs his assignment to kill a night club owner by leaving one interesting key witness, a charming female jazz singer. Things get interesting when she neglects to ID him as a suspect. Though Costello's problems aren't over as his employers attempt to assassinate him, the cops are in hot pursuit and he has to prepare one last hit. Woo says, "the script is currently being worked on in Hollywood," so we're not sure how likely it is »

- Ethan Anderton

30 January 2013 10:16 AM, PST | Dark Horizons | See recent Dark Horizons news »

Hong Kong action filmmaking legend John Woo seems to have turned his attention away from remaking "Le Cercle Rouge" in favour of another classic Jean-Pierre Melville film - 1967's "Le Samouraï".

Talking with Die Welt, Woo wants to shift the setting to Berlin as German financing is playing a considerable role in the production. The director also says Berlin is "a city which, unlike Paris or London, was not as satisfied with its current status and therefore more interesting."

Woo says the script is currently being worked on, and the project would be shot in English. It won't go into production though until he's satisfied with the script.

The original French-Italian crime drama follows a perfectionist hit man who is witnessed killing a night-club owner. His efforts to hide his tracks only drive further and further into a corner.

Source: Die Welt (via The Film Stage) »

- Garth Franklin

30 January 2013 9:40 AM, PST | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »

It seems that John Woo just can't leave the films of Jean-Pierre Melville alone. Back in 2004, he was attached to remake "Le Cercle Rouge," and that didn't happen with the movie bouncing around a few more directors until James Mangold was the latest name linked last year. And then a few years ago, he was talking up remaking "Le Samourai," and it seems it's something he's not only still planning on doing, he's even got a location figured out. The director recently chatted with German outlet Die Welt (via Bleeding Cool) and revealed that he wants to set the remake in Berlin, and that American screenwriters are working on a draft right now. (Don't look for exact quotes, because Google translating an already translated interview will just be a mess, but that's the general gist). As much as we're kinda worried about Woo even attempting to replicate the effortless cool »

- Kevin Jagernauth

3 items from 2013