(Sorry, yes, Sir David Frost)
From the Telegraph:
The Dambusters will soar again to same theme tune
By Hugh Davies
(Filed: 09/12/2005)
Sir David Frost is to re-make the British classic The Dambusters, complete with the original Eric Coates music.
In the mid-1950s the black-and-white film, with its bouncing bomb sequence as Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC led his squadron of Lancaster bombers to attack the strategically vital Ruhr dams, was nominated for a special effects Oscar.
Sqn ldr John Searby, Guy Gibson and Peter Ward-Hunt
The post-war generation hailed it as a saga of stiff-upper-lip heroism. But it was also brilliantly spoofed in 1989 by Steve Frost and Mark Arden in a beer advertisement.
Critics acclaimed the performance of Richard Todd, now 86, who served with distinction as a paratrooper in the Second World War. He gave a sympathetic portrayal of Gibson, who had to release his bombs while flying at 220 mph at exactly 60 ft above water, 425 yards from the dam wall.
However, the actor is doubtful the new project will be a success. Although he decided to remain silent on the project yesterday at his home near Grantham, Lincs, a friend said: “His attitude is that there can never be another Dambusters.”
Sir David agreed last night that “the original film was so good that it is a real challenge”.
He added: “But at the same time, the response to the original film shows this is a highly popular subject and a highly popular theme. The challenge is to make it as good, or better, than the original.
“Heroism is an important quality in the film – a pure sort of heroism, not to be confused with the very staged forms of heroism today.
“It is of men who knew they had passed the average for survival, and still insisted on going back into the air, and Guy Gibson, alas, was killed [on a later mission].”
Sir David recalled first watching the movie “soon after it came out” at the Carlton cinema in Raunds, Northants, where his father was a Methodist minister.
He has bought the rights to a three-year option on the book by the late Paul Brickhill.
Sir David’s company, Paradine Productions, is to produce the movie either with a studio or another investor.
It will be his ninth film. Others include Leadbelly, The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer, The Slipper and the Rose and Rogue Trader, with Ewan McGregor as Nick Leeson. Sir David said he was still uncertain about whether to include Gibson’s dog, Nigger, in the film.
“The challenge is to work out what to call the dog, as the word nigger is not ideal for the modern world.”
He envisioned “a new approach” to filming the bouncing bomb developed by the eccentric inventor Dr Barnes Wallis, who was originally played by Michael Redgrave, as well as depicting the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams, which were attacked.
“We shall have a bit more about the characters, about the private life of Guy Gibson and some of the key members of his team. We want to make it more three dimensional.” The raid took place on the night of May 16, 1943, when 19 Lancasters of the specially formed 617 Squadron took off from Scampton in Lincolnshire. They breached the Mohne and Eder dams but eight bombers were lost and 53 crew killed.
More than 1,000 Germans died in the subsequent floods. Gibson was awarded the Victoria Cross for using his aircraft to draw enemy fire while his comrades attacked the Mohne.
Sir David said he had “two or three people in mind”, all British, to play the lead roles. “And I guarantee that the theme music will remain.”
He recalled a Millennium concert at which the music was played. “It was an obviously patriotic night, with Land of Hope and Glory, etc. But the one that had the audience almost wanting to salute was The Dambusters. It had a fantastic impact and it would be crazy for me to change it. We will re-record it with a classical orchestra.”
And Chicken Run is a kickass film, top notch 😀 One of my alltime favourites
Sign In
