He is 34, so it isn't that unreasonable. It is easy to forget how old he was when he played the different roles. In 2006, he was 18 or 19, so he was at least a teen. And there were additional teenage roles in the years following. This does skew perception of an actor's age.
the 1984 firestarter is a classic to a lot of people that watched it when we were kids. i am really sorry you didnt get to experience it when it came out. this vs review would have been a little different
@Vinegar Joey agreed also i noticed they nerfed her. i watched the 1984 again drew was much stronger then the girl in the new one.drew killed the guys in the fire suits but this new one she didnt do anything to them.not sure if its a gen thing or its just that Nostalgia is a hell of a drug . i still loved it after watching it again after all these years
This might be a format for future remakes, but was probably easier for these films since both were new to him. It is hard to watch a new version objectively with nostalgia for the old.
I quite like this VS format between two iterations of movies. I would like to see another. A comparison between both versions of Total Recall or Robocop comes to mind, but maybe something a little more obscure like Suspiria...
I just saw this 2022 version of Firestarter and I really did not like it at all. The book was great, first movie not a bad movie either. Drew Barrymore did a good job as well. I did like Doctor Sleep quite a bit as a film even as it ended differently, it was still good.
I enjoyed the 1984 version when I saw it some time ago and from memory, it hit all the feels I had from when I read the book. I haven't seen it since because I don't think it will hold up and I don't want to spoil that memory and experience. Based on your review, I believe it is a good choice. I feel for Mara's upset over animals suffering. It's a sensitive area for me too. I wasn't inclined to see the reboot anyway, but that's a dealbreaker for me. I'm sure you comforted her, but please throw in an extra hug from me.
Speaking of animals cruelty, the big difference between the two movies is that '84 Charlie is clearly sensitive to animals. As we see her feeding and playing with chickens, looking after horses, etc.
I think this is a false equivalency. I found them both extremely hard to sit through for different reasons. I’ve actually never revisited 12 Years a Slave because of the brutality of that film and its effect on me. It wasn’t brought up in the context of my review and I don’t think it’s very relevant to what I was saying. It’s a false choice.
Oh doing a vs for Pet Sematary might be a good idea. I didn't really enjoy the reboot but it did make me want to watch the original. And i ended up loving the original!
I’m quite alright with “unfortunate casting”, as representation only matters in the writer’s room; where the story starts & ends. People need to stop telling their kids that they should only identify with people who look like them.
It's not so much about George C. Scott playing the role as it is George C. Scott playing the role as a Native American, when he is very much not. If they'd rewritten the part to be a white guy, that's one conversation. But it was obvious through costuming and possibly even makeup that Scott was supposed to be Native American, and that's what I think was unfortunate. EDIT: I agree about the character turn for Rainbird in the new version - I didn't include my thoughts for spoiler reasons.
@@DanMurrellMovies Sorry, I was ranting at the current trend and not your specific thoughts. I definitely agree that it would have been much better if they'd rewritten the George C Scott character; particularly that name and especially in a time period where people were less gung-ho about sticking to the source material. I didn't mean to sound like I was coming at you, I was rushed to get my thoughts out before Friday Night Titans started.
@@DanMurrellMovies I'm sorry. I was ranting at the current trend and not your specific thoughts. I agree that they could & should have rewritten the part in the original. That name especially.
@@JackDManheim George C Scott owned the role and was Evil Yes he was not a Native American actor but its better than the Crap they did in the Remake turning him Good. Absolute Dogshit 😡😡😡
I am not a fan of horror and had not planned on watching either version of this, but I will always give the channel a view and a thumbs up. I appreciate your warming about the animal abuse part. I dislike when movies use any kind of abuse just to add to their shock value.
Nice to hear love for Doctor Sleep! That movie is pretty fantastic - it just got slapped down because the idea of a Shining sequel rubbed people the wrong way
I watched the 1984 version as a child. I enjoyed it then but haven't watched it as an adult. From your review I would probably prefer the older version.
Thanks for your review of the new version - I wasn't planning on seeing it but at least now I know my suspicions are right. Overall I do like the original version, I don't find that it drags quite that much in the middle. All the trust building scenes have their payoff in the end. And the fireball knocking the body into the tree where it hangs and burns is a classic. And yes, Dr. Sleep is well worth seeing.
I liked the 1984 version more than the 2022 version. If you want to see another take on this premise that you may like more there is The Fury from 1978 which I watched after watching the 2022 Firestarter on a whim and there are no animals in it.
In the book, a few of the horses were gunned down by the government when they went to escape the barn on fire. One horse Charlie saw was suffering badly from being shot in the lungs.
The Stranger Things producers fully draw a link between Stranger Things and Firestarter. In the last episode of season three, when they go to the Video Store there is a large post of Firestarter that the characters are in front of.
Burns mothers arms Burns innocent cat Burns (somewhat) innocent tech people Spares the man who killed her mother and multiple innocent cops I've always hated this trope of the hero killing all of the henchmen but then having some kind of "killing is bad" epiphany and sparing one of the most evil characters in the story. Like if you have to kill a bunch of people to get to the person responsible for all of the death then it's basically too late to learn some kind of "killing is bad" lesson
But then the best thing about the original was the score by Tangerine Dream according to some of the reviews I saw at the time it came out. Both films are deeply flawed, but then the book itself is deeply flawed in places and is not one of King's best.
@@djashley2002 Original Firestarter movie was more faithful to the Book Drew Barrymore and George C. Scott were great in it this Remake Sucks and ruins Rainbird in the worst way by turning him good. Probably because he is Native American so we have to be Woke. The scene with Andy suggesting the Dead Cat had pronouns seriously 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
@@kingslayer2999 Yeah that thing with the dead cat pronouns irked me as well. Really glad they took it no further than that. I didn't get the impression that Rainbird was 'good' at the end. It left me pretty concerned about Charlie to be honest. Wasn't the black guy who had 'helped' them dead ? He and his wife didn't seem like a real safe place for Charlie to run to anyway. So I guess Charlie didn't have much of a choice other than to stick with Rainbird.
1984 Firestarter had the same beginning and ending as the book and flashbacks, too. The entire ‘84 version was very faithful to the book down to the age, look and demeanor of the child. The man befriending her when she and her dad are taken captive, the farm, everything.
FYI, no animals were really hurt. I don't know why he talks about the cat scene as if it really happened and then mentions animal cruelty again at the end.
Thank you for the warning about the animal abuse which you wonder if it is real or not when they don't have a humane society indicator that no animal was harmed during a movie, which is not always correct because I have heard that the owl in the Harry Potter movies was abused and apparently the humane society indicator is still there! I know that the cat in the Pet Sematary remake died because of the gel used on the cat. The poor cat died, for a movie! I am still furious about it to this day! No one should die for a movie!
The only thing better than a John Carpenter score in 2022 is a Tangerine Dream score in 1984! Always enjoyed the original Firestarter, the characters and score pull it through.
I always liked the 84 original, and must have watched it on cable a hundred times. So, I'll probably skip the new one. Or maybe I'll give it a go just for the new Carpenter score.
I'm not about domestic animals being killed/abused or anything like that but it's wild how sensitive ppl are to 1 fake animal being killed to like 20 plus humans being brutally murdered or whatever in a film
I like how Carpenter has basically just been using an arpeggiator on an 80s style synth for like 40 years and it still works better than most people trying to write scores.
From the clips I’ve seen of Doctor Sleep, I think I’d rather watch that this weekend, or revisit The Mist, Maximum Overdrive, Stand by Me, Misery, Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile, or one of the other King adaptations over these flicks this weekend.
Kudos to Dan for being able to approach a remake with an open mind. I’m now so reboot, remake, re-whatever averse that I’d have to be convinced the new version is 100 times better than the original for me to give one a chance. With so many horrible cash grabs in recent years, I feel like we’re being punished for ever loving the originals. Like, “aww… you guys have sweet memories of an IP that deeply touched you? Well, we’re going to take it and make a movie so bad it’ll kill part of your soul.”
The 1984 version was a very close adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, but oddly flat in a lot of ways. I had hoped the remake could deliver a much more destructive ending with modern effects, but the trailer looked awful. If nothing else, I’ll watch it to see Zac Efron as a dad.
It was flat because the book wasn't that interesting, to be honest. It's an okay read but it's a ridiculous book to try to adapt. It's basically Carrie meets The Running Man, so adapting it isn't going to go well without seriously altering it . . . which also obviously has its problems, too, in that people then bitch that it isn't faithful. It's not a good book to have adapted once, let alone twice.
I saw the trailer. Didn't look like like much. and once again, I was right. I think it was the pants on fire line that got me off this film immediately
I was intrigued by the new Firestarter, especially with Zac Efron playing the dad, but when watching the trailers, I just couldn't get over how cringy the girl was with her screaming. This is definitely when silent but deadly is more scarier.
So glad to see some love for Doctor Sleep - a movie I think is equal to The Shining as a King adaptation for completely different reasons than its predecessor. A perfect sequel to the CHARACTER of Danny Torrance without resigning itself to being a sequel to Kubrick’s style. A thoughtful, exciting, horrifying, wholly cinematic look at addiction, monstrosity, and the demons haunting all of us.
In some ways, sure, but The Shining is about someone trapped in their addiction. Jack never once actually grapples with the choice of whether or not to drink, which is fine, because that’s not what that movie is concerned with. Doctor Sleep is about someone actively fighting the battle against it, and facing an evil that wholeheartedly gives in to that addiction.
@@JoshuaBauer007 Danny Torrance traumatized when he was a kid. Has been an alcoholic for decades. Suddenly gives it up and is now well adjusted only because he is the hero in the movie. Do you honestly believe that's realistic. Isn't that more fantastic than traveling vampire pedophiles?
@@JoshuaBauer007 Do you agree they should have picked an American actor in their twenties rather than a guy in his 50s to play Danny for this to be believable?
@@festo8756 Not in the slightest, considering Danny is around 41 years old in the novel. Plus, McGregor’s mostly introspective, quiet performance is pitch-perfect.
I'm curious. I never read the original Firestarter book or saw the movie, but wasn't the "Low Men in Yellow Coats" an idea that came much later, first appearing in the "Hearts in Atlantis" book? If so, they probably wouldn't appear here.
I guess it’s personal, but I don’t get the sensitivity about animal cruelty on screen, while being OK with cruelty against people/ gore in general. It’s fiction, there’s no real violence happening in either case.
I was considering watching this, even after hearing some bad reviews, until you mentioned the animal cruelty scene. I will now pass on this, for sure. Thanks for the review!
Exactly. In the orginal movie Charly wouldn't burn down the horse stable because of the animals inside. Once they were gone, she light the whole thing on fire.
Unnecessary animal cruelty in movies, just to create an audience reaction, is not just lazy - it's deeply offensive. I'm sorry Mara was put through that. And that "pants on fire" line? Who ever put that in should be fired (no pun intended)
People may also want to look for Bill Phillips' unproduced script that John Carpenter was supposed to direct before The Thing tanked at the box office and pulled the plug on this version.
Great review Dan. I was close to watching the original on HBO because I thought they were remaking it for a reason other than money But also…A sock?! Please buy some paper towels or kleenex lol
I enjoyed the 1984 version of Firestarter which I have it on digital and vhs from universal thrillers and it does feel like ET and script is meh but I'm definitely not going to see the remake version but omg when you mention animal crudity it reminds me another film that has animal crudity back 1980 film called cannibal holocaust which is absolutely very very hard to watch but I really love doctor sleep and the director's cut version is way better version and also I like you did both original and remake review Dan should do more original and remake and even requel, prequel and reboot of horror films.
I wonder if Firestarter (the book and/or the 1984 movie) was an influence on 2017's Logan - a father and daughter with special abilities on the run, being taken in by kindly farmers and chased by sinister scientists. The dad's hair in the 1984 movie even makes him look a bit like Wolverine in some shots. Funnily enough, I watched Doctor Sleep just yesterday (it recently arrived on UK Netflix).
The original film from the 80s is so much better it's creepy and scary.... especially George C Scott as the assassin It was faithful to the book This new movie looks like crap
I have to disagree about Andy the dad in the OG I liked him. Then again maybe it's because I watched it as a child and it's what began my love of horror.
Another thing to note is that the 1984 version is very very similar to the book. It might be one of the most faithful adaptations of aSK book out there. As to whether or not it is one of the most successful SK adaptations is another story, but the 1984 version closely follows the novel.
The 1984 film was pretty good. I'm refusing to see the 2022 version. Won't go. Not worth it. And BTW, the practical effects from the 1984 film make it AWESOME.
I read Doctor Sleep and thought it was very good also. It just screamed out for a movie version, I was casting Rose the Hat before I finished the book.
It's become the industry term for a simultaneous release in theaters and on streaming. I guess because it hits both platforms on the same day and date.
I read the book and saw the old one when it came out in the theatre and back then it was considered a 2 star out of 5 movie. It is no legendary film, and I was surprised they made a remake. At the same time if you remake anything best films that were a misfire originally. Sorry to hear it missed the mark again.
A girl with strange telekinetic powers.. In the 80d, this was a scary and yet interesting thing to explore ( the novel was something else!) At That time, there weren't Dozens of "superhero/ mutant" films out there Today, in a post X Men world Many young people have "mutant powers" Brightburn Dark Phoenix.. etc
Oh, Dan. I wish you would also review the Syfy miniseries sequel Firestarter Rekindled too, since that is also available on Peacock. Honestly, there just hasn't been any good Firestarter adaptation, whether it's the 1984 version, the 2002 miniseries or the 2022 remake. If I was to compare between the 1984 and 2022 version, I would give the 1984 movie the slight edge. You mentioned about how the basic premise in that version is clear and it's because, from my experience reading the book and watching the movie, it hews pretty closely to its source material. I didn't really feel that same level of adherence with the 2022 version. They try to add things to Andy McGee's and Rainbird's characters that weren't really in the book, and I found the choices baffling and at times infuriating. But definitely, if you add Rekindled to the contest, I'd take Rekindled over these two movies in a heartbeat. Yeah, it's ineptly made, it's cheesy but good god I had fun watching Rekindled. Maybe, of they want to do Firestarter all over again, maybe they should follow the Rekindled route with like a TV series or miniseries. My issues with the two movie versions are that the 1984 movie was so languidly paced it is occasionally dull and the 2022 movie was so rushed nothing feels like it's of any consequence.
@@DanMurrellMovies they are adding a lot of shows, if you can tell me where do you live I will try to reach out to them if thay can do something about it
3:42 Any movie with school bullies is an immediate turnoff for me. Besides, from my memory Charlie never attended school in the book (as in that’s not what the story focused on) it was just her and her father on the run.
I was thinking the same thing, why remake Firestarter? I saw the first one when I was 12, that’ll probably do. As always, thank you for your thoughtful review! 🙌🏻
I was so bored throughout the new one. All I could focus on was my own mortality, since Zac Efron is now old enough to play a dad.
Yea getting old sucks..
The moment Dan said that he plays a dad (and not a new dad at that) I felt myself spiral into despair.
He is 34, so it isn't that unreasonable. It is easy to forget how old he was when he played the different roles.
In 2006, he was 18 or 19, so he was at least a teen. And there were additional teenage roles in the years following. This does skew perception of an actor's age.
the 1984 firestarter is a classic to a lot of people that watched it when we were kids. i am really sorry you didnt get to experience it when it came out. this vs review would have been a little different
@Vinegar Joey agreed also i noticed they nerfed her. i watched the 1984 again drew was much stronger then the girl in the new one.drew killed the guys in the fire suits but this new one she didnt do anything to them.not sure if its a gen thing or its just that Nostalgia is a hell of a drug . i still loved it after watching it again after all these years
I like the versus style review for remakes you did here.
This might be a format for future remakes, but was probably easier for these films since both were new to him.
It is hard to watch a new version objectively with nostalgia for the old.
I quite like this VS format between two iterations of movies. I would like to see another. A comparison between both versions of Total Recall or Robocop comes to mind, but maybe something a little more obscure like Suspiria...
I think it would be fun to compare all the Pinocchio movies coming out this year
Comparing Suspirias would be a trip.
Dredd (2012) vs Judge Dredd (1995)?
I just saw this 2022 version of Firestarter and I really did not like it at all. The book was great, first movie not a bad movie either. Drew Barrymore did a good job as well. I did like Doctor Sleep quite a bit as a film even as it ended differently, it was still good.
This format is really cool, you should do more of these.
I enjoyed the 1984 version when I saw it some time ago and from memory, it hit all the feels I had from when I read the book. I haven't seen it since because I don't think it will hold up and I don't want to spoil that memory and experience. Based on your review, I believe it is a good choice. I feel for Mara's upset over animals suffering. It's a sensitive area for me too. I wasn't inclined to see the reboot anyway, but that's a dealbreaker for me. I'm sure you comforted her, but please throw in an extra hug from me.
Speaking of animals cruelty, the big difference between the two movies is that '84 Charlie is clearly sensitive to animals.
As we see her feeding and playing with chickens, looking after horses, etc.
No way that animal cruelty scene could affect me more than Jacob Tremblay in Doctor Sleep
People can sit through 12 years a slave but have trouble with fake animal cruelty 🤷🏿♂️🤷🏿♂️
I think this is a false equivalency. I found them both extremely hard to sit through for different reasons. I’ve actually never revisited 12 Years a Slave because of the brutality of that film and its effect on me. It wasn’t brought up in the context of my review and I don’t think it’s very relevant to what I was saying. It’s a false choice.
I honestly had zero idea that there was a Firestarter reboot. Based on your review, Dan, I'm not missing a thing!
I had completely forgotten about it until my youtube recommendations just now.
Oh doing a vs for Pet Sematary might be a good idea. I didn't really enjoy the reboot but it did make me want to watch the original. And i ended up loving the original!
I’m quite alright with “unfortunate casting”, as representation only matters in the writer’s room; where the story starts & ends.
People need to stop telling their kids that they should only identify with people who look like them.
Also, the new movie RUINED the Rainbird character. I’m responding as I’m listening and don’t know if you’re going to touch on this yet.
It's not so much about George C. Scott playing the role as it is George C. Scott playing the role as a Native American, when he is very much not. If they'd rewritten the part to be a white guy, that's one conversation. But it was obvious through costuming and possibly even makeup that Scott was supposed to be Native American, and that's what I think was unfortunate. EDIT: I agree about the character turn for Rainbird in the new version - I didn't include my thoughts for spoiler reasons.
@@DanMurrellMovies Sorry, I was ranting at the current trend and not your specific thoughts. I definitely agree that it would have been much better if they'd rewritten the George C Scott character; particularly that name and especially in a time period where people were less gung-ho about sticking to the source material.
I didn't mean to sound like I was coming at you, I was rushed to get my thoughts out before Friday Night Titans started.
@@DanMurrellMovies I'm sorry. I was ranting at the current trend and not your specific thoughts.
I agree that they could & should have rewritten the part in the original. That name especially.
@@JackDManheim George C Scott owned the role and was Evil Yes he was not a Native American actor but its better than the Crap they did in the Remake turning him Good. Absolute Dogshit 😡😡😡
I am not a fan of horror and had not planned on watching either version of this, but I will always give the channel a view and a thumbs up.
I appreciate your warming about the animal abuse part. I dislike when movies use any kind of abuse just to add to their shock value.
Firestarter 1984 is a classic. No one over forty challenges this assertion.
Nice to hear love for Doctor Sleep! That movie is pretty fantastic - it just got slapped down because the idea of a Shining sequel rubbed people the wrong way
The Director's Cut version especially improves on what was released to theaters.
I Love the Doctor Sleep movie
@@kingslayer2999 Doctor Sleep was so good!!!!
@@valoruniversity Rebecca Ferguson stole the Movie 😍😍😍
@@kingslayer2999 I felt she ruined it. Not a very threatening villain at all.
My Dad introduced me to Daniel Davies music, glad you gave the musical talents a shoutout. Had no idea he was involved in this film.
I think for this one, it becomes very apparent why Universal decided to dump this on Peacock day-and-date with theaters.
For theaters, this movie SUUUUCKED!!!
But it is not the worst movie on streaming...
as a child pf the 80's i love the original Firestarter, the trailers for the new did not grab my attention.
I've heard nothing about a Firestarter movie. Weird. Do they just not Market movies anymore if they aren't Marvel?
i like the VS concept Dan! More of this!!
I watched the 1984 version as a child. I enjoyed it then but haven't watched it as an adult. From your review I would probably prefer the older version.
Thanks for your review of the new version - I wasn't planning on seeing it but at least now I know my suspicions are right. Overall I do like the original version, I don't find that it drags quite that much in the middle. All the trust building scenes have their payoff in the end. And the fireball knocking the body into the tree where it hangs and burns is a classic. And yes, Dr. Sleep is well worth seeing.
I love the original... George C Scott is genuinely creepy. B Movie Gold. 🙂
I really enjoyed this format of reviewing remake and original together!
This actress played sheer evil in the last AHS season
I liked the 1984 version more than the 2022 version. If you want to see another take on this premise that you may like more there is The Fury from 1978 which I watched after watching the 2022 Firestarter on a whim and there are no animals in it.
Yeah the fury was a good de Palma flick
Oh poor Mara! I loved the 1984 Firestarter, it's what got me into watching and reading King. Might give the reboot a miss.
Yeah, that scene is pretty rough
In the book, a few of the horses were gunned down by the government when they went to escape the barn on fire. One horse Charlie saw was suffering badly from being shot in the lungs.
Loved this video Dan! I'd really love to see this become a series on the channel for films you haven't seen with their respective remakes.
The Stranger Things producers fully draw a link between Stranger Things and Firestarter. In the last episode of season three, when they go to the Video Store there is a large post of Firestarter that the characters are in front of.
that and using 4 tracks from Tangerine Dream in the first two seasons
Burns mothers arms
Burns innocent cat
Burns (somewhat) innocent tech people
Spares the man who killed her mother and multiple innocent cops
I've always hated this trope of the hero killing all of the henchmen but then having some kind of "killing is bad" epiphany and sparing one of the most evil characters in the story. Like if you have to kill a bunch of people to get to the person responsible for all of the death then it's basically too late to learn some kind of "killing is bad" lesson
I watched it last night. It's horrible. And every 3rd shot was a super uber close up of someone's eyes.
Upvote for the Doctor Sleep plug. I really hope it gets the attention and praise it deserves as times goes on.
Yeah, I wondered why the algorithm suggested "Doctor Sleep" on UA-cam Movies while I was watching this.
It's pretty sad when all the critics are saying that the best thing about this movie is the score by John Carpenter.
But then the best thing about the original was the score by Tangerine Dream according to some of the reviews I saw at the time it came out. Both films are deeply flawed, but then the book itself is deeply flawed in places and is not one of King's best.
@@djashley2002 Original Firestarter movie was more faithful to the Book Drew Barrymore and George C. Scott were great in it this Remake Sucks and ruins Rainbird in the worst way by turning him good. Probably because he is Native American so we have to be Woke. The scene with Andy suggesting the Dead Cat had pronouns seriously 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
@@kingslayer2999 Yeah that thing with the dead cat pronouns irked me as well. Really glad they took it no further than that. I didn't get the impression that Rainbird was 'good' at the end. It left me pretty concerned about Charlie to be honest. Wasn't the black guy who had 'helped' them dead ? He and his wife didn't seem like a real safe place for Charlie to run to anyway. So I guess Charlie didn't have much of a choice other than to stick with Rainbird.
1984 Firestarter had the same beginning and ending as the book and flashbacks, too. The entire ‘84 version was very faithful to the book down to the age, look and demeanor of the child. The man befriending her when she and her dad are taken captive, the farm, everything.
Well, the only thing the new one got right was ACTUALLY making Rainbird a Native American individual...
FYI, no animals were really hurt. I don't know why he talks about the cat scene as if it really happened and then mentions animal cruelty again at the end.
Depictions of horrible things can still be disturbing, particularly for people like Mara who are very sensitive to animal cruelty.
Please bring us more Side-by-Sides! Your Jurassic Park video is flawless
Thank you for the warning about the animal abuse which you wonder if it is real or not when they don't have a humane society indicator that no animal was harmed during a movie, which is not always correct because I have heard that the owl in the Harry Potter movies was abused and apparently the humane society indicator is still there!
I know that the cat in the Pet Sematary remake died because of the gel used on the cat. The poor cat died, for a movie! I am still furious about it to this day! No one should die for a movie!
Dan, I loved this vs format and now I want MOAR!
Great idea to compare them like this. Gosh am I ever glad you reviewed this for us… I absolutely cannot handle scenes of animal cruelty!
The only thing better than a John Carpenter score in 2022 is a Tangerine Dream score in 1984! Always enjoyed the original Firestarter, the characters and score pull it through.
Lol saw the movie last night. "Liar liar pants on fire" 🔥 haha funny line
I watched the 80's one when I was a kid. And I remember really liking it. But it didn't need to be remade.
I always liked the 84 original, and must have watched it on cable a hundred times. So, I'll probably skip the new one. Or maybe I'll give it a go just for the new Carpenter score.
I'm not about domestic animals being killed/abused or anything like that but it's wild how sensitive ppl are to 1 fake animal being killed to like 20 plus humans being brutally murdered or whatever in a film
I like how Carpenter has basically just been using an arpeggiator on an 80s style synth for like 40 years and it still works better than most people trying to write scores.
From the clips I’ve seen of Doctor Sleep, I think I’d rather watch that this weekend, or revisit The Mist, Maximum Overdrive, Stand by Me, Misery, Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile, or one of the other King adaptations over these flicks this weekend.
Kudos to Dan for being able to approach a remake with an open mind. I’m now so reboot, remake, re-whatever averse that I’d have to be convinced the new version is 100 times better than the original for me to give one a chance. With so many horrible cash grabs in recent years, I feel like we’re being punished for ever loving the originals. Like, “aww… you guys have sweet memories of an IP that deeply touched you? Well, we’re going to take it and make a movie so bad it’ll kill part of your soul.”
Would you recommend King's 'The Dark Half'?
The 1984 version was a very close adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, but oddly flat in a lot of ways. I had hoped the remake could deliver a much more destructive ending with modern effects, but the trailer looked awful. If nothing else, I’ll watch it to see Zac Efron as a dad.
It was flat because the book wasn't that interesting, to be honest. It's an okay read but it's a ridiculous book to try to adapt. It's basically Carrie meets The Running Man, so adapting it isn't going to go well without seriously altering it . . . which also obviously has its problems, too, in that people then bitch that it isn't faithful. It's not a good book to have adapted once, let alone twice.
I saw the trailer.
Didn't look like like much.
and once again, I was right.
I think it was the pants on fire line that got me off this film immediately
I was intrigued by the new Firestarter, especially with Zac Efron playing the dad, but when watching the trailers, I just couldn't get over how cringy the girl was with her screaming. This is definitely when silent but deadly is more scarier.
The original 1984 film is an underrated Stephen King classic. Stick with it and the book and avoid this schlock.
If analytics say people clicked away after the first 15 seconds it's because we left for a dance break before coming back to our dan's break
I liked the 1984 version better.
Has David Kieth and Kieth David every acted in the same scenes together?
IMDB tells me that it's never happened, shockingly.
So glad to see some love for Doctor Sleep - a movie I think is equal to The Shining as a King adaptation for completely different reasons than its predecessor. A perfect sequel to the CHARACTER of Danny Torrance without resigning itself to being a sequel to Kubrick’s style. A thoughtful, exciting, horrifying, wholly cinematic look at addiction, monstrosity, and the demons haunting all of us.
Wasn't addiction already covered in the original shining movie?
In some ways, sure, but The Shining is about someone trapped in their addiction. Jack never once actually grapples with the choice of whether or not to drink, which is fine, because that’s not what that movie is concerned with. Doctor Sleep is about someone actively fighting the battle against it, and facing an evil that wholeheartedly gives in to that addiction.
@@JoshuaBauer007 Danny Torrance traumatized when he was a kid. Has been an alcoholic for decades. Suddenly gives it up and is now well adjusted only because he is the hero in the movie. Do you honestly believe that's realistic. Isn't that more fantastic than traveling vampire pedophiles?
@@JoshuaBauer007 Do you agree they should have picked an American actor in their twenties rather than a guy in his 50s to play Danny for this to be believable?
@@festo8756 Not in the slightest, considering Danny is around 41 years old in the novel. Plus, McGregor’s mostly introspective, quiet performance is pitch-perfect.
Were The Low Men in Yellow Coats represented?
I'm curious. I never read the original Firestarter book or saw the movie, but wasn't the "Low Men in Yellow Coats" an idea that came much later, first appearing in the "Hearts in Atlantis" book? If so, they probably wouldn't appear here.
@@WastedPo They do first appear in Hearts in Atlantis but I remember she was mentioned in a short story following one of The Breakers.
It was so obvious this wouldn't be great from the trailer honestly. Them trying to market it as a superhero origin movie seemed really desperate.
I guess it’s personal, but I don’t get the sensitivity about animal cruelty on screen, while being OK with cruelty against people/ gore in general. It’s fiction, there’s no real violence happening in either case.
Same
I was considering watching this, even after hearing some bad reviews, until you mentioned the animal cruelty scene. I will now pass on this, for sure. Thanks for the review!
Same this really ruined my night watching that scene it was completely unnecessary
@@noellet62able just look away
Exactly. In the orginal movie Charly wouldn't burn down the horse stable because of the animals inside. Once they were gone, she light the whole thing on fire.
Hey man can you review Mr.Inbetween plz it's Australia tv show plz
Unnecessary animal cruelty in movies, just to create an audience reaction, is not just lazy - it's deeply offensive. I'm sorry Mara was put through that.
And that "pants on fire" line? Who ever put that in should be fired (no pun intended)
People may also want to look for Bill Phillips' unproduced script that John Carpenter was supposed to direct before The Thing tanked at the box office and pulled the plug on this version.
Keith Flint reference is a hot way to go into this review.
Great review Dan. I was close to watching the original on HBO because I thought they were remaking it for a reason other than money
But also…A sock?! Please buy some paper towels or kleenex lol
I enjoyed the 1984 version of Firestarter which I have it on digital and vhs from universal thrillers and it does feel like ET and script is meh but I'm definitely not going to see the remake version but omg when you mention animal crudity it reminds me another film that has animal crudity back 1980 film called cannibal holocaust which is absolutely very very hard to watch but I really love doctor sleep and the director's cut version is way better version and also I like you did both original and remake review Dan should do more original and remake and even requel, prequel and reboot of horror films.
I wonder if Firestarter (the book and/or the 1984 movie) was an influence on 2017's Logan - a father and daughter with special abilities on the run, being taken in by kindly farmers and chased by sinister scientists. The dad's hair in the 1984 movie even makes him look a bit like Wolverine in some shots.
Funnily enough, I watched Doctor Sleep just yesterday (it recently arrived on UK Netflix).
Thanks for the review! I’m a big Firestarter fan so will probably check out the new one some time ✌🏾
Sometimes I just like when bad movies happens to listen how clever are the critics dunking on them
Three 1984 version is far superior than the Woke 2022 version
Props to Mara; had to pause the video and tell my mom she's just like us. ☺
And thank you for the content warning!!
The original film from the 80s is so much better
it's creepy and scary.... especially George C Scott as the assassin
It was faithful to the book
This new movie looks like crap
I have to disagree about Andy the dad in the OG I liked him. Then again maybe it's because I watched it as a child and it's what began my love of horror.
Zac Efron playing a dad is wild to me. He's still young in my head.
The first one is far better..
Another thing to note is that the 1984 version is very very similar to the book. It might be one of the most faithful adaptations of aSK book out there. As to whether or not it is one of the most successful SK adaptations is another story, but the 1984 version closely follows the novel.
Anyone see the old syfy or usa mini serves ?
So we have a remake of Firestarter, a Steven King novel which is more or less a remake of his novel Carrie.
The 1984 film was pretty good. I'm refusing to see the 2022 version. Won't go. Not worth it. And BTW, the practical effects from the 1984 film make it AWESOME.
Dr. Sleep was an amazing book & movie. Well worth anyone’s time.
You reminded me that I have to see it, thanks.
The OG Firestarter is horror movie cannon. I LOVED this as a kid, and I still do. For what they had to work with, they did a stellar job.
I really liked the 1984 version but it could do with updating, this looks rubbish though 😞
Doctor Sleep was also good.
I read Doctor Sleep and thought it was very good also. It just screamed out for a movie version, I was casting Rose the Hat before I finished the book.
I love the 1984 Firestarter! I saw it on cable as a kid! This new version sounds bad. Plus, there was no reason to remake this movie!
I just saw the trailer for both last night and loke you never saw either of these films! Don't know if I will tho.
where does the term "day and date" come from? why aren't we just saying simultaneous or same day? what does day and date even mean really lol?
It's become the industry term for a simultaneous release in theaters and on streaming. I guess because it hits both platforms on the same day and date.
I read the book and saw the old one when it came out in the theatre and back then it was considered a 2 star out of 5 movie. It is no legendary film, and I was surprised they made a remake. At the same time if you remake anything best films that were a misfire originally. Sorry to hear it missed the mark again.
Same here. A remake is an opportunity to improve on the original and this movie didn't. TV commercials have better storylines and special effects.
A girl with strange telekinetic powers..
In the 80d, this was a scary and yet interesting thing to explore ( the novel was something else!)
At That time, there weren't Dozens of "superhero/ mutant" films out there
Today, in a post X Men world
Many young people have "mutant powers"
Brightburn Dark Phoenix..
etc
I also bring extra socks to the movies. Always so cold there
Props on the Prodigy reference
You should do more "Vs" reviews. Reboot Vs Original. I think people would enjoy that. Just my two cents. Cheers!
Oh, Dan. I wish you would also review the Syfy miniseries sequel Firestarter Rekindled too, since that is also available on Peacock. Honestly, there just hasn't been any good Firestarter adaptation, whether it's the 1984 version, the 2002 miniseries or the 2022 remake. If I was to compare between the 1984 and 2022 version, I would give the 1984 movie the slight edge. You mentioned about how the basic premise in that version is clear and it's because, from my experience reading the book and watching the movie, it hews pretty closely to its source material. I didn't really feel that same level of adherence with the 2022 version. They try to add things to Andy McGee's and Rainbird's characters that weren't really in the book, and I found the choices baffling and at times infuriating. But definitely, if you add Rekindled to the contest, I'd take Rekindled over these two movies in a heartbeat. Yeah, it's ineptly made, it's cheesy but good god I had fun watching Rekindled. Maybe, of they want to do Firestarter all over again, maybe they should follow the Rekindled route with like a TV series or miniseries. My issues with the two movie versions are that the 1984 movie was so languidly paced it is occasionally dull and the 2022 movie was so rushed nothing feels like it's of any consequence.
Thank you for mentioning the Syfy Firestarter because I didn't see it and I was wondering how it all fit into the mix.
One thing that really baffled me in this new one was how they had Charlie let Rainbird carry her off. Rainbird, the man who murdered her mother.
@@kwebb121765 That's just another notch on a list of highly questionable decisions that the film-makers made.
RRR is re-releasing across US on June 1st specially. Hope you can watch it!
Sadly it’s not playing within 150 miles of me.
@@DanMurrellMovies they are adding a lot of shows, if you can tell me where do you live I will try to reach out to them if thay can do something about it
Never really been a fan of Stephen King movies... There are very few good adaptations
first time viewer and I subscribed just because of the prodigy reference....
The animal cruelty scene was so unnecessary and ruined my night
In the original movie Charlie is more vulnerable and uncontrolable and far more powerfull it make her scarier as you dont know how far she can go
3:42 Any movie with school bullies is an immediate turnoff for me. Besides, from my memory Charlie never attended school in the book (as in that’s not what the story focused on) it was just her and her father on the run.
I was thinking the same thing, why remake Firestarter? I saw the first one when I was 12, that’ll probably do. As always, thank you for your thoughtful review! 🙌🏻
I never saw both but at the end, I thought to myself, this would be a great origin story to firestar.