Hideo Nakata wants to help [or warn] aspiring film directors from outside of America who want to make it in Hollywood. So he has made himself a little documentary titled Foreign Filmmakers’ Guide to Hollywood. Chris over at JFilm Pow Wow seems to have a handle at the translation of the original site and he writes that the doc explores the often cutthroat world of a major American film production and Nakata's "...life and struggles in Hollywood." Having written or directed some of the biggest horror films to come out in Asia then watch them get the remake treatment in America, even by himself, there is probably no one better to talk on the subject. We here at Twitch have long argued for and against the remaking of Asian cinema until we've gone blue in the face and it looks like we'll keep on keeping on as long as foreign properties are bought and sold to American studios each year.
This is a partial list of the interviewees Hideo has enlisted for his documentary. There were others but I could not find any reason for them to be included in the film other than they gathered electrical chords together [seriously, two grips!] or they were simply foreigners working in Hollywood. But here is a list of the bigger players in the Hollywood remake scene of recent years.
Walter F. Parkes [Producer of all three RING films - yes one more on the way, The Uninvited and a plethora of Hollow-wood popcorn cinema]
Michele Weisler [Producer the first two RING films]
Roy Lee [Producer of countless Asian remakes including RING, The Uninvited, My Sassy Girl, The Grudge (all three), Dark Water and Shutter to name a few]
Gabriel Beristain [Cinematographer of The RING Two]
Michael N. Knue [Editor of The RING Two and Shutter]
Hans Zimmer [Music composer for The RING and pretty much anything else Danny Elfman isn't doing it seems]
Takashige Ichise [Producer of all the original Asian horror films already listed or their western remakes]
Takashi Shimizu [If it had Ju-on or The Grudge in the title chances are he directed it]
Foreign Filmmakers’ Guide to Hollywood will screen at Shibuya’s Image Forum in March. There is no word if there will ever be a release or a screening on our shores. Do they dare?
I doubt they dare, sir.
What a great idea. This is something that should be expanded on, talk to other foreign directors that "made it" in Hollywood only to go back with the tail between their legs. Ole Bornedal comes to mind. George Sluizer.
I just hate Roy Lee from my whole body.