Lee Daniels To Helm Nights Of Cabiria Remake

Apparently there are no things holy within the world of film.

According to Deadline, while his next film is set to be a film entitled The Butler (a Denzel Washington film that follows an African-American servant in the White House), the outlet also happens to report that, after signing with the talent agency CAA, the agency has attached his name to a remake of Federico Fellini’s classic film, Night Of Cabiria.

The original film saw Fellini’s then wife, Giuletta Masina, as a Roman prostitute who deals with the consistent betrayal laid upon her by the males in her life.   It’s an absolutely breathtaking piece of work visual filmmaking, as are most of Fellini’s films, and is one of this writer’s favorite pieces of cinema.

And even though Daniels’ last film, Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire, was much loved, I find it hard to believe that a filmmaker with such an overbearing hand would be all over a remake of this classic film.

It’s not that I don’t think Fellini can’t be remade, or even redone. Look at the Cate Blanchett parts of Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There.   It’s a great homage to Fellini, and is ultimately a great piece of cinema (I also find the Heath Ledger moments the best Godard film he never made, but that’s a different story).   Daniels however, is not nearly as gifted.   He’s an overly stylistic director, whose filmmaking becomes the overbearing star of his films.   Fellini, while definitely singular in his style, ultimately made the style fit the narrative.

Overall, this seems like the wrong name for the wrong project.   Hopefully this one falls apart.   And soon.

Source: Deadline