POSTERS
Get Out of the Box: Theatrical Poster for Spike Lee's 'Oldboy' Remake
by Alex Billington
July 8, 2013
Source: The Film Stage
Ask not why you were imprisoned. Ask why you were set free. Love that tagline, but what is up with the rest of this? This may just win the award for wackiest, but perhaps most original, poster design of the year. FilmDistrict has released the first theatrical poster for Spike Lee's Oldboy remake, starring Josh Brolin as the one held captive for 20 years. However, they take that concept to the extremes on this poster, putting Brolin inside some kind of big chest in the middle of a grassy clearing. The other odd addition is the girl in the background with the years counted on her umbrella. I wonder who she is? You'll want to see this poster.
Here's the new poster for Spike Lee's Oldboy, found via The Film Stage. The first trailer debuts Wednesday.
Spike Lee's Oldboy, written by Mark Protosevich (The Cell, I Am Legend) based on the original manga, tells the story of an advertising executive (Brolin) who is inexplicably kidnapped and held captive for 20 years. When he's unceremoniously released, he goes on an obsessive quest to find out who did this to him and why, enlisting the help of a young social worker (Elizabeth Olsen) before he eventually tracks down an enigmatic man (Sharlto Copley) who may have all the answers. Also co-stars Samuel L. Jackson, Richard Portnow and Lance Reddick. "Spike Lee is the right filmmaker to reimagine and put his touch onto arguably one of the most talked about thrillers in recent memory." FilmDistrict will release Oldboy on October 25th this year.
31 Comments
1
Fairly certain this scene was in the original. Been awhile since I've seen it, but I think I remember that scene... I like it, personally.
Greg dinskisk on Jul 8, 2013
2
I think he is released onto a city roof top in the original.
samlabun on Jul 8, 2013
3
He is, but I vaguely remember something in the middle, him coming out of a suitcase or something...
Greg dinskisk on Jul 9, 2013
4
I seriously watch the original at least once or twice a month, it is my favorite movie of all time and i can say without a shadow of a doubt that this scene is not in the original.
AL on Jul 9, 2013
5
Alright, you're the authority here in this case, I guess! 🙂 Thought I remembered it. Whoops!
Greg dinskisk on Jul 9, 2013
6
he was released in a place exactly where he was kidnapped 20 years ago.. since an apartment was built, he was released in its roof..
haha934 on Jul 9, 2013
7
Yeah, but I had thought there was a scene in the second half of the film in a schoolyard where he came out of a box. I was wrong, but... just my thinking.
Greg dinskisk on Jul 9, 2013
8
So it begins...
DAVIDPD on Jul 8, 2013
9
"And that kids, is how I met your mother" (some people will get it :p). Seriously though, that poster is hideous. It has nothing to do with the tone of the original. And looks bad from an aesthetic point of view
Ricardo_PT on Jul 8, 2013
10
Ha! Ha! Got it! About the poster, I don't agree with you about it being hideous, I actually really like it. But I do agree with you that the feeling it evokes has nothing to do with the tone of the original. I understand that Lee probably doesn't want to simply replicate Park's masterpiece, but rather make it his own...but I don't know, it doesn't seem quite right.
Moutchy on Jul 8, 2013
11
Nothing to do with the tone of the original? Go a watch the original film agian. There is a scene that shows exactly the same.
Noface on Jul 8, 2013
12
But that's not the same is it? I've seen the original more than once. Sometimes the marketing team picks a still from the movie (that is a scene in the movie) for the poster and that scene doesn't represent the overall tone of the movie. I hope I'm making myself clear PS: the more I look at it the more I like the background. I just don't like Brolin coming out of that, looks like a creepy low budget horror movie, maybe it's just me 😉
Ricardo_PT on Jul 8, 2013
13
Noface: yes, the original has a scene with the main character coming out of a big case (although it was on top of a building), but the statement was about the "tone" of the original movie in comparison to the "tone" of this poster. If I didn't know anything about the movie, only judging from this poster, I wouldn't guess it's supposed to be a bloody, edgy, dark revenge movie.
Moutchy on Jul 8, 2013
14
Fail! In the original, Oh Daesu comes out of a trunk in a place similar to this poster. Go and watch it again, loser.
Noface on Jul 8, 2013
15
Gee, what's your problem? Why are you insulting me exactly? Because I have an opinion different than yours? If YOU watch the movie again, you'll notice that he comes out of a trunk on top of a friggin' building! Yes, there's grass, but still, it's a building. At first they show images of a field, but that comes from the suggestions that the hypnotist gives him. But when he comes to his senses, you clearly see it's a building roof with some grass. But that's not even the point I was making.
Moutchy on Jul 8, 2013
16
Can't wait !! looks like a powerful reinterpretation to the original -one of the most anticipated movie of 2013
elise on Jul 8, 2013
17
Be honest! So far all the negative comments about the poster have been like this: "It's American! So it sucks!"
lewinston on Jul 8, 2013
18
Who said it? Don't try to make this into something it's not. No one has said anything like that on this thread, not until you at least
Ricardo_PT on Jul 8, 2013
19
Do you think firstshowing is the only place to see this poster? C'mon man...
lewinston on Jul 8, 2013
20
Came out the box looking fresh. Strange poster is all I got, I'll wait to see the movie to judge.
Tyrell Antonio on Jul 8, 2013
21
Might I add that it's about 20x better than any mass-released poster in recent memory?
Greg dinskisk on Jul 8, 2013
22
pointless remake. the original OLD BOY is just too hard to forget once you've seen it, why waste money on a remake? people will see this and then watch the original and wonder the same thing... Squid anyone?
Michael on Jul 8, 2013
23
nice.
Xerxexx on Jul 8, 2013
24
does not looks like he been captive for 20 years.
truong18 on Jul 8, 2013
25
Did anyone try the link on the poster? oldboymovie.com - doesn't work for me. Strange.
Axel Beyer on Jul 8, 2013
26
It looks like an AD for Armani
Mufasa on Jul 8, 2013
27
The poster is tolerable - except for that corny ass pose...
REALNESS on Jul 8, 2013
28
Would not be so bad if the box were closed. I really liked the teaser poster that was all roman numerals. That was neat.
jacobcrim on Jul 8, 2013
29
Looks silly. What's more is the poster tries hard to look Asian, but it doesn't make any sense here. Also, screw this movie. I'd rather re-watch the original.
DavideCoppola on Jul 9, 2013
30
There was NO reason at all to remake this movie. The original is perfect. Not to mention that i have very little faith in spike lees movie making skills, he is highly overrated.
AL on Jul 9, 2013
31
Weirdest thing i think at least is that its a spike lee.. film?
Steve on Jul 10, 2013
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