When asked what films I was most keenly anticipating this year a while back, aside from sword & sandals epics "Troy" and "Alexander", right up there was the remake of the 1962 controversial film classic "The Manchurian Candidate". Over forty years on (24 of which the film spent pulled from release), the original John Frankenheimer directed feature is still universally praised as both one of the most devastating thrillers and sophisticated blackly comic satires of American politics ever produced.
Not only was it arguably the best work that Frankenheimer and actor Frank Sinatra ever did, but Angela Lansbury's Oscar-nominated supporting role of the treacherous scheming Mrs. Iselin is still regularly voted the best villainess in cinematic history. Not to mention the final 20 minutes or so have been ripped off time and again by practically every political thriller since. Jonathan Demme was given the job of remaking this almost legendary movie and faced an uphill struggle.
Today, the trailer for the film has finally hit giving us our first glimpse at footage. The good news is it looks great. Whilst it seems to lack the satire and mystery elements of the original (they make no effort to hide the 'evil mother' element), this more straightfoward contemporary version of the tale is visually interesting and already gives us glimpses at some intriguing visuals and what looks to be Meryl Streep giving a superb job in Lansbury's role.
