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The Nutty Professor in CG
October 22, 2008 5:15 pm
Hey Laaady… We usually have a problem when Hollywood takes a classic animated property and creates a CG update. I’m not sure what to make of The Weinstein Company’s new Nutty Professor direct-to-DVD CG animated feature (on sale November 25th from Genius Products) but it features the voice and participation of Jerry Lewis himself, recreating his iconic role as Julius Kelp! Drake Bell (Nickelodeon’s Drake and Josh) is cast as his grandson Harold. The plot goes like this: When Harold gets his hands on the recipe for his grandfather’s secret elixir, he creates a potion that drastically transforms his personality to be more confident and suave. Unfortunately his alter ego is also obnoxious and destructive. Much like his grandfather before him, Harold must face his insecurities and fears while learning to believe in himself without the help of any special concoctions. I love Jerry Lewis (heck, I even enjoy Drake Bell) so I’m hoping its a decent film. Maybe they’ll send me a review copy (hint, hint)? |
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Huh? If this is cg not live-action, the Professor is not old from the look of it, so WHY does he need to “pass the torch”?! The design looks nice – would like to see more. Definitely not as ugly as those recent post-fairy-tale cg things.
Kids will be all like “Hey! Where’s Eddie Murphy?”
I applaud this move. If it works– who knows? We may be able to celebrate more of the Hollywood film greats in new animated formats again. Kind of like what Bob Clampett used to do at Warners in the early days.
Everything old is new again.
Kudos to Mr. Lewis for embracing and trusting the industry with his baby.
Much more interesting than the Eddie Murphy abomination.
CHARLEY Murphy rules!
Ugh. There is nothing new under the Hollywood Sun. *sigh*
Guess this won’t contain the flagelence humor that made the Eddie Murphy version so endearing.
The animated Jerry Lewis looks like Don Knotts.
In Lewis’ recent autobiography, Dean and Me: (A Love Story), he credits an animator, Frank Tashlin, as his favorite director. So it’s only appropriate that he entrust animation to awaken one of his most enduring characters. Although I could totally see Drake pull off both roles in live action (Hey, sometimes I watch; wadda you expect, I have an 11 year old daughter).
While I rarely show any love towards anything direct-to-video m(Futurama probably the rare exception), I do wish the Weinsteins luck in (ugh) traditional Disney territory.
It could have been worse – they could have chosen to remake Hardly Working…
Better get started on a CG remake of Dr.Dolittle
You enjoy Drake Bell?
Anyone who knows me very well, knows I’m a HUGE Jerry Lewis fan….so, I’ll reserve judgement on this until I see it. But direct-to-dvd means low budget, and God only knows what the quality is like. So…..it’s basically just the same EXACT plot as the classic Nutty Professor….only with a kid being suave and obnoxious (Buddy Love). Brilliant. Not sure who directed this…but any comparison with Frank Tashlin, who was a genius and one of Jerry’s heroes, just isn’t appropriate. I’m very curious to see how this comes out. And I’ll be among the first to applaud it. I’m just not expecting too much.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Jerry Lewis. Although he appears to be totally insane on screen, he’s actually a very serious guy. I know. I’ve been on his set while he’s been directing, and he’s taught a film class at UCLA in years past.
If Jerry’s on board with this project — so am I.
I loved the original. If you can track down the DVD, Lewis does a commentary with his pal STeve Lawrence. He does mention Tashlin as an influence and there are a lot of cartoony gags (like the weight-lifting scene and the prof being flattened by a door).
Stella Stevens!…..Rrawr!
I am puzzled too why it has to be his grandson. It sounds like the same story as the original but animated.
Yup….I, like the French, think Lewis is a comedic genius. I can sit through half a movie , not even crack and then he’ll spaz-out and I practically pee myself.
Wow. Ugh. What’s going to come out of Hollywood’s CGI tract next?
Skip this and rent Frank Tashlin’s excellent Artists and Models instead. That’s got Martin and Lewis, and Shirley MacLaine at her absolute cutest.
I had heard that the pre-John Lassetter Disney was going to redo their classics as CG films, but I guess our JL put the kibosh on all of that crap.
I agree with Saturmone: there has already been a newer adaptation of the film, and kids these days won’t remember why Jerry Lewis is involved (I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t know who he was). He’s pretty old now, though, so it will be interesting to see how he fits back into his old shoes.
Remakes are a quick way to churn up an idea, and are guaranteed to received massive criticism, but that doesn’t always mean they are poorly made. That photo captures his personality perfectly. Did the Weinstein Company actually create an animated film that is good?!
I can see why most people like Jerry Lewis, but I honestly don’t think this looks better than most direct-to-video animation (aside from Futurama and several of those Superhero animation titles).
Isn’t getting Jerry Lewis just the same as how most Disney DTVs get the original voices?
Jerry’s connections to animation also include his involvement in the
creation of the 1970 Filmation TV cartoon series WILL THE REAL
JERRY LEWIS PLEASE SIT DOWN? on ABC. (David Lander, later of
LAVERNE & SHIRLEY, supplied Jerry’s voice.)
Wasn’t his name Professor Klump rather than “Kelp?”
i love this movie i wish i owned it :) (: the first time i saw it was at the boys and girls club