Going Overboard, Twice

Most of the time, remakes of classics are pale imprints or predictable revisitations of a fine original, and they beg the equally classic query from discerning fans  ‘But why bother?’

At least that was my reaction when I realized there was a 2018 version of the goofy 1987 comedy Overboard, which stars Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.

The new Overboard (1987) Blu-ray from Severin (yes, Severin, better known for cuddling horror, sexploitation, and weird cinema on home video) is an improvement over the old MGM DVD. Screenwriter Leslie Dixon’s best known for Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), but I’m a champion of her 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, which added a few  clever twists without taking anything away from Norman Jewison’s frothy 1968 classic.

Dixon also penned the successful 2003 remake of the 1976 Disney classic Freaky Friday, and although not a remake, the Dennis Farina-Bette Midler-Paula Marshall romantic comedy That Old Feeling (1997) is a personal favourite because of the cast, and Carl Reiner’s direction. (It’s also an underrated work that likely gained more traction among comedy connoisseurs via home video and TV airings than during its theatrical release, and not unlike Overboard, Dixon’s script evokes comedic dramas of the 1950s.)

Although I primarily focus on the 1987 film, I do offer some comparative notes on the 2018 the remake starring Eugenio Derbez and Anna Faris, which has merit, but to connoisseurs who like to  follow a classic’s journey from original to remake, sequel, prequel, and sundry, the Derbez-Faris version is more of a curiosity because its makers sought to improve weak spots in the original concept, and expand the breadth of characters with widespread gender reversal and new cultural infusions.

Thanks for reading,

 

 

Mark R. Hasan, Editor
KQEK.com

Tags: Anna Faris, Eugenio Derbez, featured, full-image, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Overboard (1987)

Category: EDITOR'S BLOG