We love the original Poseidon Adventure. The Showgirls of the 1970’s, the ifilm was made as a legitimate drama, but the horrid acting and unfathomable script ended up as one of the great gay camp classics of all time. Many have been the time that we’ve drunkenly reenacted Shelly Winters drowning in a pool of boiling water, bulging eyes and flailing arms and all. Are we terrible for finding it funny? You just have to see it.
Warner Bros. studios is releasing a remake for the summer movie season, and the should-be-a-blockbuster Poseidon retools the story for a more modern feel, no more high-camp, this time playing as a real action film. Our friends working on Poseidon say the film was finished slightly under budget, so Warner Bros. execs gave an additional $2 million to enhance special effects. And apparently they’re quite good.
Perhaps because the original is such a hit with gay audiences, this version of Poseidon appeals strongly to the gay audience as well: Richard Dreyfuss plays a gay passenger who ends up helping save the day, reclaiming some of Jaws glory days by helping passengers escape horrifying deaths. Complete with the “I’m gay” single-earring and slightly fey demeanor, Dreyfuss’ character is on the cruise to escape an unhappy relationship–and calls his lover to reconcile right before the boat goes over.
We’re skeptical we’ll enjoy this movie as much as the original, but we have no doubt it will be “better,” if nothing else. Still, will there be any scenes we can recreate at 3 AM while having a few drinks?
How about we take this to the next level?
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