subject: Remake of Brighton Rock [print this page] Remake of Brighton Rock Remake of Brighton Rock
Most of the books and short stories written by early twentieth century British author Grahame Green focused on the exploration of the moral and political environments of his contemporary society. He had a distinguished literary career and many of his books and short stories were destined to become movies. Two movies "Brighton Rock" (1947) and "Brighton Rock" (2011) were adapted from his 1938 novel "Brighton Rock"
In the original book, as in so many of Greene's novels, people's lives are depicted with the backdrop of religion (Catholicism). The book seeks to expose the inner struggles his characters face in their daily lives, against the "back drop" of English society between the two world wars. In the earlier film, (released in the US under the name "Young Scarface"), the screenplay focused on
subculture gangland wars in the City of Brighton. Filmgoers are introduced to "Pinkie Brown" (referred to as "The Boy" in the novel), who in the first adaption of the book is depicted as a violent teenage figure, who is the leader of one of the gangs.
In the movie, Pinkie murders Jack a rival gang member and later marries Rose to prevent exposure of the murder. The situation results in a compromise of his leadership position and subsequent battle to survive challenges from within his own gangs, which turn him progressively more violent.
The movie, which starred Richard Attenborough as Pinkie and Carol Marsh as Rose, was rated as 15th in Britain's top 100 movies of the 20th Century.
Filming commenced in 2009 of a new adaptation of the book. Released in 2011, this adaptation of "Brighton Rock" stars Sam Riley as Pinkie and Andrea Riseborough as Rose. It follows a similar storyline to the original movie, but with some important differences in the setting. Directed by Rowan Joffe, who also wrote the screenplay for the film, the major variation on the original film is its setting.
Transposed from the 1930's to the 1960's the movie focuses attention on the infamous gang wars between rival gangs "The Mods" with their Lambretta & Vespa scooters and "The Rockers" with their motorbikes .
Pinkie is depicted not only as a vicious character, but also as a dark character, fixated on religion and with a profound fear of the death penalty, that drives him to cover up his crime by marrying Rose.
With the backdrop of the gang wars between the Mods and the Rockers that some suggest held Britain hostage during the 1960's , this movie explores among other things, the concept that we are not born evil, and that doing evil is a choice we make. The decision to create a 1960's version of the gangland cultures creates an interesting twist that some filmgoers love, and some find a little disconcerting, particularly those who loved reading the novel.
