This week Filmspotting set the challenge of recasting Reservoir Dogs. Now, I've seen this movie before but it's been a while. I've kept meaning to pick it up on DVD but have never quite got around to it.
What I love about Reservoir Dogs is its simplicity. Pulp Fiction is certainly a great movie but Dogs wins out for me simply because it tells a simple story well and is packed with excellent moments.
With almost all of the movie shot around one location, an empty warehouse, it really is up to the actors to dictate the pace and style of the film. Tarantino's story flicks between the present, the set up before leading to the pay off - a great standoff.
I love the casting too. From Keitel to Madsen to Buscemi - they really stand out and quickly inhabit the characters. Give good actors material that they believe in and you'll get good performances - that certainly happens here.
This is what's making the recasting game so frustratingly difficult. In fact, I'm at the stage now where I suspect that I probably won't submit an entry to the competition. Still, at least it gave me an excuse to watch this excellent movie again.