  Chris Rock (left) and Martin Lawrence in Death at a Funeral, opening Friday. |
LOS ANGELES — Old movies are forever being reincarnated. But new ones too?
Apparently so, as evidenced by Death at a Funeral. A mere three years after the original British farce played to apathetic audiences in North America, its Hollywood-ized remake opens Friday, starring Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence and a crazily-talented cast that includes Tracy Morgan, James Marsden, Zoe Saldana, Danny Glover and Luke Wilson.
Another example of the demise of original filmmaking? One more nail in the industry’s proverbial creative coffin?
Not so, says Rock, who produced and spearheaded the project. Rather, he considers it a chance to grant the story, barely seen on this side of the pond, a new lease on life.
“I saw it in an art-house, a little theatre with 10 people. And I said to myself, ‘This is a pop movie — why is this playing at an arthouse?’ Me and the other 10 people were laughing our asses off.”
In the redo, Rock and Lawrence are estranged siblings whose father’s funeral is disrupted by, among other unforeseen complications, hallucinogenic drugs, fecal matter, family feuding and a pint-sized stranger (Peter Dinklage) who reveals he was the deceased’s long-time lover.
Rock, who’s been headlining and making his own films in recent years, embraced the story’s ensemble framework.
“You watch a lot of the movies out right now, they’re not doing a lot of one-guy comedy right now. A lot of things are collaborations right now — Date Night or The Hangover. It’s a bunch of people. The fact (Death) had a lot of funny parts was perfect for me not wanting to have to carry a whole movie and it seemed like something the studio would be into.”
So once Screen Gems, the division of Sony Pictures that specializes in genre fare, agreed to finance the production, Rock began assembling the cast and seeking a director to replace Frank Oz, who helmed the 2007 version.
Interestingly, he recruited Neil LaBute, a filmmaker identified with such caustic outings as In the Company of Men. The two had worked together a decade earlier on the violent satire Nurse Betty.
LaBute, it turned out, always wanted to helm a “flat-out comedy” and signed on. The cast similarly fell into place, beginning with Lawrence.
“Once we got Martin it was another movie,” Rock says.
Recalls Lawrence, “Chris Rock gave me a call personally. When he first called, I was like, ‘Sorry Chris, I can’t do that.’ (Then) he sent me the British version and I thought it was very funny and then when he told me I’d be playing his brother, I said I got to be on board.”
Not that he came inexpensively, Rock notes. “Martin was like, ‘It’d be a lot funnier….’ I got to respect it. He taught me how to negotiate: ‘If you had a few million dollars, this script would be amazing.’ ”
As for the suggestion that because the cast is largely African-American, this Death at a Funeral will appeal predominantly to black audiences, Rock is dismissive. He believes the movie — and comedy in general — transcends race.
“To me it’s all just comedy ... When I was a kid we didn’t think Rodney Dangerfield was a funny white guy, we just thought he was a funny guy ... I just consider myself comedic. Martin’s a black guy in Big Momma’s House, but would you call that a black movie?”
Rock’s own father died two decades ago. Did the role resonate with him emotionally? He isn’t so sure — for obvious reasons. “I guess I went there a little bit, but to the best of my knowledge, my father never f---ed a midget.”
Marsden finds humour in nudity
Nobody wants to be laughed at when they’re naked. Except possibly James Marsden, who prefers it.
“Nudity’s not a problem for me, but it must be in a comedy,” he says, discussing his role as an accidentally-on-acid funeral guest who spends much of Death at a Funeral sans a black suit (or anything else). “There’s something uncomfortable about having to take it seriously. If it’s for a joke, I’ll do it, I guess ... I just kept reminding myself of what this guy has to endure, involuntarily and unbeknownst to him. It was always funny to me, so I didn’t think twice about taking it off.”
The role marks the latest twist in Marsden’s unlikely career. Once consigned to playing pretty boys and superheroes, the 36-year-old has been making a memorable mark in comedies the past few years — from Sex Drive to Disney’s Enchanted.
Still, though he didn’t have any issues with his nakedness, the same couldn’t be said for his co-star Zoe Saldana — who wasn’t warned in advance Marsden would be disrobed.
“I could’ve been prepared to know he was going to be naked. It’s awkward. I’m embarrassed, he’s embarrassed and then they yell ‘Cut!’ and I’m yelling at him, ‘If you don’t tell me the next time, I’m going to punch you.’ ”
So how did she get through the scene? “I just kept looking at his face.”
kevin.williamson@sunmedia.ca
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