More remake news today, and once again, all I can do is shake my head. I’ve never seen the original Straw Dogs (which, if I am a good representation of most moviegoers, may make a decent argument for remaking it) but I do know that it’s highly regarded as a classic despite its controversial nature. The 1971 film features a powerful performance from Dustin Hoffman as an American who moves with his family to the U.K., where they face increasing harassment from a group of locals, leading to the rape of his wife. Needless to say, he takes revenge in a violent and cathartic killing spree. Now director Rod Lurie (The Last Castle, The Contender) has signed on to direct a remake, which will be written by Reed Steiner (The Shield, Invasion).

As I ponder what a modern retelling of this story would be like, all I can think of is movies like Hostel, The Hills Have Eyes and Sin City, and how the violence would probably have to be kicked up a notch in order to register with audiences nowadays. Will they turn it into an action movie? Who will star? I’m trying to be less critical of all the damn remakes lately, but this is an important movie that seems rooted in its own era and I can’t see a new version being particularly useful. I don’t think it brings much name recognition with it either… why not just make a completely new movie?