Filmstalker: Peter Jackson helms The Dam Busters

When David Frost obtained the rights to the classic film The Dam Busters I was pretty concerned, I really thought that a classic and powerful movie was going to be destroyed in a remake of special effects and hidden modern day issue subtext. However looks like I could be wrong with the amazing news that Peter Jackson is to helm the project.

According to Digital Spy:

According to The Mail on Sunday, Jackson recently filmed one of the last surviving Lancaster bombers. A source told the paper "It was clear just how much he knew about warplanes. We believe the footage is to help his special effects team.
"Peter has been in contact with the old crewmen, who are well into their 80s. I believe he is helping to create a memorial to the New Zealand airmen who flew bombers, including those who died in the Dam Busters mission."

Apparently we're looking at a $100million budget remake, and with Jackson at the helm I have to say I'm looking way more positive than I was before. This could turn out to be an amazing remake, and something I would love, a look back to the older war movies.

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Better go and rent the original film first!

Posted by: Simone | May 8, 2006 9:39 PM

I have nothing MUCH against Mr. Jackson, but why would he rather do remakes? To prove he can do it better? What for?

Wouldnt he want to be credited like he was for the LotR films for original creativity?

Posted by: Simone | May 8, 2006 9:42 PM

suppose this will be another great british film ruined and altered. He will probably hire andy circus(gollum) to do the animation rig for the lancaster bombers lol

Posted by: Dave | August 5, 2006 6:36 PM

I am 60 years old. I remember seeing the 1954 version of “The Dam Busters” and enjoying the movie as a small boy. However, it was some time later, 1965, when I was visiting my uncle in Belfast Northern Ireland that the event itself came up in a conversation. My uncle, Charlie Hall, my mother’s brother, had served in the Royal Air Force most of his life. During World War II he had been an aircraft fitter (mechanic), and indeed had served as a member of the “Dam Busters” mission. He was very proud of this. During our discussion he humorously was critical of one aspect of the 1954 movie. He said they did not name the commanding officer’s dog correctly. When I read about Peter Jackson remaking this movie I called my aunt Bette Hall in Belfast and told her about it. She had served as an RAF nurse during the war and in fact that was where she met my uncle. He passed away several years ago. I reminded her about the conversation I had had with Charlie, and she reminded me that she and he had been married at the time and lived on the base where the event occurred.

Posted by: David J. Edwards | September 6, 2006 9:33 PM