Exemplary Undertones....

[Gregory Peck]

I'm talking about using old fashioned notions (like the heroic knight, damsel in distress or greek mythology, etc) in modern day settings... the new-school version of Romeo and Juliette with Leo is kind of what I'm looking for but I'm not talking about using a story that's already been written and just setting it to modern times, I'm trying to find movies that have these old-fashioned, even fairy-tale like undertones in a modern movie... Big Fish is the nearest example I can think of (what with the prophetic witch in modern times)... If anyone can decipher my crazy rant and give a great example or two, I would be happier than you'll ever know...

[Jedi]

well, there's O with Josh Hartnett but that's already a modern time adaptaion of Shakespeare's Othello.
I know this might sound crazy but if you want to watch a movie about a damsel in distress and the heroic knight rescuing her and standing for her, I think When a Man Loves a Woman with Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan should work. I mean she's alchoholic and all, but the story bears some of the "notions" you are talking about.

I'll keep thinking and I'll post if something comes up my mind.
Cool idea for a thread, though! :)

[Gregory Peck]

thanks, I hadn't thought of When A Man Loves A Woman... I'll also have to look into O.

[ilovemovies]

I haven't seen it but I've always been intrigued to see the Hamlet movie with Ethan Hawke and Bill Murray and Julia Stiles. It's a version of Hamlet that takes place in modern times.


That's all I can think of.

[Shockwave]

The original STAR WARS.

Its got the evil black knight, the good old wizard, the farm boy growing up to be a hero, The giant monster he has to face at the end, ect, ect.

[Jedi]

Originally posted by ilovemovies
I haven't seen it but I've always been intrigued to see the Hamlet movie with Ethan Hawke and Bill Murray and Julia Stiles. It's a version of Hamlet that takes place in modern times.

I saw it, and it doesn't make sense and it feels so overcooked. I'd rather stick with the Kenneth Branagh version. Of all the interpretations of this play, his Hamlet is the most interesting one.

[Gregory Peck]

Star Wars is a great example. It's loosely based on the king arthur legend

[Hannibal21]

This may or may not be what you're looking for, but I think 'Brick' fits the bill.

It uses elements from 40's Film Noir and updates them to a modern high school setting. You have your anti-hero/private eye, double dealing femme fatales, damsel in distress, violent criminal, the authority figure, etc. you know, the archetypes you would normally see in a Noir film, except here they are in the forms of high school students.

[Gregory Peck]

that's exactly the kind of thing I'm interested in. thanks much. I'll try to get my hands on that film. these replies are really being helpful, I appreciate it.

[deadguy76]

Hard Candy - a girl in a "red hood" enters the house of a "big bad wolf"

Running Scared - whole story from the children's perspective made it seem like Hansel and Gretel type children up against a wicked world. The homless man and and the child molesting adults who looked like trolls behind glass windows.

[RandalGraves]

Originally posted by deadguy76
Hard Candy - a girl in a "red hood" enters the house of a "big bad wolf"

Running Scared - whole story from the children's perspective made it seem like Hansel and Gretel type children up against a wicked world. The homless man and and the child molesting adults who looked like trolls behind glass windows.

Running Scared was great except for those scenes...freaked the hell out of me...

[powersauce]

I saw this on the IMDB boards and I agree that Wedding Crashers is not too different from Coming to America with Owen/Vince in the Eddie/Arsenio roles respecitvely.

[Lazy Boy]

The Fisher King - a modern version of the quest for the Holy Grail, set in New York City, with Jeff Bridges' radio DJ playing knight opposite Robin Williams' wise fool/homeless man.

[X-Nightcrawler]

Originally posted by deadguy76
Hard Candy - a girl in a "red hood" enters the house of a "big bad wolf" I really don't think that fits what he's looking for.
. . . plus, Hard Candy sucks.

"Brick" seems like a good go at what you're describing.