Idea: A remake of “Fred Ott’s Sneeze”
It seems these days that Hollywood scrapes the bottom of the barrel for movie material. Of the movies opening this summer, 7 are sequels and 17 are remakes or adaptations.
Well I’ve decided to do Hollywood one better. I’ve gone back further than anybody ever has before to remake a movie. I’ve remade one of the earliest known movies, an 1894 film called Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze, also known as Fred Ott’s Sneeze, starring Thomas Edison’s assistant Fred Ott. You can view the original film here, courtesy of the Library of Congress.
My remake is more of a re-imagining, really, than a remake. I’ve decided not to make a period piece, but instead to modernize the story of one man’s struggle to remove an irritant from his nostril, setting it in the present day in a small apartment in New York City.
Here is my film, simply called Ott. Enjoy.
Bonus: Watch the extended Director’s Cut of Ott.
Comments
The remake is always worse, isn’t it? I think your lead really let you down.
Posted by: Jason Perdue | April 30, 2006 11:42 PM
I’ll wait for the DVD.
I hear the director’s working on a Gertie the Dinosaur remake now. In New Zealand somewhere.
Posted by: Adam | May 1, 2006 10:22 AM
such artistic freedom taken - you really made it your own - and your lead is hot
Posted by: dina kay | May 1, 2006 11:03 AM
Is it true that it will premiere at Sundance?
I haven’t seen such an emotive sneeze since my son blew snots all over me.
Posted by: uv | May 1, 2006 1:58 PM
I think it’s brilliant.
Posted by: Olga | May 1, 2006 6:06 PM
Moving, enlightening with very subtle overtones harkening back to a bygone era of great performances.
Posted by: Curt Smith | May 2, 2006 7:17 PM
As I recall, Edison also made a very cheeky film about a kiss. I think you need to brach out from your serious bodily expulsions work into the romantic genre.
I also have a vague recollection of a film involving a man watering a garden and getting kicked (or something like that). You do slapstick?
Posted by: dan | May 4, 2006 10:12 PM
I especially love the comments on YouTube. Ur awl moranz!
Hilarious idea, by the way.
Posted by: Jan! | July 17, 2007 5:06 AM