My Attempt at Fan Casting: Cape Fear

Cape Fear, originally a 1962 film based on the John D. MacDonald novel The Executioners, was directed by J. Lee Thompson, starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. The film, a Hitchcock styled classic was later remade by Martin Scorsese in 1991. The later film, starring Nick Nolte and Robert De Niro, is one of the few remakes that is better than it’s predecessor. While it is important to note both films come from John McDonald’s original novel, the 1991 film is more of a remake of the 1962 film and less an adaptation of the novel.

Both films follow similar stories, but story is where the 1991 film proves superior. Now in the novel the lead character Sam Bowden was a former Lieutenant in the Navy, where he caught and later testified against Cady. The Novel followed Bowden years later, now an attorney. The first film continued on the premise that Bowden was an attorney and had testified against Cady. In truth Sam being an attorney played nearly no genuine role in the story, being more of a minor character detail. It wasn’t very necessary and in reality Sam could have had any profession since Cady’s grudge against him was born out of testifying.

The remake actually does something very clever and has Bowden be the defense attorney assigned to Cady. He buried evidence that caused Cady to live the next 14 years of his life inside a prison cell. Sam’s profession is exactly why he is in Cady’s crosshairs, his betrayal of his own moral code is the entire stage in which the story is set, leading to Bowden (believed to be) having an affair and becoming less the honorable man played by Peck and a misguided human being by Nick Nolte. The Scorsese film is honestly the best version of the film and It’s one of my favorites, especially in the realm of Remakes.

So, why am I pitching another Remake? Honestly I’ve been in the mood to watch Cape Fear and it wouldn’t go away. So I began to think of a hypothetical modern remake of Cape Fear. It’s been as Long between the remake and now, as it has been between the original and the remake. I feel that there are the perfect actors around at this time to really carry such a film and the right talent to work behind the camera to bring the magic.

Personally there are some changes I’d pitch, the key being Max Cady being innocent of the crime he’s convicted. It’s popular to criticize the prison system and Cape Fear is a natural story to do so. There is also something that can be said with the story that hasn’t. Scorsese has talked about the remake being a modernization of the tale of Job, and it’s an interesting concept in which to view the remake. I think the concept still fits, but for modern audiences, it requires Bowden to be brought down a little to understand how misguided he is. His redemption really needs to be born out of his first mistake (screwing Cady over), which happens in the original and would happen in this version. But to sell Cady’s innocence I’d like a scene or even a couple of Cady before incarceration.

A subplot that would involve Cady being set up due to his past criminal history (mostly B&E and Burglary in this version). Cady would be in the midst of a personal change, having his first child, a daughter. Cady would explain this change to Sam, his desire to get out of trouble so he can be the father his daughter needs. Sam would end up screwing him over, earning the favor of the DA (who’s running for Mayor) and leads to Sam earning spot as a D.A. while the former D.A. becomes Mayor. Sam would have essentially sold his soul. This would fit in with Cady’s own dysfunctional relationship with God, finding the evidence that could have saved him 14 years and leads to his “God Fueled Vengeance” on the Bowden Family, for costing Cady his.

So without any further delay…

After spending the last 14 years incarcerated, Max Cady is released on appeal. Having lost everything Cady sets himself on a warpath against his former defense attorney Sam Bowden, now the District Attorney for New Essex, North Carolina. Cady’s war against Bowden aims to take the dignity of Bowden’s family, mistress, and career. As Sam tries to battle Cady within the bounds of the Law Cady is one step ahead, tearing down Bowden’s life one piece at a time.

Composer(s): A film score (also sometimes called film music, background music, or incidental music) is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score forms part of the film’s soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects, and comprises several orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film to enhance the dramatic narrative and the emotional impact of the scene in question.

          Atticus Ross & Trent Reznor [Notable Works: The Social Network, Gone Girl, Mank]: The Multi-Academy Award Duo are modern staples of David Fincher films, having worked with the director on his last few films as well as branching out and working with creative teams, the duo has shown to be powerhouses in the musical score. While no doubt they would be beholden to Bernard Herrmann’s eerie classic, their modern rendition of the Halloween theme gives me all the confidence they could bring just as much power and horror to the score as Herrmann and Elmer Bernstein did with their Cape Fear scores.

Screenplay: A screenplay or script is a written work by screenwriters for a film, video game or television program. These screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated. A play for television is also known as a teleplay.

          Andrew Kevin Walker [Notable Works: Se7en, Sleepy Hollow, The Killer]: Few writers have really brought such a sense of gritty realism as well as fantastic escapism in their work than Andrew Kevin Walker. Best known for the gritty crime thriller Se7en and the dark-but-whimsical adaptation of Sleepy Hollow. He’s fantastic at bringing an eerie cloud around his characters and environment as well as developing flawed-but-good characters into proper protagonists who require the audiences to question their own thoughts on the characters. Giving him something like Cape Fear would be a unique exercise in Walker’s talents as a writer and could lead to some of his best work.

Director: A film director is a person who directs the making of a film. Generally, a film director controls a film’s artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the script while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, production design, and the creative aspects of filmmaking.

          David Fincher [Notable Works: Se7en, Zodiac, Gone Girl]: Fincher is unmatched when it comes to thrillers. With an unmatched ability to bring heart and menace to the characters and the world they inhabit, Fincher is an ideal director to take a story as well told as Cape Fear and bring something new and exciting to the material. Finding a director was difficult but when all was said and done, no one felt as perfect a choice to redo Cape Fear as Fincher.

Max Cady [Height: 5’ 9”, Age: 40’s]: Convicted Rapist, released after spending 14 years behind bars, he spent his incarceration learning to read, pushing his body to the physical limit, and serving as his own lawyer fighting for appeal which brings to light evidence which questions whether Cady was guilty of the crime he served and how his attorney was responsible for helping him get put behind bars. Enraged by his discovery and the fall out of his conviction Cady begins his own plan to get revenge against Bowden and bring his family to ruins the way Cady’s conviction destroyed his family. Originated by Robert Mitchum who played the character as a straight sociopath for the 1962 film, Robert De Niro took the role and gave him a more classic southern draw, inhuman physicality, and religious fanaticism that made for a more sinister portrayal in the 1991 remake.

          Jon Bernthal [Height: 5’ 11”, Born: Sep. 20^th, 1976 – Notable Works: The Walking Dead, The Punisher, American Gigolo]: Bernthal is an amazing actor. He’s able to bring an unparalleled intensity to his characters as well as just come off as the most intimidating figure. He’s been able to play all range of characters from moral to immoral. With the various versions of Cape Fear focusing on the character Max Cady you require someone with an intensity and a charm, a character like Max Cady really requires an actor like Jon Bernthal. There’s no doubt if Cape Fear was done today, Jon Bernthal would be the only actor capable of playing Max Cady.

Samuel J. Bowden [Height: 6’ 1”, Age: 50’s]: District Attorney, former public defender who defended Cady, but falling under the impression Cady was guilty, he worked with the former D.A. to bury evidence and pleaded Cady down to aggravated battery. This gave Bowden the internal friends that saw him later elected to District Attorney. Bowden’s growing political influence has led him astray into taking bribes from other political friends as well as having an affair on his wife. Originally played by Gregory Peck in a much more morally sound take for the 1962 film, Nolte developed a more complex and realistic take for the 1991 remake.

          Jason Bateman [Height: 5’ 11”, Born: Jan. 14^th, 1969 – Notable Works: The Gift, The Outsider, Ozark]: Bateman is an underrated dramatic actor. Known for his comedic performances, he has been branching out into more serious performances. In this he’s created characters that balance drama, charisma, and a emotionally cold demeanor. He’s a strong actor and was really the only name that came to mind when exploring what Sam Bowden might be like in a modern version of Cape Fear.

Leigh Bowden [Height: 5’ 8”, Age: 40’s]: Sam Bowden’s wife and an President of a Women’s shelter. She is troubled by the ongoing rumors of her husband’s affair, leading to her hiring P.I. Paul Kersek who is later hired by Sam himself to investigate Cady. Leigh is fighting to keep her family together, but Cady’s influence causes her to question whether her marriage is worth saving. Originally known as “Peggy Bowden” in the 1962 film portrayed by Polly Bergen, while in the 1991 remake Jessica Lange brought a more modern and Human Leigh Bowden.

          Michelle Monaghan [Height: 5’ 7”, Born: Mar. 23^rd, 1976 – Notable Works: Mission: Impossible {Franchise}, Source Code, Black Site]: Michelle is an actress I’ve been a fan of for a while. She’s done some wonderful dramatic performances but also some strong comedic performances. She’s able to really tap into her characters and bring a realistic vulnerability to them. You can believe her when her characters are scared, determined, in love, or absolutely livid. She has all the dimensions needed to really portray a sympathetic but strong Leigh Bowden, very much in the fashion of Jessica Lange.

Danielle Bowden [Height: 5’ 6”, Age: 20’s]: The college aged Daughter of Sam and Leigh, a prominent political progressive who sees her father and the prison industrial complex as a greater evil and even sympathizes with Max, turning against her parents until Max’s own sociopathic nature causes her to ask questions she never thought of. The Role was originally played by Lori Martin as “Nancy Bowden” while Danielle was the character’s 1991 incarnation portrayed by Juliette Lewis.

          Sofia Hublitz [Height: 5’ 4”, Born: Jun. 1^st, 1999 – Notable Works: Horace and Pete, Ida Red, Ozark]: She’s wonderful actress, she’s brought a lot of humanity and complexity to the role of Charlotte Byrd in Ozark and really stood out in her performance. She’s brought a lot of maturity and immaturity that made her character feel like a believable teenager and seeing her take on a role like this would really show how talented an actress she is.

Lori Davis [Height: 5’ 9”, Age: 40’s]: An A.D.A who is having an affair with Sam. She unwittingly becomes the target of Cady’s revenge scheme and is severely beaten and dehumanized by Cady in his attempts to destroy Sam. The character, earlier played by Illeana Douglas was mostly a creation of the 1991 film.

          Katherine Waterston [Height: 5’ 11”, Born: Mar. 3^rd, 1980 – Notable Works: Fantastic Beasts {Trilogy}, Logan Lucky, Babylon]: She was fantastic and lovable in Logan Lucky. While the role is small, it would be a way for her to show more range and talent than the Fantastic Beasts films have allowed her to explore. It also opens her up to play off more vulnerable characters with a more suggestive wild side.

Paul Kersek [Height: 6’ 2”, Age: 50’s]: A former dirty cop who’s been working as a Private Investigator. He initially follows Sam on orders from Leigh, suspecting Sam of an affair. Kersek is later brought in to investigate Cady and later hire several goons to injure Cady and later attempt to Murder Cady in a home invasion trap. Originally played by Page Slattery as “Officer Kersek” while the P.I. Role was actually filled by Telly Savalas’ Charlie Sievers in the 1962 film, while actor Joe Don Baker played Claude Kersek in Scorsese’s 1991 Remake.

          David Harbour [Height: 6’ 3”, Born: Apr. 10^th, 1975 – Notable Works: Stranger Things, Extraction, Violent Night]: Harbour was really the only choice. For every reason Joe Don Baker fit as Claude Kersek, David Harbour fits as Paul Kersek. Harbour is an actor who can walk that fine line as a character actor playing honorable and despicable characters. Kersek is certainly the kind of role you’d remember seeing Harbour in before Stranger Things. This is certainly a character that fits Harbour’s wheelhouse and could lead to him being a little more recognized.