In a time where the appeal for a fresh reboot is continually on the rise, the perfect place to discover a unique, unexposed intellectual property could very well be a shop brimming with some of the most eclectic collection of VHS films. Austin Butler and Zoë Kravitz, both working on the movie Caught Stealing, weren’t precisely scouring for such a gem at Kim’s Video Underground located in Lower Manhattan’s Alamo Drafthouse, but their search through the plethora of tapes might result in a potential remake of the obscure film Gymkata, much to Butler’s interest.
For an effective context experience, Kim’s Video was a hotspot for a certain generation of New Yorkers eager to traverse the diverse and outlandish horizons of the cinema world. With its varying outlets becoming a familiar sight of Lower Manhattan during the 90s and early 2000s, it’s hardly shocking that this retailer was selected to recreate its historic Avenue A exterior as an element of the set design for the period crime thriller.
Kravitz, a born and bred New Yorker, was no stranger to Kim’s Video herself, often seen at the premises. She remembers living out a considerable portion of her time there and exploring the collection at Kim’s Video Underground.
With an initial foray into the selection, Butler and Kravitz start down their cinematic journey with one of the more relatively mainstream options: After Hours, crafted by film maven Martin Scorsese, featuring Griffin Dunne, who also stars in their current project Caught Stealing. Butler exclaims his admiration, ‘This movie is extraordinary,’ he highlights. ‘It’s the first film we discussed when we started on our project here. What an entertaining Scorsese film.’
Echoing his sentiments, Kravitz chimes in, ‘It’s an exceptional film. It’s a distinctive blend of comedy that’s entirely intriguing. Griffin delivers a highly entertaining performance.’
Digging further into the selection, the cinematic duo dive into discussing discovering Brian De Palma’s 1981 thriller Blow Out while in the midst of their own movie-making journey. In the mix, they also find themselves exploring films by Jackie Chan, Kevin Smith’s Tusk, and the inaugural directorial experiment of Aronofsky, the movie Pi.
Their adventure doesn’t stop there; they stumble upon a collection of rare low-budget movies like Gymkata, a 1985 martial arts drama starring Olympic athlete Kurt Thomas. Moreover, they happened across The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, a made-for-television film with a young John Travolta portraying a teen navigating a life within a restrictive bubble due to a delicate immunity condition.
Just then, Kravitz suggests a brilliant idea to Butler, handing him the physical copy of The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, ‘You should consider remaking this.’ It was part curiosity, part excitement that filled the store as their VHS journey continued.
As they continued, their exploration stirred up feelings of nostalgia, reminiscing about the age of video rental shops and VHS tape dominance. ‘Having a constraint to return the video within three to five days, I would end up watching them repeatedly,’ Kravitz shares from her personal experience. ‘One had to ensure they returned it on time, after all.’
Adding to the thought, Butler responds, ‘Not just that, it was about making a committed choice.’ He further elaborates, ‘During those video rental store visits, consensus was an important part of the experience. Unlike the present scenario where hours can be spent browsing through streaming platforms without even selecting a film to watch.’
The exploration of Kim’s Video Underground was not just an opportunity to dig into a treasure trove of films. It was a chance for Butler and Kravitz to not only find inspiration for their current project but also reflect upon the past, the era of physical media, and the experience of renting a VHS tape.
In the age of digital streaming and unlimited choices, the past with its tactile essence and decisive selection seems a far-removed time, yet a strangely comforting memory. As they returned to reality, outside of the reminiscing, they both acknowledged an indisputable fact: the joy of physically browsing through a collection, of touching and feeling a product, was an experience streaming platforms could never replace.
The lowered lights of Kim’s Video Underground, the cacophony of the city outside its door, created a perfect setting for the artistes to dive into the truly obscure and even absurd corners of the film world. Part of their work is understanding the medium’s breadth and width, which sets such brick-and-mortar establishments apart from digital platforms.
It is these establishments that once breathed life into the past era of cinema goers, curating unique experiences and memories. Recreating such an iconic location for their work on Caught Stealing provided Butler and Kravitz not only a glimpse into the rich and varied film history but also an adventure into their personal past.
The conclusion of their expedition could have potentially added more chapters to the history of cinema, specifically to the realm of reboots. Even if Austin Butler takes up the suggestion to remake ‘The Boy in the Plastic Bubble,’ or if they both find other classics to revive, this voyage into an iconic store like Kim’s Video Underground was nothing less than an ode to the formidable era of VHS tapes and the boundless landscape of cinema.
The post Austin Butler and Zoë Kravitz Spark Remake Ideas From VHS Treasures appeared first on Real News Now.
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