I loved the original 1983 version of The Star Chamber. In my opinion, it’s one of Michael Douglas’s best films, and yet many people haven’t even heard of it. In the film, Douglas (a judge) is recruited into a secret organization of Judges who are sick and tired of having to let murderers and rapists go free on technicalities.
If I remember this film correctly (its been a LONG time since I’ve seen it), if one of the Judges feels they had to let someone go free on a technicality, but they thought the guy was clearly guilty, then he/she bring the details of the case to the Star Chamber for all the other Judges in the group to hear. If they decide the perp is indeed guilty…. then the guy is mysteriously eliminated. COOL!
The Star Chamber is one of those films that is PERFECT for a remake for several reasons:
1) It’s a great story
2) It is currently fairly unknown to the general public
3) It will adapt well to modern times (23+ years since the original)
4) The topic is still a hotly contested one
The good folks over at IGN have an interview up with Frank Spotnitz (former X-Files producer) about the Star Chamber remake:
I’m working on that actively, yeah. That’s one of the things I spend every day doing. I’m producing that. And that to me is one of the great ideas never fully realized, which is a perfect candidate for a remake,” Spotnitz said. “If you look at the original movie now, it’s really sort of a Reagan-era diatribe against the rights afforded to criminals, and it seems pretty dated. But now, the movie that we’re talking about making is much more about the lengths you’ll go to get justice,” he explained. “I look at the news everyday and I see The Star Chamber.”
I totally agree. I’m not usually up for remakes… but this one is an exception. Bring it on!
