By Sarah Sluis
When I heard Warner Bros. was remaking The Bodyguard, the first thing I thought was "Noooo! They can't do that." The second thing I did was pull up a YouTube video of Whitney Houston singing "I Will Always Love You."
After listening to the song (as it appeared in the movie), I can concede that the movie is a bit dated. The camera circling 360 degrees around Houston and Kevin Costner as they kiss? The saxophone playing in the background of the song? The fact that Whitney Houston's latest claim of fame is admitting her crack addiction on "Oprah"? But never mind. The Bodyguard is a sentimental, feel-good movie, a modern-day take on the "love from different social classes" variety of romance. And can we talk about the fact that this movie earned over $120 million? In 1992?
But how does one remake such an iconic film and its unforgettable song? The one thing that would pique interest in a remake is star power. Warner Bros. will have to cast a charismatic songstress (perhaps with a forte in a different genre of music?) that can attract viewers interested in seeing a movie about her, not a remake of The Bodyguard. Another key draw to The Bodyguard was its "backstage" view of a celebrity. In the age of celebrity Twitter accounts, TMZ, and reality shows centered on stars, a lot has changed, and including these details would make the script stand out. Dan Lin (Sherlock Holmes) is producing, and two newbie scribes with an action comedy script under their belt are rewriting. It turns out the original Bodyguard was conceived for Diana Ross and Steve McQueen, so perhaps the Costner/Houston version isn't the only way to tell this story. Is it time for the original Bodyguard to step aside? Here's the lyrical answer: If I should stay/ I would only be in your way./ So I'll go, but I know /I'll think of you every step of the way....
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