UNIQUELY FAMILIAR

Russell Brand, the very funny, crazy, and the second luckiest man on earth (see Katie Perry), is slated to do a remake of the classic Dudley Moore movie, ARTHUR. It's an update of the original. And as much as I revere Steve Gordon's original, I gottta say if you're going to update ARTHUR Russell Brand seems like a good way to go.

He's British, incredibly funny; a daring and honest comedian and performance artist.

But sometimes a remake isn't quite a direct remake. Russell Brand's newest movie is called GET HIM TO THE GREEK and it kinda reminds me of a classic movie that starred Peter O'Toole called MY FAVORITE YEAR. Here are the trailers for each movie:

If you haven't seen MY FAVORITE YEAR, you should. A classic. Very funny. Great one liners.

Let's take a look at GET HIM TO THE GREEK.

Hmmm, young impressionable assistant who hasn't learned to live is assigned to babysit an out of control legend. Hijinks ensue. There's hilarity and heart (the two essential ingredients to a great comedy).

It seems to be the same story. Now, MY FAVORITE YEAR was close to 30 years ago. I'm not sure how many people at the studio realized they were making something uniquely familiar.

What makes it different - Mexican Jonas Brothers anyone?

P Diddy?

Sex, drugs, rock and roll. yes, it's R-Rated.

But there's something else that's familiar.

The character Russell Brand is playing first appeared in one of the most original comedies of the last 20 years: Jason Segal's FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL. Remember this guy? The hysterical Aldous Snow.

So Russell Brand is reprising his role of Aldous Snow. But Jonah Hall is playing a character named Aaron Green. In FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, he played Matthew the Waiter.

So yes, in some ways GET HIM TO THE GREEK is an "homage" to MY FAVORITE YEAR but it's more a vehicle for Aldous Snow.

Let's see if you recognize this other plot of another Brand movie that seems uniquely familiar.

Deadline Hollywood recently reported that "Russell Brand has been cast to star in a film in which he will play a "David Beckham-like millionaire soccer star/playboy" who gets arrested and must service community service as the soccer coach for a local high school team."

Well, you can say IT'S THE BAD NEWS BEARS with soccer. Or MIGHTY DUCKS with soccer. or the BIG GREEN with soccer. Wait, didn't that have soccer?

Writers often go to the well, looking for that new idea.

And sometimes that new idea is found in old places.

Two of the top movies on the A.F.I. list of 100 Best Comedies involve men dressing as women. Same basic concept but updated. Writers need to know their genre - religiously. Study old comedies. Watch them in black and white. It will not hurt your eyes. There are more cutting edge techniques used in Woody Allen's ANNIE HALL, than most comedies combined today.

Watch comedies.

Be inspired them.

But bring your own unique comedic perspective to your script.

There is one thing that cannot be imitated, copied, or ever remade -- comic perspective. Russell Brand is unique. His original voice will come through in all loosely veiled, inspired remakes.

This whole Russell Brand character runaround started when Jason Segal sat down and wrote this character of Aldous Snow. Russell Brand got that part and was off and running...

For a special treat: here's the audition tape:

Russell Brand indeed was a scene stealer in FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL. Small moment of karmic irony here. Dudley Moore has a scene stealer role in a movie called FOUL PLAY, starring Kate Hudson's mother Goldie Hawn. From that part he got the role of ARTHUR.

If you haven't seen it, you should. It's ripe for a remake.