from fmqb.com
Back in 2002, Howard Stern announced plans for his production company to remake the 1982 hit comedy Porky's, though the project has sat on the backburner. Now Variety reports that Stern's remake is back in business, with Canadian production company Cornweb Productions getting involved. The film will be titled Howard Stern's Porky's, and the script is currently being revised in its fifth or sixth draft.
When Stern announced his plans to remake Porky's, he also hoped to also remake 1979's Rock And Roll High School, best known for its Ramones theme song and appearance. However, that project's status is still unknown. Of course, Stern's autobiographical film Private Parts was a box office success in 1997.
from the Baron:
Howard told a caller that Howard Stern the high school years (Toon for Spike TV) Has 11 of the 13 scripts they need and have done a test animation.
He said the rock n roll high school project is "Going fine"........ Probably means he hasn't be given a script that's worth a shit yet.
It may take for ever for a Stern project to happen, If we ever see it at all. At least we know that a project with Stern's name on it WON'T BE CRAP!
from Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
April 20, 2004
"Porky's," released in 1982, starred Dan Monahan, Mark Herrier, Wyatt Knight, Roger Wilson and then-newcomer Kim Cattrall (news). The film, which followed a group of high school boys on their mostly sexual misadventures, was a risque release for its time and a big hit at the box office. "Porky's" cost $4 million to make but brought in more than $105 million and spawned two sequels, "Porky's II: The Next Day" and "Porky's Revenge."
Sources said the plan is to keep the redo true to the original while also contemporizing it to include more set pieces -- though not all of them will necessarily be in the gross-out mode.
Moss and Schoenburg have set up several projects, including "Night Girls" at Fox-based Regency, "Sissymarys" at Universal, "Short Hills" at Atmosphere and "Back to College" with National Lampoon.
from Reuters (Via Yahoo!)
November 1, 2002
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Radio humorist Howard Stern is developing modern-day remakes of the classic teen pictures "Porky's" and "Rock 'n' Roll High School."
The titles will be presented under the banner "Howard Stern Presents...," with the New York-based shock-jock serving as executive producer on both.
"I think I represent what National Lampoon once meant to the teen audience," Stern told Daily Variety. "I'm trying to present something different."
Released by 20th Century Fox in 1981, "Porky's" grossed more than $105 million on a $4 million budget, and the raunchy sex comedy paved the way for dozens of imitators.
"Rock 'n' Roll High School," a 1979 high school comedy produced by b-movie king Roger Corman (news), is best remembered for the musical appearance of the Ramones, a punk band beloved by Stern.
He said he'd love to use the updated "High School" as a launch pad for another up-and-coming band. The original film's soundtrack also featured music from Alice Cooper (news), Devo, Nick Lowe (news), Chuck Berry (news) and Todd Rundgren (news).
"That's the thing that attracts me to ('High School'), Stern said. "Finding a band, working with a record company -- that makes a lot of sense. I'd like to have a 'Singles' type of soundtrack to tap into whatever the next thing is."
Stern is partnered on both projects with Arclight Films, a new firm set up by former Dimension Films executive Dan Gross. They intend to produce more features under the "Howard Stern Presents..." banner.
Gross spent more than a year acquiring the rights to "Porky's" and "Rock 'n' Roll High School." The latter deal was relatively straightforward, as Gross is a longtime friend of producer Corman's wife, Julie.
The process for "Porky's" was more complex. The original was produced by Avco Embassy, which was sold to Norman Lear in 1982. The "Porky's" property changed hands several times thereafter and eventually was optioned by Paul Bronfman and Steve Levitan, who will serve as producers on the update.
Stern served as an executive producer of "Son of the Beach," which recently ended its three-year run on FX. He also starred in the 1997 feature "Private Parts," adapted from his bestselling autobiography.
Stern said he definitely has an interest in acting again (he played himself in the movie), but said he's not sure where he might fit into these productions. "I've been offered a lot of movies in the past, but I pictured my friends laughing at me, so I just couldn't do it."
Stern and Gross have begun to meet with writers for the projects and hope to begin production on the first by next summer.
from Hollywood Reporter (Via Yahoo!)
November 1, 2002
LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- Howard Stern, most recently seen onscreen as the star of "Private Parts," isn't ready to cede the big-screen low road to newcomers like the "Jackass" crew.
The shock jock of morning radio has partnered with former Dimension Films executive Dan Gross and his newly launched indie film production company Arclight Films to acquire remake rights to the classic comedies "Porky's" and "Rock 'n' Roll High School."
Both projects are on a fast track, according to Stern, and they hope to shortly attach writers to contemporize them. Both projects are being privately financed with the hope of securing a distribution deal via a major studio once the projects are fully packaged.
Under the deal, Stern will executive produce both projects as well as lend his name to the titles by rolling them out under "Howard Stern Presents."
"If I say to an audience, particularly my audience, this is 'Howard Stern Presents,' it means something to them," Stern said. "It means that it's going to be crazy. It means that it's going to be different, and they know I'm not going to be giving them any shlock."
"Porky's" debuted in theaters in March 1982 and stars Dan Monahan, Mark Herrier, Wyatt Knight, Roger Wilson and then-newcomer Kim Cattrall (news). The film, which followed a group of high school boys on their mostly sexual misadventures, was a risque release for its time and a big hit at the boxoffice. "Porky's" cost $4 million to make but wrangled in more than $105 million and spawned two sequels, "Porky's II: The Next Day" and "Porky's Revenge."
"Rock 'n' Roll" was released in August 1979 and went on to become a cult classic. The film stars P.J. Soles (news), Vincent Van Patten (news), Clint Howard, Dey Young and Mary Woronov (news) along with the Ramones, who are the lead characters in the movie, for which they also supplied the music.
Both Stern and Gross cited the films as two of their all-time favorites, adding that both are ripe for remakes. "These are two movies that I actually like, and I always thought to myself that they were the kind of movies that you think, 'Oh yeah, I would like to see an updated version of that,' " Stern said.
For the "Rock 'n' Roll" remake, Stern said he's unsure if they will choose an unknown band for the film or go with a more established rock group, but he's leaning toward the latter.
"The musical aspect of it turns me on," Stern said. "It would be really interesting to take an unknown band and put them in it and see where it goes. So it could go either way. But right now, I'm leaning toward an established band."
Stern is waiting to see the completed scripts before deciding whether he'll play any onscreen roles in the movies.
Rights for "Porky's" were acquired from Paul Bronfman, Steve Levitan and Enrique Cerezo, each of whom, along with Joel Roodman, will serve as producers on the updated comedy. Meanwhile, rights to "Rock 'n' Roll" were acquired from Roger Corman (news)'s Concorde Pictures, with Corman again serving as executive producer.
Gross, who co-executive produced "Halloween: Resurrection" and "Highlander: Endgame," will develop the projects at his company with the help of senior vp production and development Steven Squillante. Stern credited his agent Don Buchwald for being key in the development of the projects.
"There have been a lot of teen movies since these movies," said Gross, who brought the idea of remaking the films to Stern shortly after departing his Dimension post more than a year ago. "These are our gems, and we want to treat them that way. And we have the creative genius with Howard to do it right. We wanted Howard as our partner, not just to buy his name and put it on the movie but because he has a real track record of delivering what the public wants."
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