Dad's Army remake for film
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29536370 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29536370)
Hmm. :-\ I see what you mean. It's a stellar line-up, and they chose actors who look something like the original cast members. Not sure if it'll work or not, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
The cast list reads like a Who's Who of British male acting talent (of a certain age), and have obviously been chosen because they are quite close in looks to the first cast, (although it doesn't seem as if you can make a film nowadays without at the very least a cameo from Bill Nighy). I love the original and I would like to think the new people will play the characters -who are such a integral part of the British comedy psyche- as per the originals. I think they realise they have to get it spot on or it will be a complete disaster. I'll watch it.
Poggle had got in before me but I can't be ar*ed to change it.
The cast looks very good, but like you guys, I'm not sure whether it'll work or not. I hope it does though, as Dad's Army is one of the best comedy series ever made, and me and the kids always watch it when they come on.
Definitely a case of wait and see.
I always think it's a big mistake to try to replicate a classic. Yes, there have been some good remakes, but for every one that you can think of there are a dozen that flopped. But at least they haven't relocated it to the east coast of America....
Quote from: Hertsblue on 09 October 2014, 07:51:53 AM
I always think it's a big mistake to try to replicate a classic. Yes, there have been some good remakes, but for every one that you can think of there are a dozen that flopped. But at least they haven't relocated it to the east coast of America....
If it's a success, far from guaranteed despite the calibre of the cast and the chance to ogle the delicious Catherine Zeta Jones, I'm sure some enterprising American executive will come up with the idea of Walmington-on-the-Potomac!
That'll be east coast, Japanese submarine raiding party panic I'd guess!
Or maybe those Mexi-Canadians ;)
I was thinking German U-Boats. Now, who to cast for the Phillip Madoc, U-Boat commander, part?
"Don't tell him your name Polanski!" :)
Quote from: Ithoriel on 09 October 2014, 02:56:18 PM
I was thinking German U-Boats. Now, who to cast for the Phillip Madoc, U-Boat commander, part?
"Don't tell him your name Polanski!" :)
As he is supposed to be German, and a baddy, he would obviously have to be British - Alan Rickman? :-\
Mollinary
The cast is spot on- especially Nighy. but this is the second of 2 problems.
The first is the script - you have to write a 20-teens script for a 60s/70s show set in the 40s. Ben Elton managed it in "The Thin Blue Line", because while it is so obviously his tribute to DA, he could set it at the period, and not been constrained by the expectations of the original.
The problem with the cast is they could too easily drift into 'Tribute Band' area - Nighy would end up playing Le Messurier, rather than Wilson. They need to interpret the character, whilst not going to far from the original cast. Hamlet would be a easier part!
I Won't be rushing to see this, I've got all the originals available on TV & radio available online if needed; you can't replicate master pieces. The modern St Trinians films are an example of this, just not the same.
Watched 'Pacific Rim' last night.
Ohhh... Big things beating each other up. Really enjoyed it!
Quote from: Dave Fielder on 12 October 2014, 08:52:53 AM
I Won't be rushing to see this, I've got all the originals available on TV & radio available online if needed; you can't replicate master pieces. The modern St Trinians films are an example of this, just not the same.
I prefer the new ones to the originals to be honest. One man's meat and all that.
Hopeful about Dad's Army but time will tell.
Being discussed in the pub the other day - opinion was mixed. I have to say the two spin-off's are pretty dire - Parsley Sidings and It sticks out 1/2 a mile. (Both radio series).
IanS :)
If the performance is too like the original it becomes a pastiche. If it's too divergent it usually loses the charm of the original. Need I say more than quote the awful example of Steve Martin's Inspector Clouseau?
Was chatting to a work colleague over lunch some years ago and had a conversation that went something like this:
Colleague: I really like 'Allo! 'Allo!
Me: Me too
C: Wouldn't it be great if they did a remake!
M: Think it would work for a modern audience?
C: They'd have to update it a bit, naturally.
M: And remove the sexist bits ....
C: Well, I suppose ...
M: And the casual racism?
C: Err ....
M: Not much left then :)
Allo allo isn't that old, so it should still work. It's hardly "on the buses"- the isms aren't that sort of offensive.
Its been shown, dubbed, around the world. When they showed it to German TV execs in the 90s, they spent the entire time laughing. They said "Its very funny. We'd never be allowed to show it though"
How could they replace Officer Crabtree ?
Good moaning - Phil.
My mum thinks that how she must sound on holiday. She can speak a bit of French and gets understood, but they always give her a funny look.
Other countries just dub Allo Allo with their national stereotype of how someone talks. I wonder how other countries do accents of other countries.
Adam Hills does a routine about the Muppets Swedish Chef- apparently in Sweden they call him the Norwegian chef. He said "Imagine a couple of Swedes seeing some Norwegians and going "Hurdy Gurdy" at them, and the Norwegians thinking 'Oh My God. They really do speak like that!"
What a American rock song sounds like to Italians in the 70's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZXcRqFmFa8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZXcRqFmFa8)
You may recognise it from a Driving game advert on TV at the mo
What English sounds like to foriegners
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt4Dfa4fOEY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt4Dfa4fOEY)
The same is true in Fawlty Towers...I think Manuel becomes Italian when shown in Spain, and I think some other coutnries changed his nationality as well
My wife got most of the humour in 'Allo 'Allo.