Set film adaptions in the period they were written!

[LizzieMaine]

As long as we're talking about comic book stuff, no characters have suffered more from attempts at "modernization" and "relevance" than the Marvel Family -- Capt. Marvel, Capt. Marvel Jr., and Mary Marvel. They were created as innocent fun for kids -- and at no time should any attempt have ever been made to turn them into something palatable to thirty-year-old fanboys. C. C. Beck is writhing in his grave.

 

[John in Covina]

Solid observations. Mitchum did much better in Farewell, My Lovely, which was set in its original period.

This deserves a re-release on DVD, it sells used for about $44 on DVD. I genuinely liked this film and have it only on VHS.

 

[John in Covina]

I would love to see a 1930s Doc Savage film (animated or live action).

There was movie made ages ago with Ron Ely as Doc Savage. It was made for TV possibly as a pilot and it is so long ago since I saw it. Here is a link to the IMDB file: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072886/

I don't recall what time period they had it set in, IMDB says the 1930's if i read it right..

Doc Savage the Man of Bronze

 

[Atomic Age]

Speaking of The Long Goodbye the Elliot Gould version is awful and now it is more dated than you can imagine. Can anyone name a film Gould's acting was stellar?

I quite liked Gould in Capricorn One. He is also very good in the Ocean's movies.

Doug

 

[Leesensei]

There was movie made ages ago with Ron Ely as Doc Savage. It was made for TV possibly as a pilot and it is so long ago since I saw it. Here is a link to the IMDB file: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072886/

I don't recall what time period they had it set in, IMDB says the 1930's if i read it right.





Doc Savage the Man of Bronze

No, the Doc Savage movie, starring Ron Ely was produced for theatrical release. I remember having such high hopes for this film. Back in that time, the Bantam reprints of the Doc Savage stories were very popular, and it was so thrilling to have a chance to see Doc on the big screen. And Ron Ely looked like he was going to be great for the part. Sadly, the producers decided to go with an extremely campy approach to the film and it consequently bombed. It is such a shame. I think that it could have been a great movie if they had taken character seriously and been more faithful to the source material. There has been talk for many years now of a new Doc Savage film being produced. I hope that if the project gets off the ground, that they learn the lessons of the past and do it right this time!

Lee

 

[Atomic Age]

There was movie made ages ago with Ron Ely as Doc Savage. It was made for TV possibly as a pilot and it is so long ago since I saw it. Here is a link to the IMDB file: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072886/

I don't recall what time period they had it set in, IMDB says the 1930's if i read it right..


Doc Savage the Man of Bronze

Doc Savage was a feature, not a tv movie. Its rumored that they shot a sequel to it at the same time the shot the first film, but it was never completed because of the pour box office of the first film.

Doug

 

[Leesensei]

As long as we're talking about comic book stuff, no characters have suffered more from attempts at "modernization" and "relevance" than the Marvel Family -- Capt. Marvel, Capt. Marvel Jr., and Mary Marvel. They were created as innocent fun for kids -- and at no time should any attempt have ever been made to turn them into something palatable to thirty-year-old fanboys. C. C. Beck is writhing in his grave.

Lizzie, have you seen the 1940's Captain Marvel serials? What did you think of that portrayal of Captain Marvel? That is one of my favorites of the serials. The special effects and flying scenes were superb! I think Tom Tyler was great in all of the roles he played back in those days.

Lee

 

[Kirk H.]

I'd like to see some new James Bond films set in the time of writing by Fleming.

That would be very cool. I have always enjoyed the Fleming stories and the early films. From Russia With Love is my favorite. Not a lot of gadgets, just mano a mano on the train.

Regards

Kirk H.

 

[Kirk H.]

Then there are the two terribly miscalculated cinematic adaptations of Raymond Chandler's work: The atrocious 1978 version of THE BIG SLEEP, which takes place in the '70s and is set in London, and Robert Altman's THE LONG GOODBYE (1973), which not only turns Philip Marlowe into a bumbling schlub in the swinging early '70s, but also is hampered by a drastically different ending that is entirely unfaithful to Chandler's novel.

I agree, there was another one of Mitchum's Marlowe from the 1970's that did take place in the 40's and was shot that way. Farewell My Lovely was preaty decent and Mitchum's Marlowe was an older wearier Marlowe. Also HBO produced a series in the early 80,s with Powers Booth as Marlowe that were preaty decent.

Regards

Kirk H.

 

[Kirk H.]

In speaking of stories written in the golden era but being made into films today. One of my favorite series is Hercule Poirot. David Suchet has nailed the character and the series is very faithful to the period in which Christie wrote them. I just got through watching that series version of Murder on the Orient Express and was very impressed with it.

Regards

Kirk H.

 

[Mr Vim]

Spot on Kirk! That's another great adaption set in the appropriate period.

Okay so I will bring it up as I was thinking of it today, The Indiana Jones trilogy, while not adapted from anything in particular, were faithful recreations of the 1930s serials. With an emphasis on The Temple of Doom, because the pulps were violent and dark, I don't need to go into the congressional hearings and all but I still love Temple of Doom as a great pulp masterpiece!

 

[John in Covina]

No, the Doc Savage movie, starring Ron Ely was produced for theatrical release. I remember having such high hopes for this film. Back in that time, the Bantam reprints of the Doc Savage stories were very popular, and it was so thrilling to have a chance to see Doc on the big screen. And Ron Ely looked like he was going to be great for the part. Sadly, the producers decided to go with an extremely campy approach to the film and it consequently bombed. It is such a shame. I think that it could have been a great movie if they had taken character seriously and been more faithful to the source material. There has been talk for many years now of a new Doc Savage film being produced. I hope that if the project gets off the ground, that they learn the lessons of the past and do it right this time! Lee

I guess it was bad enough to be remembered as a campy made for TV movie.

 

[John in Covina]

Okay so I will bring it up as I was thinking of it today, The Indiana Jones trilogy, while not adapted from anything in particular, were faithful recreations of the 1930s serials. With an emphasis on The Temple of Doom, because the pulps were violent and dark, I don't need to go into the congressional hearings and all but I still love Temple of Doom as a great pulp masterpiece!

I still think it's a fine film too. From what i recall the response by parents the problem was the first film was not as dark as TOD as such had people thinking that the series would be OK for kids. TOD must have fueled a number of nightmares.

 

[Atomic Age]

Lizzie, have you seen the 1940's Captain Marvel serials? What did you think of that portrayal of Captain Marvel? That is one of my favorites of the serials. The special effects and flying scenes were superb! I think Tom Tyler was great in all of the roles he played back in those days.

Lee

I agree. The Captain Marvel serial was one of the best produced by Republic Pictures.

Doug

 

[Atomic Age]

I still think it's a fine film too. From what i recall the response by parents the problem was the first film was not as dark as TOD as such had people thinking that the series would be OK for kids. TOD must have fueled a number of nightmares.

There was quite an uproar in 1984 about Temple of Doom and Gremlins, being inappropriate for younger kids. These two films directly lead to the creation of the PG-13 rating. In fact it was Steven Spielberg himself who went to Jack Valenti and asked them to add the PG-13 rating.

Doug

 

[LizzieMaine]

Lizzie, have you seen the 1940's Captain Marvel serials? What did you think of that portrayal of Captain Marvel? That is one of my favorites of the serials. The special effects and flying scenes were superb! I think Tom Tyler was great in all of the roles he played back in those days.

I thought that was an excellent adaptation of the character himself, but I would have preferred to see him in his regular setting -- with Billy Batson working at Station WHIZ for Mr. Morris, fighting Dr. Sivana, etc. If they'd made the serial five years later, maybe they could have even found a way to fit Mary and Junior into the proceedings.

 

[Tiller]

In speaking of stories written in the golden era but being made into films today. One of my favorite series is Hercule Poirot. David Suchet has nailed the character and the series is very faithful to the period in which Christie wrote them. I just got through watching that series version of Murder on the Orient Express and was very impressed with it.

I love Suchet's Poirot. That episode in particular, I think it's the only time we will ever see Mr. Poirot lose his cool.

Hercule Poirot: [furious] You people, with your kangaroo jury, your kangaroo justice! You had no right to take the law into your own hands!
Hildegarde Schmidt: M-m-monsieur Poirot, she was *five years old*!
Caroline Hubbard: We were good civilized people, and then evil got over the wall and we looked to the law for justice and the law let us down.
Hercule Poirot: No! No! No, you behave like this and we become just... savages in the street! The juries and executioners, they elect themselves! No, it is medieval! The rule of law, it must be held high and if it falls you pick it up and hold it even higher! For all of society, all civilized people will have nothing to shelter them if it is destroyed!
Greta Ohlsson: There is a higher justice than the rule of law, monsieur!
Hercule Poirot: Then you let *God* administer it... not *you*!

One of the most powerful scenes I have ever witnessed for a murder series. You really begin to see into Suchet's Poirot's personality. And then when he told the police the lie, and he walks away praying on his rosary asking for forgiveness for what he did, was so moving. No words had to be spoken.

 

[ukali1066]

Speaking of Marvel/DC film adaptations...I just think it's impossible to capture a comic hero/heroes with real people.....it falls flat on so many levels

 

[Kirk H.]

I love Suchet's Poirot. That episode in particular, I think it's the only time we will ever see Mr. Poirot lose his cool.


One of the most powerful scenes I have ever witnessed for a murder series. You really begin to see into Suchet's Poirot's personality. And then when he told the police the lie, and he walks away praying on his rosary asking for forgiveness for what he did, was so moving. No words had to be spoken.

You are so right. You could see the agony that he went through in making that decision. Knowing that justice was served, but not in the way that he wanted or expected and that he was willing to live with that decision and asking for forgiveness in making it. Truly a very powerful moving scene.

Kirk H.

 

[Tuesday_Next]

I happened to work in a comic book store at the time that the Doc Savage film was being released in the US. It was a very limited release in theaters and when it did not perform well it was relegated to direct-to-video. It never received a wide release. (Just a little trivia for you!)