I never saw the TV versions of any of these. I'm not sure what that says about me...or this as a theme.
Anyway...it's gonna have to be short and sweet this Thursday as part of Wandering through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks. I'm busy af this week.
The theme: Movies Adapted from TV Series.
My criteria: The first ideas that popped in my head.
Here are my picks:
The Fugitive
dir. Andrew Davis, 1993
Miami Vice
dir. Michael Mann, 2006
Three SNL Adaptations
Coneheads
dir. Steve Barron, 1993
Wayne's World
dir. Penelope Spheeris, 1992
Wayne's World 2
dir. Stephen Surjik, 1993
"Sri Lanka. Formerly Ceylon. I had to find 1,000 brown M&Ms to fill a brandy glass or Ozzy wouldn't go on stage that night. So, Jeff Beck pops his head 'round the door and mentions there's a little sweets shop on the edge of town. So, we go....and...it's closed. So, here's me and Keith (pronounced in the Cockney "keef") Moon and David Crosby breakin' into this little sweet shop. Well. Instead of a guard dog, they have this great big bloody Bengal tiger. I managed to take the tiger out with a can of mace, but the shop owner and his son...that's a different story altogether. But sure enough, we got the M&Ms and Ozzy went on stage and did a great show."
I did not know the Fugitive was based on a TV Series. I learn something new every day lol. I've only seen your SNL picks, which aren't really my favorite from what SNL has had to offer, though Wayne's World is pretty good.
ReplyDeleteThe Fugitive TV show was the biggest series finale ever before MASH. Most shows just had 1 hr and never connected the parts together as they do now. this was the first to really do this. Everyone stayed home that evening to see David Janssen (The Fugitive) catch the one armed man and clear his name.
DeleteI never saw the series, but my dad used to talk about it all the time. Wayne's World is hilarious. I used to watch it on repeat.
DeleteThe TV show of Miami Vice was SO influential in its day, both fashion wise and in the way it was filmed, that now it is terribly dated. I actually ran across an episode late last night and could only hang with it for a few minutes...but it was authentic. The movie, which I thought was terrible tried to replicate the feeling of the show and failed miserably.
ReplyDeleteEvery SNL movie that I've seen, these three included, always seem like just what they are a funny skit idea stretched too thin.
We match!! I'm surprised you've never seen the David Janssen show of The Fugitive, it's very low-key but good stuff and has a cavalcade of familiar faces pass through almost every episode. The movie is a great thrill ride and does well by the original concept.
I didn't fret over my choices much this week either choosing the first three that I thought of that I liked both show & film. Though I did bypass The Man from U.N.C.L.E. even though I had really liked it because I expected it to be all over but so far nope. If you haven't seen it I'd recommend it.
Serenity (2005)-Continuing the story of Captain Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his crew who are roaming the galaxy in their beat up spaceship Serenity from the short lived show Firefly. With a brother and sister who are being pursued by a hired killer, the ruthless Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor) the group planet hop from place to place in their somewhat unreliable rust bucket. By turns light-hearted and tense.
The Fugitive (1993)-Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) is attacked in a home invasion and his wife murdered by a one armed man. Falsely accused of the crime he escapes after a spectacular train wreck and sets out to find the person responsible all the while pursued by the dogged efforts of Deputy Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones). Fasted paced and entertaining, TLJ won a best supporting Oscar for his work. Updated and slightly rethought version of the classic David Janssen series with some terrific action set pieces.
Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)-There’s a plot to turn innocent people into assassins and through them kill prominent people including Queen Elizabeth II but the police are on it. The problem however is that the case has been assigned to Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) an utterly clueless detective who specialty is bumbling. Silly comedy turned formerly stern leading man Nielsen into a comedy mainstay. Based on the comic TV series Police Squad.
Honestly, I was always under the impression that the disdain from so many on the film version of Miami Vice was that it didn't pay tribute enough to the show. I've never seen an episode though, so...
DeleteThe Fugitive is a classic. Such an entertaining flick! I've seen Naked Gun, but it's been years. I remember loving those movies as a kid.
Never seen an episode of Miami Vice either!!! Well in that instance you're really not missing a thing other than a real throwback that will trigger memories of bad clothes and haircuts.
DeleteBut the TV show of The Fugitive was a real magnet for the best talent working their way up at the time and often an episode would have at least one if not more of performers along the lines of Robert Duvall, Vera Miles, Sandy Dennis, Gloria Grahame, Ruby Dee, Suzanne Pleshette, Kurt Russell, Tuesday Weld, Melvyn Douglas, Jack Klugman or Charles Bronson and a host of other performers you'd instantly recognize. It was a very structurally sound show as well so while the surroundings may have dated (though less than the instantly time specific ones in Miami Vice) the show remains dramatically engaging.
Love Wayne's World! I re-watched it recently for the first time since the 90s...pure excellence.
ReplyDeleteYes!!!
DeleteI've seen a couple episodes of Miami Vice and I really want to watch the film, mostly because of Colin Farrell. Also I've heard Coneheads is fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteConeheads is a lot of fun. I loved it when I was growing up. Miami Vice, like I said, is terribly underrated. Give it a shot.
DeleteThe Fugitive is a good movie but the series was better. Miami Vice was such the In thing back in the 80's. I have only seen clips of the movie. Coneheads are so fun-love them!
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the Coneheads. How couldn't you, right?
DeleteI hang my head in shame that I STILL haven't seen The Fugitive.
ReplyDeleteGet on it, man! Such a fun 2 hours.
DeleteHaven't seen any of those films.
ReplyDeleteMy only pick for this week is the 1992 film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. It's a brilliant & criminally underrated film.
It definitely answered a lot of questions I had about Twin Peaks. Well, I can't wait until Twin Peaks comes back on next year!
DeleteI have yet to see Twin Peaks. It's on Netflix, so I know...no excuse now. I've been known to have trouble with David Lynch.
DeleteI'm with you on Miami Vice being underrated. I rewatched it again a few months ago, and it really pops. The tone is just so different from the show, people couldn't get with it. Also rewatched Wayne's World a week or two ago. Still made me laugh. Lots of dated references, though. I found myself explaining them to my teenage daughter, lol. Never watched the sequel, I don't think. Might have to check it out. The Fugitive is just great and Tommy Lee Jones was phenomenal in it.
ReplyDeleteSo glad we line up on these, man. I am quite sure I would laugh my ass off if I watched Wayne's World right now. It's part of me. The sequel is just as funny. I swear.
DeleteShort and sweet - love it! I haven't any of these apart from The Fugitive and Tommy Lee Jones has one of the best lines. Everyone gasps when I say I haven't seen Wayne's World, I know I know but I'm not a Mike Myers fan....
ReplyDeleteNice picks! That speech/monologue/story from Waynes World 2 is CLASSIC and cracks me up every time.
ReplyDelete