Mar 5, 2010

80s and 90s shows adapted into movies should we? Part I

We've seen the Live Action Adaptation fever strike Hollywood for a while. Everything seems to be fair game, cartoons like The Flintstones, or Josie and the Pussycats to Sitcoms like Bewitched or The Brady Bunch. Action shows had their adaptations too like Charlie's Angels and Dukes of Hazzard.
Some have been good, others well... they've stunk. There are more Adaptations coming like: The A-Team, The Smurfs, etc. Now I'll give you a couple of lists: Shows from the 80s and 90s that should be adapted into movies and shows that Hollywood should avoid like the plague.

Now for the ones that should be made:
MacGyver:
This show begs to be made into an action/thriller. You've got MacGyver, the special operative who can get in and out of situations using a roll of duct tape, his multi tool and his wits. Explosions, chases, fights, Mac's got them and he can make them happen with things found in his surroundings. A nerdier action hero is always welcome... The ultra macho hero is overused.
Whoever gets the role of MacGyver needs to sport a mullet, cause that and the tape/Swiss Army knife combo make the 3 things that identify MacGyver.
-There must be plenty of MacGyverisms in the movie. (Solving "puzzles" using the crap on his surroundings.)

Magnum P.I.:
This is another show that begs to be made into a movie. Action/Comedy (leaning more towards action because wouldn't want to turn this into a Ben Stiller Meet the ____ movie.) Behind the "beach bum" appearance there is a former Navy Lieutenant Commander. So a balance between the "irresponsible and aloof" beach bum and the "Navy killing machine" sides of Thomas Magnum is what makes him likable.
Whoever plays Magnum needs the Moustache (It's like MacGyver's Mullet, or BA Baracus' Mowhawk) and must wear short Khaki pants an old battered baseball cap (USC or Detroit Tigers) an aloha shirt and puma sneakers (without socks)

Diff'rent Strokes:
Aah! Diff'rent Strokes, the first sitcom in my list. I remember very little from the show besides the famous catchphrase: "Whatchoo talking bout Willis?", That Ms. Garret (the housekeeper) left the Drummond home (spin-off: The Facts of Life), The "Very Special Episode" in which the bicycle shop owner attempted to molest Arnold and his best friend. I do remember something with Arnold and KITT or was it Mr. T? Then again I could've imagined that...
Nope, I did not imagine The Hoff and KITT and I pity the foo' who does not believe in Mr. T!
The movie adaptation would be a reimagining of the earliest episodes mixed in with some Hollywood clichés. They'll probably pick the kid from Role Models as Arnold. I do not know what to expect from the movie, but chances are that I'm gonna see it... (I hope that Wyclef Jean does not sing the theme song...)

Saved by the Bell:
One show that I've seen ALL the episodes various times in various languages... (I want to see an episode in Japanese... If it exsists.) This show is based around the life of a group of High School students and how they survive High School... (or a surreal version of it.) The show tends to break the fourth wall a lot. (Zack Morris is an expert at that.) A horrible continuity, totally unrealistic characters. I can even picture a pseudo-cast right now...
Lucas Till as Zack Morris
Taylor Lautner as AC Slater
Tyler Steelman as Samuel "Screech" Powers
Keke Palmer as Lisa Turtle
Taylor Swift as Jessie Spano
Selena Gomez as Kelly Kapowski
Steve Carell as Mr. Belding
Heck I can even picure some sort of story for this movie...
Probably based on the time when Slater arrives to Bayside... (Freshmen Year)Zack and Slater fight for Kelly's affection. Some silly plot of a douchebag developer wanting to buy Bayside's favorite Student hangout/diner, The MAX and adjacent areas to build an Office Complex or something... (It would be amazing if Dustin Diamond played this role.) So Zack and Slater put their differences aside and help Max gather enough cash to save his diner from the "villain".

Now for the ones that Hollywood must not touch. EVER!!! Got it? Ok:
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air:
Knowing Hollywood they'd make this a more fish out of water for Will (Probably played by Jaden Smith) and a bit more raunchier than the TV show. (Wouldn't be surprised if they make Carlton gay.)

ALF:
I love ALF, seriously I really do. I still have my ALF plushie. What? I like having ALF around, but I don't want to see him in theatres. Mostly because Hollywood will try to make him edgier, wilder, raunchier just to match today's audiences. Also I'm pretty sure that they'll abuse the CG for ALF and somehow he will look fake... (mostly because he's furry. CGI still have some trouble with furry creatures.)

Small Wonder:
Here's the premise of the show: Robotics engineer Ted Lawson creates an android based on a human girl in an effort to assist handicapped children. He takes her home so it can adapt to a family enviroment. The Lawsons try to keep V.I.C.I's Robotic nature a secret and they pass it as their adopted daughter. The Robot lives inside a cabinet in Jamie's room (The Lawson's only child.) In this modern ultra PC world a "slave child" (even if it's an android)is frowned upon.

Punky Brewster:
I can see this one getting made, but I hope not. Unless Soleil Moon Frye plays Punky's mother. and if they include the plot to the episode where Cherie hides inside the Refrigerator. (since that's the episode that most people remember.) I fear for the changes that they would do to the characters (visually and adapting them to the 21st Century, especially on Punky.)

Now the final contender for Part I (That has been mostly 80s... except Fresh Prince)

Who's The Boss?
Who is the Boss? I don't know. All I know is that Angela hired Tony to be her housekeeper (Role Reversal!!) and it should stay in the 80s since the big role reversal thing was already played back then and it is not as shocking now. (They could go the changing race issue... Tony the Italian-American working for an African American or a Latina Angela). But I'm not too fond of race changes in Remakes/Adaptations.

That's it for Part I. Hopefully you'll stick around for Part II and I promise that Sophia Coppola and Andy Garcia will not appear on Part III...

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