TV adaptations

Coneheads

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Coneheads. Paramount Pictures 1993.
Coneheads. Paramount Pictures 1993.

Before watching the movie:

Have I seen this before?  There’s something special in my memory about Coneheads, but I can’t quite place it. I’m fairly sure that I had a friend in Kindergarten or first grade who talked about it fondly, but the only concrete recollection I have is that there were a few clips of it in a Paramount promotional montage on a couple of tapes I liked to watch a lot. And more recently, I’ve seen some of the original sketches. Since my memories are so hazy, and there are a few alternative options, I’m going to conclude for now that I haven’t seen it before, and if I did, it was so long ago that nothing really stuck and my view will still be fresh. However, in the interest of transparency, I’m making this decision public.

While not as widely talked about as other Saturday Night Live spinoffs, this seems to have a pretty positive reputation. The concept certainly offers room for a full-fledged plot and lends itself to a higher budget. In fact, it may be so much more of a movie concept than a sketch concept that it becomes hard to remember it got its start on SNL, like Blues Brothers.

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Wild Wild West

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Wild Wild West. Warner Bros. Et al. 1999.

Before watching the movie:

I promised a Leslie Nielsen film this week, but the library didn’t come through for me yet, so here’s this. I’ll see Spy Hard when I can get it.

I’ve been told this is not a good film. Moreover, that it only did as well as it did at the box office because of underage teens sneaking into the South Park movie. It has Will Smith, action, humor, and steam-powered mechs in the Old West, so it can’t be so very disappointing as all that.

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Mission: Impossible

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Mission Impossible. Paramount Pictures 1996.

Before watching the movie:

Add this to the list of “how did I let this wait 14 years?” This movie is action, suspense, and big-name stars. It draws upon a hit TV show with an iconic theme. It is the Hollywood spy movie.

I have to admit I’ve never seen an episode of the series, so I can’t appraise it on that level.

Also, back then, nobody ever thought Tom Cruise would go publicly insane.

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Popeye

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Popeye. Paramount/Disney 1980.

Before watching the movie:

Popeye, cartoon legend. Robin Williams, cartoonish legend. Still, while nobody does “animated” like Williams, he’d hardly be my first choice for the salty, mumbling strong man of the sea, especially at the peak of his cocaine-addled supersonic phase.

On the one hand, this was around the time he was doing Mork and Mindy, so arguably the funniest part of his career. On the other, Mork is very different from the Popeye I know. I don’t doubt he can do the character, I’m interested in seeing how he keeps it up in a film I think I’ve heard described as “surprisingly bleak.”

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The Fugitive

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The Fugitive. Warner Bros. 1993.

Before Watching the Movie:

A movie based on a television series based on a landmark murder trial. To add to the complexity, this film inspired a prequel, and probably had more to do with the remake series than the first tv show did.

In this movie, Harrison Ford runs. Also he proves his own innocence, because nobody else can, apparently. But anything can sound dull if condensed to its base points. I expect an enjoyable thriller.

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The Blues Brothers

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The Blues Brothers. Universal Pictures 1980.

Before watching the movie:

Somehow, this movie started as a Saturday Night Live routine. Now it’s a cult classic slightly more mainstream than Wayne’s World. Why? I haven’t a clue. That’s why I watch these movies.

It has Dan Akroyd and John Belushi (or as I know him, Jim Belushi’s father). Apparently they wear cool suits, and they play Blues, though their family name actually is Blues. This routine lasts two and a half hours (though apparently I have the extended version).

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Wayne’s World

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Wayne's World. Paramount Pictures 1992

Before watching the movie:

This movie could go either way. It’s a Saturday Night Live spinoff, but it’s from the “good” years of SNL. It’s about a couple of slackers, but they’re played by Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey. I’ve seen a few Wayne’s World segments, and it doesn’t seem like they could translate to long form, but hey, at least it’s not Coneheads.

I’ve been getting away from saying why I chose the movies, but I really have little to say this time. This movie has a strong following and it’s always been my intention to see it. Between opportunity and blogging, the time is now.

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Batman: The Movie!

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Batman: The Movie. 1966 20th Century Fox

Before watching the movie:

No matter how much some may try to forget, Batman lives in two worlds. We eat up the dark, gritty Christopher Nolan style of Batman, with flaws and angst and moral ambiguity now, but fully-invested camp can be just as captivating.

I’ve never seen the 60s Batman, but I hope to jump in with this movie. To be honest, I expected to see Batman and Robin first, but the opportunity for this came up and I took it. I invite you all to join me in this trip through absurdity.

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