Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Tuesday Talkback: Brand names and franchises

Two weeks ago, Scott at Go Into The Story tipped his readers off to this LA Times article about how studio films are increasingly brand-driven, to the point that filmmakers are not only looking to adapt more TV shows ala Transformers and G.I. Joe, but also Battleship. As I think I've ranted about before, Viewmaster, Candyland, and Monopoly are also among the board games being readied for the big screen, with big names like Ridley Scott at the helm.

So today's Tuesday Talkback topic is: what existing property would you like to revive, re-adapt, or re-invent for the big or small screen?

For me, I'd love to revive ALF. His furry little face has been absent from the small screen for too long. I'd put him in a single-camera sitcom like Scrubs or Arrested Development and surround him with a new cast of characters. Put Bill Lawrence or Chuck Lorre at the helm and it can't miss.

HA! I kill me!

12 comments:

  1. The Dark Tower, Godzilla, Eddie from Iron Maiden, God of War (starring The Rock as Kratos), Spy vs. Spy, the song "Kashmir", and Lobo.

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  2. Dungeons and Dragons (the cartoon version). I loved that show.

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  3. Mork and Mindy. It could potentially save several films from destruction by keeping Robin Williams busy.

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  4. Johnny Sokko and the Giant Robot, and Ultraman, after school staples as a kid. Speed Racer was too, but IMO they alienated the original fan base in the film.

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  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  6. "Bright Light": It is a stand-up board where players insert mutli-colored pegs to create artistic renderings that lite-up! Hence the name, "Bright Light."

    Ideas for "Bright Light" movie translation:

    1. Man buys this for his kid, then as lark one night puts the pegs in himself -- only the find his artistic creation is an otherworld inspiration for him to do dastardly deeds.

    2. The game "Bright Light" is a competion between two 5 year-olds. This competion sparks the two friends creativity and they become rivals for life. Each grows in career and life, spured on by their initial rivalry of "Bright Light."

    3. A slow witted youth is teased mercilessly for his failure to make meaningful art out of the "Bright Light" pegs. In his fustration he stares TOO LONG at the "Bright Light" pegs and goes complete insane. Thus becoming thte next Jason Vehorees. Later in life this monster terrorizes a group of unsuspecting teenagers at a rural, lakeshore resort. YET this psycopath has a soft spot for those with artist talent, and the game of "Bright Light" maybe these teenagers only hope of surviving the night!!

    4. An outcast in the science community, who is constantly berrated by his piers, makes a fanstic asto physics discovery inspired by his own playing with the game "Bright Light."

    5. 60s style hippies hoping to contiue their drug high devour a bunch of stange illuminous pills. Later one of the hippie's children inform them that those were pills they were "Light Bright" pegs. Then sudeenly the 60s hippies find themselves with strange, supernatural abilities -- yet their abilty to use them is hampered by their drug addictions and they find themselves being maniputlated by an evil circus currator for his own means.

    6. "Bright Light: the Little Childrens Tale" An enchanted game of "Bright Light" between two 5 year-olds results in song-and-dance numbers from Elmo, Big Bird, Barney, and Kermit the frog (basically any puppet character with a high pitched voice which annoys adults -- but thrills little children). During these song-and-dance numbers subtly values that little kids can pick-up on are re-inforced: how to play nice, NOT to hide finger picked buggars under the table, exc...

    And that's just RIGHT off the top of my head!!

    - E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

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  7. A couple months ago I was thinking about this. And an old TV movie came to mind "Cast a Deadly Spell" starring Fred Ward as "Det. Harry Philip Lovecraft".

    "In a fantastical 40's where magic is used by everyone, a hard-boiled detective investigates the theft of a mystical tome."

    The effects were pretty cheesy when it came out in 1991, but the premise is definitely interesting and full of possibilities. I've seen japanese animes with similar themes, but this could be geared to a much more adult audience than the current harry potter like movies.

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  8. As an English teacher, I would very much like to see new versions of The Good Earth and All Quiet on the Western Front. They may have been awesome in their day, but nobody should have to sit through those movies as many times as I have.

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  9. kgmadman and I must be brothers in another dimension. You just read my mind.
    I primarily want to save Star Wars from its juvenile detention though.
    Let's get a dark sci-fi, kung fu movie directed by Wilson Yip or Bong Joon-ho.
    Stickly R rated, aimed at adults who had the toys from the original triology.

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  10. BTW, would love to see robin williams play an older Mork. What would that movie be about? Bringing him here as an older guy or him just being an older Mork with all the past experience?

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  11. it was actually "Lite Brite" for the record

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  12. "Isis", that cheesy Sat morning live action show.

    I'd also like to see a remake of LADYHAWKE.

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