Hollywood officially out of ideas

[whoman69]

Anyone who says this is not the case has officially been pimp slapped to the curb.

It came from the ’80s: ‘Manimal’ to get big screen treatment
By Mike Krumboltz

Who says a TV show has to be well received in order to get the big screen treatment? Certainly not the folks at Sony Animation, who, according to The Hollywood Reporter, recently secured the cinematic rights to the short-lived and critically mauled '80s relic "Manimal."

Mani-what? "Manimal" (which would make for an awesome Burt Reynolds-endorsed cologne) was an action-drama that revolved around a dashing doctor (sadly not Burt Reynolds) who transformed into different animals (but mostly a panther) to help the police fight crime. Proving that even the American public has its limits, the show was canceled after just eight episodes.

But it seems that the concept of a man turning into beasts and birds to chase crooks was just too good for Hollywood to ignore. And even though Sony Animation grabbed the rights, the film (if it does see the light of day) will be live action with a healthy dose of CGI. Maybe something like "The Smurfs" only not so highbrow.
Embracing the "so bad it's good" past of "Manimal" will go a long way with the show's fans. And yes, they do exist. The Web is full of folks who look back fondly (really!) on the shape-shifting adventures of Dr. Jonathan Chase (played by Simon MacCorkindale). One commenter from TV.com puts it this way, "As a show about a man plus animal = manimal, it succeeds brilliantly." Another writes on IMDb, "I remember when this show came on and I thought it was the greatest thing. Yes, some of it seemed very hokey, but it was a lot of fun."

Others are notably less kind. "I want those 60 minutes of my life back. What was I thinking? I was 12, so my only excuse was that I wasn't thinking when I decided to watch the pilot for this steaming pile of drek," is a typical user review. Ditto for: "Its (sp) an ugly trainwreck of a show."

While "Manimal" lasted just two months on the air, other TV shows have gotten the ax far quicker. The much-hyped "Playboy Club" was killed after just three episodes. "The Paul Reiser Show" made it on the air just twice. And "Emily's Reasons Why Not," starring Heather Graham, lasted just one episode. Seven more and Emily could have had her own movie — just ask Manimal.

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-...232725599.html

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Howard the Duck 2 starring Peyton Manning?

[Bump]

they aren't out of ideas. The corporate suit dumbasses control everything and they aren't willing to try anything that nobody has heard of. Immediate money over any sort of integrity. I bet that many potentially great films have been thrown in the garbage in favor of bullshit like this.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Bump

they aren't out of ideas. The corporate suit dumbasses control everything and they aren't willing to try anything that nobody has heard of. Immediate money over any sort of integrity. I bet that many potentially great films have been thrown in the garbage in favor of bullshit like this.

Its because on average, movies based on other source material with built in audience awareness make more money than original ideas.

[In58men]

You know how many ideas they can get from books still? Gazillion fahillion

[KC_Lee]

Originally Posted by whoman69

It came from the ’80s: ‘Manimal’ to get big screen treatment
By Mike Krumboltz

[Aries Walker]

Okay, here we go, then.

Manimal could have been good, but they didn't develop it well. The writing was derivative and it was hampered by a really stingy budget - they only had enough budget to make two animal-transformation scenes (hawk and panther) and so they reused them over and over. For any other animal (I remember a bull, once), they had it happen off-screen, which screamed "cheap". People got tired of that, fast.

It also had Melody Anderson, who was pretty, but couldn't act to save her life.

It also has a cult following - Jay Leno had (or maybe still has) a Manimal mug on his desk - and could be a decent movie with some budget and good writing behind it.

[whoman69]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

Okay, here we go, then.

Manimal could have been good, but they didn't develop it well. The writing was derivative and it was hampered by a really stingy budget - they only had enough budget to make two animal-transformation scenes (hawk and panther) and so they reused them over and over. For any other animal (I remember a bull, once), they had it happen off-screen, which screamed "cheap". People got tired of that, fast.

It also had Melody Anderson, who was pretty, but couldn't act to save her life.

It also has a cult following - Jay Leno had (or maybe still has) a Manimal mug on his desk - and could be a decent movie with some budget and good writing behind it.

Ok, so a doctor who has a hobby as a private detective that can transmute into different animals is actually a good idea?

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by whoman69

Ok, so a doctor who has a hobby as a private detective that can transmute into different animals is actually a good idea?

It's fun. A man that can turn into different animals as the situations warrants is a fun idea. The show was a steaming pile of shit, but the idea itself is entertaining.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

Okay, here we go, then.

Manimal could have been good, but they didn't develop it well. The writing was derivative and it was hampered by a really stingy budget - they only had enough budget to make two animal-transformation scenes (hawk and panther) and so they reused them over and over. For any other animal (I remember a bull, once), they had it happen off-screen, which screamed "cheap". People got tired of that, fast.

It also had Melody Anderson, who was pretty, but couldn't act to save her life.

It also has a cult following - Jay Leno had (or maybe still has) a Manimal mug on his desk - and could be a decent movie with some budget and good writing behind it.

[cookster50]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Oh. My. Goodness.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

Okay, here we go, then.

Manimal could have been good, but they didn't develop it well. The writing was derivative and it was hampered by a really stingy budget - they only had enough budget to make two animal-transformation scenes (hawk and panther) and so they reused them over and over. For any other animal (I remember a bull, once), they had it happen off-screen, which screamed "cheap". People got tired of that, fast.

It also had Melody Anderson, who was pretty, but couldn't act to save her life.

It also has a cult following - Jay Leno had (or maybe still has) a Manimal mug on his desk - and could be a decent movie with some budget and good writing behind it.

Anything can be good, with good writing and a budget.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Valiant

Anything can be good, with good writing and a budget.

Yeah, it's no guarantee, but I also think as more and more of these recycled ideas come around and get shat upon, that producers exert more pressure to make sure the recycled material actually improves upon the original, or takes it in an interesting new direction.

3 stooges and 21 jump street come to mind as awful sounding ideas that were surprisingly fresh in execution.

[whoman69]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Yeah, it's no guarantee, but I also think as more and more of these recycled ideas come around and get shat upon, that producers exert more pressure to make sure the recycled material actually improves upon the original, or takes it in an interesting new direction.

3 stooges and 21 jump street come to mind as awful sounding ideas that were surprisingly fresh in execution.

Wild Wild West was certainly a steaming pile of dung. That was my favorite show as a kid. Lost in Space was better than the original, but still a turd. General rule that if you have a crappy concept that was rejected the first time, it probably won't show up better. You can't polish a turd.

[pr_capone]

Originally Posted by whoman69

You can't polish a turd.