Revivals Galore
I'm sure I'm not the only one who noticed the recent wave — no, tsunami — of revivals recently. Be it in fashion, music, tv or movies, the oldies are back. Bangles, gypsy earrings and Chucks look cool again (but shoulder pads, big hair and silver gloves do not, thank God). Jazz is resurfacing in the airwaves, whether old school or in a new, poppish sound. Old comic books and TV series are getting reboots and do-overs... Batman, Spiderman, TMNT, Fantastic 4, and Transformers, just to name a few. It's already out in the news that Alvin and the Chipmunks is being made (if not finished yet), and The Smurfs and Voltron are rumored to have scripts completed.
Well, it seems like a couple more of those are going to jump in and join the party.
By the power of Grayskull!!!
It had been set aside to be a possible rumor, but in May 23, the news was finally confirmed: producer Joel Silver and the Warner Brothers studio are teaming up for a new big-screen version of He Man and the Masters of the Universe.
Originally a toy by Mattel, He-man became a minicomic in 1981, got DC Comics pages in 1982, and then an animated series that ran from 1983 - 1985 (though I think I got to watch it in the '90s). I distinctly remember my brothers and I playing pretend for it. Of course, being the only girl out of the four of us, I was either Teela or Adora, depending on who was in the scene.
The series has had several incarnations, actually, including The New Adventures of He-man in 1990, and the new He-man animated series in 2002, shown in Cartoon Network. There's also been a previous live action Masters of the Universe film in 1987. I didn't get to watch the movie, but when I saw a photo of a well-oiled He-man, I'm actually happy that I didn't. (What is it with the 80s and oiled bodies and hair?!)
Looking at the photos, I couldn't help think how cheesy they looked. (But in the 1980s, people might have thought that it was high tech.) Now, with all the awesome make-up artists, costume designers and the amazing powers of CGI, I'm kind of thinking that they just might be able to pull it off. (I'm excited to see how they'll do Skeletor. Heeheehee.) Still, I'm hearing loyalists saying that the the film probably won't do the original animated series justice. Ah, well, we'll have to see.
I'm just hoping they'd not oil the actors. I mean, Warner Brothers pulled it off in 300, right?
Read more in the Variety article: He-man Returns to the Big Screen.
Thun-der, Thun-der, THUNDERCATS!!!
Ah, yes. Yet another 80s animated series to be revived, according to Variety (and a couple more movie news sites) two days ago. The challenge here, now, is not how to present macho guys without looking narcissistic or — God forbid — gay. I think it's in selecting the perfect cast for Lion-O, Panthro, Cheetara and their mutant-feline clan, as well as Mumm-Ra.
With the magnificent recent film rendition of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by Disney and Walden Media, I wouldn't be surprised if the Thundercats would look so realistic, we'd all believe they actually existed in the real world. Ah, yes. Thank God for technology.
I also wouldn't be surprised if the action scenes are great. I just hope that it won't be an all-effects, all-action movie. I hope they come up with a good storyline for it.
Again, Warner Brothers takes care of this film. The screenplay will be by Paul Sopocy. Producers will be Paula Weinstein (Blood Diamond), along with Dick Robertson and Lew Korman.
Read more in the Variety article: Warner Purrs for Thundercats.
Well, it seems like a couple more of those are going to jump in and join the party.
By the power of Grayskull!!!
It had been set aside to be a possible rumor, but in May 23, the news was finally confirmed: producer Joel Silver and the Warner Brothers studio are teaming up for a new big-screen version of He Man and the Masters of the Universe.
Originally a toy by Mattel, He-man became a minicomic in 1981, got DC Comics pages in 1982, and then an animated series that ran from 1983 - 1985 (though I think I got to watch it in the '90s). I distinctly remember my brothers and I playing pretend for it. Of course, being the only girl out of the four of us, I was either Teela or Adora, depending on who was in the scene.
The series has had several incarnations, actually, including The New Adventures of He-man in 1990, and the new He-man animated series in 2002, shown in Cartoon Network. There's also been a previous live action Masters of the Universe film in 1987. I didn't get to watch the movie, but when I saw a photo of a well-oiled He-man, I'm actually happy that I didn't. (What is it with the 80s and oiled bodies and hair?!)
Looking at the photos, I couldn't help think how cheesy they looked. (But in the 1980s, people might have thought that it was high tech.) Now, with all the awesome make-up artists, costume designers and the amazing powers of CGI, I'm kind of thinking that they just might be able to pull it off. (I'm excited to see how they'll do Skeletor. Heeheehee.) Still, I'm hearing loyalists saying that the the film probably won't do the original animated series justice. Ah, well, we'll have to see.
I'm just hoping they'd not oil the actors. I mean, Warner Brothers pulled it off in 300, right?
Read more in the Variety article: He-man Returns to the Big Screen.
Thun-der, Thun-der, THUNDERCATS!!!
Ah, yes. Yet another 80s animated series to be revived, according to Variety (and a couple more movie news sites) two days ago. The challenge here, now, is not how to present macho guys without looking narcissistic or — God forbid — gay. I think it's in selecting the perfect cast for Lion-O, Panthro, Cheetara and their mutant-feline clan, as well as Mumm-Ra.
With the magnificent recent film rendition of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by Disney and Walden Media, I wouldn't be surprised if the Thundercats would look so realistic, we'd all believe they actually existed in the real world. Ah, yes. Thank God for technology.I also wouldn't be surprised if the action scenes are great. I just hope that it won't be an all-effects, all-action movie. I hope they come up with a good storyline for it.
Again, Warner Brothers takes care of this film. The screenplay will be by Paul Sopocy. Producers will be Paula Weinstein (Blood Diamond), along with Dick Robertson and Lew Korman.
Read more in the Variety article: Warner Purrs for Thundercats.
Labels: he-man, masters of the universe, movies, thundercats, tv
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It's a nice thought that people get to relive the memories of their childhood, but for me these remakes/revivals are--more often than not--disappointments. Sure, the latest in movie-making technology is used (which is cool) and it's presented in a "fresh" way, but for me it's simply using the old names to create hype. A person of my/our generation hears Transformers and it's reminiscence and excitement abound. And then you watch the movie and see how different it has become, it passes off as something with the same name but..well... DIFFERENT. Then you start comparing it with your memories, and eventually disappointment ensues. Sometimes different is good, but it hasn't worked very much with these. That's the risk revivals face: comparison.
I'm probably just ranting because there's so many of them. Why not make new stories and characters? What would the children of this generation say when they grow older? "Our time was the age of remakes and revivals." They don't have their Captain Planets, their Amazing Spidermans, or their Uncanny X-Men... they only have remakes.
wah it's so long...
Posted by
sara | 21:17
@sara: I know exactly what you mean. I originally began this post, actually, with the line, "What's up with all the remakes? Can they NOT think of new heroes who can leave a legacy?"
But then I thought that maybe it'd be too rant-ish and negative. Hehe. You have a perfectly good point, and you wrote it well, methinks. ^^
As for the heroes of this generation, though... There ARE the Powerpuff Girls, Kim Possible, Samurai Jack, the four monks of Xiaolin Showdown, and...um... Spongebob?! Harhar. Kidding.
But, yeah. Seems like the most-watched heroes today are redos of the oldies...
Posted by
sarah | 23:26
Ayus to! I can't wait...
halata tuloy na 80s kid ako. Waaaaa
Nice post!
Posted by
GM Tristan | 00:03