Dave's Fiction Warehouse

In which I bloviate about books, TV, movies, politics and other stuff -- all without the aid of ChatGPT!

  • Books
  • Movies
  • TV
  • politics
  • american life
  • Writing
  • Other Stuff

Connect

  • Email
  • Facebook

Powered by Genesis

‘Dallas’ redux, without the shoulder pads

August 24, 2007 by Dave Knadler

It’s good to see Hollywood finally talking about making good movies again. I’m referring, of course, to “Dallas,” which is technically the last American television series not to have been made into a feature film (except for “My Mother The Car,” a Viacom release scheduled for 2009).

Variety reports John Travolta has been signed to play J.R. Ewing. That’s some casting genius, since Travolta radiates just the sort of overfed smugness and limited range that Larry Hagman brought to the TV show. Not sure about Shirley MacLaine as Miss Ellie (what, Judy Dench was not available?) or Meg Ryan as Sue Ellen. Ah, Meg. It’s but a short step from here to the Home Shopping Network. How are those collagen lips holding up?

No word on who will play the randy Lucy, a role that earned Charlene Tilton the affectionate moniker “Stumpy.”

No matter. I’ve already reserved balcony tickets, even though I’m kind of worried that it’s now being cast as a comedy, instead of, say, a searing metaphor for corruption in the Bush White House. I’d much rather laugh at an unintentionally hilarious drama than an unintentionally sober comedy.

What does this have to do with fiction? I don’t know. I was just assuming the film would be based on the book.

More along these lines:

  • Floaters in the stream
  • Halloween movies: My four to fearHalloween movies: My four to fear
  • empty movie theaterWould you mind shutting the hell up?
  • a-team actorsAn industry plumb out of ideas
  • How to review a film without seeing it

Filed Under: Movies

Comments

  1. Peter says

    August 25, 2007 at 7:33 am

    It seems that just about every movie based on an earlier television show has taken a comic or ironic attitude. It might be interesting to discuss the reasons for this. My guess is the guilty-pleasure phenomenon: The filmmakers are slightly embarrassed to acknowledge affection for a silly original, so they make gentle fun of it without lampoon or satire.
    ==============
    Detectives Beyond Borders
    “Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home”
    http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

  2. Dave K. says

    August 25, 2007 at 3:56 pm

    Yes, it was too much to hope that they’d try to play it straight. Betty Thomas did a great job with the two “Brady Bunch” movies, so maybe this one will work out too.

Recent posts

  • Full frontal Florida
  • Later, alligator
  • A writer on top
    of the short-story game
  • ‘The Passenger’
    will please refrain
  • Floaters in the stream

Recent comments

  • Rachel Kohl on Later, alligator
  • Dave Knadler on Later, alligator
  • John H. on Later, alligator
  • Dave Knadler on Later, alligator
  • Erin Murphy on Later, alligator

FInd something

send dave cash

The obligatory PayPal donation button. Go ahead: Make my day.