The Man from U.N.C.L.E.: original series & films

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  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    If the theme is not used I won't see the movie.
  • A few things:
    --None of Daniel Pemberton's score for the film was used in the trailer. The composer made a passing reference to that on social media. So, at this stage, we don't know whether the theme will be used or not or even how the score sounds.

    --In the original show, no specific date was given for the founding of UNCLE. Based on The Odd Man Affair, last show of the first season, it sounds like shortly after World War II.
    --As a result, UNCLE was firmly established when Solo and Kuryakin were trained as agents. The Survival School Affair in the fourth season, it's stated that Kuryakin graduated from the training facility in 1956.
    --In the movie, it's 1963 and UNCLE hasn't been formed yet.


    It's like the use of alternate universes in comic books. DC Comics had that Earth-1, Earth-2 thing going for a long time where in one universe, Superman was older, having coming to earth much earlier, on one world you had the Justice League of America, the other the Justice Society of America, etc., etc., etc.
  • A few things:
    --None of Daniel Pemberton's score for the film was used in the trailer. The composer made a passing reference to that on social media. So, at this stage, we don't know whether the theme will be used or not or even how the score sounds.

    --In the original show, no specific date was given for the founding of UNCLE. Based on The Odd Man Affair, last show of the first season, it sounds like shortly after World War II.
    --As a result, UNCLE was firmly established when Solo and Kuryakin were trained as agents. The Survival School Affair in the fourth season, it's stated that Kuryakin graduated from the training facility in 1956.
    --In the movie, it's 1963 and UNCLE hasn't been formed yet.


    It's like the use of alternate universes in comic books. DC Comics had that Earth-1, Earth-2 thing going for a long time where in one universe, Superman was older, having coming to earth much earlier, on one world you had the Justice League of America, the other the Justice Society of America, etc., etc., etc.

    You're a real UNCLE-fan no ;-) @AlexanderWaverly.

    Can I ask you one thing though? I swear I heard Robert Vaughn as voice-over introducing himself as "Napoleon Solo" (1min06sec).

    Secondly, the car chase at the start reminds me a lot of those fun car chases from Remy Julienne, as seen in the 1970's Jean Paul Belmondo films and the early Bond films.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Will the original stars get a cameo appearance at some point ?
  • edited February 2015 Posts: 4,622
    @waverly thanks for digging that Uncle background up. So it does seem that new movie is ignoring actual Uncle origins history. I don't know why they would do this. Why change what doesn't need to be changed.
    This is the problem with an origins effort. If you are not going to stick with established continuity, but that would require too much work I guess, to actually fact-check the episodes, you end up with whole new backstory for existence of UNCLE.

    Whatever, it might still work. I'll reserve judgement until the film is out. Again, we don't know how heavily they will use the theme or familiar Uncle elements.

    Bizarre, that the theme is even a discussion though. The theme is both iconic and brilliant. They should be reveling in it, and they may yet. We don't know, but I do think it should be worked into the main titles, good and early.
    However, they might be taking the Bond approach, and saving it until Solo and Kuryakin come together as Uncle agents at the end, and blast it full up then.
    This I think is a mistake. I would prefer they go all out from the start.
    Even that stupid Cameron Diaz film, The Other Woman, that came out last year, blasted the Uncle theme,when the girls went into spy mode.
    This is great music. Please do OWN it!

    A better approach to this film, I think would have been simply showing how Solo and Kuryakin came together as Uncle-agent partners, in an already established post-war UNCLE.
    But, this may all be splitting hairs, as the key to the film really is how well they find the Uncle vibe and the Solo-Kuryakin spy partnership and style.

    The familiar Uncle elements may find their way into Uncle HQ. We shall see.

    But, I do think that Hammer accent may be a problem. Hammer's a bit of a "hammy" actor to begin with (see Lone Ranger) There is real danger that he could "ham" things up.
    Asking him to do an accent might have been asking too much.

    Anyway we shall see.

    @delfloria...I guess we shall just have to wait and see, how well this movie connects with the original series.
  • @Gustav: I listened to that area of the trailer again. Didn't quite sound like Robert Vaughn to me but I hear the resemblance. I'm not sure who says "Napoleon Solo" there. Not sure if it's Cavill or someone else.

    And, yes, I'm an UNCLE fan. I put this website, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. episode guide, up in late 1996. It got a facelift last year:

    https://uncleepisodeguide.wordpress.com/

  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    Posts: 1,138
    Anyone think Cavill's accent sounds a bit like exactly what it is: a Brit doing an American accent?

    Still looks great from the trailer obviously.
  • Posts: 4,622
    Sark wrote: »
    Anyone think Cavill's accent sounds a bit like exactly what it is: a Brit doing an American accent?
    Yes, that is there.

    Trailer is promising, but there is potential danger with both Cavill and Hammer "hamming" their roles up a bit.
    Both Vaughn and McCallum are big boots to fill. This pair owned these roles.
    It's still hard to imagine anyone else in either role, but we shall see.

    Remember Fiennes and Thurman bombed as Steed and Peel in big budget Avengers remake, although that may have been more of a problem with the filmmakers not being able to adapt the TV series to 1997 with any authority.

  • Posts: 12,526

    Well I have mixed feelings on that? Not too sure what to think?
  • ml94ml94 Finland
    Posts: 88
    RogueAgent wrote: »

    Well I have mixed feelings on that? Not too sure what to think?
    Henry 007 Cavill.

  • edited February 2015 Posts: 11,119
    Henry Cavill and Daniel Craig both are quite short actors no ;-)?
  • Henry Casilla and Daniel Craig both are quite short actors no ;-)?

    6'1 is pretty average

  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    Posts: 1,138
    In the Netherlands maybe. 5'10-11 is the average in the US.
  • Sark wrote: »
    In the Netherlands maybe. 5'10-11 is the average in the US.

    Among women fans of the original show, Illya was often referred to as LBG, as in Little Blonde Guy. For some, it meant Little Blonde God.

  • Posts: 1,860


    It's Illya who says "Napoleon Solo" as they match their knowledge of one another.
  • Post-trailer questions about the UNCLE movie:

    https://hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/post-trailer-questions-about-the-u-n-c-l-e-movie/

    Also some canon from the original series about the characters. Obviously, all bets are off for the movie. But the discussion earlier in this thread got me thinking.

    --Solo served in the Korean War (The Secret Scepter Affair).

    --Circa 1957, Solo had a love affair with a woman named Clara Richards but his work "drove us apart," in Clara's words (The Terbuf Affair). I'm using 1957 because in the episode it actually says "seven years ago," so I'm using the broadcast date (which doesn't necessarily mean it's so).

    --Circa 1958, Solo and Kuryakin encountered G. Emory Partridge, who had an elaborate plan taking place in the "South American rain forest." Partridge says he had "a beard in those days." (The Gazebo in the Maze Affair). Again, the actual reference is "seven years ago."

    --Kuryakin spent at least some of his boyhood in Kiev, which is actually the Ukraine, rather than Russia. But it's not much of a stretch to imagine Kuryakin's father had a job that would have called for him to live for a time in the Ukraine. The reference is Kuryakin was "a little boy in Kiev" by someone reading his mind with a device. (The Foxes and Hounds Affair).

  • Posts: 12,526
    ml94 wrote: »
    RogueAgent wrote: »

    Well I have mixed feelings on that? Not too sure what to think?
    Henry 007 Cavill.

    I am possibly in a minority but I don't see Cavill as Bond.
  • edited February 2015 Posts: 158
    Superman,Solo & Bond?...Never gonna happen. I'm sure if UNCLE is a hit there could be sequels.
  • Posts: 1,860
    Hopefully Cavill will be to busy to play 007. Anyway he is too handsome for todays standard for Bond.
  • jerome007 wrote: »
    Superman,Solo & Bond?...Never gonna happen. I'm sure if UNCLE is a hit there could be sequels.

    I would think his contract would include a provision. Although Warners is going to keep him busy playing Superman.

  • DrShatterhandDrShatterhand Garden of Death, near Belfast
    Posts: 805
    jerome007 wrote: »
    Superman,Solo & Bond?...Never gonna happen. I'm sure if UNCLE is a hit there could be sequels.

    Yep, not in a million years. EON would want their man to be instantly recognised as Bond.
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited February 2015 Posts: 4,520
    Possible the movie is more serious but i also must think a litle bit about Get Smart.
    The beginning with the cars remember to much to silly joke of Astin Martin in Casino Royale. It suprise me to see 60's setting, i expect updated uncle playing in those days. That's positive, but there give hint of plot who i don't like.
  • M_Balje wrote: »
    Possible the movie is more serious but i also must think a litle bit about Get Smart.
    The beginning with the cars remember to much to silly joke of Astin Martin in Casino Royale. It suprise me to see 60's setting, i expect updated uncle playing in those days. That's positive, but there give hint of plot who i don't like.

    I think it'll be a wunderful film ;-)
  • edited February 2015 Posts: 1,661
    Anyone think Cavill's accent sounds a bit like exactly what it is: a Brit doing an American accent?

    Yes, Cavill's American accent is a bit dodgy in parts:
    "KGB, the youngest man to join, no best, in three years,"


    Only the last word "years" sounds American to me.

    There's another example later in the trailer when Solo says
    "Things can get a little messy."

    Sounds the way a Brit would speak, not an American.

    The trailer looks fun. It's meant to be a comedy action film, not a gritty spy flick so I doubt it will get too many comparisons with SPECTRE.

    I agree with the comments about Cavill as Bond. He had to move on with his career and he's got two big action roles - Superman and Napoleon Solo. He wasn't going to sit around in the UK hoping for Craig to retire after Skyfall! He's moved on. I can't imagine Eon hiring him now. It would be a miracle if he were cast as Bond.
  • Newest addition to The Man From UNCLE episode guide: a timeline about the new movie.

    https://uncleepisodeguide.wordpress.com/timeline-for-the-man-from-u-n-c-l-e-2015/
  • Posts: 4,622
    No point in casting Cavill as Bond, unless he quits Solo. Solo character is a Bond derivative anyway.
    It would be crazy to have one guy play both. Cavill would have to be completely done with Solo.
    And I also would prefer he be done with Superman too.
    I would prefer current Bond not be associated with being the lead in another big-budget action franchise. Just revel in being Bond.
    New guy,should be young guy (30), with some acting experience who moves real well and perfectly looks the part. Cavill does, or did qualify, but he missed his window.
    I am still not sold on either Cavill as Solo or Hammer as Ilya. Will have to wait for the film.
    If they are too hammy, I'd ditch them both and recast.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    timmer wrote: »
    If they are too hammy, I'd ditch them both and recast.

    Wow, that's quite a statement @timmer.

    I have to agree with you though because TMFU is too big to have it screwed up by the actors. Cavill has not convinced me yet of his acting ability in any movies I've seen (in fact I've so far been quite relieved that he lost out to Craig as Bond), and I personally have a very low opinion of Armie Hammer, so both these guys have some proving to do as far as I'm concerned.
  • Posts: 1,860
    Like the actors or not, film good or bad, it's still good to see U.N.C.L.E. back in popular culture.
  • Yes, the 2015 Spy Crazy is on dear Bond laddies :-P.
  • delfloria wrote: »
    Like the actors or not, film good or bad, it's still good to see U.N.C.L.E. back in popular culture.

    Absolutely. I don't dislike Tom Cruise, but I did not feel he was right for Solo. I'm certainly willing to give Cavill a chance as Solo. I saw nothing in the trailer to make me change my mind. Of course, the proof will be the movie itself.

    Remember, it wasn't that long ago, they were talking about Channing Tatum (fall of 2011). He may be a star, but he doesn't strike me as a Solo either.

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