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

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  • ShameladyShamelady
    Posts: 38
    Apropos of absolutely nothing: Any fellow U.N.C.L.E.-istas remember McCallum's LPs (at least four) from the 1960s?
  • ShameladyShamelady
    edited April 2016 Posts: 38
    AlexanderWaverly wrote: »
    delfloria wrote: »
    In the 60's U.N.C.L.E. was everywhere.

    For the curious, this is a black and white copy of a broadcast originally in color.

    This was from the preceding week's broadcast:



    Thanks for posting. Fifty years or so since I've seen this. And the b-&-w's fine as that's the way I originally watched it.

  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    Did see the 2015 film twice on board transatlantic flights again. It really is a fun film. I still don't understand why it didn't any better.
  • AlexanderWaverlyAlexanderWaverly
    Posts: 2,115
    CommanderRoss wrote: »
    Did see the 2015 film twice on board transatlantic flights again. It really is a fun film. I still don't understand why it didn't any better.

    It was an indirect casualty of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. BvS originally was to be released in July 2015 while UNCLE originally was to come out in mid-January 2015.

    When BvS was moved to 2016, Warners needed summer movies, even though it had no "tentpole." UNCLE gets moved to mid-August. Afterward, Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation gets moved up to July from Christmas. M:I was still going strong in August *and* Straight Outta Compton was a bigger-than-expected hit. A series of events that doomed UNCLE at the box office.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    That's sad, as it is a lot better. saw BvS this weekend and wasn't impressed. Not very good directing and editing. The acting was ok, but I prefer Cavill as Solo a lot over him as Superman. Again, the acting is good, it's the character that's boring.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    CommanderRoss wrote: »
    That's sad, as it is a lot better. saw BvS this weekend and wasn't impressed. Not very good directing and editing. The acting was ok, but I prefer Cavill as Solo a lot over him as Superman. Again, the acting is good, it's the character that's boring.
    My sentiments exactly.
  • delfloriadelfloria
    Posts: 1,860
    The Man from U.N.C.L.E. heads to HBO may 1st.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    nice trailer
  • fanbond123fanbond123
    edited April 2016 Posts: 1,661
    I thought the film never recovered after the toilet fight. Can you imagine the original tv show cast - Robert Vaughn and David McCallum - fighting in a bog? I sure as heck can't.

    And the film isn't even about the Man (or men!) From UNCLE. It's only in the final scene that UNCLE is mentioned making the title of the film null and void. Nice way to fool the public, Guy Ritchie! [-(
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    I liked the film the way it was and definitely prefer its tone and portrayal over the show's which, even though I love it, comes off as bland and crude compared to the other spy shows of the time. It was the mission that brought the tides of UNCLE together and built the pillars. What's not to like?

    If they make a sequel, I hope they keep the tone of this film and expand on it.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    I liked the film the way it was and definitely prefer its tone and portrayal over the show's which, even though I love it, comes off as bland and crude compared to the other spy shows of the time. It was the mission that brought the tides of UNCLE together and built the pillars. What's not to like?

    If they make a sequel, I hope they keep the tone of this film and expand on it.

    Exactly. And still set in the sixties. Would be absolutely fantastic!
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    CommanderRoss wrote: »
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    I liked the film the way it was and definitely prefer its tone and portrayal over the show's which, even though I love it, comes off as bland and crude compared to the other spy shows of the time. It was the mission that brought the tides of UNCLE together and built the pillars. What's not to like?

    If they make a sequel, I hope they keep the tone of this film and expand on it.

    Exactly. And still set in the sixties. Would be absolutely fantastic!
    +1
  • delfloriadelfloria
    Posts: 1,860
    2015 was a good year for spy films.
  • delfloriadelfloria
    Posts: 1,860
    I certainly could not blame him from a business stand point but I'm sad to say this bodes ill for a follow up U.N.C.L.E. film if Henry is ready to move on from Napoleon Solo and not lobby for one. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/henry-cavill-james-bond-graham-norton-show-superman_uk_56f3a02ee4b0f4c81e873486
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    Alicia's going to be Lara Croft!
    http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/alicia-vikander-star-as-lara-888593

  • delfloriadelfloria
    Posts: 1,860
    Some great humorous scenes from the new film.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    Why would anyone submit a complaint on this film is beyond me, to be honest.
  • AlexanderWaverlyAlexanderWaverly
    Posts: 2,115
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    Why would anyone submit a complaint on this film is beyond me, to be honest.

    Because it didn't have Vaughn and McCallum cameos, was too different from the original show, didn't feature Jerry Goldsmith's theme, didn't include the whip pan/swish pan transition device, how dare they try to remake perfection, etc., etc. ,etc.

    Yes, the preceding paragraph contains a bit of sarcasm. But it does represent some of the complaints I've seen the past 18 months.

  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    AlexanderWaverly wrote: »
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    Why would anyone submit a complaint on this film is beyond me, to be honest.

    Because it didn't have Vaughn and McCallum cameos, was too different from the original show, didn't feature Jerry Goldsmith's theme, didn't include the whip pan/swish pan transition device, how dare they try to remake perfection, etc., etc. ,etc.

    Yes, the preceding paragraph contains a bit of sarcasm. But it does represent some of the complaints I've seen the past 18 months.
    Oh I know! And I have seen some of the old UNCLE fans crippling it for some the complaints listed above. I am an UNCLE fan myself since before the movie was reported to have been in production, but I have to tell you... Sometimes the show gets to be really unwatchable. The stunts and fight choreography are beyond crude and in a way very goofy in comparison to some other TV series of its time like The Avengers, or The Saint, etc. Surely they know things like these are shut down by almost the entire audience? Well, if they did, they wouldn't have complained in the first place.

    And no worries about the sarcasm, I recognized on first sight. ;)
  • delfloriadelfloria
    edited May 2016 Posts: 1,860
    Some fans rag on the film for what THEY wanted it to be and not what it actually is. As you said, had the film been true to some of the rougher edges of the original series todays audiences would have laughed it off the screen. I've seen recent screenings of the 60's UNCLE films culled from the series and they don't fare well with current audiences.
  • AlexanderWaverlyAlexanderWaverly
    Posts: 2,115
    delfloria wrote: »
    Some fans rag on the film for what THEY wanted it to be and not what it actually is. As you said, had the film been true to some of the rougher edges of the original series todays audiences would have laughed it off the screen. I've seen recent screenings of the 60's UNCLE films culled from the series and they don't fare well with current audiences.

    Had the movie been genuinely bad, I could understand. It was a good effort, but took the prequel route. So the older fans were deprived of the comfort food of badges, moving doors (which can be found in any grocery store today), tailor shop facade, etc.

    The Solo of the movie, to me, could be recognized as the Solo of the series, albeit with a changed back story. More liberties were taken with Illya, although I found it amusing David McCallum, in a Fox News interview, seemed fine with it.

    Could Guy Ritchie have been a little more flexible? Maybe include more of the theme instead of 2 or 3 notes? Sure. Maybe another bone or two like that. UNCLE logo at the start of the movie, using the whip/zip pan as a transition device.

    But that wasn't going to change the box office fate. The UNCLE movie was dealt a bad hand when its release date was changed to August *and* Miission: Impossible Rogue Nation's release date was changed to July 31 in the U.S.

    Now, the fans who ragged on the movie have their wish. The chances of any more UNCLE movies in the foreseeable future are 0.1% Celebrate your victory.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    I've never seen the series so I know nothing about it's source material but I found the movie a bit boring and atypical. I liked parts of it but I was underwhelmed by it. Does every Buddy cop spy movie these days have to do a team up where both leads hate eachother from the beginning? It's common in a bunch of movies like this and I'm tired of it. I'm glad I didn't see it in theaters like I wanted too. It was a bit of a let down for me.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    I've seen it in the theaters for eight times straight. Of all the films that came out last year, UNCLE was the most entertaining one in my point of view.
  • delfloriadelfloria
    Posts: 1,860
    And a reminder of some of the reviewers that liked it.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    Murdock wrote: »
    I've never seen the series so I know nothing about it's source material but I found the movie a bit boring and atypical. I liked parts of it but I was underwhelmed by it. Does every Buddy cop spy movie these days have to do a team up where both leads hate eachother from the beginning? It's common in a bunch of movies like this and I'm tired of it. I'm glad I didn't see it in theaters like I wanted too. It was a bit of a let down for me.

    You're bringing that as if it were a bad thing. It's just one of the things I really like, it's different, fun, not too serious, good music. It's a great atmosphere.

    To be honest, getting a truly original movie is utterly impossible these days. More over, they don't really hate eachother (if that were so Solo would've shot him when he was running behind the car). They are professional opposites thrown together, building trust and respect. There couldn't have been anyway for them to start out friendly in the first place.
  • FLeiterFLeiter
    Posts: 315
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    I've seen it in the theaters for eight times straight. Of all the films that came out last year, UNCLE was the most entertaining one in my point of view.

    Really? 8 times? Did you take sleeping pills when you sat in your seat? This was not a good movie and very tough to sit thru one airing without squirming or nodding off.

  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    FLeiter wrote: »
    ClarkDevlin wrote: »
    I've seen it in the theaters for eight times straight. Of all the films that came out last year, UNCLE was the most entertaining one in my point of view.

    Really? 8 times? Did you take sleeping pills when you sat in your seat? This was not a good movie and very tough to sit thru one airing without squirming or nodding off.
    No sleeping pills. Some of us do know how to enjoy a good movie and not only spend some time trying to clap hands over brooding stories instead. The movie was brilliant as it is and like it or not, it was more entertaining than the likes of Kingsman, Spectre, Mission: Impossible, and the Marvel movies combined. I'll be watching it again soon, knowing it gets even better with every viewing.
  • delfloriadelfloria
    Posts: 1,860
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I liked the show when I was a kid, but have zero attachment to it now. The film was on HBO last night, I had heard a few positive things, do I figured it be worth a laugh and actually tuned it in with a decent attitude. I had to escape within 12 minutes. Horrible acting and dialogue. I couldn't get away fast enough.

    Sorry to hear that. I personally thought it was the best of the spy films released last year.
  • delfloriadelfloria
    Posts: 1,860
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    I wanted to go to this film, but as I stated long ago, no Goldsmth theme, no dice.
    Big mistake.
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