Tuesday, August 21, 2012

THE ROAD TO REBOOT

Two properties have been announced as headed towards Remake Central.


Disney execs are apparently looking to revive The Rocketeer. Disney adapted Dave Stephen's graphic novel as a film in 1991. Despite being a decent film the movie tanked at the time. It's worth a second look, apparently. I say: Let it be. The film wasn't perfect but, what more could you do? Anything else will just get you further away from Dave STephen's original comic which was damn near perfect.


And Syfy announced that they have commissioned a script for a remake of Terry Nation's classic BBC 1970's sci-fi series Blake's 7. Nation is best known as the creator of the Daleks from Doctor Who. Blake's 7 was his own foray into TV series and although it has a cult following it never had quite the same visibility as Doctor Who. That may now change

This one I'm a little more excited by, probably because I don;t have as much emotional investment in the original. I've seen the first season and a handful of episodes after that. The overwhelming impression I have of the show was cheese special effects, funky 1970's costumes and hairstyles and tinny music.

However, a reboot will have to really kick it up, because since Blake's 7, several other series have taken the basic idea and ran with it -- Stargate Universe, for example, and, of course, Farscape. The producers of this new version will really have to give it their all to top those two shows.

So which one has you more excited and/or dreading the prospect of a retread?

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

3 comments:

Erik Johnson Illustrator said...

I've only seen clips from Blakes 7 so I might be interested in a full series remake to maybe help break me into the classic series like with Battlestar Galactica or Doctor Who.

Rocketeer, thats something else. I saw the movie when I was a kid and liked it and they re-released the graphic novel after Dave Stevens died so I finally got a chance to read it and remember thinking "The movie is a lot better at telling a cohesive story." The comics are alright, but I think the adaptation struck a good balance because they simplified a number of elements.

I also think it may have been released at just the right time. After the big Batman boom of '89 everyone was looking to cash in on adaptations of Pulp Heroes that wouldn't require big effects budgets to render outrageous powers like Dick Tracy, The Phantom, The Shadow, and The Rocketeer as well.

I'd like to watch the movie again to see how it holds up, but at present I hold it in too high regards to imagine a remake.

Erik Johnson Illustrator said...

I'm even more grateful for your post now. I was just at a garage sale were I found a Rocketeer action figure from the movie still in the package for a dollar. I might have completely glossed it over if not for this remake buzz.

M. D. Jackson said...

Congratulations, Erik! A lucky find! Glad I could have helped in some small way.

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