Posted by
Alan Lewis on
URL: https://www.shado-forum.com/what-about-ufo-tp3939792p3941739.html
Steve
Exactly. In an earlier email I had put something about The Walking Dead
being a massive exception, especially the opening scene of Episode 1, Series
1, which was hugely adventurous, shockingly so that an *American* studio
*and* network had ran it.
We joke over here about "shooting Bambi in the face" and upsetting the
liberal luvvies, but shooting a little girl in the face (even a zombie) must
have taken some persuasion, and some cajones on the part of the execs. And
of course, the audience loved it...
Shame I deleted it all from the post K
From:
[hidden email] [mailto:
[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
Steve Godrich
Sent: 26 April 2012 15:15
To:
[hidden email]
Subject: RE: [SHADO] Re: what about ufo
I'm a long time reader, first time contributer and felt I should make an
observation. I feel Darth Garlic has taken a general statement very
personally. I agree that there is a very strong possibility that a
're-imagining' of UFO could be dumbed down and re-directioned for what
studios believe are the American audience's desires. Yes, there are many
that prove this could be wrong ("The Walking Dead" being an excellent
example). This doesn't mean that it doesn't happen, just that there are
exceptions to the rule. I also believe that the original point wasn't meant
to be a direct insult to Darth Garlic or American people in general but an
observation made by many people across the world about the standards of US
(as well as many other country's) ideas of 'good TV'. Sadly, there is a
trend of 'lowest common denominator' shows that are designed to appeal to
the largest audience which leads to greater international sales and
advertising revenue. Sadly, since US shows are quite widespread around the
world, they get the butt of the criticism. The fear being expressed is that
since the US produce most of the world's well-known English language shows,
and are very commercialised TV-wise (the UK viewer pays a 'TV licence' which
means BBC is ad-free), that a gritty show like UFO would have all the much
loved elements removed to appeal to the wider audience. It is a fear I
share. The term used to describe this is 'Dumbing Down'. Now if I heard that
the Battlestar Galactica or Walking Dead team were going to produce a new
UFO show, I'd be doing cartwheels!! Anyone else and I'd be very anxious!
To:
[hidden email] <mailto:SHADO%40yahoogroups.com>
From:
[hidden email] <mailto:mccaug%40nb.sympatico.ca>
Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:32:34 -0300
Subject: Re: [SHADO] Re: what about ufo
I don't want to wade into this discussion by being rude to our American
friends. As a Canadian, I can appreciate that the entertainment industry on
both sides of the Atlantic have differing POVs. Most Brits and Yanks don't
get Canadian humour, and some Canucks and Americans don't get Monty Python.
So let's call it square.
I will say this: British made historical drama is often THE best made in
terms of accuracy. This applies to case in point: movie "A Night To
Remember" vs "Titanic". While James Cameron (who is a Canadian BTW) got the
forensic aspects of the sinking itself down pat, he ruined the screen play
with his stoooopid Jack-Rose love story - there were plenty of REAL love
stories on board the ill fated liner without creating a bogus one.
Then there is JJ Abrams' version of Star Trek 2-3 yrs ago. To say I was
aghast when I saw it would be understatement. Here is a historic and much
beloved SF franchise ruined by someone whose filmmaking depends solely on
CGI and derivative riffs off other better movies of the past. So to say that
an American film company would "ruin" UFO is beside the point, because it
has been proven the wrong people at the helm - no matter what their
nationality - can take a concept and go to hell with it.
To me, things like this (plus all the other remakes that have failed so
heavily at the box office and/or with the critics: Thunderbirds, The
Avengers, Lost in Space, Abrams' Trek, et al) scare me in terms of what
could happen to UFO. I don't want the characters re-written. I don't want
the dark side of the show washed up and made PC (ok take out the cigarettes!
as I'm a non smoker!). I'm scared some fool will turn Straker into the wrong
kind of guy as Abrams did with Kirk & Company. All the reasons we LOVED
those original Trek characters were destroyed in one fell swoop. Kirk became
an arrogant, brawling SOB whom you'd like to punch into next week, plus what
gives with making Spock boff Uhura? None of this is even remotely appealing
or canon. Straker is an OCD hard ass with skeltons in his closet and
suffering in his past. Don't take that away from him. Foster is (at first)
an arrogant young whippersnapper who comes around and joins SHADO because he
sees the life or death struggle. Freeman is Straker's heart on his sleeve
side kick, who thinks people should not be judged by computers.
Thanks for letting me air my POVs - Pam the Canuck
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