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Remo Williams pilot (1988) on Encore Action

post #1 of 6
7/21/09 at 4:12pm
Thread Starter 
Encore Action has apparently been running the Remo Williams pilot all month.  I just caught it last night and it looks like there's only one more airing in the immediate future (on Friday at 9:30am Central).  If you like the movie, it's worth watching.  Roddy McDowall does a good job stepping into Joel Grey's shoes.  It was directed by Christian Nyby and is about at the level of an average A-Team episode, so go in with that mindset.  I grew to accept the guy playing Remo over time, but he's no substitute for Fred Ward.  In any case, I would have watched it had it been picked up.

Watching it now, I'd say the time is ripe for a new Remo Williams series.  Action comedy in the vein of Chuck (but completely different in tone).  Would they go with a real Korean this time or stick another droll white guy in heavy makeup?
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post #2 of 6
7/21/09 at 10:19pm
Thread Starter 
Turns out this is the first the pilot has been seen since a single airing in 1988.  Here is the schedule:

All Times ET/PT

Friday, July 24th Encore Action 10:35am

Tuesday, August 4th Encore Wam 1:45am

Friday, August 21st Encore Wam 3:15am

Wednesday, August 26th Encore Wam 4:30am

Sunday, August 30th Encore Wam 3:05am

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post #3 of 6
7/24/09 at 5:28am

I used to read the Remo Williams books (there are a ton of them). When the movie came out, I was curious to see what they'd do with it. I rated it OK. Nothing to write home about, but it did capture some of the charm of the books. I've no memory of there being a pilot, so I'm pretty sure I've never seen it. Unfortunately, I don't get Encore Action, but it's nice to know there's a pilot out there somewhere.
 

I can easily see a good series based on the material when the right talent behind it. On the other hand, I can also see some suit deciding it needs to be cast with a 22 year old as Remo, and otherwise snuffing out everything that made the books charming.

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post #4 of 6
7/24/09 at 1:37pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah, I'm tired of 20-somethings.  I love old movies where it's either men in their 40s or men in their 20s who look a lot older.  Seriously, a guy in an old movie said, "I'm 24," and I was thinking, "No way!  He's looks about 45!"  I looked him up on the IMDb and he really was 24 at the time the movie was filmed.  I guess with our skin creams and whatnot, we look like a nation of babyfaces.

Anyway!  There is a movie in the works right now, so a series probably won't happen in the near future.  Maybe if it's a modest success, they will get the idea to bring it to television (if it's a huge success, they'll just make more movies).

As for the original movie, I've read about four of the original novels, and the movie was a bit of a departure.  Still, it's a cult classic and a genuinely fun action romp.  I love the dynamic between Remo and Chiun--especially the dark emotional turn it takes when Chiun tells Remo he would kill him if ordered.  Remo knows it to be true, and we know it's the last thing Chiun wants to do at that point.

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post #5 of 6
7/30/09 at 6:49am
They should of Kept it Hidden away as it was terrible. Did I imagine it or did Roddy Mcdowall not even have his name on the Credits, I guess if not he was a pretty smart dude.
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post #6 of 6
7/30/09 at 10:55am
Thread Starter 
He did, or I wouldn't have known who he was.  Come on.  It wasn't that bad.  One part really bugged me:

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
Remo slid down the water from a fire hose.  Silly, but kind of cool.  But, what about the fireman controlling the hose?  We know it wasn't some automated watering station, since an establishing shot showed him.  They just decided not to show anyone on the ground once Remo got down so they wouldn't have to deal with it.  Besides a freaked out fireman, I think the cops who showed up would consider Remo a person of interest in the fire.

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