Welcome to TV Squad Lists (formerly 'The Five'), a feature where each blogger has a chance to list his or her own rundown of things in television that stand out from the rest, both good and bad.
A few days ago I wrote a piece about the 10 worst movies based on TV shows and I got quite a few responses. One reader asked if there were any good movies based on shows, so I decided to come up with another list. Please keep in mind, this is only my opinion, albeit an expert one.
1. The Untouchables: The script by David Mamet deserves much of the credit, but the casting is phenomenal, also. Sean Connery and Kevin Costner make the perfect team and Robert De Niro's plucked hairline makes his Capone a pleasure to watch. Like the show, the film pays close attention to detail and isn't afraid to show the good guys doing whatever it takes.
2. The Fugitive: This is exactly what a big screen version should be...BIG! Terrific action sequences and great locations. Ford's updated Richard Kimble does exactly what he should and Tommy Lee Jones is dead-on as the cop who has to do his job, but knows something is "hinkey." Just like the show, the movie keeps us on the edge of our seat and rooting for the good guy, while we can't wait to see the bad guy.
3. Mission Impossible: This was a pretty easy transition to make. Because of the nature of the IMF, they only had to have one character from the show in the movie. In every episode, Phelps is warned that he or his operatives may be "disavowed" and it finally happens on the big screen. I admit that making Phelps the bad guy was complete bullshit, but the action, soundtrack and early death of Emilio Estevez more than made up for it.
4. The Brady Bunch Movie: Anyone who wants to make a movie out of a campy TV comedy needs to watch this film. It retains everything we loved about the show; Mike's perm, Greg's dumb songs, The Brady 6, Davy Jones and a hot Marcia. Set against the reality of bad neighbors and horny teenagers, it all adds up to laughs.
5. Dragnet: I know I am in the minority, but I dig this movie. Hanks delivers what is probably his best comedic performance and Aykroyd's Joe Friday is awesome. This movie pays homage to the original show and makes fun of it at the same time. That's not easy to do. How can you not love lines like, "Surf's up, beach bum, but not for you. You're going downtown."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-03-2007 @ 11:27AM
Roger Rees said...
Uh-oh. You made a list of the best movies based on TV shows and didn't include Serenity. Beware the wrath of the Browncoats!
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4-03-2007 @ 11:44AM
Elf said...
I'll give you Dragnet. Hardly a day goes by where I don't yell "Look out, Muppets!" at least once.
I'll also excuse the lack of the first four even-numbered Star Trek movies and Serenity, as they're continuations of the series, not necessarily movies based on the TV series.
However, for movies that captured the spirit of the show, as opposed to becoming a star vehicle based on the TV show (i.e. Mission Impossible), I'd have to include both of the Addams Family films. (Yes, I know the Addams Family was first based on the comic of the same name.)
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4-03-2007 @ 12:06PM
Akbar Fazil said...
You are not in the total minority of liking Dragnet. Sure it was a steep departure of what made the original series great, but all in all it was a great movie.
No need to include Serenity (as mentioned it was a continuation) but also it was not a good movie.
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4-03-2007 @ 12:15PM
Jeff N. said...
Star Trek II the Wrath of Kahn was pretty darn good and it's directly from an episode of Star Trek the TV show.
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4-03-2007 @ 12:26PM
Alan said...
Hopefully this summer we'll be able to add the Transformers to this list.
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4-03-2007 @ 12:29PM
Rogphi said...
Wrath of Khan is a good Movie but is a Sequel to the Tv episode
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4-03-2007 @ 12:31PM
bgdc said...
Dragnet is worth watching whenever it's on. PAGAN rules!
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4-03-2007 @ 12:35PM
mike said...
"Don't you mean the 'Virgin Connie Swales'?"
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4-03-2007 @ 1:10PM
Tele-Toby said...
If you're not including movies that are continuations of TV shows, then 'Dragnet' would have to be eliminated from that list. (I realize that was first brought up in the comments, not the original post.)
Dan Ackroyd's character was the nephew of Jack Webb's character, and Harry Morgan appears as Bill Gannon - therefore a continuation....
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4-03-2007 @ 2:58PM
Thomas said...
Love the line in the Untouchables, where having just chucked a guy off a roof, Ness is asked where he is, to which he replies: "He's in the car."
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4-03-2007 @ 3:48PM
Ricardo Aparicio said...
I'm rewatching Mission Impossible now, and I have to agree with the people who say the movie (which Greg Morris -Barney- says he walked out of) didn't do justice to the series.
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4-03-2007 @ 3:56PM
Jake said...
I liked the first Adam's family movie. I thought that was a great adaptation and a fun movie.
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4-03-2007 @ 4:12PM
Nick said...
Why is that there's always someone making an excuse for an almost universally panned piece of work as being "not as bad as you'd think." Dragnet falls under that next to Ishtar and The Last Boyscout. I'm waiting for someone to tell me that "Sweating Bullets" is an under-appreciated masterpiece.
For the record, I liked all 3 of those movies and I have never watched an episode of "Sweating Bullets" sober.
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4-03-2007 @ 5:04PM
Marc said...
The impossible mission in Mission Impossible was figuring out the lame plot, and you gave the reason this movie can NEVER be considered the top of any list--Jim Phelps=bad guy? Come on. That was one of the more bonehead moves in TV to movie history.
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4-03-2007 @ 6:04PM
Tele-Toby said...
Someday I hope somebody buys the rights to an old Tom Cruise movie - say, like 'Jerry McGuire' - and turns his character into the scumbag villain; see how he likes it.
Having Phelps as the bad guy in the movie version just spits on the original show and its fans.
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4-03-2007 @ 8:45PM
John said...
"I'll give you Dragnet. Hardly a day goes by where I don't yell "Look out, Muppets!" at least once."
Here here! I do it too.
But, you know what, that makes me think...
The Muppet Movie wasn't an option? I'd put it above Dragnet. I think. Maybe.
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4-04-2007 @ 9:03AM
freedom55 said...
Mission Impossible sucks! (The Movie)
The show was great and about a TEAM! The movie was about Tom Cruise!
Crap
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4-04-2007 @ 12:13PM
AJ said...
No Serenity or Kahn! For shame.
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4-04-2007 @ 7:49PM
dot said...
Pep Streebek! Tom Hanks is great, but the movie's just so-so. I find Starsky & Hutch growing on me every time I see it. It's just goofy fun, and Snoop is great as Huggy Bear.
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4-05-2007 @ 7:52AM
joe h said...
Did everyone forget about SWAT??? I wouldn't watch the Brady Bunch movie if you tied me up and tortured me...unless of course they cast Jessica Simpson as Marsha next time!!
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