The A Team was hands down, my favourite 80s television show. From the explosive opening sequences of helicopters disgorging troops into the festering jungles of ‘Nam to forty minutes of the most improbable high octane skiet and donder - the A Team became both the soundtrack and screenplay to my adolescence. I couldn’t get enough of it.
In the last twenty or so years, I’ve caught glimpses of old episodes on the series channel – and though much of it has turned to cheese, I still chuckle at Hannibal Smith’s ingenuity, Faceman’s oily charm and the cat and mouse feuds between BA Baracus and the unhinged Murdock. The show, launched after the 1984 Super Bowl game, was a product of its time in which series creator Stephen J. Cannel sought to immortalise the things of prevailing pop culture – in this case, iconic huey-bell helicopters, F 60 machine guns, cartoonish violence – not to mention nostalgic references to the Vietnam War which America, a full decade after its withdrawal, hadn’t quite worked out of its system. But, there was much to the show that was universal, timeless and even campaignable.
Not surprising then that fans are bracing themselves for a June 11 release of A-Team The Movie. This time producers Ridley and Tony Scott (Gladiator, Blade Runner, Black Hawk Down) have gotten in on the act though Stephen J. Cannel will also be involved, no doubt to ensure the magic continues. But given that this was one of the most successful TV shows of the 90s, can they pull it off?
David Taylor of the Brand Gym asked a similar question of the Bond Franchise a few years back before unearthing the untouchables at the heart of the brand. You can read his excellent articles here and here. In summary however, Taylor says that the franchise has remained successful because producers have a clear understanding of all key elements that make up a great Bond flick (Fast Cars, sexy dangerous women, evil villain, gadgets, ridiculously improbably stunts to name a few) – and have merely refreshed these by transposing them with the prevailing cultural/moral climate. For each element, the producers ask three questions: What can we add? What shall we dump? What should we keep/update?
Key to A-Team The Movie’s success will be to evolve the characters and key elements without losing the essential quirkiness that drew us to them in the first place.
Let’s look at the makings of the movie
1. The production team:
No worries here – the Scott’s are past masters of the action genre. If you’re not convinced, go rent Black Hawk Down. Cannel should keep them honest too.
The cast:
· Liam Neeson as HANNIBAL SMITH. Such a great guy though he shouldn’t be as sadistically violent as he was in “Taken”. From what I see, Liam’s Smith still smokes Cuban cigars as large as telegraph poles. Thumbs Up.
· Brand Cooper (The Hangover) as FACEMAN. I think the chicks like him and like his predecessor Dirk Benedict – he’s a man’s man. Thumbs Up.
· Sharlto Copley as MURDOCK. Copley directed and acted in Oscar Nominated District 9 and is South African to boot! This guy will either pull it off or he won’t. No half measures. If he does, he’s a South African. If he doesn’t he’s a Yank. Thumbs Sideways.
· Quinton “Rampage” Jackson as BA Baracus. “Quinton who?” I hear you ask. In his day job, he is a notoriously vicious cage fighter, one seriously bad nigger. And if you don’t believe me, click here to see him dispatch a South American opponent with his speciality move, the power bomb (not for the faint hearted). Outside the octagon, Jackson is Mr Nice guy and a born again Christian – not to mention a spitting image of Mr T – he even wears some badass bling round his neck and never smiles. In the new movie, he appears to be as in love with his van as ever .... but is he still as scared of flying? If I had six thumbs, they’d all be up.
3. The Action
No one ever got killed on the A-Team. The violence, though frenetic, was always comical and tongue in cheek. That, along with the hilarious resourcefulness of the heroes, is what made it a winner. Oh, and the bad guys always lost. So whilst the new A-Team is made up of Iraq War Vets instead of Vietnam burnouts, it will be interesting to see whether their marksmanship has improved.
There are a few teaser trailers doing the rounds – here is the best one I could find on YouTube.
My prediction – the film will be a winner.
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