The Professionals- Is it a good idea?

[paul kersey]

The Professionals race back to the big screen | Film | The Guardian

I'm not too sure where this belongs, but I saw this news earlier today and didn't really know how to take it. It seems that the story of how Bodie and Doyle joined CI5 is to be made into a movie. The casting has to be the most difficult thing, Somehow the idea of Gordon Jackson's George Cowley being played by Englishman Gary Oldman or Irishman Liam Neeson takes some believing for me . I can imagine Jason Statham as Bodie and to a lesser extent Gerard Butler as Doyle, if he had a Curly perm!!!!. I sincerely hope that the temptation to bring in Lewis Collins and Martin Shaw in cameo roles will be avoided. Obviously the story must be respectful to the originals and there must be great attention to period details, to avoid upsetting us old Anoracs. To be honest, I wish that the production company would leave the Professionals alone. I never ever wondered how Bodie and Doyle joined CI5, but I did wonder what might have become of them after the series ended ?.
In closing, I pray that the film , if it ever happens, is a damn sight better than that awful film "The Avengers". It couldn't be worse, could it?

[DB7]

How many contemporary action tv series > feature crossovers work? A Team? Starsky & Hutch? Miami Vice? Dukes of Hazzard? Noooo. Can't see how you can update Bodie and Doyle without losing the silliness and machismo (as spoofed by Peter Richardson) that made it fun.

[Rowdon]

I say go ahead. I was never a great fan of The Professionals, but that's not the point; as DB7 says, they never work anyway, so why not just do it and get it over with? I doubt there are many people who would have got into Starsky and Hutch but won't now because of the film. These things don't affect anything, and might go some way towards teaching the powers that be that re-hashing is not good, but sort of sideways hashing (Life On Mars, Jackie Brown) sometimes does. (If it's not obvious, further explanation as to what connects the bracketed works on request).

[Tonch]

I never cared for The Professionals but kind of hope they go ahead and it bombs...sorry to be cruel but so long as whatever happens kills off any similar notion of resurrecting my beloved Sweeney (with or without Ray "poor man's Dennis Waterman" Winstone) then some good will have come of it.

[GRAEME]

Yes, it's a good idea. In the same way as punching yourself in the face repeatedly for many hours is a good idea, that is...

[paul kersey]

Lewis Collins: How The Professionals' William Bodie is looking his age | Mail Online
Well what did they expect, we have all changed in looks since the late 70's

[Rowdon]

(with or without Ray "poor man's Dennis Waterman" Winstone)

Isn't it Ray "poor man's John Thaw" Winstone? I thought he was doing Regan.

[wadsy]

On the Mail online picture it looks to me as if Lewis Collins has his left arm under his T Shirt. An injury perhaps?

[christoph404]

Lewis Collins: How The Professionals' William Bodie is looking his age | Mail Online
Well what did they expect, we have all changed in looks since the late 70's

That article seems quite cruel and negative with a nasty edge in the writing, the premise seems to be lets gloat over the contrast is circumstances between a successful 30 year old action star and how his life is now and how he looks as a 66 year old man!! We all grow old and change, I think its a bit unfair to put a negative slant on a story just because of that.

[Steve Crook]

That article seems quite cruel and negative with a nasty edge in the writing, the premise seems to be lets gloat over the contrast is circumstances between a successful 30 year old action star and how his life is now and how he looks as a 66 year old man!! We all grow old and change, I think its a bit unfair to put a negative slant on a story just because of that.

Of course, it's a British newspaper (and it's the worst of the bunch). Of course it takes a nasty, sniping line on someone growing old naturally.

Steve

[Rowdon]

It's a stupid and empty article. He looks OK for his age.

[cassidy]

ITV4 often shows re runs of "The Professionals" and if you happen to be lucky you might just catch the original episode where Bodie and Doyle join up with Cowley. As it happens I dont think Martin Shaw would be a bad choice for Cowley now.

[Mark O]

Of course, it's a British newspaper (and it's the worst of the bunch).

Steve

The Guardian is the worst of the bunch Steve?..........and there was me (judging by comments made on other threads) convinced it was a certain other rag that was hated with venomous intensity!.

As for 'The Professionals', I wouldn't be keen on any remake, it just wouldn't be the same, if it's set in the same time period of the series where are they going to find all the Ford Cortina's and Morris Marina's to use in street scenes, very few left, there'll only be one Cowley, Bodie, and Doyle to me, I don't want my dreams shattered.

[zettel45]

I enjoy the re-runs of The Professionals on ITV4 rather more than I thought I would - The Sweeney it ain't, but it's usually a decent enough hour's entertainment if you've nothing better to do. However, I really can't see the point of making it into a film; the central premise of the program is slightly daft and only there to give the writers scope to tackle whatever theme they fancied (one week they're busting a corrupt housing company, the next they're infiltrating a terrorist group, etc etc). In other words, it's a premise designed for a TV series and not for a single, self-contained drama.

But, as usual, someone reckons there's money to made from linking a bog-standard action movie story to an established title, so it's going to happen whether we like it or not.

[Kitty Whiskers]

Lewis Collins: How The Professionals' William Bodie is looking his age | Mail Online
Well what did they expect, we have all changed in looks since the late 70's

What a sad, mean-spirited little news article.


I liked The Professionals in its day (they showed it as a double-header with The Sweeney here in Oz). The serious lack of imagination among film-makers continues and just depresses me. There is the potential for making a great film along the lines of The Professionals, without going into the Bodie and Doyle story. The idea of CI-5 could be easily updated and turned into something new and terrific.

[Captain Casper]

Leave it alone. No need for this.

Spooks has filled in pretty well for The Professionals.

[batman]

I don't think The Professionals would work set now .... I mean, an elite police squad with operational carte blanche, who would fund it?

[markrgv]

It seems to be the usual film fad at the moment for remakes of other films or for big screen adaption of tv programmes.
And the one thing they all have in common is that they're all naff

[Steve Crook]

It seems to be the usual film fad at the moment for remakes of other films or for big screen adaption of tv programmes.

The people financing major films are scared of any new ideas - on the rare occasions when anyone liable to be in a position to make a major film actually has a new idea.

The financiers look at the old film or TV series and think - It was a success make then, if we re-make it and throw in lots of explosions and special effects and then spend a huge amount promoting it, it can make a profit for us again. The trouble is that they're usually right. Artistic integrity doesn't come into the equation

Steve

[karen]

Have been watching the repeats of the Professionals on ITV4.
I digress but doesn't Martin Shaw just keep getting better looking as he gets older?
It appears they are remaking this as a movie and after a bit of googling have seen the names of Gerard Butler and Liam Neeson bandied about. Someone put me out of my misery and poo poo this ridiculous casting rumour.