A
Sliders Feature Film
Date: 10/13/1999
From: TemporalFlux
Well, I don't know how confident I am that RK can pull that off...but it has some favorable things that go along with it. For one, Peckinpah wouldn't be involved. Think about it...Peck has only ever been in television...he isn't a feature person. He has no influence there. RK and Torme' (on the other hand) have had hands in feature films...especially RK who has done much work in features (Blues Brothers, Naked Gun, etc.).The other plus...all the regulars would likely come back for a feature. Think about it. JOC would gladly take an opportunity to appear on the big screen...and JRD would be much more inclined to participate in that type of situation. The same goes for Sabrina and Cleavant (in Sabrina's case, the film could be shot during her off time from Sports Night - that's the beauty of a feature, it doesn't have to fall during the filming of fall television programs).
As for the approach...personally, if a feature is going to be done, I would say not to worry about wrapping anything up. As a feature, the premise needs to be accessible to the public without too much confusion or explanation (i.e. baggage)...and that's all you would have with any attempt at a wrap up now. If a feature is to be done, the best route I see is a "missing" tale. Sliders has several gap periods in which stories with the originals could be done. There are some gaps in season one continuity (since if memory serves, Luck of the Draw took place 10 months after the Pilot), and there is a gap period between the end of season two and the beginning of season three. Either of those could easily support missing tales with our originals...and since those time periods took place before continuity got muddled, the story wouldn't be confusing to the broader audience a feature would have.
By telling missing tales, they would not be asking the audience to go out on any limbs (such as "you were following the wrong group all this time") and all they would need to do is state the premise (as Quinn always did at the beginning of each episode).
I don't know what RK has planned...but Tracy Torme's "Heat of the Moment" would be perfect for a feature film.
In any case, RK needs to point us in a direction to support this with...with Sci-Fi showing interest, they are still the ones to write to at the moment. Universal is the other big one since they are attached to Sliders already. As for feature potential, I know there were some upper level people at Paramount talking of how they believed Sliders had feature potential (it was just their opinion though).
Just a few quick thoughts.
Tf
temporalflux@hotmail.com
http://www.dimensionofcontinuity.com
Makes
sense
Date: 10/13/1999
From: Slider_Sarah
Good logic. And there's always things that tell missing tales in books, so what not a film?
Hmm...
Date: 10/13/1999
From: Informant
I'm not sure we could do a missing story type thing. They're all so different these days. Jerry's gained weight. Sabrina looks different. JRD lost weight.What if they did "Heat Of The Moment" only at the end, Remmy, Mallory, Diana and maggie slide in?
We may not be watching the *wrong* sliders... just a branch off of the originals.
As long as the words "Blistering" and "Idiot" are in the script, I don't care.
An
addendum
Date: 10/13/1999
From: TemporalFlux
And it would be easy to place the missing tale with a few lines at the beginning. Just a few comments about the last adventure (one that was an episode). This would be just be a sidenote to the people watching it for the first time...but it would be a marker for those who kept up with the series.As for appearance...that can be worked around. This is Hollywood. If they have a feature film budget, appearance is not as big of an issue as you may think. And in any case, JRD was skinner during season one (and wasn't all that bigger in season two - his hair was just longer then). And Jerry could work out a little bit (just like he had to gain weight for his appearance in "Can't Hardly Wait"). Sabrina's changes amount mainly to hair...which is probably the easiest thing to rectify as far as appearance goes (whether it be through dye jobs, extensions, wigs or any number of things). And Cleavant has probably already grown his mustache back (since he prefers it - he only took it off because of those idiots running the show in season four and five)...and he can and would work out to lost weight (just look at his appearance at the beginning of season five). Those aren't really big factors.
I just don't see a feature being pulled off involving the other cast additions. I'm sorry...but Kari, Robert and Tembi just aren't feature material...not in as large of a role as they would have with Sliders. I know that RK isn't talking about direct to video here...and that's mainly what those three are good for (unless Kari does the matress mamba - which I doubt RK would have in a script). It would be best just to leave those people forgotten. At least for the sake of making it a sucessful feature film...if we want a flop, then shove them in there. The chemistry and experience of the original cast are the only ones who could actually give a Sliders feature the chance for success...shoe horning any of the others in there would kill it.
Tf
temporalflux@hotmail.com
http://www.dimensionofcontinuity.com
It
doesn't make sense!
Date: 10/13/1999
From: Executive
If SLIDERS could rarely deliver decent ratings on television, what prospects could it possibly have in raking in box office receipts?The big screen success of most of the STAR TREK and Star Trek: The Next Generation films were understandable. Star Trek has the biggest cult following in the world. SLIDERS has a considerably smaller following. There are still a lot of people in this country who never even heard of Jerry O' Connell, along with everyone else in the series' ever-changing cast. There have been countless TV series that were made into feature films. Just a few examples:
Notable bombs:
THE AVENGERS (Sacrilige, and Patrick Macnee stated in print how disappointed he was in this remake. Ralph Fiennes was the first and only actor to ever replace Macnee in the role of John Steed. Macnee also played Steed for two additional seasons in the well-done mid 1970s series "The New Avengers". Even a big name actor like Sean Connery couldn't save the 1990s version!)
THE MOD SQUAD (The original series from 1968-1973 had a statement to make about ex-con teens who are given pardons to join the establishment by becoming cops. Set in the present and with no real social statement to make, the new version involved just another shoddy drug dealers plot).
LEAVE IT TO BEAVER (A lame hit sitcom from the late 50s/early 60s was already remade with several of its original stars in the 80s with "The New Leave it to Beaver".
No surprise that the movie tanked!)MY FAVORITE MARTIAN (The biggest mistake other than this filming being produced was in original series star Ray Walston agreeing to take a villianous role in the new version -- 32 years later! When the talented Walston co-starred in "Picket Fences" a few years ago, he was stating that he would rather forget about his days on the classic sitcom. How things change...)
And those less notable:
CAR 54, WHERE ARE YOU? (A funny early 60s sitcom remade in 1991 for no good reason. Comedian/poet Nipsey Russell was the only real connection between both versions.)
BEAN --- Well I never liked Mr. Bean so no further comment on him.
Successful remakes that were an insult to many of the fans who loved them on TV:
THE WILD WILD WEST (Why bother, and with the self-absorbed and high-overrated Will Smith? -- $$$$$$$$! The original James West, Robert Conrad was understandably angry, and pointed that out to the press!)
MISSION : IMPOSSIBLE (There were already two TV series versions prior to the one with Tom Cruise. Why the hell couldn't they get Peter Graves again?)
THE ADDAMS FAMILY (Although the sequal "Addams Family Values" bombed, Raul Julia paled as Gomez compared to John Astin.)
I don't know which other movie execs other than Robert K. Weiss that Flux is referring to who like this idea, but let's face it, guys, SLIDERS can only work as a movie if it's made for television!I just hope that much long-talked about HAWAII FIVE-O movie never gets made. It could never work without Jack Lord as McGarrett!!
THE EXECUTIVE
I
agree, TF
Date: 10/13/1999
From: Informant
I don't see them doing it that way, but it would be neat.
I
don't know TF...
Date: 10/13/1999
From: Le_Monde
Don't get me wrong, I would love to see a feature movie on the big screen about Sliders. There are several problems though:
What will we do about the millions of people who will see it? Nearly all of them haven't ever seen a single episode. Because of this, we cannot start the film where Sliders will leave off; we'd have to start from the beginning again.
Of course, that means we probably can't resolve all the open story arcs in the movie, unless it takes off in a different way the first and all subsequent seasons did. But that wouldn't be reasonable would it? That would mean that everything they've did is nothing.
No. As much as I would like to see a feature film, it wouldn't be feasible to do it. It would only be suitable for me and you TF, not the general populace. They wouldn't know what's going on. It is in this way that executives would denounce any attempt to make such a feature film.
We have a much better chance with a miniseries or a movie on television. However, you bring up an interesting point about the gaps. This is what my version of the movie would be based on; I could always augment it to fit the big screen; adding the 'minor explanations' you mentioned. That is, if such a concept would work 'up there.'LM
LOL!
Priceless, Exec!
Date: 10/13/1999
From: Blinker
> Ralph Fiennes was the first and
> only actor to ever replace Macnee
> in the role of John Steed. Macnee
> also played Steed for two additional
> seasons in the well-done mid 1970s
> series "The New Avengers".> Comedian/poet Nipsey Russell was the
> only real connection between both
> versions.> Why bother, and with the self-absorbed
> and high-overrated [sic] Will Smith?> There were already two TV series
> versions prior to the one with Tom
> Cruise. Why the hell couldn't they
> get Peter Graves again?> Raul Julia paled as Gomez compared
> to John Astin.> I just hope that much long-talked about [sic]
> HAWAII FIVE-O movie never gets made. It
> could never work without Jack Lord as
> McGarrett!!WE GET THE POINT. The movies sucked, because replacement casts couldn't capture the spirit and flavour of the originals. In case you haven't noticed, however, we ARE talking about the original Sliders cast. Hence, your reply has in common with your episode reviews that its sole purpose is to show off your knowledge of inane '60s TV show trivia.
The best thing I can say about any of your comments is that you finally spelled the word "further" correctly. Doesn't that just say it all?
- Blinker 7:-/
http://welcome.to/gate_havenP.S... You still need to work on "sequel."
I
thought we wanted an ending?
Date: 10/13/1999
From: mindflux
Isnt this all a loss of focus, a Sliders feature film could not close up the story arcs that the fans would want. I dont think a Sliders feature is feasable at this point. I think we need to focus on the telepic/finale... until we get some conformation that SOME company has interest in a feature. If that interest comes then we can figure out what WE want in a feature, not that its likely what we want is what would happen... in any case a feature would not be a "FINALE" which is what are argument was in the first place.If we lose that focus, that arguement... then we don't have a case for a film at all.
Sure Id love to see our heroes on the big screen, but until its a REAL possibility lets focus the possibility of a telepic, which is much more likely, and originally what we wanted, and if we want closure, it's what we want now. Of course a feature on top of that wouldnt be bad.
From
your lips to their ears!!
Date: 10/13/1999
From: StarSekr1
We can only hope.
SS1 :-)
Yet's
keep our fingers crossed!
Date: 10/13/1999
From: Afl
What you said makes a lot of sense. I hope Robert K. Weiss can pull it off.AfL :)
I
am hoping
Date: 10/13/1999
From: RealmKeeper
For a "Heat of the Moment" version of this movie and that Tracy will be involved.
Blinker,
you missed the point as usual
Date: 10/13/1999
From: Executive
I wasn't suggesting that any of the SLIDERS cast be replaced, but I'll make this very brief so it's easier for you to comphrehend:All of those feature film remakes that I mentioned were of HIT TV series.
SLIDERS was never a hit!!
Of course, if you weren't hit on the head when you were born I suppose you would have figured that out by now.
Okay...
Date: 10/13/1999
From: TemporalFlux
Just to clear this up because I see some confusion arising...making it a feature is *not* my idea. I was just looking at because this seems to be what RK Weiss is wanting:http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/545/13538
I was building on it from there and talking about how *I* think it would work if that is the course taken. I'm not saying that is the best course...I was just exploring the possibilities if that road is taken. If more of you spent time actually reading as opposed to brandishing opinions, you may realize that without me saying it.
Tf
temporalflux@hotmail.com
http://www.dimensionofcontinuity.com
For
the record, Exec
Date: 10/14/1999
From: The_Cynic
BEAN was not a flop. It was a big success, having made
millions, before it even opened in North America. I thought
it had some very big laughs, though it did tend to drag in places. Still, I'd never place it in the same time zone as that garbage film THE AVENGERS. That would have been considered bad even if it WASN'T based on a tv show (which it could be compared to).
Original URL http://bboard.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/545/13574
Nominated by Slider_Quinn21
