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Topic: Born to play 'Starsky & Hutch' (Read 407 times)

Rhune
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Born to play 'Starsky & Hutch'
« on: Mar 8^th, 2004, 3:40pm »

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Born to play 'Starsky & Hutch'
Stiller and Wilson return to their childhoods
By Alesia Stanford
Daily News from Entertainment Weekly
Monday, March 8, 2004 Posted: 3:19 PM EST (2019 GMT)

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- When Ben Stiller was a little boy, he used to play cops-and-robbers with his friends in New York City. But Stiller's cop wasn't some anonymous man on the beat. He had a name: "Starsky."

Half a continent away, Texas-bred Owen Wilson was arresting his own playground bad guys. His code name: "Hutch."

Now, that's destiny.

If ever there were a reason to team the much-partnered Stiller and Wilson in a remake of the 1970s TV series "Starsky and Hutch," their childhood games would be it.

"I loved 'Starsky,' " Stiller, now 38, recalls. "I was 10 years old when it came on the air [and] I was the target demographic. If you had dark hair, you were 'Starsky,' [and] if you were blond, you were 'Hutch.' "

The two longtime friends are starring in their sixth movie together -- previous collaborations include "Zoolander" and "The Royal Tenenbaums" -- this time as the law-and order buddies originally played by Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul.

In the original show, Dave Starsky and Ken Hutchinson were streetwise crimefighters who caught bad guys while wearing hip clothes and driving around town in a bright red Ford Gran Torino. The two became heartthrobs for many a teenaged girl; Soul even cut a No. 1 single, "Don't Give Up On Us Baby," securing his hunk status.

The film is a little different.

'Maybe we fall a little short'

The movie comes complete with a red Gran Torino.
Helmed by "Old School" director Todd Phillips, "Starsky & Hutch" (note the ampersand) does retain the same '70s feel. It's got a flashy red Gran Torino (the filmmakers used nine of the now classic cars, if you stretch the definition of "classic" to include any car more than 25 years old), disco music and a wardrobe that mirrors what the characters wore on the television show.

There's a new Huggy Bear, the flamboyant informant from the original show, played by Snoop Dogg in the movie. And Wilson even sings Soul's song in a scene in which the two try to woo some cheerleaders.

However, that's where the similarities end.

"Some of the comedy maybe in our movie came from the fact that in those guys (Glaser and Soul's Starsky and Hutch), there was some kind of inherent coolness in the way they work that I don't think we quite have," Wilson told The Associated Press. "Ben and I try, but in trying to kind of match that, maybe we fall a little short, and that's where some of the humor comes from."

A few of the gags will remind fans of some of the antics in Wilson's "Shanghai Knights" films. There's also some of the potty humor Stiller's become known for since starring in the runaway hit, "There's Something About Mary."

Both actors mockingly declare they were deceived into going for laughs.

"I feel that the director has kinda sold us down the river," jokes Stiller. "It was originally told to us that it was gonna be an action comedy, the emphasis on the action, and before you know it it's a turned into a comedy with a little bit of action in it."

'OK, good luck to them'

Snoop Dogg plays Huggy Bear, the team's primary informant.
The AP talked to Soul and Glaser, who have cameo appearances in the film. They're polite, but wonder what their old series has wrought.

"The movie was being made the way they wanted to make it. I just felt, OK, good luck to them," Glaser told the AP. "It's a compliment to us they wanted us there in whatever capacity to give a wink to our own audience and say, 'We're still here, folks.' "

"Starsky & Hutch" won't be the last teaming of Stiller and Wilson, Stiller told the AP. Among the possibilities: Wilson reprising his "Meet the Parents" role in "Meet the Fockers," a sequel that begins shooting in April.

Won't all these movies together get tiresome? If not for the pair, then for the public?

Stiller doesn't think so.

"I don't think we have to worry about that, because not enough people come to our movies to get burned out on us," Stiller told the AP. "We sort of look at ourselves as like Hope and Crosby without the success."

"Without the huge following," Wilson added. "Martin and Lewis without the, you know."

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MzWings
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Re: Born to play 'Starsky & Hutch'
« Reply #1 on: Mar 9^th, 2004, 10:33am »

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Sorry - but I think this remake is gonna go bust. I don't know how many many times in the last few weeks we've been inundated with previews.

The repoire between Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul (IMNSHO) is poorly served up by Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. The other characters mimicked, I won't bother mentioning. Sad

To me, (the original the show ran for 4 seasons, and 93 episodes, wrapping up in August, 1979) this offering of S & H can't be honestly copied. Imagine a remake of Bonanza or The Dick Van Dyke Show (Laura and Rob)?

:soapbox:

.....k.....I'm done! :laff:

« Last Edit: Mar 9^th, 2004, 8:57pm by MzWings »

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Pilar
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Re: Born to play 'Starsky & Hutch'
« Reply #2 on: Mar 9^th, 2004, 8:40pm »

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David remembers the show and he says this a perverse version and an insult to REAL show. We also avoid anything that has Snoop in it as a general rule

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Magnum_PI
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Re: Born to play 'Starsky & Hutch'
« Reply #3 on: Mar 10^th, 2004, 3:36pm »

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I saw this movie last night and it was hilarious. Not to mention the original Starsky and Hutch cameo. I loved it and I want a Ford Grand Turino now as well Cool

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avsfanbuck
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Re: Born to play 'Starsky & Hutch'
« Reply #4 on: Mar 11^th, 2004, 8:09am »

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I loved this movie it is so funny. Cool

Good job to Owen and Ben

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lakelady
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Re: Born to play 'Starsky & Hutch'
« Reply #5 on: Mar 13^th, 2004, 8:33am »

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I usually don't go for this type of "campy" movie. But how can it NOT be hilarious with those two. I plan to see it. I saw an interview with them both recently and Ben was teasing Owen saying it might have been helpful if he had ever read the script. lol

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avsfanbuck
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Re: Born to play 'Starsky & Hutch'
« Reply #6 on: Mar 29^th, 2004, 8:13am »

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I finally saw this movie and I LOVED IT!

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lakelady
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Re: Born to play 'Starsky & Hutch'
« Reply #7 on: Mar 29^th, 2004, 9:09am »

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Good for you, avs! I hope to see it soon. Cool

The good thing about moving back home is that the little theatre in Alex City has Sunday matinees at 3:00 for only $3. This should be an incentive for me to start posting many more reviews.

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avsfanbuck
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Re: Born to play 'Starsky & Hutch'
« Reply #8 on: Mar 29^th, 2004, 10:15am »

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Oh that is very cool. I wish my movies were like that.

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