Related Sections: Lists Movies TV
Check out 10 Saturday morning TV series that inspired blockbuster movies
Land of the Lost, which opened today in theaters nationwide, isn't the first film to be based on a Saturday morning television series. Hollywood has been trying to mine gold for years from those sometimes classic, sometimes campy shows we watched back when Saturday meant grabbing a bowl of Lucky Charms and vegging out on the couch for hours.
Some movies have proven that it's possible to take yesterday's TV and successfully reinvent it for modern audiences. But without a decent script, a cast of skilled actors and a team of expert CGI experts, the final product can also end up as nothing more than the regurgitation of an old idea for the sake of merchandising.
With that in mind, here are 10 movies, produced over the course of nearly three decades, that have been adapted for the big screen from our childhood favorites. Some translated well, managing to capture the whimsy of the originals, while others ... didn't.
POPEYE (1980)
The TV Show: The animated series followed the life of Popeye, a sailor who gained superhuman strength from eating canned spinach, and his often supernatural adventures around the world battling such enemies as the Sea Hag and the pirate Bluto. Popeye the Sailor was adapted from the original 1929 comic strip Thimble Theatre.
The Film: The sailor Popeye arrives in the strange little seaside town of Sweet Haven, where he meets the soon-to-be love of his life, Olive Oyl, a hamburger-loving man named Wimpy and a brutish pirate named Bluto whose one desire is to punish Sweet Haven and its residents. With the power of a can of spinach, Popeye of course saves Sweet Haven from Bluto's wrath and even manages to find his long-lost Pappy and the abandoned baby Swee'Pea while he's at it.
Why we loved the original: The classic animation and simple themes made for an original and charming cartoon.
Did the adaptation work?: Yes. Thanks to the comedic powers and brilliant character-acting abilities of Robin Williams (Popeye), Shelley Duval (Olive Oyl) and Paul L. Smith (Bluto), the story of Popeye causes the film to come to life in a brilliant and endearing way. The film is quirky, sweet and slightly ridiculous, just like the original cartoons, carrying that odd campiness that is so distinct in humorous musical '80s films.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (1990)
The TV Show: The 1980s cartoon series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles focused on four humanoid turtles trained in the arts of Ninjitsu by a sensei rat named Master Splinter. They live in the sewers below Manhattan and battle every type of assailant from petty thieves to alien invaders.
The Film: After coming into contact with a mysterious substance called Ooze, four normal turtles mutate into humanoid, pizza-loving turtle creatures in New York. Educated by a rat by the name of Splinter in the ways of Ninjitsu, they must unite in order to confront the Shredder and the Foot Clan.
Why we loved the original: Its pseudo-Japanime style and cute catchphrases certainly captured the imaginations of an entire generation. Cowabunga, dude!
Did the adaptation work?: No. The goofy, juvenile humor that underscored nearly every scene in the cartoon is lost in the live-action version, dissolving from campy to downright unbearable as it's delivered by the actors in rubber ninja turtle costumes. The entire film reeks of low-budget mass franchising that is soulless and spiritless, a blatant marketing gimmick to capitalize on the merchandising aspect of the cartoon.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY (1991)
The TV Show: Inspired by the work of cartoonist Charles Addams, The Addams Family satirizes the "ideal American family" by portraying an eccentric, macabre and extremely wealthy family who are clueless about how they differ from mainstream America.
The Film: An unscrupulous doctor discovers the fact that Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd) has been missing for 25 years and attempts to insert his own son as a duplicate Fester in order to secure a portion of the Addams' wealth.
Why we loved the original: The Addams Family is still one of the most original television programs ever aired, especially for the time period in which it was conceived. The humor is pricelessly macabre, the comedic timing perfect and the characters so lovingly twisted that, perhaps, they remind us all a bit too much of members of our own family.
Did the adaptation work?: Yes. Due to how deeply ingrained the characters are in the international human psyche, casting was crucial, and with Anjelica Huston as Morticia, Raul Julia as Gomez and Christina Ricci as Wednesday, it was obvious that director Barry Sonnenfeld was well aware of this. The film stayed true to the original spirit of the television show, with campy, dark one-liner humor, near-identical duplication of original, unmistakable costumes and a masterful re-envisioning of The Addams Family's macabre manor.
THE FLINTSTONES (1994)
The TV Show: The animated series The Flintstones follows a working-class Stone Age man named Fred Flintstone and his family as they lead a suburban existence in the community of Bedrock. The show originally aired in 1960 and was syndicated until the mid-1990s.
The Film: Due to a mixup in test scores, Fred Flintstone obtains an executive position at the Slate and Co. rock mining company, where he works with his friend Barney. He thinks this is his dream job until he realizes he is being manipulated by Cliff Vandercave to be the fall guy for an embezzlement scheme.
Why we loved the original: The concept was creative and original, with sassy but sweet humor and multilayered characters that made each episode memorable and timeless.
Did the adaptation work?: Yes. Not only was the cast expertly selected with such actors as Elizabeth Perkins (Wilma), Rick Moranis (Barney Rubble), Rosie O'Donnell (Betty Rubble) and Elizabeth Taylor (Pearl Slaghoople), but the movie stuck true to its original, sweet and simple artistic concept. The sets and props, populated with Muppet-esque dinosaurs, were larger than life and constructed with a plasticized texture that gave them an animated feel. The costumes were near-direct replicas of the original cartoon, down to Wilma's oversized white stone necklace. The end product was a film that could be enjoyed by both young and older audiences.
SCOOBY-DOO (2002)
The TV Show: Originally aired in 1969, with several versions developed over the decades, the animated series follows the wild supernatural adventures of Mystery Inc., a group of teenage investigators, their hippie friend Shaggy and his goofy talking Great Dane, Scooby-Doo.
The Film: Mystery Inc. have been separated for two years when they receive invitations to meet up at Spooky Island. Not realizing all have been invited, they arrive and quickly discover that the amusement park on the island is affecting the visitors in very strange ways.
Why we loved the original: The mere mention of "Why, it's Old Man Witherspoon!" or "Scooby snacks" instantly conjures up fond memories of the cheesy, poorly animated series about a pack of mystery-investigating teenagers. While the animation was crude, the show itself was cute, predictable and always entertaining.
Did the adaptation work?: No. With the exception of Matthew Lillard, who played Shaggy, the casting was completely wrong, and it was painfully obvious that the actors had neither an enthusiasm for the show nor the remote capability of properly reinventing the classic characters. To make matters worse, the CGI animation style used to create Scooby-Doo was poorly executed, to the point where the lovable Great Dane took on a creepy, disturbing quality.
GARFIELD (2004)
The TV Show: Inspired by the comic strip Garfield by Jim Davis, the animated series Garfield & Friends follows the interaction between a spoiled, sarcastic and gluttonous cat named Garfield, a goofy dog named Odie and their average, disillusioned owner, John. The animated series ran on Saturday mornings from 1988 until 1994.
The Film: In a desperate attempt to impress the local vet, John Arbuckle, Garfield's owner, adopts a dog, named Odie. When Odie is dog-napped, Garfield does something completely out of character and launches a search for his supposed canine rival.
Why we loved the original: Garfield, one of my all-time favorite cartoon characters, was sarcastic, rude, lazy, gluttonous and irreverent, a true cat of cats, so to speak. The humor was priceless and the animation sharp, causing it to appeal not only to the younger audience of the time but to older generations as well.
Did the adaptation work?: Mixed. This is not necessarily a film that most adults would enjoy, but it can be appreciated for the kid appeal. For a true fan of the comic strip, Garfield is not cranky, wry, belligerent or sarcastic enough. John is not desperate or despondent, like the comic or cartoon version; in the film he is goofy and lovable and rather clueless. However, all in all, it turned out to be a good family film.
FAT ALBERT (2004)
The TV Show:: Created, produced and hosted by comedian Bill Cosby, the 1970s' animated series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids followed a group of kids called the Junkyard Gang living in the ghetto, and dealt with common youth issues such as stage fright, first loves and skipping school.
The Film: A rather large boy named Fat Albert and his friends Rudy, Mushmouth, Bill, Dumb Donald, Russell and Weird Harold "fall" out of their TV world into the real world. Fat Albert attempts to help a young girl, Doris, make friends. Everything appears normal until Doris' older sister, Lauri, talks Fat Albert's friends into believing that he may never want to return to his cartoon world again.
Why we loved the original: Fat Albert, with its fun, easygoing characters, tapped into the slapstick, laid-back attitude of the generation it was conceived in.
Did the adaptation work?: No. This movie is a prime example that what was hip and stylish two decades ago is not necessarily transferable to the modern era. The over-the-top exaggerated characters that worked perfectly in animation became tiresome and boring when produced in a live-action format.
TRANSFORMERS (2007)
The TV Show: Inspired by the 1970s' Japanese toy lines of Microman and Diaclone, and the later Transformers comic-book series, the animated show followed the story of the planet of Cybertron, where a war was being waged between the noble Autobots and the dangerous Decepticons for control over the Allspark, a mystical talisman that would grant unlimited power to whoever possessed it.
The Film: The first of the new Transformers feature films introduces us to to the human teenager Sam (Shia LaBeouf), who has been drawn into the center of an apocalyptic war between the Autobots and Decepticons as they return to Earth in search of the Allspark.
Why we loved the original: While the actual animation left something to be desired, just as many of the mainstream animations of the 1980s did, the concept of the series itself was designed around a clear good-versus-evil plotline that was easily digestible by its young audience. And big honking robots are cool!
Did the adaptation work?: Yes. With the keen directorial expertise of Michael Bay and the brilliant screenwriting of such creative talents as Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, it was destined to be a classic. While casting did play a key role in the success of the 2007 production, with such actors as Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, who gave it a fresh, hip face, the true defining elements of Transformers were the clever screenwriting and awe-inspiring CGI animation that took the clunky, often cheesy, 1980s cartoon characters and breathed an unprecedented fierce life force into the Titan-like mechanized aliens we had grown up with. The end result was a movie that succeeded in captivating audiences and cultivating a whole new generation of Transformers fans.
UNDERDOG (2007)
The TV Show: Underdog follows the courageous and often ridiculous adventures of a beagle with superhero powers and the ability to speak. He battles such villains as Simon Bar Sinister and Riff Raff, fighting for his love interest Sweet Polly Purebred. The Underdog animated series ran from 1964 until it was syndicated in 1973.
The Film: Underdog is the tale of an ex-bomb-sniffing beagle named Shoeshine who is injected with an experimental elixir by a mad scientist, which incidentally gives him superpowers and the ability to speak. Shoeshine uses his powers to protect his human family and the citizens of Capitol City from the evil Simon Barsinister.
Why we loved the original: The cartoon employed a unique (for the time) animation style and a simple, moral-driven concept for each episode.
Did the adaptation work?: No. There are a few quasi-adorable moments. Even though the hilarious comedic talent of Jason Lee (Chasing Amy, My Name Is Earl) was employed as the voice of Underdog himself, the campy humor was unfortunately lost in the shadow of the often bizarrely animated movements of the actor-dog. Though it is not a complete disaster, there is something particularly creepy about blending CGI animation over an actual living creature, such as a dog, to make it appear that it is speaking or flying.
SPEED RACER (2008)
The TV Show: Speed Racer is the English adaptation of the Japanese manga Mach Go Go Go, and focuses on a teenage race-car driver named Speed Racer who wants to become a professional racer despite his father's disapproval.
The Film: Speed Racer is a young man with a keen ability to race cars. When Speed rejects an offer by Royalton Industries, he uncovers a secret that top corporate interests are fixing races and cheating to gain profit.
Why we loved the original: Speed Racer was simple, sharp anime at its best.
Did the adaptation work?: No. There was very little actual plot to the original Speed Racer animated series to begin with, and, thus, the feature film consisted of barely more than one flashy race scene after another. While it was a visually pretty movie, it was hardly a tolerable reinvention of the story, and it did little to inspire new enthusiasm in younger audiences or nostalgia in older ones.
By General at 8:11 PM ON 06/05/09
Speed Racer was great. It did inspire nostalgia in me. I have since bought the original series.
Garfield was terrible. and i liked the TMNT movies
By Cris at 8:18 PM ON 06/05/09
"keen directorial expertise of Michael Bay and the brilliant screen writing of such creative talents as Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, it was destined to be a classic"
Seriously? Have "keen directorial expertise" and "Michael Bay" ever been used in the same sentence? I know the movie raked in tons of money, but come on, a "classic"? It was just as loud, obnoxious, overblown and ultimately forgettable as all the other garbage Bay has put his hands on.
By Sithboy at 8:30 PM ON 06/05/09
The Transformers movie did NOT win me over - the scene where the robots were creeping around the house while the dad thought it was an earthquake (or whatever happened) had me painfully groaning, and the little robot that transformed from a boom box was just annoying. I actually remember liking the first TMNT movie, but hated the 2nd and never saw any others, and I was never into the original comics or cartoons. I was so glad to see Popeye on this list, I remember loving that movie when I was a kid, might be time to pop it onto my Netflix!
By Tokrath at 8:36 PM ON 06/05/09
I tend to agree with General.
I enjoyed the TMNT movie for what it was when it came out. It is very dated now and looks lame but at the time that was solidly done and made me think very much of the cartoon. Now it is cheep and lame but considering that out of this this it is second old go figure it might be dated.
As for speed racer what was the anime but one rase after another. It was a low quality anime that was one of the first brought over to the US. The movie had about as much plot as an episode and the fact is that it was Visually one of the best movies ever. It is a movie that screams HD.
By Oh screwdriver you! at 9:29 PM ON 06/05/09
TMNT had it's moments. It might not have been great but it was more faithful to the comic source than that 80's crap toon. The 2003 series is lightyears beyond it. In TMNT 5 the return to live action/CGI will rule cinemas for years.
By jfossy at 9:58 PM ON 06/05/09
The Addams Family is kind of a cop out.
The cartoon was a remake of the TV Show, which I consider the movie was made after as well.
By Franklin at 10:08 PM ON 06/05/09
"With the keen directorial expertise of Michael Bay and the brilliant screenwriting of such creative talents as Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman"
All of the adjectives in that sentence are wrong.
By guyver0313 at 10:09 PM ON 06/05/09
The Allspark was NEVER mentioned in the original 1980's Transformers cartoon. It may have been mentioned in the comics and the other cartoons that were not translated to English. But the United States never saw this "talisman" in video until the 2007 movie. The 2007 movie was well worth the almost 20 year wait for it and they really did the original series justice.
By Blue at 10:59 PM ON 06/05/09
I think it's safe to say whoever wrote this article deserves an immediate review by his employers for several reasons.
First, the ABSURD lack of any mention of John Goodman as Fred Flinstone (who carried a weak movie) is just plain embarrassing for all involved.
Second, the TMNT movies defined a generation. He might as well have said "Power Rangers lacked any intelligence and was little more than colorful costumes fighting." Um...yeah...that was the point.
And finally, like SO MANY of the people who saw the grossly underrated "Speed Racer," this guy didn't get it. Not only is it beautifully shot, expertly conceived, written, and performed, it's perhaps more Japanese than the original import, which was an Americanized, recut version of the JAPANESE ADAPTATION of the manga, not an American adaptation of the manga (fact check anyone?). And saying that there is no plot is ridiculous. Part of the reason it didn't work for a mainstream American audience was there was SO MUCH plot. It was a freaking commentary on the commercialization of art and carried obvious parallels to the Wachowskis ordeals involving the "Matrix" films. It was too smart, too long, and too Japanese for a dumbed down, 30-second-headline-news American audience, and that's why it "failed" commercially. I'm dying to know how it did in Japan.
All in all... "Did the article work?" "No. See above reasons."
By joesocwork at 10:59 PM ON 06/05/09
Wow, and all this time I thought video games had a hard time translating to movies!
By Blue at 11:00 PM ON 06/05/09
I think it's safe to say whoever wrote this article deserves an immediate review by his employers for several reasons.
First, the ABSURD lack of any mention of John Goodman as Fred Flinstone (who carried a weak movie) is just plain embarrassing for all involved.
Second, the TMNT movies defined a generation. He might as well have said "Power Rangers lacked any intelligence and was little more than colorful costumes fighting." Um...yeah...that was the point.
And finally, like SO MANY of the people who saw the grossly underrated "Speed Racer," this guy didn't get it. Not only is it beautifully shot, expertly conceived, written, and performed, it's perhaps more Japanese than the original import, which was an Americanized, recut version of the JAPANESE ADAPTATION of the manga, not an American adaptation of the manga (fact check anyone?). And saying that there is no plot is ridiculous. Part of the reason it didn't work for a mainstream American audience was there was SO MUCH plot. It was a freaking commentary on the commercialization of art and carried obvious parallels to the Wachowskis ordeals involving the "Matrix" films. It was too smart, too long, and too Japanese for a dumbed down, 30-second-headline-news American audience, and that's why it "failed" commercially. I'm dying to know how it did in Japan.
All in all... "Did the article work?" "No. See above reasons."
By Blue at 11:02 PM ON 06/05/09
I think it's safe to say whoever wrote this article deserves an immediate review by his employers for several reasons.
First, the ABSURD lack of any mention of John Goodman as Fred Flinstone (who carried a weak movie) is just plain embarrassing for all involved.
Second, the TMNT movies defined a generation. He might as well have said "Power Rangers lacked any intelligence and was little more than colorful costumes fighting." Um...yeah...that was the point.
And finally, like SO MANY of the people who saw the grossly underrated "Speed Racer," this guy didn't get it. Not only is it beautifully shot, expertly conceived, written, and performed, it's perhaps more Japanese than the original import, which was an Americanized, recut version of the JAPANESE ADAPTATION of the manga, not an American adaptation of the manga (fact check anyone?). And saying that there is no plot is ridiculous. Part of the reason it didn't work for a mainstream American audience was there was SO MUCH plot. It was a freaking commentary on the commercialization of art and carried obvious parallels to the Wachowskis ordeals involving the "Matrix" films. It was too smart, too long, and too Japanese for a dumbed down, 30-second-headline-news American audience, and that's why it "failed" commercially. I'm dying to know how it did in Japan.
All in all... "Did the article work?" "No. See above reasons."
By Blue at 11:05 PM ON 06/05/09
Sorry about the multiple posts. This site doesn't like me very much...
By REDante at 11:47 PM ON 06/05/09
TMNT, I was a kid so i liked, Pop eye, I liked the movie didnt care for the music. I didnt the adams family tv show or cartoon but I loved the movies. Transformers, I liked Bays action I dont care for the steven speilberg like story, I just wanted more action with robots.
Fat Albert, barely know the cartoon never watched didnt even know they made a movie. Garfield, liked the comic liked the cartoon didnt care for the movie. Again as a kid, liked it but now dont like it. Scooby Doo, yea never saw any of the movie, saw the old cartoons didnt bother with the new ones.
To Blue
Youre really really reallly deep into the speed racer movie. I mean if the movie was made for a japanese audience then maybe, but the movie was made for an american audience but it was done in a way that many just didnt prefer. It came out 2 weeks after Iron Man, Iron man which many people saw as a very well made comic book adaptation. Iron Man was out for 2 weeks before Speed Racer and Speed Racer came in 3rd behind a romantic comedy. Who was number 1, Iron Man.
So maybe the movie has a core audience who gets it, and you know im glad you and others like it but for other people, its not their style, so dont bash America, because at that time the prefered Iron Man, an Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz Romantic comedy before Speed Racer.
Speed Racer was 120,000,000 movie, plus advertisments. To answer your question how did it do over seas especially Japan all together the movie grossed $114,997,404. That included domestic, international and dvd sales. Whether people understand the "vision" those brothers had doesnt matter anymore. And now Dragon Ball Evolution can be included into the bombs.
To make note, nobody mentioned Alvin and the chimpmunks, I didnt give it a chance, when I finally did see it, personally not my style but I could sit through it and understand why it was a huge success and unlike Speed Racer and Dragon Ball Evolution, that movie is getting a sequel.
By Blue at 12:07 AM ON 06/06/09
Red, don't misunderstand. I'm not bashing America. I'm bashing the audience that would rather sit through torture porn or "National Lampoon presents Hoes'R'Us" than "Citizen Kane," "Rashomon," or "Metropolis." It's embarrassing, and as a filmmaker and screenwriter, I have to stand up for guys willing to break the rules and make a quality film instead of continuing the Hollywood pattern of "courting fourteen year old boys" (Studio 60). I love America, but as the crux on which the film industry turns, it's embarrassing that just about any other country is making movies of higher quality while we continue to award mediocrity, unoriginality, and perversion.
By Mandy at 1:21 AM ON 06/06/09
I agree with all these except Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles. I had liked it. There's a reason it had two sequels and a successful line of toys. As a kid you get it. And the costumes were great, designed by the late, great, Jim Henson's workshop.
As for Adams Family, the sixties version worked better than the nineties animated series...
By tinmiss at 2:04 AM ON 06/06/09
You know people that they forgot other cartoons that were turned into, movies & here they are: Spider-man, X-MEN, The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle, George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Right, (He-Man & The) Masters of the Universe, Super Mario Bros., G.I. Joe: The Movie (87), & Transformers: The Movie (86).
By DarkHawke at 6:23 AM ON 06/06/09
Re: Transformers--well, I have to agree that this reviewer was a smidge over-the-top in his praise of Bay and Orci/Kurtzman. It sure wasn't a cinematic masterpiece, but it was what it was, a bang-up, kick-ass summer blockbuster that actually holds up to repeat viewings. That they could make me not just buy but LIKE a movie full of giant transformin' talkin' robots is no small or easily dismissed achievement. And oh yeah, I'm there for the sequel!
Blue, I'm right with you on Speed Racer. This was a BRILLIANT movie in so many ways, and as I've mentioned before, truly the best realized animation-to-live-action movie. Ever. It both looked and felt like the cartoon of my youth, but this movie had a heart and soul that was both unexpected and most welcome. Sure, it was a patented Wachowski visual masterpiece, but there was PLENTY of plot, and quite well written besides. If it has a true fault, it was TOO good, and too much of what it should have been to catch the fancy of the casual mainstream audience. Either that or they just bought the line the moronic critics were layin' down. I can't fathom how anyone could not love this flick, but hey, that's just me.
By Thom at 7:10 AM ON 06/06/09
Many of these "Saturday Morning TV Series" weren't originally aired on Saturday mornings, nor were they even originally TV series.
As has already been stated, THE ADDAMS FAMILY was first a newspaper comic that then became a live-action TV series. The film was hardly inspired by the Saturday Morning Cartoon version of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. If they want to claim it was, then they might as well put STAR TREK on this list since there was also a Saturday Morning Cartoon version of Captain Kirk and Company.
As for POPEYE, it was mentioned that the character first appeared in E.C. Segar's comic strip. However, the cartoons were not "Saturday Morning" cartoons. They were animated shorts for movie theaters that came to television in syndication--and not necessarily shown on Saturday mornings.
In fact, out of the ten series on this list, only three of them actually started off as "Saturday Morning TV series"--UNDERDOG, FAT ALBERT, and SCOOBY DOO.
This entire article on list is about adding content to the site regardless of accuracy.
By BrianaMJ at 7:48 AM ON 06/06/09
I also have to disagree with the reviewer about TMNT. When it first came into theatres, the costumes were awesome and darned close to cutting-edge. The humor was great, and many lines have lasted the test of time and are quite quotable. "Does anyone want penicillan on their pizza?" "Pizza dude's got 30 seconds" Does it stand up to the test of time? Visually, no, but does any 80s movie? As a whole, I think it does. The live-action sequels didn't fare as well, with the 2nd semi-decent, and the 3rd in feudal Japan a complete trainwreck.
I've never seen Speed Racer, so I can't comment. I didn't watch much of the cartoon, so the movie didn't appeal. And the 5 minutes I did see of the movie during the final race made me fear for an epileptic fit.
While the casting in Scooby Doo could have been better (completely agree that Matthew Lilliard was perfect casting as Shaggy), I think it lived up to the campiness of the original cartoon.
I guess it just goes to show, opinions may differ. :-)
By s.murkle at 10:07 AM ON 06/06/09
Transformers a classic? You need to have your brain examined. Biggest pile of poop ever!
By PeterPorker at 10:56 AM ON 06/06/09
In the Transformer cartoom of the 80's, I remember that the Decepticons were always after Energon that they would some how harvest in different ways in the form of energon cubes. And to tinmiss, the title of this article was SATURDAY MORNING TV shows. While the shows mentioned did inspire movies, they were all pretty much weekday, after school cartoons. A few of which I could not wait to get home for. Now that I think about it, I don't recall Transformers being shown on Saturdays.
By iHATESyFy at 11:15 AM ON 06/06/09
seriously, when is scifi.com going to get actual fans of sci fi to review/ editorialize about all thigns sci fi?
how can you do a piece on saturday morning cartoons, when you yourself (clearly, from the ommissions and storyline confusions, i.e. transformers being after the allspark in the cartoon, and not energon cubes) have never seen them?
scifi.com keeps getting worse, and worse.
By TzipporaLeah at 11:32 AM ON 06/06/09
The Flinstones originally aired in primetime. It was seen as an animated sitcom and geared for adults.
By cologeek at 12:24 PM ON 06/06/09
What a train wreck of an article.
The Robin Williams Popeye was a bomb at the box office, and rightly so. It proves that even the best talent in the world can't make a poor plot and bad songs palatable.
TMNT was a great film that has the problem that too many over here in the US don't understand/respect what it takes to act and fight in a full costume. It had some of the best elements of the comic book and thankfully none from the awful first animated series.
Addams Family was a great film, carrying the essence of the gruesomely funny Charles Addams cartoons. Great cast and story, with wonderful sets. So I guess we agree on this one.
The Flintstones worked to an extent, I enjoyed watching it but haven't watched it since it first came out. Enjoyable once I guess, won't disagree with you there.
Scooby Doo was a joy for me to watch, the casting was good, it's not always easy to take something with 2 dimensional characters (and I don't mean the animation) and make them "real", but they did a good job here. It and the sequel paid good homage to one of the longest running cartoon franchises out there.
I haven't seen either Garfield or Fat Albert so no comment there.
Transformers was a great film with the exception of the scene with the Autobots sneaking around the house, that didn't work. Otherwise it was perfect for a summer blockbuster based on one of my favorite franchises. That's two, but the last time we agree.
Underdog was a fun film that was based on a cartoon that would have been hard to be completely faithful to. The story was pretty predictable but still had enough honest humor to enjoy.
Speed Racer was a great live action adaptation of one of my all time favorite cartoons (anime being a term that wasn't around when I first watched this weekday afternoons as a kid). The casting of Speed and his family was perfect, the story ( and there was one there) was true to the spirit of the original. I will agree that parts of the movie were like "Playing Gran Turismo 3 while wearing glasses made out of LSD laced Gummi Bears" (h/t Aaron Williams, look up his stuff, it's great). The Wachowski's wanted to make a family friendly film, and succeeded. It just got swamped by the admittedly much better Iron Man.
Just my 2 bytes
By Mandy at 3:51 PM ON 06/06/09
Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles was a huge hit in 1990 / 1991. I was just turning nine but I do remember it. It was highly successful. Whoever wrote this article clearly doesn't remember the early nineties very well. It was that CGI mess that flopped bad.
As for Adams Family that animated series came AFTER the film. And the film was based on the sixties sitcom which was based on Chris Addams illustrations. It's also being adapted into a Broadway musical.
By lindyxmjh at 6:28 PM ON 06/06/09
Wow, a big diss on the first TMNT movie? That's uncalled for, the first movie mixed elements of both the comic and cartoon, and it still is held as a great movie by fans and non-fans alike. And only looks dated because they made real costumes for the Turtles. Remember, 1990 was a long time ago, years before today's CGI where now every movie has to involve actors talking to blue screen cartoons that look awful and make the movie even worse.
Also this has been said, but the AllSpark wasn't in the original G1 cartoon. Their weren't even called "Sparks" until the Beast Wars era, let alone any mention of an "AllSpark". Please, do some research before writing your article, even if you plan to write a crappy one.
By Gates at 7:30 PM ON 06/06/09
Uh, wasn't the Addam's Family based after the original sit-com from the 1950's - 1960's? That is after all what the Saturday morning cartoon was based after...
By MonsterX13 at 7:56 PM ON 06/06/09
Will Ferrell Raped my Childhood
By Rob at 8:42 PM ON 06/06/09
Blockbuster movies? Where? Transformers did well & Addams Family, I suppose. But the others? Maybe I need to get some of whatever it is you're smoking.
By theaven at 9:59 PM ON 06/06/09
I'm sorry but just like everyone here I'm going to disigree with you on the first ninja turtle they were trying to please both the fans of the comic and tv show and sucseeded as for the costumes even with the primitive CGI in 1990 they did have a modest budget all the guys who play the turtles were extras with speaking roles., And they where some of the last thing designed by Jim Henson show some respect.
By Pitstop at 11:39 PM ON 06/06/09
Extras with speaking roles?!?! Wasn't Corey Feldman the voice of Donatello? Don't insult movie extras! The first one was pretty good. Ernie Reyes, who was the pizza delivery boy and sordof prominent character in the second movie, was in costume as one of the Turtles in the first movie. He's cool because he almost kicked The Rock's ass in The Rundown.
By Mandy at 1:34 AM ON 06/07/09
The original Ninja turtles had great costumes. Did you ever see how intricate those things were? Far superior to the cop out that is watery and ureal CGI. Just because computer generating your mutants is fashionable does NOT make it better.
And yes, Addams Family began as a sitcom based on the cartoon (as in NEWS PAPER CARTOONS) by Chris Addams. The stcome begot the movie and the movie begot the animated series...
This was a very poorly researched article clearly by someone who can't even recall the early nineties and has very bias views against films they personally did not like.
The Turtles failed, huh? Funny. Tell that to the toy manufacturers, the Turtles coming out of our Shell Rock tour, the video games, and two sequels. What was miserable was that CGI mess they did not too long ago.
By tinmiss at 3:00 AM ON 06/07/09
@Pitstop
You are right that Corey Feldman is the voice of Donatello in the 1st TMNT movie but you are wrong that Ernie Reyes (Sr.) played Donatello, Leif Tilden played Donatello & Ernie Reyes' son Ernie Reyes Jr. was the Donatello fight/stunt double.
Ernie Reyes Jr. was offered the role of Donatello in TMNT 3, but had already started Surf Ninjas. Which also starred his father Ernie Reyes Sr. Corey Feldman also voiced Donatello in TMNT 3.
By Mandy at 3:17 AM ON 06/07/09
A lot of other Saturday Morning Cartoons could be listed here.
G. I. Joe (film based on the cartoon which was based on the doll line)
Masters of the universe (Based on He Man the animated series, based on the toy line).
Rocky and Bowlwinkle (based on the cartoon)
Dudly Dorite (Based on the cartoon)
Jose and the Pussy Cats (Based on the cartoon)
Casper (based on the cartoon, based on the comic books)
Richie Rich (based on the cartoon, based on the comic books)
Mario Brothers (adapted from the plot of the cartoon which was based off the video game)
Inspector Gadget (adapted from cartoon)
I really can't believe that
1. This article would pass off The Addams family as based on the cartoon when that particular cartoom came from the movie which came from the sitcom which came from the cartoon ILLUSTRATIONS by Chris Addams.
2. That ANYONE would think the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a failure. Where were you in the early nineties?
By Mandy at 3:20 AM ON 06/07/09
Typo. That should say Josie and the Pussy Cats.
By Thom at 9:26 AM ON 06/07/09
Mandy wrote:
"As for Adams Family that animated series came AFTER the film. And the film was based on the sixties sitcom which was based on Chris Addams illustrations."
Actually, there was a 1973/1974 ADDAMS FAMILY Saturday Morning Cartoon. It lasted just the one season.
Also, the various TV series and films are based on the cartoons of CHARLES Addams, not "Chris Addams." :)
You're right, though, this article is filled with these types of errors. Only four of the ten on the list actually started off as "Saturday Morning TV Series." Besides LAND OF THE LOST, the other three are FAT ALBERT, UNDERDOG, and SCOOBY DOO.
The other six all started off as something other than "Saturday Morning TV Shows."
By Thom at 9:32 AM ON 06/07/09
By Mandy at 3:20 AM ON 06/07/09:
"Typo. That should say Josie and the Pussy Cats."
There were a lot of other typos in that message, too.
It's "Rocky and Bullwinkle" and "Dudley Do-Right."
By trademarkftw at 10:31 AM ON 06/07/09
Transformers was the worst movie of the decade! This list is absurd.
By Pitstop at 1:32 PM ON 06/07/09
I stand corrected tinmiss. I later did realize that it was indeed Jr. I really didn;t realize that Sr. was anybody special, but he apparently is somewhat. Remember Jr. in the movie The Last Dragon and that crappy Sidekicks show with Gil Gerard(Buck Rogers)?
By Mandy at 3:12 PM ON 06/07/09
I posted that at three AM. Give me a break. :-P Be glad it's coherent.
By Mandy at 3:17 PM ON 06/07/09
'Actually, there was a 1973/1974 ADDAMS FAMILY Saturday Morning Cartoon. It lasted just the one season.'
The image they're using though is from the 1991 animated series. Gomez' pinstriped suit was actually dark in that short lived seventies incarnation. And even then the sitcom came first.
And you're right, it was Charles Addams. I don't know why I kept thinking it was Chris.
Also all of these are cartoons from Saturday Morning. Land of the Lost was not. It was geared toward kids but it was not animated.
By PadrePedro at 3:50 PM ON 06/07/09
Popeye was the worst movie I have ever seen in my life.
By ottoscorzato at 5:51 PM ON 06/07/09
I don't usually get all in a kerfuffle about what they write on sifi wire (like I've notcied some do but to each his own) but even I noticed while reading that the praise of Transformers was a little bit much. I mean I know the 2nd one is coming out and the site is clearly pro-Transformers 2 at the moment, so I understand why he would be hesitant to criticize the first one, but really? It was a BIT over the top. It was a decent action flick, it didn't define a generation. Please. I know this is a blog, but try to have SOME journalistic standards. You also consider yourself a news service. Just cause you're online doesn't mean non-bias goes out the window.
By sighfighguy at 8:33 PM ON 06/07/09
I think the use of John Turturo in Transformers was just silly. I was actually buying the movie until he started acting like a paranoid government slap-sticky fool. I could have done without him in the original and I can sure as hell do without him in the sequel. What kills me is that he's a great actor otherwise.
By Buslady at 10:31 PM ON 06/07/09
The 1990 TMNT movie was a HUGE success, the biggest money maker for the independants...that says something. It's NOT based on the stupid old corny cartoon either!
It's the comics, dark, dramatic with funny mixed in...why can't anybody (other than fans) get that?
By Old enough at 11:11 PM ON 06/07/09
O.K. this is for the "kids" in the forum. I was a kid when the Original version of Speed Racer was released in the US. I was a die hard fan then and am a fan of the movie now. The only thing wrong with the movie is that if you did not see all of the original episodes, you may not have understood what was going on. The movie pulled pieces from different episodes and made them into one story line. The part about Kruncher Block's Monster car did not happen until about half way the series, although the movie began with it. Most of the movie was a re arrangement of the events of the series. I found myself explaining what was going on to my 17 year old who had never seen the original series. I found a lot of people who didn't get it. For people who were unfamiliar with the franchise, all I can say is go back and watch the WHOLE series and then re watch the movie.It will make much better sense.
By Tivius at 1:51 AM ON 06/08/09
Speed Racer was one of the best films of 2008. Your comments remind me of the lacking insights brought on by those who thought TItanic was a deeply emotional movie. Really? Please.
And since when was it a crime for most of these Summer movies to be exactly what they were in their Saturday morning versions: light-hearted and fun? THAT was the point.
This article = Epic fail.
You're all grown up now, Hook.
And it shows.
By JustMe at 11:35 AM ON 06/08/09
I could have done a better, more accurate article than this just off the top of my head from memory. The "research" on this was just absolutely shotty. Hey SyFy, I could use a job.
By Jason at 12:35 PM ON 06/08/09
Transformers was horrible but we should have known that as soon as Michael Bay's name was was attached. With the redesign of characters to match their GM exclusive deal (why value story when you can compromise for ad dollars) to bad casting (Why does Shia Le Bouf get any work?) and just bad writing. The author wrote the complete opposite of the reality with Transformers. Not to mention most of the Decepticons looked exactly the same and you couldnt tell one from another.
By Reil at 1:40 AM ON 06/13/09
"That's right," the man said. "I couldn't remember the word." He was the only t, then high school students, and, finally, to anyone aged 13 and over. The website currently has more than 175 million active users in amount of visitors, making Facebook the most popular social network, followed by MySpace and Twitter.other human at the loading dock this morning. The man didn't have a name, just a number, like the rest of the robots. Paris, at Night.
Visit mobile.syfy.com/wire on your mobile device.
Reil:
"That's right," the man said. "I couldn't remember the word." He was the only t, then high school students, and, fi...More »