Progress Pigment wrote:The Rogan film got the character out there at least.
I really enjoyed the Rogan movie, knowing Green Hornet only from his "Batman '66" appearances, and one episode that came out on a double-feature home video VHS release (with the rare "Stamp Day for Superman" episode).
Therin of Andor wrote:
Did diehard GH fans hate the movie that much?
Yes. A chubby comedic actor (if you call that acting) making a mockery of the Green Hornet was a disaster. He knew no one would every buy a guy with his appearance / delivery would be taken seriously, so he "goons" the concept into utter mediocrity. If that was not bad enough, he abused the styling / memory of the Dozier series as the hook. So yeah, GH fans hate the movie that much.
It wasn't just the diehards that hated it-- the movie flopped. It's a shame after many many years in development that it ended up with Rogan and just another piece of the tripe that is his film career.
Maybe another 20 years will see another take on the character.
I'm unfamiliar with the Green Hornet for the most part, but I think an art deco, noir take similar to the Batman cartoon from the early 90s could revitalize the character.
If a company thinks there's money to be made, they'll probably give this another go at some point, right? With all the reboots and adaptions, etc.
I hope the classic series gets released sooner than later for all those of you who are hoping for it.
Hey Andy,
What is the general consenus about the GH serial? I've not heard anything on this board either positive or negative and YOU'RE DA MAN when it comes to the serials!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I bought the serial DVD's a few years back when VCI had them cleaned up.
The 'sleeve notes' were superbly detailed. Both serials came in on budget and did fairly well at the box office. 'The Green Hornet' did slightly better than the sequel 'the Green Hornet Strikes again'
Personally I prefer the first film as the original radio Green Hornet, Al Hodge, dubbed in the voice when the character was masked.
They're maybe not the best serials ever made but they're certainly not the worst.
I did notice in one scene a different mask was used. It looked more like the 1966 mask. I don't recall now which film it was in but it struck me as odd at the time.
If you're a fan of the radio show you'll like the serials. They aren't your standard cliffhanger more like 13 episodes of a TV show at least as far as the first one goes.
The first serial had Gordon Jones as The Hornet, or more accurately as Britt because as stated above his voice was dubbed in by the radio actor-- I personally found it a little jarring and Jones is best known as a comedic actor especially later on with Abbott and Costello so it was hard to take him in a straight role.
Warren Hull took over in the sequel, which was produced very quickly as the first serial did very well at the box office. I like this one better but then I like Hull.
Both serials feature Keye Luke as Kato-- he was Charlie Chan's number one son and the old man in GREMLINS. The Black Beauty is also present although mostly just a regular sedan that hums as it drives.
I'd give them a thumbs up-- they aren't the best movie serials out there (or even the best ones taken from comics)-- but they are solid and done before serials got dumbed down for a kiddie audience.
I agree, Gentlemen, with 2 exceptions: "the Batman' IN 43 DID introduce to fans AND the comic the Batcave and Clock enterance, and Alfred as a slender, more intelligent man.
The movie was horrible and a mockery. There is a scene where Kato intentionally hits the Green Hornet between the legs. This was supposed to be humor Once I saw that, I said turn it off, I'm done.
"Really Dick! I fear some recent romantic interlude has fevered your imagination. Aunt Harriet is..utterly..beyond..reproach".
K.C., I agree. Andy, You'll get a kick out of my story: I was in Navy Boot Camp in Orlando from January 1972 to March 72 and We ( recruits) had no TV, obviously, BUT, on weekends, Our Company Commander would bring in a Radio and tune it to his favorite channel. After 40 + years, I haven't the faintest memory of the channel, but, He would do his office work until 9:15 local time, when He would call us to "Pop Tall and Toe the line!" We would do so and then He would call us by Starboard and Port watches to gather around his office door and He would turn up the volume so that We could all hear a replay of his favorite radio and movie serial....The Green Hornet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After the episode was over, it was lights out and in your rack. I fell in love with the Radio Serial right then and there and the Hornet series in particular!
There was a movie theatre in Orlando at the time what played lots of the old serials, ala "An Evening with Batman and Robin" and when We were granted "shore leave" for a few hours the last 2 weekend before We graduated Boot, Our C.C. asked if instead of going to Disney World, We'd like to see the 1st G.H. serial all in one sitting....on his dime, ALL 30 of us said YEAH!!!!!!! ( Turns out He was Best Friends with the Theater Manager!!! LOL). We all loved it!!!!! I'd love to get both of the serials!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank goodness I recorded the entire series UNCUT off the Action Channel years ago...without commercials on VHS @ SP! It actually reran for well over a year or so from episode 1 to the end multiple times.
Fatbat wrote:Thank goodness I recorded the entire series UNCUT off the Action Channel years ago...without commercials on VHS @ SP! It actually reran for well over a year or so from episode 1 to the end multiple times.
I actually have a copy of the ones from encore action channel & I'm pretty sure on The Silent Gun there was a scene edited out at the end which accounts to about 30-45 seconds approximately it involves Brit Reid in his office. I don't think any other scenes from any other episode were missing though & I would still consider this probably the best quality version I have seen