Oh now look!

[vilakins]

Since so many people are telling me I'm being negative, I want to emphasise that it's B7E I'm negative about. They've changed the characters and universe (come on, a populated galaxy in 200 years?) in their audio series and will do the same in a TV series.

If someone else were remaking B7 with say Martin Freeman as Vila and Dylan Moran as Avon, I'd be very excited. I even thought the head girl in St Trinian's would make a brilliant Servalan.

And if anyone thinks I'm a reactionary who hates remakes per se, I was almost alone in enjoying the HHGTTG film (in which Martin Freeman was Arthur) and am looking forward to the new Get Smart film when I was very dubious before I saw the excellent trailer. And why was it? Because the people playing Smart and 99 acted like them.

Comments

[kalinda001.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you. B7E? ugh with what they've done to the B7 universe. I mean they got rid of the teleport for heavensake!!!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I couldn't stand more than about 5 eps because it was so hard to follow but I think they ditched FTL travel too which would make other systems unreachable. I might be wrong about that.

[vandonovan.livejournal.com]

Did that article actually say that the B7E people were using the audio concept(s) for the TV series? I didn't read that part.

Anyway, we're all a bit touchy about the subject, I guess. Perhaps it's hard to seperate "negative about B7E's involvement" from just simply "negative."

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

They mentioned the audio actors.

Shit, I was saying what I thought. And I have every right.

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

Eh, I'm just being negative, too, then. I'm not saying that *someone* couldn't do Blake's 7 today and do it wonderfully, but the people who have control over it have proven that they are against all the things we liked best about the show. Heck, they wouldn't even want Chris Boucher to write a script for them because they had a friend who was so much better! (That was back the first time they were going to make a Big Screen Movie. Then they were going to make an animated series. Then they put up a website with a logo so distorted I had to stare at it for several minutes before realizing it was meant to be a B7. And when I looked at the website, for months the only active link on it was to audio tapes of a man reading Bible stories for children!)

Yeah, I really trust them to do something we'll enjoy.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

If they sold the rights to someone else, I'd be feeling much happier and even looking forward to what they might do. But not this lot.

[kindkit.livejournal.com]

Dylan Moran as Avon

That kind of terrifies me, I must admit. I love Dylan Moran, but to me he seems not quite right for Avon. He's too uncontrolled, somehow.

On the other hand, I did like much of the Hitchhiker's remake. I liked Martin Freeman, and Mos Def made a lovely Ford who was even gayer for Arthur than the original Ford (and I hadn't thought that was possible).

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Dylan Moran would have to be more restrained as Avon (even PD should have been in S4) and use an English accent, but he has that dark, brooding air. And Martin Freeman plays a lot of lovable and put-upon parts, and he'd so get Vila's expressions. The B7E people are casting anyone of the right sex, it seems to me.

There were some scenes (e.g. the booby-trapped sand) they should have cut, but in general the film was great and had the right feel, esp the Vogons.

[kerravongenius.livejournal.com]

I don't think you're being negative. I'm beginning to think those pathetic audios had some kind of subliminal message that made certain susceptible people lose their ability to judge quality. You're talking sense. Don't let people get to you.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I did give the audios a chance but they were OOC and not well done; the Foley work was too intrusive.

I do think that B7E are doing a remake for the money, not for any love. At least RTD, much as I dislike him, loves Doctor Who.

[labingi.livejournal.com]

I don't think you're being too negative. I'm with you: v. scary.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Especially considering who's fronting and backing B7E.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I liked the HH film too, got very sniffly at the end when Douglas's face appeared on screen. I thought they did a great job on showing the book: the TV version was a hard act to follow.

On the new B7: what I'd want is that unique mix of political ambiguity and interpersonal snark. Your choices for Avon and Vila are very interesting, as they're actors that come across as having a certain amount of 'ordinariness' about them. Rather than 'heroism', I mean. They could be you or me in that situation, rather than the semi-superheroes of, say, new BSG (which I also gave up on.)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Yes, they'd be people one could identify with, Freeman certainly. He even seems to specialise in the lovable loser type.

I didn't realise that you'd given up on BSG too. I loved the first season, especially Starbuck, but if a series doesn't hold my interest or depresses me, I'll abandon it for something more entertaining.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

I'm on your side (well, not about Star One as I think you know, but I promise not to attack, I've been there done that years ago:) B7E have spent close to a decade throwing out one horrendous idea/suggestion/plan after another, so why are people surprised that we trust them about as far as Vila could throw the Liberator???

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I don't think some people know what B7E are like. I'd like to see a sequel or remake from someone reputable who wanted to keep the characters and universe.

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

I am a little ify about Sky re-making B7. Having watched both Hogfather and the Colour of Magic made by them they seem to have the ability to kill the life found in good books and to go for a 'Name' even if he doesn't correspond to what most of the fans think about the character. I love the life that the original series in spite of the wobbly sets, primitive FX and some appalling scripts had but as long as B7E doesn't have much to do with it I'll give the new series a go.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It seems they and Sewell will though.

I won't even watch those Pratchetts if they show here because the casting is so wrong.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

Martin Freeman would make a lovely Vila, and I enjoyed the HHGTTG film, whilst knowing it was never going to be MY version of it

[sorsha-khan.livejournal.com]

Yay to Martin Freeman being Vila. Actually I must hold up my hand and say that with the exception of Zaphrod's head, I much preferred the HHGTTG remake to the original.

[the-summoning-d.livejournal.com]

In some ways I think the new HHGTTG was better, and in some ways I preferred the old one. I just couldn't see Mos Def as Ford, and all the Arthur/Trillian stuff sort of annoyed me. But on the other hand you've got Martin Freeman, realistic two-headed effect for Zaphod, and more than anything else we get shot of that infuriating blonde who played Trillian in the TV series...

I'm prepared to give the B7 remake a shot, but I expect to be disappointed.

(I do love the idea of Martin Freeman as Vila. Hmm. And I could see Mark Strong as Avon...)

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

all the Arthur/Trillian stuff

When everyone knows he went off with the only surviving Lintilla.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I know him. What's he been in?

Yes, the TV Trillian was bloody annoying and insulting, esp as she was meant to be a genius.

editing for typo!

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

No I wouldn't like to see Martin Freeman as Vila and I've no idea who the other one you wanted for Avon is so I can't comment.
It wouldn't be so bad if it was Sky TV and another Production company but B7E has already showed they are more than capable of making a total hash of Blake's 7 already. So looking at their current track record and the fact that technically Blake and Co are "terrorists" I'm not at all sure that a remake would be better than the original and possibly even worse.
Unless they get Joss Whedon onboard. He knows how to portray human characters

Re: editing for typo!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

That would be wonderful but sadly unlikely.

I'd be interested in a remake from someone else who knows what they're doing and loves B7 (IOW not just using a known name to get an audience) but then again that describes RTD with DW...

[daiseechain.livejournal.com]

I also enjoyed the HHGTTG film. I thought it was a very different take on the story, but then that was fit perfectly with Douglas' own style of rewriting his own story for each new version.

I was uninterested in the remake of Doctor Who. I didn't see anyway they could resurrect if after so long and do anything good with it. I was wrong.

I'll do the same with B7, and reserve judgement until after I've seen it.

[daiseechain.livejournal.com]

Er... that icon wasn't meant to be insulting but I've just realised it could be taken as such. It's nearly 2am and I'm a bit tired.

It's been interesting reading everyone's ideal casting. There are some inspired suggestions going on.