Shooting the Breeze: Starsky and Hutch: A Remake too far?
Movies, music and television is full of remakes and revisitations. A sign of less adventurous times.
I have vague but fond memories of Starsky and Hutch along with a lot of TV shows from the past.
Like many shows of the past, however, it's usually best not to re-watch them if given the opportunity. Those rose tinted spectacles really paint things in a good light.
People with access to TV channels such as UK Gold can watch episodes of shows that they last saw in their youth - but be warned as you could be disappointed at how amateurish they seem in comparison with some modern shows.
Despite this, however, media executives (satirised very accurately in those ads for Orange that you see at the cinema) are apparently some of the most risk averse people you would ever know.
Many sequels are cash-ins on originally successful films but they are also a sign of the times that we live in, where only the brave take risks on new creative talent.
You can't fail to notice the huge quantity of cover versions being 'performed' by perfectly manicured (and manufactured) bands since the 1990s.
And there is a noticeable trend in movies to play it safe with recognisable 'brands' from the past. Michael Caine's Italian Job has been remade recently while even Pirates of the Caribbean is based loosely on the Disney ride of the same name.
We have had Charlie's Angels and Mission Impossible from the TV world. Look out for a remake of Thunderbirds soon.
TV shows are not safe either. Recently, we have had a remake of Battlestar Galactica (a TV series designed to cash in on the Star Wars boom of the late 70s starring Lorne Greene). Let's not forget Star Trek, which seems to be running out of big screen allure after a 15 year comeback on TV.
Enough of the discussion, however, and on to the film.
Starsky and Hutch is an enjoyable romp that is not a simplistic remake of a show from the 1970s.
With iconic source material like the Ford Gran Torino, Huggy Bear, and 70s fashion and hairstyles the producers decided to play it for laughs and brought in Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson to play the heroes.
Snoop Dogg was brought in as the police snitch Huggy Bear and steals every scene he is in.
There are a few nice touches that fans of the show will remember but the 70s vibe is there for all to see (and giggle at). There are times in the film where you feel that it is the 70s that are being parodied rather than Starsky and Hutch but the result is a harmless diversion which will amuse everyone old enough to see it (it is rated 15 in the UK as there is mention of hard drugs in the film).
The 1hr 45 minute screen time is longer than most comedies but the film benefits from the extra length for a little character building - the plot is fairly undemanding.
In all, an entertaining movie. Enjoy the ride.
