This being Thursday, it's time for another edition of Thursday Movie Picks, the blogathon run by Wandering Through the Shelves. This being the last Thursday in February, it's time for another TV edition. This month, the theme is TV series adapted from books. It's a theme that we did in January 2018, and I mention that because one of my picks that time around is relevant. Jeraldine Saunders died on Monday at the age of 95 (some sources say 96). Among her careers was as a cruise director, and the book she wrote about it was the genesis for the long-running TV show The Love Boat. Anyhow, this time out I picked three TV shows that were first books, and then movies, before becoming TV shows:
Peyton Place (1964-1969). Grace Metalious wrote the book Peyton Place and published it in 1956, with it being a huge hit for its scandalous story lines. Fox turned it into a movie in 1957, starring Lana Turner, and did a sequel a few years later. ABC brought it to the small screen for five seaons.
Flamingo Road (1980-1982). Robert Wilder wrote the book about a seamy town in Florida back in the early 1940s, and at the end of the decade, it was turned into a movie at Warner Bros. as a vehicle for Joan Crawford. It's one of those delightfully over-the-top post Mildred Pierce star turns for Crawford. Anyhow, with the success of shows like Dallas at CBS, NBC wanted something to compete, and picked this property. It didn't last very long.
The New Land (1974). Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg wrote a series of novels under the series title The Emigrants in the late 1940s and early 1950s, about mid-19th century Swedish emigrants to the US. They were turned into two movies in the early 1970s, The Emigrants about the emigration to America, and The New Land (recently reviewed here) about the family's struggle to succeed in America. The basic idea from the latter movie was taken for this short-lived TV series starring a young Kurt Russell.
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3 comments:
I've watched episodes of Peyton Place when it was rerun. I remember it more for the incredible cast than the storylines. I just got around to reading the source novel last year, it's rather tame now but I can see it being scandalous when it came out.
Love the film of Flamingo Road but the series was rather ordinary, except for Morgan Fairchild who was having a good time as a villainess.
The New Land wasn't on very long and I was pretty young when it was on but I know I watched at least a few episodes since I liked both Kurt Russell (from his Disney films) and Bonnie Bedelia. From what I recall it was decent.
I chose adaptations that were made into either specials or miniseries as opposed to regular shows.
A Doll’s House (1959)-This Hallmark Hall of Fame adaptation of the Ibsen story (back when that program was the benchmark for quality TV-years before it became the dispenser of treacle that Hallmark is today) traces the emotional awakening of Nora Helmer (Julie Harris) from her previously unexamined life of domestic wifely comfort. Ruled her entire life by either her father or husband, Torvald (Christopher Plummer) Nora finally comes to question the foundation of everything she believes in when her marriage faces a profound test. Stacked with an astonishing cast, beside Julie Harris & Plummer it includes Jason Robards, Hume Cronyn, Eileen Heckart and an eight year old Richard Thomas this is currently showing on Amazon Prime.
East of Eden (1981)-Miniseries adaptation of the entirety of the John Steinbeck sprawling novel (the James Dean film only dealt with the final third) of brothers Adam & Charles Trask (Timothy Bottoms & Bruce Boxleitner), Adam’s sons Caleb and Aron (Sam Bottoms & Hart Bochner) and how their lives intertwine with the Hamiltons lead by patriarch Samuel (Lloyd Bridges) and especially the unknowable Cathy Ames (Jane Seymour) throughout the decades of the late 19th and early 20th century. With a who’s who of notable names in support the highlight of this is a riveting turn of nearly unbridled evil by Jane Seymour as human succubus Cathy/Kate.
Lonesome Dove (1989)-Beginning in the small Southern town of Lonesome Dove around the 1860’s two former Texas Rangers and best friends Gus McCrae (Robert Duvall) and Woodrow Call (Tommy Lee Jones) head out to Wyoming on a cattle drive that takes a heavy toll on all involved. Massive, violent and intense adaptation of Larry McMurtry’s epic tale is loaded with talent-Danny Glover, Diane Lane, Anjelica Huston, Chris Cooper and Steve Buscemi to name just a few- won unanimous praise upon its release.
The only one of these I'm familiar with is Peyton Place, I think that might have been something I caught reruns of on Nick at Nite or something similar.
I don't know the last one at all and I like Kurt Russell. I know about the books and the film but not the series. I have never seen Peyton Place and I want to see the film same with flamingo Road with over the top Crawford. I watched some of Flamingo Road when it was on and found it over the top which is saying something since I watched Dynasty. I think that was due to Morgan Fairchild whom I couldn't stand at the time. I forgot Mark Harmon was in this
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