The Man from U.N.C.L.E.: original series & films

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  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Brilliant....looks great. I have high hopes for this new movie.
  • Impressive illustration.
  • Posts: 1,693
    From Celebrity FIX:

    He might be newly retired but David Beckham is wasting no time in lining up a new career. TheFIX has exclusively learnt that David has been sent the script for Guy Ritchie's new film and will be auditioning for the lead role later this month. Woah!

    Our source reveals that after months of private acting classes, the former LA Galaxy star now believes he could nail the lead in new spy movie, Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    (Perhaps the villain?)
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Becks as an actor? Eric Cantona he is not.
  • I'm more than a little dubious of this story, but...

    http://celebrities.ninemsn.com.au/blog.aspx?blogentryid=1122794&showcomments=true

    If there's any truth to it, I will feel like the thug in this clip:

  • Posts: 4,622
    This is not encouraging, simply because Becks has no acting bonafides. Stick with Cavill.
    Let Becks develop his acting cv in a smaller role.
  • Posts: 1,693
    For what it is worth IMDB just changed it's Solo casting status...........................
    Cavill's casting has changed from being a "Rumor" to confirmed.
  • Posts: 3,333
    I don't buy the Becks as Solo story. Becks has no acting credentials, plus his voice isn't suited for the movies. More unfounded showbiz drivel for the masses it would seem.
  • Posts: 1,693
    I wonder how many forum members are not familiar with U.N.C.L.E.?

    Somebody recently hypothesized that the new film might hark back to the feel of the 60's Bond films. Something that's been missing from the current 007 films. Could be interesting.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Interestingly enough, if this UNCLE movie does at least capture the essense of at least the first season we should have something special on our hands. One if the things I loved about the original series, which I find lacking in the majority of Bond films is the element of real danger .
  • Posts: 1,693
    Here's an equation for you: Man of Steel + The Lone Ranger + Sherlock Holmes = box office smash?

    That's what the execs at Warner Bros. are probably doodling on their legal pads.

    Cue the Jerry Goldsmith theme music, and memorize the acronym: In The Man from U.N.C.L.E., the Sixties spy series starring Robert Vaughn as secret agent Napoleon Solo and David McCallum as his Russian partner, Illya Kuryakin, U.N.C.L.E. stands for United Network Command for Law and Enforcement.

    You can bet that Henry Cavill, the English actor with the fresh megahit on his hands -- Man of Steel, in which he plays some illegal alien with a fancy cape who swoops around Earth -- and Armie Hammer -- soon to be seen as a masked lawman galloping around Texas with a Johnny Depp-like Indian in The Lone Ranger -- are studying up on their U.N.C.L.E. DVDs and dossiers right now. This fall, Cavill and Hammer will head to Europe to shoot the big screen adaptation of the beloved NBC show. Cavill will be Solo, Hammer Kuryakin.

    Steven Soderbergh, recently retired from directing, was working on an U.N.C.L.E. movie a couple of years ago, but Warners took the project away from him. The newly revived iteration has Guy Ritchie, of the two Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes hits, assigned as director. The Man from F.R.A.N.C.H.I.S.E.?


    Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/entertainment/movies/Superman-and--Lone-Ranger-team-for-UNCLE-remake.html#fzhJqCbTpkEVCTEM.99


    Yes, it looks like they will be really shooting in Europe instead of the MGM backlot!
  • Posts: 1,693
    Now U.N.C.L.E. is really heating up.


    With a host of big budget films gearing up to shoot in the UK this summer, the country’s studios are busier than ever. But with the new TV tax credit threatening to bring in even more business, Geoffrey Macnab asks whether the UK has the capacity to cope.

    These are seemingly boom times for British film studios. As we enter the summer, several very large budget films are preparing to shoot in the UK.

    Kenneth Branagh’s live-action, Disney-backed Cinderella will be made at Pinewood as will Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy. JJ Abrams’ new Star Wars film is also expected to shoot at Pinewood as is Avengers 2.

    Over at the Warner Bros Studios Leavesden, the Wachowskis are shooting Jupiter Ascending. Rush director Ron Howard has exchanged Formula 1 cars for the world of whale hunting with his new feature In The Heart Of The Sea. Meanwhile, The Man From UNCLE is also revving up at Leavesden.
  • edited June 2013 Posts: 4,622
    delfloria wrote:
    I wonder how many forum members are not familiar with U.N.C.L.E.?

    Somebody recently hypothesized that the new film might hark back to the feel of the 60's Bond films. Something that's been missing from the current 007 films. Could be interesting.
    This is very encouraging. Uncle has the potential to do Bond better than Bond.
    I've always felt that if the current Bond films are going to continue in a character-drama vein, which they likely will, then there was opening for another film-series to do something more traditional '60s style Bond in the spyfy vein, and what better series than Uncle, which is basically spawn of classic cinema-Bond.

  • Posts: 1,693
    timmer wrote:
    delfloria wrote:
    I wonder how many forum members are not familiar with U.N.C.L.E.?

    Somebody recently hypothesized that the new film might hark back to the feel of the 60's Bond films. Something that's been missing from the current 007 films. Could be interesting.
    This is very encouraging. Uncle has the potential to do Bond better than Bond.
    I've always felt that if the current Bond films are going to continue in a character-drama vein, which they likely will, then there was opening for another film-series to do something more traditional '60s style Bond in the spyfy vein, and what better series than Uncle, which is basically spawn of classic cinema-Bond.


    Could not agree more. I think this is going to take a lot of "new" Bond fans by surprise because they are not that familiar with "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."
  • Posts: 172
    delfloria wrote:
    I wonder how many forum members are not familiar with U.N.C.L.E.?

    Somebody recently hypothesized that the new film might hark back to the feel of the 60's Bond films. Something that's been missing from the current 007 films. Could be interesting.

    i'm not familiar with U.N.C.L.E., what its genre? comedy , actions or mix like Roger Moore's James Bond?

  • Posts: 4,622
    The genre is '60s spyfy as pioneered by Bond, and also echoed by the Avengers (John Steed, Emma Peel Avengers, not Marvel's caped heroes)
    Napoleon Solo is very much a Bond derivative.
    Uncle is smart, classy, stylish, campy, witty and edgy, but very importantly with a palpable danger/suspense vibe when done right.
    Think the best of Bond vs Spectre, or Bond vs Goldfinger.
  • For anybody not familiar with The Man From UNCLE:

    http://www.hmss.com/otherspies/uncleepisodeguide/

    A roundup/review of each episode and other features.
  • Posts: 1,693


    i'm not familiar with U.N.C.L.E., what its genre? comedy , actions or mix like Roger Moore's James Bond?

    [/quote]

    .......and the character of Napoleon Solo was co-created by Ian Fleming!

  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    Does anybody remember April Dancer besides me? ;)
  • Posts: 3,333
    Yes, I recall April Dancer - another Ian Fleming creation. This is what she looked like...

    gfuapril.jpg
  • bondsum wrote:
    Yes, I recall April Dancer - another Ian Fleming creation. This is what she looked like...

    gfuapril.jpg

    Fleming's April Dancer was more of a Miss Moneypenny type character. NBC was keen on a spinoff featuring a woman agent (although executive producer Norman Felton was not). There was some talk of naming such a character Cookie Fortune.

    Dean Hargrove, who wrote the pilot (it was an episode of Man called The Moonglow Affair) had access to the Ian Fleming material and decided April Dancer (quite rightly) was a better name.
  • Posts: 3,333
    I can't recall all the Fleming details but didn't he just come up with the names Napoleon Solo and April Dancer, and most of his ideas had to be dropped due to their similarity to the Bond series?

    All I recall is his involvement in U.N.C.L.E. didn't last long, with the author not wanting to upset Bond movie producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman.
  • bondsum wrote:
    I can't recall all the Fleming details but didn't he just come up with the names Napoleon Solo and April Dancer, and most of his ideas had to be dropped due to their similarity to the Bond series?

    All I recall is his involvement in U.N.C.L.E. didn't last long, with the author not wanting to upset Bond movie producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman.

    He contributed other ideas but few, if any, made it. Fleming was involved with the show for nine months, October 1962 to June 1963. June 26 is the 50th anniversary of him signing away his rights for one British pound.

    Ian Fleming caught between two worlds:

    http://hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/01/march-1963-ian-fleming-caught-between-two-worlds/

    May 1963: Ian Fleming cries U.N.C.L.E.
    http://hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/may-1963-ian-fleming-cries-u-n-c-l-e/

    June 1963: Ian Fleming signs away his U.N.C.L.E. rights
    http://hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/16/june-1963-ian-fleming-signs-away-his-u-n-c-l-e-rights/

    Also, go to the 17:57 mark of this video from 1992, and Sam Rolfe tells the Fleming story as knew it:

  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    I just always loved Stephanie Powers. Nice to see somebody else remembers her as April, too. Also, growing up int he 60's, I had quite the crush on Noel Harrison (her co-star).

    This was a fun series; I am really interested in how this new version turns out. I hope it's great - I'd enjoy watching the characters, in an updated yet fun way.
  • Posts: 163
    "We learn from the extras, that Uncle really found its audience off the back of Goldfinger, which was released Dec. 1964. Bondmania fueled Uncle mania"

    Having read a few Bond novels during 1958-1960, and watched DN, FRWL and GF on their first day of public release, I can support the above. Indeed, I started getting interested in Uncle after GF.
  • It's definitely true Bondmania fueled UNCLEmania. At the same time, there were occasions they reinforced each other.

    In November 1965 in the U.S., NBC aired The Incredible World of James Bond in the UNCLE time slot. Ditto for the Welcome to Japan, Mr. Bond, special in 1967. I got drawn into Bond by watching the 1965 special.
  • Posts: 1,693
    It's definitely true Bondmania fueled UNCLEmania. At the same time, there were occasions they reinforced each other.

    In November 1965 in the U.S., NBC aired The Incredible World of James Bond in the UNCLE time slot. Ditto for the Welcome to Japan, Mr. Bond, special in 1967. I got drawn into Bond by watching the 1965 special.

    That is exactly what the specials were meant to do.

    [img][/img]unclecarrear.jpg

    Since I was posting I thought I'd throw the UNCLE Car in just for the heck of it.
  • edited June 2013 Posts: 4,622
    The complete Girl From Uncle Series can be purchased on Amazon. It was only one season, but still 29 episodes.
    Got to get off my wallet and buy this series.
    I have to confess I've never seen it, although I did enjoy the Uncle episode which introduced the two original leads, Mary Ann Mobley as April and Norman Fell as Mark Slate.
    This crossover "Girl" episode, "The Mother Muffin Affair," looks like it would be a lot of fun.
    Solo teamed up with April Dancer with Boris Karloff dressed in drag as the titular villainess Mother Muffin. :)

    cast.jpg
  • timmer wrote:
    The complete Girl From Uncle Series can be purchased on Amazon. It was only one season, but still 29 episodes.
    Got to get off my wallet and buy this series.
    I have to confess I've never seen it, although I did enjoy the Uncle episode which introduced the two original leads, Mary Ann Mobley as April and Norman Fell as Mark Slate.
    This crossover "Girl" episode, "The Mother Muffin Affair," looks like it would be a lot of fun.
    Solo teamed up with April Dancer with Boris Karloff dressed in drag as the titular villainess Mother Muffin. :)

    cast.jpg

    A little background about The Mother Muffin Affair:

    The producer of The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. was Douglas Benton. Some years earlier, he was associate producer of Thriller, the anthology show hosted by Boris Karloff. In a late '90s interview, Benton said there had been some debate about the type of actress to cast and the name of Dame Judith Anderson came up.

    Joseph Calvelli, the writer of the episode, was asked how he envisioned Mother Muffin. "Boris Karloff in drag."

    That gave Benton the notion of asking Karloff. As Benton recalled, the reaction was, "He'll never do it." Benton's reply was that he knew Karloff and thought it would appeal to Karloff's sense of humor.

    Benton sent the script to Karloff on a Friday. Early the next week, it came back with a note. "Where and when?" (The interview is re-enacted as an audio track on the Thriller DVD set, with Benton's son speaking his father's words.)

  • edited June 2013 Posts: 4,622
    It seems Girl From Uncle had a similar appeal to Man From Uncle when it came to attracting guest stars.
    Boris Karloff in drag :)) I'm sure it was only the hip appeal of Uncle that could entice Frankenstein's monster into such a role.
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