It seems like every week someone is dusting off an old TV show and developing it for the big screen. Last week it was TJ HOOKER, this week it's THE BIG VALLEY. Variety reports:
The 1960s television Western that starred Barbara Stanwyck is being adapted into an independent feature by Kate Edelman Johnson and Daniel Adams through their Panther Entertainment banner.
Adams will direct the pic from his own script, whose storyline was developed with series creators Louis F. Edelman and A.I. Bezzerides. Plot borrows elements from the show’s pilot and several episodes.
I don't see the point of reviving the show…it's not as if it has a huge following. It would make far more sense to give the big screen treatment to more well known TV westerns like GUNSMOKE, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, or BONANZA (which BIG VALLEY essentially ripped off).
The project caught my attention, too (http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2009/07/have-gun-will-remake.html) . Bernie Lomax is the patron saint of Hollywoodland.
The Big Valley was entertaining enough, but I don’t think a big screen version would do enough business to be worth it.
Those you mentioned might do better, but have become so iconic, I’m not sure about them either.
“BONANZA (which BIG VALLEY essentially ripped off)”
Yeah, but BIG VALLEY had a hot babe.
“Linda Evans as Audra…a girl too impetuous to play it safe!”
Who do you think they’ll get to fill that role?
Yay! I’ve heard rumours, but didn’t quite believe them…. Thanks for that link, Lee!
This show still has fans out there, you know: http://community.livejournal.com/smallfandomfest/45180.html#cutid1
To expand on Mr. Rhoades’s remarks, the question of “Why BIG VALLEY rather than BONANZA?” clearly is answered by the fact that BIG VALLEY has better roles for women. Audra can be played by some rising young starlet who can promote the movie with pictorials in GQ and MAXIM, while Victoria can be played by a respected, award winning actress (Jane Fonda? Helen Mirren?) who can give the movie some class, and perhaps put it in the running for some awards of its own.
Oh, and don’t be wishing hard for a HAVE GUN–WILL TRAVEL movie. The last I read was that this was being developed as a vehicle for Eminem, with the setting shifted to modern Detroit. I think this is one we should hope languishes in development hell.