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Funny how it works; take a TV show, REALLY spend money on it and turn it into a movie. Sometimes you create a spectacular, like 'The Fugitive.' Sometimes you create a franchise, like 'Star Trek.' Sometimes, you end up with 'McHale's Navy.' AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Ok... ok... the tremors stopped. Anyway, the point is that it's possible to create VERY good films from TV... as long as you're CAREFUL. And there are still many cinematic possibilities just waiting to jump to the big screen. As you've noticed, most of these are sci-fi/action pictures. Hey, you don't need Dolby Digital Surround Sound to recreate 'Twelve Angry Men.' Heck, you can do an EXCELLENT job of recreating the play on a small high school stage. However, sci-fi/action pieces reeeeeeeeeeeeally need the added 'oomph' of a biiiiiiiig screen.
1. 'The A-Team.' Yes, yes, this is '80s TV fodder, but it was FUN TV fodder. The great nick-names, the mohawk, they way every villain was stupid enough to lock these guys into a warehouse loaded with acetylene. Go figure. Rumors keep popping up for this one, and I hope it's true. Hey, George Clooney as 'Hannibal?' Ice-Cube as BA Baracus? LOVE it when a plan comes together.
2. 'The Six Million Dollar Man.' Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease, you GOTTA do this one. Ok, ok, you DON'T have to do that corny 'nnnnnaananaananananananannaaaaa' sound-effect whenever he's doing something. There are a multitude of tricks you can use from 'The Matrix' and 'Smallville' to duplicate the speed effect and NOT look too lame. Hey, marketing types, keep in mind this TV show also spawned a successful TOY LINE. Now, imagine what could be done NOW.... Ah, the sound of registers going wild during the Christmas season...
3. 'Thunderbirds.' Yes, THOSE 'Thunderbirds.' The ones from that British import, with the marionettes. Hey, I LOVED that show. Besides, the neat part about the show was the cool vehicles and equipment they had. Imagine a CGI version of Thunderbird 2 dropping it's cargo in the middle of the Pacific, with a CGI version of Thunderbird 4 going to the bottom of the Marianas Trench? Yes, veeeeeeeeeery cool.
4. 'Space Ghost.' Ah, everyone's favorite talk-show-host/former intergalactic hero. Hey, didn't you always think the MONKEY was the real brains of the operation? Think 'Charlie's Angels' and raise the camp-factor by 10, maybe have Tim Allen do the voice of 'Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace Ghoooooooooooooooooooost.' Hmmmm.....