The Hurting Begins

[spatch]

Hey. You ever see the pilot for the Remo Williams TV show?

For most people, I bet the answer is of course not, because A. it was shown once in 1988 and was pre-empted in most areas for a speech by Ronnie Reagan, and B. it stank to high heaven.

I'm watching it now. Actually, I watched the first five minutes of it and had to stop because A. the opening credits sequence featured AWESOME ACTION CLIPS!1 from the film, and B. it stank to high heaven.

I can accept the fact that maybe Joel Grey wasn't available for filming that month or maybe his rent was paid up for a while, so they went ahead and put Roddy McDowall in yellowface for to play Chiun. (McDowall actually gets the best line so far, breaking the fourth wall in the beginning and telling us to change the channel.)

I can accept the fact that maybe Wilfred Brimley also didn't have any major outstanding expenses when they cast this pilot, cause he ain't in it as well.

But seriously, what could Fred Ward have been doing that was better than this? Why did they instead cast...



Jeffrey Meek, Soap Opera Hair Man, as Smirky Remo?



With fashions by Marty McFly, apparently.



I'm not amused either, Most Honorable Fake Asian Roddy McDowall!

I suppose I'll watch some more of it later tomorrow, and feel compelled to provide more insight into this ultra-sooper-rare TV gem. I mean, germ. I guess there's a reason some things stay hidden, sure, but by gum I'm chuffed to pieces to be able to even check this out.

Comments

[mdm-sosostris.livejournal.com]

There was a Remo Williams TV show? Why was I not informed? I lurve that movie--especially when the car rolls down the hill and the (American) door handle disappointingly breaks off in Chiun's hand.

Damn.

[antiquated-tory.livejournal.com]

Likewise. The film was fun and it was based on one of the few of those 1000-issue pulp paperback series to have a truly redeeming sense of humor (unlike say, The Executioner, which deserves Steven Segal in the title role).

[maga-dogg.livejournal.com]

Fake Asian? I was guessing the Pope.

[lydian.livejournal.com]

I confess I enjoyed each and every minute of that short-lived masterpiece, particularly the scene where the Most Honorable Fake Asian, putting his Fake Asian healing rays to good use, brings Remo back to life after he's been shot by evildoers. It's heartbreakingly poignant.

DO NOT JUDGE ME I WAS VERY YOUNG

[dskasak.livejournal.com]

Who is the worse fake Asian: Roddy McDowell, Mickey Rooney from Breakfast At Tiffany's, or Lee Van Cleef from "The Master?"

[mr-bad-example.livejournal.com]

I actually think I have this on VHS somewheres.

Roddy McDowall's Most Honorable Fake Asian makeup is really really bad. I think you're right, Rooney blows this out of the water. On the other hand, I remember the guy who played Smith being a lot closer to the way he was presented in the novels. Not that I have anything against Wilford Brimley, but the Smith of the novels is much more dour and gray.

The Destroyer series was just about my favorite reading material right around when I was 14.