Am I right in saying that this was something that was hardly ever done in the US? I can't think of one of their sitcoms having a big screen version?
They seem to do things the opposite way round and make TV spin-offs from popular films. Private Benjamin and Clueless are two examples, also non-comedy such as Stargate.
They seem to do things the opposite way round and make TV spin-offs from popular films. Private Benjamin and Clueless are two examples, also non-comedy such as Stargate.
Indeed. M*A*S*H* is probably still the biggest one.
Film spin-offs from TV shows do happen of course - Star Trek, Sex in the City, S.W.A.T., The Brady Bunch Movie etc, but true sit-coms spin-offs seem elusive*.
There's always talk of a Friends film of course *shudder*.
I think the sitcom spin off boom of the seventies was a response to the declining fortunes of the Carry On films and a need to save the British film industry with relatively cheap films based on popular television shows. Indeed the best of the genre- The Likely Lads and Porridge- were extremely well made, amusing and well acted films that managed to spread out a 30 minute sitcom into an entertaining film.
The greats of this genre that I recommend to anyone who wants a laugh and a reminder how comedy was in the pre PC, pre alternative era:
On The Buses/ Mutiny On The Buses, gloriously un PC( male drivers striking over women bus drivers, tarty women clippies, etc), some hilarious moments( the Windsor Zoo incident, the bus radios, the darts match) and a top cast make these worth watching again and again.
The Likely Lads, more sophisticated sitcom spin off, with plenty of melancholy humour( Bob's old house being pulled down) and some hilarious moments( the guest house, the caravan trip) and James Bolam and Rodney Bewes on top form.
Porridge, transferred well to the big screen with all the characters present and correct and an interesting and amusing plot where Fletcher tries to organise a celebrity football match as a cover for an escape bid.
Please Sir, likeable film where Fenn St Secondary go to an outdoor pursuits centre and have to share the building with snobbish public schoolboys and naturally pull one over them. Noel Howlett as the half senile headmaster is hilarious.
Ones to avoid:
Man About The House, dragged out and nowhere near as funny as the sitcom, although the scenes at Thames have a certain appeal to nostalgia buffs.
George and Mildred, complete letdown compared with the sitcom and the near total absence of their next door neighbours ruined the film's potential.
The Alf Garnett Saga, Alf takes acid and meets the West Ham team, WTF!
Are You Being Served, the sitcom was hilarious, this isn't and is a big waste of the cast's time.
Comments
They seem to do things the opposite way round and make TV spin-offs from popular films. Private Benjamin and Clueless are two examples, also non-comedy such as Stargate.
Film spin-offs from TV shows do happen of course - Star Trek, Sex in the City, S.W.A.T., The Brady Bunch Movie etc, but true sit-coms spin-offs seem elusive*.
There's always talk of a Friends film of course *shudder*.
* The Simpsons? The Addams Family?
On The Buses/ Mutiny On The Buses, gloriously un PC( male drivers striking over women bus drivers, tarty women clippies, etc), some hilarious moments( the Windsor Zoo incident, the bus radios, the darts match) and a top cast make these worth watching again and again.
The Likely Lads, more sophisticated sitcom spin off, with plenty of melancholy humour( Bob's old house being pulled down) and some hilarious moments( the guest house, the caravan trip) and James Bolam and Rodney Bewes on top form.
Porridge, transferred well to the big screen with all the characters present and correct and an interesting and amusing plot where Fletcher tries to organise a celebrity football match as a cover for an escape bid.
Please Sir, likeable film where Fenn St Secondary go to an outdoor pursuits centre and have to share the building with snobbish public schoolboys and naturally pull one over them. Noel Howlett as the half senile headmaster is hilarious.
Ones to avoid:
Man About The House, dragged out and nowhere near as funny as the sitcom, although the scenes at Thames have a certain appeal to nostalgia buffs.
George and Mildred, complete letdown compared with the sitcom and the near total absence of their next door neighbours ruined the film's potential.
The Alf Garnett Saga, Alf takes acid and meets the West Ham team, WTF!
Are You Being Served, the sitcom was hilarious, this isn't and is a big waste of the cast's time.