Starsky & Hutch

[Johann]

Todd Philips was very wise to keep the film set in the 70's.
It would be so lame if these characters were forced to be immersed in our current no-identity times.

I loved, loved, LOVED this flick. It brought back so many memories of sitting in front of the tube watching Soul & Glaser bust heads. Seeing the Gran Torino in all it's glory (what a polish job!) on the big screen was enough to have me grinning like an idiot for almost 2 hours. That car is one sweet machine....for a Ford.
(Don't kid yourself kids- it's the paintjob and mag wheels)

The soundtrack is awesome, the costumes are perfect, the
tone is right, Philips nailed the remake. Does Charlie's Angels resemble the old show? Fuck no. Did Shaft resemble the original? No way- too modern. Starsky & Hutch is how it should be done (if you're gonna do it at all). I fear the A-Team movie will be crap. How can you replace Murdoch & B.A.? You can't.

Wilson and Stiller are believable as Ken and Dave. Especially Stiller- his hair, jeans, sweater and jacket are vintage. He looks great as Starsky. They play off each other way better than the original guys. Owen & Ben are so in tune with each other and their comedic timing that they actually eclipse the actors that came before! All in 2 hours to boot.

The best scene is the disco dance-off between some afroed, bell-bottomed freak and Starsky, who is hopped up on cocaine.
I was laughing my ass off.

I can't wait for the next film in this franchise.

[Chris Knipp]

Let's not forget that this is a takeoff on the original series, not a continuation of it.
As such it is essential that it would also be a takeoff on the Seventies. The choice of that period is a no-brainer. It's the way the period seems dated and funny and nostalgic now that allows for the good natured fun-making. Without that you would not have a takeoff and you would not have a movie.

Having been rather devoted to the series and almost a worshipper of the aptly named David Soul, I found this new avatar a bit irritating (or too irreverant) at times, but Owen Wilson's laidback manner offset Stiller's excessive intensity (humorously emphasized with the unintentional coke overdose) and there were definitely some very good laughs. Be it noted also that good and natural as Snoop Dog is as Huggy Bear, he cannot and never could equal the cachet and originality of Antonio Fargas.

[Johann]

Yes, Fargas' Huggy Bear was light years better than Snoop Dogg.
(Another scene that had me howling was when Vince Vaughn bitch slaps Snoop on the golf course- I never thought I'd see a movie where Snoop would get slapped by a honky and not bust a cap...) Although I guess Snoop gets revenge at the end.

Yeah, Starsky & Hutch was my favorite show as a kid- if my parents wanted to punish me, all they had to do was say "you're not watching Starsky & Hutch tonight".

Looking forward to the DVD which will definitely make my collection- as well as the newly released 5-disc set of the original series (Season one).

My DVD player gets tons of usage, believe you that...