An Interview with Rawson Marshall Thurber, MPI movie

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#1 Post by **Doc Ibold** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 10:31 pm

Hi all,

I came across this today, and if this is a repeat of something thats already been posted, feel free to axe it. (kind of running late and haven't had a chance to skim the postings)

I just thought it might be interesting to see how the movie is going to turn out through the directors point of view:

"Pajiba: After you wrap up MOP, your next project is Magnum P.I. How do you plan to approach the remake?

RMT: With respect, ultimately. I was a fan of the series, but I wouldn’t characterize myself as a fanboy of the series — though two of my closest friends are and remind me of that daily. The show itself struck such a smart balance of mystery, comedy, action, and character that I hope to emulate it as much as possible. The Magnum movie will be very much like Beverly Hills Cop in tone: basically an action movie that’s funny because the main character himself is funny, not because Magnum and Higgins have to dress up in chicken suits to break into a birthday party. My guiding principles for the adaptation are these: no short shorts, no cameos, no moustaches. It’s a title you know, a theme song you love and a kick-ass Ferrari.

In terms of timeline, the film is, essentially, a genesis story. It’s Magnum Begins. When we meet Magnum, he’s not yet a private investigator, but by the time the story ends, he’s hung up his shingle. I’m working through a first draft now, and it’s been so much fun — currently Magnum and TC are bickering in a sugar cane field that’s been lit ablaze by the bad guys. It’s going to be an unapologetically great action movie. That’s a promise."

Sounds like a decent premise if they can pull it off. But I mean, c'mon, part of Magnum PI IS the mustache. (But then again, I don't think Matthew McBongos could pull off a true Selleck 'stache.)

Looks like he's got a scene from the "Curse of the King Kamehameha Club" in there,

Aloha!

Shermy · #2 Post by **Shermy** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 11:44 pm

Thank God for Indy IV.

#3 Post by **J.J. Walters** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 12:47 pm

Hi Doc. Welcome again to the boards.

Yeah, that's pretty much all we've heard from the director/writer, so far. I tend to agree with most of it. It's probably the only way you can approach this kind of movie, without the original cast. I like the idea of a "Beginning to End" timeline. The Theme song and Ferrari are there, that's good. An "unapologetically great action movie", I like that part. No moustaches? Hmm, don't quite understand that one.

Of course, this thing may never even get off the ground! It appears to be in, dare I say it, "Limbo" again. We havn't heard from anyone involved in the pre-production for over a year. Filming still hasn't started. The "announced" cast from late January came from what appears to be a suspect source, and there has been no follow-up comments regarding the cast FROM ANYONE involved in the movie since then. It could be nothing, but the unknowns continue. This movie has been trying to get off the ground, in one format or another, for almost 15 years now! It's the "Chinese Democracy" of Former TV Show Movies!

#4 Post by **Doc Ibold** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 2:34 pm

Oh, I've never left the boards, I just have to find time to get to them

Yeah, I hope that the movie gets made, but my inner pessimist is telling me that I'll be somewhat disappointed, as I don't think it'll match up to the show.

However, a movie is better than no movie!

(I still believe LL Cool J would make a better TC, physically and character-wise)

SelleckLover · #5 Post by **SelleckLover** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 4:23 pm

Here are a few quotes from Tom himself. In his A&E Biography that I have, TS states that he would like to see the movie be set in current times, to "see what he's up to now." He further states that he knows people will want to see that kind of movie, "because they tell me.... every time I go to the hardware store." I think I'd have to agree with him. But I must say that I don't know how they can write a script for it without it being really cheesy and predictable.....you know....Magnum hung his shingle up 20 years ago, what's the story going to be about? They'd have to dodge the old, "Magnum just happens to get a call to be a private investigator in Hawaii again" sort of thing. And if they cast TS in the Magnum role, it wouldn't be the same if they couldn't get Roger Mosley and Larry Manetti!

And if they do decide to make the "genesis story", frankly I can't think of any young actors that have the chops to play Magnum as well as TS did. They need someone with stunningly good looks, a low center of gravity, that looks as if he could put you in a world of hurt if he really wanted to. Then again, maybe I'm just biased!

BTW, I agree with Doc Ibold about LLCoolJ.
______________

Baseball only lasts a summer, however long that summer lasts. ~Magnum to Mad Buck Gibson

grapeshot · #6 Post by **grapeshot** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 6:23 am

Wow, no mustache? Next they'll be saying there's no looking at the camera!

That would be like having a blonde Bond. Oh wait....

Actually, my heart kind of sank when I read that bit about an all out action movie. Does that mean he'll be doing all those over the top things like what Cruise does in those Mission Impossible movies? (I got so bored with all those fight scenes in the third MI movie that I just started fast forwarding through them. At this point IS there any suspense about whether Cruise will survive them?) Does that mean it'll be all action and no story? Will they be blowing up everything in sight?

I've got nothing against action movies, but when I read that I suddenly got a flash of an overblown silly action movie, and if that's all the movie turned out to be, that would break my heart, I think.

Well, hopefully his fanboy buddies will keep this guy straight.

#7 Post by **J.J. Walters** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 1:39 pm

grapeshot wrote: Does that mean it'll be all action and no story? ... I've got nothing against action movies, but when I read that I suddenly got a flash of an overblown silly action movie, and if that's all the movie turned out to be, that would break my heart, I think.

Well, he says it's going to be Beverly Hills Cop in tone, which means it will be a combination of action and comedy, but at this point, who knows.

Marknum · #8 Post by **Marknum** » Wed May 09, 2007 3:05 am

Someone wanted a plot idea using the original cast. How about something like this?

Magnum (Selleck) is retired and living on the mainland. His daughter, taking after her old man, is a Naval Intelligence Officer stationed in Hawaii and gone missing. Magnum has to draft his old buds and head back to Hawaii to save the day.

Tralfaz · #9 Post by **Tralfaz** » Fri May 18, 2007 1:24 pm

SelleckLover wrote: I think I'd have to agree with him. But I must say that I don't know how they can write a script for it without it being really cheesy and predictable.....you know....Magnum hung his shingle up 20 years ago, what's the story going to be about? They'd have to dodge the old, "Magnum just happens to get a call to be a private investigator in Hawaii again" sort of thing.

Well 20 years later Magnum would be 65+, so he would probably retire from the Navy. Becoming a PI again would certainly be a reasonable way for him to spend his time. Though to be honest this theme is better as a TV movie.

It would be interesting to see Lily as a major player. Could she have followed a similar path as her father and now be "Retired" from military service,dis-illusioned,etc..

T

MagnumPI_Cat · #10 Post by **MagnumPI_Cat** » Sun May 27, 2007 2:33 am

What?! No moustache?! Matthew McConaughey doesn't even look like Magnum. I'm still seeing the movie, even if there is no moustache. William H Macy as Higgins.....they got the age right. None of the characters look like who they are supposed to be. Pfft.

MagnumPI_Cat.

TMoustache · #11 Post by **TMoustache** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 11:03 pm

So it seems that someone is working to make this movie more weird every day...I'd prefer a "Goonies 2" movie with a totally changed cast than an MPI Movie without Selleck.
Those silly moneymakers making me nuts! I'm sure, the world is full of people like us who would see the movie hundred times...but only bringin back the original cast!
I'm waiting for this movie since '88, damn!
Noone can replace Selleck, Hillerman, Mosley, Manetti...noone can replace what they can be together...that magic atmosphere is unique, period.
And now...what will be the next bad rumor? The remix of the original theme by some fake idiot rappers?
Please, someone tells me that Mike Bennet's "becoming Magnum" project is not our last hope...

MagnumPI_Cat · #12 Post by **MagnumPI_Cat** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:16 am

TMoustache wrote:And now...what will be the next bad rumor? The remix of the original theme by some fake idiot rappers?

If they do that, I'm not seeing the movie.

sctcarts · #13 Post by **sctcarts** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:25 am

Yeah, this whole project has me both excited and sick to my stomach. Excited because it would be great to see what they can do with it, but sick to my stomach because like all Hollywood adaptations of TV shows, they'll suck the life out of it.

They say they've got the Ferarri and the theme song, what about the estate? Does that count as a cameo? And can an updated time period really work for it? There's a lot to what happened in Magnum that worked so well because it was the 80's. I don't know....I guess time will tell!

-sctcarts

Danno · #14 Post by **Danno** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:53 am

sctcarts wrote:There's a lot to what happened in Magnum that worked so well because it was the 80's. I don't know....I guess time will tell!

-sctcarts

I think that's a pretty key element to it.

The theme and tone of the series is relatively light (despite some heavy action and drama episodes)... I don't think you get that now. Audiences are so different.

This being said, being a huge Indiana Jones fan, I read an interview of Steven Spielberg in the current issue of Vanity Fair. He was talking about the editing of the new Indy film and that he was going for the same style as the original films. Even though he's making a new action film, the story will be the thing that moves fast rather than editing in the fast style of the Bourne action films. I think Magnum and Indiana Jones have more in common than just Selleck almost being Indy... I don't see why Selleck couldn't come back too. I think he looks better than Harrison Ford does now.

sctcarts · #15 Post by **sctcarts** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:14 am

I think with the right story Selleck coming back as Magnum would be the only real good way to go. No other actor is going to be able to do the role justice - Magnum is Tom Selleck. And after seeing his excellent work in the Jesse Stone character, he's proven that he's still got the chops, and has aged gracefully. Magnum is woven together from Selleck's work and experience, and nobody else will ever be able to capture that. Here's hoping the producers realize that and give us a modern day Magnum with TS playing him once again. It's a long shot, but you gotta dream, right?