Image from here.Just this week, I caught The A-Team (2010) - a movie version of the well-loved '80s series. It's not bad as a stand-alone movie; it's kinda like most action/spy movies of the time - complex plot with a lot of twists and double-crossing, high-tech machinery, a lot of explosions, a hot babe on the side, a fast pace and a whole lot of action. Not bad.
... But if you've got memories of the original A-Team, it kinda feels like something's missing.
Bradley cooper was a nice choice to play Face, the Murdock guy was okay. But Liam Neeson as Hannibal kinda didn't work for me; he's too morose, and kinda ... too dry. I didn't like the choice for B.A. Baracus at all - he's like a poor copy of a poor copy of Mr. T., and as far as I know B.A. is supposed to stand for badass, but he was far from.
Still it was fun to be sort of reunited with "childhood friends".
Back in the mid-eighties, Col. Hannibal Smith, Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck, Sgt. Bosco "B.A." Baracus and Capt. James "Howling Mad" Murdock were regular guests in everyone's home. On Wedesday nights at 8 pm, we'd turn our TV sets to channel 7 - it was a weekly ritual for my dad, my older brother and I.
I was too young (and probably, too female) to understand all the technical and military jargon, but I nonetheless enjoyed watching it every Wednesday night. It was entertaining to see them work their complex plans and blow things up.
The original Hannibal was so badass. The cigar habit was so cliche for an older military man, but it worked. It also interested me that Hannibal was played by George Peppard, the guy opposite Audrey Hepburn in the classic romance Breakfast at Tiffany's (he was pretty gorgeous as a younger man).
Mr. T is B.A. Baracus. He made that persona his own and that will forever be cemented. I pity the fool who got cast to play Baracus / Mr. T, because I don't think anyone can do the role justice, not even if he wore a mohawk and ton of gold.
Murdock was just fun in all that howling madness. The name Murdock became synonymous with crazy, especially after it was also used by McGyver's psychotic nemesis. The role was played by Dwight Schultz - I never forgot that name because I found it so unique. I recently caught some entertainment news that showed where he is now; apparently he's more into being a voice talent for animation these days.
And the former Lt. Starbuck in the late-70s series Battlestar Galactica (reruns of which I caught as a child), Dirk Benedict, was just eye-candy; I didn't care if he was old.
I never knew why the show was canceled; I remember feeling a wee bit disappointed when it stopped showing. I kinda missed it - so I guess that's why I felt like I had to watch the movie, even if it did have Liam Neeson as Hannibal.
BTW, I did a quick IMDB search to find out where those guys are now:
- George Peppard passed away in '94. He will forever be remembered as a TV and movie legend.
- After a recurring role in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager, Dwight Schultz has done voices for some hundred animated movies, series and video games. I didn't realize he did Mung Daal in Chowder and Dr. Animo in Ben 10. His voice was also in The Animatrix, The Wild Thornberrys, Family Guy, Afro Samurai and the English version of Mononoke-Hime. He supposedly was one of the German doctors in the recent A-Team movie, but I didn't spot him.
- Dirk Benedict has been in a few B-movies. He was also in the 2010 movie, but again, I was not able to identify him
- Not much info on Mr. T.
