The A-Teamwas one of my favorite TV shows when I was a kid. The show enjoyed five seasons (98 episodes) from 1983 to 1987. There has been a movie in the works for some time and I just read that it is actually now has a planned release date in June, 2010.
I read a great article on Empire Online that gives a lot of information about The A-Team movie. You can click on the link to take you to the original article or I have included it here below for your convenience:
The 5 W's of... The A-Team Movie By Chris Hewitt
What? It's the big screen version of one of the most iconic TV shows of all time. You know the one, about four Vietnam vets on the run for a crime they didn't commit, who help out struggling Davids against mean old Goliaths who want to kill them/maim them/run their businesses into the ground. Details of the actual plot are vague, although it's safe to say that the guys are no longer Vietnam vets, but veterans of the first Gulf War. Carnahan is also apparently planning to jettison the show's frothy, light, even campy tone in favor of something closer to the feel of the Ocean's movies, or the Mission: Impossible big-screen efforts. Which makes sense, although if the new movie doesn't at least pay lip service to Hannibal's penchant for ridiculous disguises, or the need to drug B.A. with milk so they can get him onto a plane, we'll be sorely disappointed.
Why? Although the show itself was campy, formulaic, repetitive nonsense, The A-Team has endured for several reasons. One, its bitching intro and theme tune which laid out everything you need to know about the show's premise in one highly memorable voiceover, before exploding into the sort of catchy, bombastic ditty that legendary composer Mike Post could toss off in his sleep. Two, its characters were pretty much the perfect ensemble. You had the vain ladies' man ('Faceman', played by Dirk Benedict; we always loved the bit in the credit sequence where a Cylon walks past the ex-Battlestar Galactica star), the deranged loon who may not be as deranged as he wants people to think he is ('Howling Mad' Murdock, played by Dwight Schultz), the big, black, head-buster (B.A. Baracus, making a superstar out of Mr. T) who came complete with a dozen catchphrases and an aversion to aviation, and the cool-as-a-cucumber, cigar-chewing leader who had a plan for every sticky situation (Hannibal Smith, played by the late, great George Peppard). Stereotypes all, but they knitted together perfectly. Third, it was enjoyably escapist nonsense, not to mention hugely influential (MacGuyver, for example, is a one-man A-Team, able to fashion a device to escape any trap from just a mango and three paperclips). And even though it only ran for four years and 97 episodes, not even enough to guarantee syndication, it became a truly iconic show that dominated and defined millions of childhoods. 20th Century Fox's been trying to turn it into a movie for years... and now it looks like they might actually succeed...
Who? Joe Carnahan (Narc, Smokin' Aces) will direct, from a script by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, the writers of the mental action flick Wanted. Carnahan replaced John Singleton in the director's chair when the latter left in October 2008. When Singleton left, he took Tyrese Gibson, who was set to fill Mr. T's gold chains and Mohawk as B.A., with him. At the time of writing, the roles of B.A. and Murdock have yet to be filled, but the other two-fourths (or, if you will insist, one-half) of The A-Team has been cast, with The Hangover's Bradley Cooper on board as Faceman and, in a spot of brilliant casting, the commanding and kick-ass Liam Neeson down to play Hannibal Smith, a role with which the likes of Bruce Willis, George Clooney and Mel Gibson had been linked in the past. Neeson's casting indicates an awareness that the brand name is a big enough draw to get by without any mega-salaries. Which pretty much rules out those persistent Jim Carrey-as-Murdock rumors. Expect a bad guy and at least one love interest to get the casting nod in the coming weeks. Will the film use the show's recurring thorn-in-the-side, Col. Decker, who relentlessly hunted the A-Team? We'll have to wait to see... Producer Stephen J. Cannell, who created the TV show and who is famous for his company ident, has been shepherding the project through development at Fox. Intriguingly, Ridley and Tony Scott are also on board as producers...
When? Shooting will start in August, with the film set for release on June 11, 2010. That release date has been set for a while - it was first mentioned in March 2008 - putting a welcome deadline on development after years of rumors and rumbling pre-production produced no actual film.
Where? Vancouver. It's a popular destination for action films since the tax laws allow filmmakers to stretch their budget a little further; it's still commutable to LA and there's a thriving industry there so all the experts you need are at hand.
There you go. Now you know everything about the upcoming A-Team Movie that you needed to know (and more), though it seems some details are yet to be finalized. I have heard rumors of Woody Harrelson possibly playing "Howling Mad Murdock" and someone like Ice Cube possibly playing "B.A. Baracus" and I am sure that will need to be confirmed soon if shooting will begin in August.
I used to really like the intro theme song for the A-Team show though it did not make the top 15 in my Top TV Theme Songs list. For those not familiar with the song, here is a video for the show's opening (which I can't get out of my head since hearing it again):
I also used to think the van they used in the show was so cool (black with red stripe). I just saw a Honda commercial for their Odyssey mini-van with the tagline "Respect the Van" and prominently featuring the A-Team van (among a couple others). Not quite sure how this mini-van is supposed to compare to an iconic American-made van from the 80s, but I liked seeing the homage anyway. I have included the video for this short commercial here:
I have been very vocal about remakes of our 80s classics being a bad idea, but this A-Team Movie might be alright if they treat it seriously and recruit a strong cast. They are half-way there, so I will be keeping an eye on this production and might have to see it next summer when it is released. I might also have to re-watch all five seasons of the original television series to get me ready.
That's all for this issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks as always for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "Become a Fan". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Check this out: I came across this picture and just had to share with you. It might cost a little more than the milk with hair, but I'd hope you agree that it is very much worth it...
Quote of the day: "I love it when a plan comes together." -George Peppard as "Hannibal Smith" in the A-Team television series
posted by: bawdy (reply)
post date: 06.11.09 (12:51 pm)
I never had any interest in watching that jibba jabba show. I don't think all these old TV series warrant the big screen treatment. They mostly end up lacking.
posted by: barnabus1 (reply)
post date: 06.11.09 (2:54 pm)
It was a great show in it's day...almost anything George Peppard was in was fun to watch!! Wish they could be brought back as a team...but that's impossible!! :-(
80s TV Classic The A-Team Movie to be Made - Kickin' it Old School
was one of my favorite TV shows when I was a kid. The show enjoyed five seasons (98 episodes) from 1983 to 1987. There has been a movie in the works for some time and I just read that it is actually now has a planned release date in June, 2010. 
You know the one, about four Vietnam vets on the run for a crime they didn't commit, who help out struggling Davids against mean old Goliaths who want to kill them/maim them/run their businesses into the ground. 
its characters were pretty much the perfect ensemble. You had the vain ladies' man ('Faceman', played by Dirk Benedict; we always loved the bit in the credit sequence where a Cylon walks past the ex-Battlestar Galactica star), the deranged loon who may not be as deranged as he wants people to think he is ('Howling Mad' Murdock, played by Dwight Schultz), the big, black, head-buster (B.A. Baracus, making a superstar out of Mr. T) who came complete with a dozen catchphrases and an aversion to aviation, and the cool-as-a-cucumber, cigar-chewing leader who had a plan for every sticky situation (Hannibal Smith, played by the late, great George Peppard). Stereotypes all, but they knitted together perfectly. 
The A-Team has been cast, with The Hangover's Bradley Cooper on board as Faceman and, in a spot of brilliant casting, the commanding and kick-ass Liam Neeson down to play Hannibal Smith, a role with which the likes of Bruce Willis, George Clooney and Mel Gibson had been linked in the past. Neeson's casting indicates an awareness that the brand name is a big enough draw to get by without any mega-salaries. Which pretty much rules out those persistent Jim Carrey-as-Murdock rumors. 
to think the van they used in the show was so cool (black with red stripe). I just saw a Honda commercial for their Odyssey mini-van with the tagline "Respect the Van" and prominently featuring the A-Team van (among a couple others). Not quite sure how this mini-van is supposed to compare to an iconic American-made van from the 80s, but I liked seeing the homage anyway. I have included the video for this short commercial here:
