If Elizabeth Montgomery had been alive

[Rezny@gmail.com]

at the time that Hollywood made the movie big-screen adaptation of the series "Bewitched"(she died in 1995,10 years (not sure of the year it was released)before the big-screen remake ,what do you think she would have thought of it?Did anyone who took part in the series(producers,writers)take part in the movie.And a final questionid the late Elizabeth Montgomery (TV's Samantha)ever meet Nicole Kidman(movies Samantha)?

[old grouch]

LIz would have been cool with it. In fact, she probably would have made a cameo appearance in the film.

[catlover79]

When she was alive, she was adamant about not wanting to do a Bewitched reunion. She felt that the past was best left in the past, and they wouldn't be able to top what they had done anyway. I tend to agree. Liz's ex Bill Asher DID direct reunion movies for I Dream of Jeannie and Green Acres (which were NOT well-received). I read somewhere that Liz called Bill and essentially said he was nuts.

[ansara1]

Originally Posted by catlover79

When she was alive, she was adamant about not wanting to do a Bewitched reunion. She felt that the past was best left in the past, and they wouldn't be able to top what they had done anyway. I tend to agree. Liz's ex Bill Asher DID direct reunion movies for I Dream of Jeannie and Green Acres (which were NOT well-received). I read somewhere that Liz called Bill and essentially said he was nuts.

While die-hard fans (like myself) did not like the made-for-TV I Dream of Jeannie reunion movies, the first one William Asher directed (I Dream of Jeannie: 15 Years Later) actually did very well in the ratings. It aired in 1985 and was up against THE FINAL GAME OF THE WORLD SERIES on another network! That being said, the ratings were very high (it came in at no. 15 in the ratings for the week), and that is why there was another reunion film years later (I Still Dream of Jeannie). Apparently, the ending of 15 Years Later (where Col. Nelson was made to forget about Jeannie and their son, T.J.) was done with the intent of a premise for a new series - but for some reason, it never materialized. Fans did NOT like it (among many changes to the original series, such as Hajji being changed to Samir for one), the alterations to her pink harem costume (it looked like a cheap version of the original), the new sound effects of her "blink," or the cheap visual of the smoke coming out of the bottle during the re-created beach scene (because they would not pay the original special effects man (Richard Albain) his price to work on the movie (...big mistake).

As for Elizabeth Montgomery, I heard the same thing you mentioned about her speaking to William Asher. Though I heard a recording of her audio interview with Herbie J. Pilato in which she stated that she "did not care" that Asher worked on the first Jeannie reunion movie and she also said, "They couldn't have gotten anyone better, let's face it." I don't know about the Green Acres movie

[catlover79]

Liz was one smart cookie. Thank goodness she didn't agree to do any reunion movies - and it wouldn't have been the same anyway because Agnes Moorehead was gone. I don't think Liz would've liked the 2005 movie, either (and neither did a lot of people, including myself).

[Rezny@gmail.com]

And besides that,I read that when she did her dramatic films(especially "A Case of Rape")she said that there would never be another "Bewitched".She may have changed her mind before she died,because the movie "When The Circus Comes To Town"she did in 1981 was a romantic comedy.As far as her doing a cameo role,I doubt that if she were still alive,she would have been asked.We'll never know.

[Larry Tate]

Elizabeth Montgomery knew that Bewitched was a Brilliant show & could not be replicated again.

She stated on many occasion that she was against a remake of it in any form & i believe would have been very much against the movie & would not have considered a cameo for an instant, even though she would have been asked for sure by the producers as her name would have brought enormous publicity to the movie.

Bill Asher has publicly stated that Liz gave him Hell over his involvement with the first IDOJ movie & she thought he had prostituted himself in making it.

The point about reunion movies has nothing to do with ratings but rather that the quality of them is terrible & a pale imitation if what the original was.

This was proven to be so with both the IDOJ & Green Acres disasters, they were just plain and simple very bad.

Liz was right in her views of reunion movies in general.

The Dick Van Dyke Show reunion special is an example of how you just can't recapture lightening in a bottle.
It was just not very good & the actors just didn't have it any more, watching it was embarrassing.

Nobody connected with Bewitched had anything to do with the movie, Thank God for that.
The Movie version just plain stunk.

Larry Tate

Originally Posted by rrezny@usnetizen

at the time that Hollywood made the movie big-screen adaptation of the series "Bewitched"(she died in 1995,10 years (not sure of the year it was released)before the big-screen remake ,what do you think she would have thought of it?Did anyone who took part in the series(producers,writers)take part in the movie.And a final questionid the late Elizabeth Montgomery (TV's Samantha)ever meet Nicole Kidman(movies Samantha)?

[catlover79]

Oh, don't get me started on The Dick Van Dyke: Revisited from 2004. That was a travesty!!!!

[ansara1]

Originally Posted by catlover79

Liz was one smart cookie. Thank goodness she didn't agree to do any reunion movies - and it wouldn't have been the same anyway because Agnes Moorehead was gone. I don't think Liz would've liked the 2005 movie, either (and neither did a lot of people, including myself).

She was very smart. ...and I don't think she would have liked it either. I didn't like it either.

[catlover79]

I think there were some good ideas, but the execution was garbled. The true golden moment was Steve Carell as the ghost of Uncle Arthur. He did a PERFECT imitation of Paul Lynde - he NAILED it!!!

[ansara1]

Originally Posted by catlover79

I think there were some good ideas, but the execution was garbled. The true golden moment was Steve Carell as the ghost of Uncle Arthur. He did a PERFECT imitation of Paul Lynde - he NAILED it!!!

He did do a good job

[catlover79]

If they ever make a movie about Paul Lynde - they should hire Steve Carell in a heartbeat!!!!

[70s show watcher]

Originally Posted by catlover79

Oh, don't get me started on The Dick Van Dyke: Revisited from 2004. That was a travesty!!!!

i agree it was horrable beyond words

[70s show watcher]

Originally Posted by catlover79

If they ever make a movie about Paul Lynde - they should hire Steve Carell in a heartbeat!!!!

i agree

[Tap Dancer]

Originally Posted by catlover79

Liz was one smart cookie. Thank goodness she didn't agree to do any reunion movies - and it wouldn't have been the same anyway because Agnes Moorehead was gone. I don't think Liz would've liked the 2005 movie, either (and neither did a lot of people, including myself).

I never saw the movie and I'm not interested in it.