Saw "Return to Green Acres" for the first time last night. - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

GenesisOne010 · 10-30-2010, 04:32 PM

I agree with those fans that say the movie is not very similar to the television series. At the end of the movie, I was very surprised to see that Mr. Haney hadn't been run out of town after doing what he did in this movie. They really took the whole "oily salesman" character trait and pushed it to the point where I think they pretty much destroyed the Haney character. Sure, he was always dishonest and money-hungry, but in this movie, he's really actually a villain that's willing to destroy the lives of the people that he's known for decades.

It was also odd seeing Oliver and Lisa return to New York again. The movie seems to conveniently ignore that in the series, the two chose Hooterville over New York more than once, and yet here they try again, only to discover the same thing all over again, and that is Green Acres is the place to be.

The focus on characters that didn't appear in the series felt forced and out of place, including the scenes with the teenage boys. Also, what the heck was a prostitute doing in Hooterville? That's the type of material the original series never touched and for good reason. The romance between two new characters was especially out of place, as was the more serious tone of the movie. Seriously, police officers with guns pointed at the folks of Hooterville?

There were some faint glimmers of the original Green Acres in this movie, though. Alph and Ralph still can't build anything that actually works the ways it's supposed to. Hank is still absent-minded and can't remember things. Oliver mangles his words when he gets confused. Lisa still kind of has her accent, mispronounces things and acts naive at times. Some of the humor felt close to what was done on the series, like Arnold getting in a cab and the cab driving off and everyone still doing the same jobs, wearing the same clothes even though they're all getting old and gray. The expanded theme song was very well done.

The movie feels a little bit like the series in some ways, here and there, but it's just too different too much of the time. If anybody that hasn't seen it wants to see it, send me a private message and I'll point you in the right direction.

ph1l · 10-31-2010, 04:34 AM

There's a version on YouTube. I don't know if it's the same one but it has a laugh track in it!

McGillicuddy · 10-31-2010, 01:46 PM

Return to Green Acres, had its flaws, but I always enjoy a reunion of a classic tv series that re-unites that many principle cast members, Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, Pat Buttram, Tom Lester, Alvy Moore, Frank Cady, Sid Melton and Mary Grace Canfield...oh, and Arnold! Also considering that several of them (including Gabor) passed away with in a few years of this movie, makes it bitter-sweet.

Miss Lisa · 11-02-2010, 09:45 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy9K_nIq5m4

Here's the link to the first part. I just watched it, its okay. I'd say being a huge fan of Green Acres, its worth seeing once, just to see it, but its not something I would watch over and over.

gidgetgrape · 11-02-2010, 10:27 PM

Good News: Netflix.com just added "Return to Green Acres" as a streaming title! You can watch it online and/or on your TV from 11-02-10 to 10-15-11.

10-30-2010, 04:32 PM	#1
GenesisOne010 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 23, 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 6	Saw "Return to Green Acres" for the first time last night. I agree with those fans that say the movie is not very similar to the television series. At the end of the movie, I was very surprised to see that Mr. Haney hadn't been run out of town after doing what he did in this movie. They really took the whole "oily salesman" character trait and pushed it to the point where I think they pretty much destroyed the Haney character. Sure, he was always dishonest and money-hungry, but in this movie, he's really actually a villain that's willing to destroy the lives of the people that he's known for decades. It was also odd seeing Oliver and Lisa return to New York again. The movie seems to conveniently ignore that in the series, the two chose Hooterville over New York more than once, and yet here they try again, only to discover the same thing all over again, and that is Green Acres is the place to be. The focus on characters that didn't appear in the series felt forced and out of place, including the scenes with the teenage boys. Also, what the heck was a prostitute doing in Hooterville? That's the type of material the original series never touched and for good reason. The romance between two new characters was especially out of place, as was the more serious tone of the movie. Seriously, police officers with guns pointed at the folks of Hooterville? There were some faint glimmers of the original Green Acres in this movie, though. Alph and Ralph still can't build anything that actually works the ways it's supposed to. Hank is still absent-minded and can't remember things. Oliver mangles his words when he gets confused. Lisa still kind of has her accent, mispronounces things and acts naive at times. Some of the humor felt close to what was done on the series, like Arnold getting in a cab and the cab driving off and everyone still doing the same jobs, wearing the same clothes even though they're all getting old and gray. The expanded theme song was very well done. The movie feels a little bit like the series in some ways, here and there, but it's just too different too much of the time. If anybody that hasn't seen it wants to see it, send me a private message and I'll point you in the right direction.

10-31-2010, 04:34 AM	#2
ph1l Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2004 Posts: 1,362	There's a version on YouTube. I don't know if it's the same one but it has a laugh track in it!
	__________________ 60's TV forever

11-02-2010, 09:45 PM	#4
Miss Lisa Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 08, 2005 Location: My very own Green Acres Posts: 1,113	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy9K_nIq5m4 Here's the link to the first part. I just watched it, its okay. I'd say being a huge fan of Green Acres, its worth seeing once, just to see it, but its not something I would watch over and over.
	__________________ TEAM COCO ~♥~"No matter how big or soft or warm your bed is, you still have to get out of it."~♥~ - Grace Slick http://deviantrose112.posterous.com/

10-31-2010, 01:46 PM	#3
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	Return to Green Acres, had its flaws, but I always enjoy a reunion of a classic tv series that re-unites that many principle cast members, Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, Pat Buttram, Tom Lester, Alvy Moore, Frank Cady, Sid Melton and Mary Grace Canfield...oh, and Arnold! Also considering that several of them (including Gabor) passed away with in a few years of this movie, makes it bitter-sweet.

11-02-2010, 10:27 PM	#5
gidgetgrape Forever Gidget Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 20, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 3,503	Good News: Netflix.com just added "Return to Green Acres" as a streaming title! You can watch it online and/or on your TV from 11-02-10 to 10-15-11.