Just a bit of silliness to brighten your day
Mitchell S. Gorman
A friend and I were being a bit random a little earlier, and I
suddenly posed the stupid question: "If you were casting a live-action
movie version of Speed Racer, who would you cast as the leads?"
Naturally, his immediate response was: "This is a question for the
Net!!!"
So...
Who _would_ you cast? Or do you even give a damn?
Mitch (@arcturus.uucp)
Replies should probably be mailed; for some reason I don't think this'll be
an incredibly popular thread! ;^)
Doug Krause
# A friend and I were being a bit random a little earlier, and I
#suddenly posed the stupid question: "If you were casting a live-action
#movie version of Speed Racer, who would you cast as the leads?"
My roomie and I have thought about this one (really, we're stupid too :-)
Anyway, we could only get two absolutes:
Speed: Tom Cruise
Pops: Ernest Borgnine
Douglas Krause One yuppie can ruin your whole day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
University of California, Irvine Internet: dkr...@orion.oac.uci.edu
Welcome to Irvine, Yuppieland USA BITNET: DJKrause@ucivmsa
Matt Landau
>In article <6418@arcturus> mi...@arcturus.UUCP (Mitchell S. Gorman) writes:
>#"If you were casting a live-action
>#movie version of Speed Racer, who would you cast as the leads?"
>Speed: Tom Cruise
>Pops: Ernest Borgnine
Racer-X: Peter Weller
Blair P. Houghton
>In article <13...@diamond.BBN.COM> mla...@bbn.com (Matt Landau) writes:
>>dkr...@orion.oac.uci.edu (Doug Krause) writes:
>>>In article <6418@arcturus: mi...@arcturus.UUCP (Mitchell S. Gorman) writes:
>>>>"If you were casting a live-action
>>
>>>Speed: Tom Cruise
>>>Pops: Ernest Borgnine
Danny DeVito, if Ernest is unavailable ( :-) * 10^4 ).
>>Racer-X: Peter Weller
>
>Yeah, but if you do Peter Weller as Racer-X and Tom Cruise as Speed (I thought
>of Cruise for this part immediately :-), then they won't look much like
>brothers... Ernest is a definite as Pops, but I don't know who I'd do as
>Trixie or Sparky (or Spridle, or Chim-Chim, or Mrs. Racer for that matter).
Mom will be played by Marylin Quayle.
Mary Stuart Masterson, plus wig, as Trixie.
If Mary is unavailable, get Whitney Houston.
Linda Hunt as Spridle (are we spelling this right and will the cosmic
balance of all things important and useless be yanged out of its
yin by our mispelling of it?)
Roger D. Carasso as Chim-Chim.
>Whatever, I want to see it. BUT, anybody who changes one damned THING
>about the Mach-5 will be summarily shot!
Gee. I wonder if we're allowed to colorize it.
--Blair
"We'd do this in anime, but it's
already been done in anime; heck,
it was the genesis of anime..."
Michael J Kobb
Yeah, but if you do Peter Weller as Racer-X and Tom Cruise as Speed (I thought
of Cruise for this part immediately :-), then they won't look much like
brothers... Ernest is a definite as Pops, but I don't know who I'd do as
Trixie or Sparky (or Spridle, or Chim-Chim, or Mrs. Racer for that matter).
Whatever, I want to see it. BUT, anybody who changes one damned THING about the
Mach-5 will be summarily shot!
--Mike
Mark Mitchell
}In article <13...@diamond.BBN.COM> mla...@bbn.com (Matt Landau) writes:
}>dkr...@orion.oac.uci.edu (Doug Krause) writes:
}:
}::In article <6418@arcturus: mi...@arcturus.UUCP (Mitchell S. Gorman) writes:
}::#"If you were casting a live-action
}::#movie version of Speed Racer, who would you cast as the leads?"
}:
}::Speed: Tom Cruise
}::Pops: Ernest Borgnine
}:
}:Racer-X: Peter Weller
}
}Yeah, but if you do Peter Weller as Racer-X and Tom Cruise as Speed (I thought
}of Cruise for this part immediately :-), then they won't look much like
}brothers... Ernest is a definite as Pops, but I don't know who I'd do as
}Trixie or Sparky (or Spridle, or Chim-Chim, or Mrs. Racer for that matter).
We gotta get Wynona Ryder for Trixie.
--
"Do they blow up in funny shapes?" | Mark Mitchell Georgia Tech
"Nope. Not unless round's funny." | GTRI/STL/MSD Atlanta, GA
| mm...@prism.gatech.edu
Cario Lam
> In article <6418@arcturus> mi...@arcturus.UUCP (Mitchell S. Gorman) writes:
> # A friend and I were being a bit random a little earlier, and I
> #suddenly posed the stupid question: "If you were casting a live-action
> #movie version of Speed Racer, who would you cast as the leads?"
>
> My roomie and I have thought about this one (really, we're stupid too :-)
> Anyway, we could only get two absolutes:
>
> Speed: Tom Cruise
> Pops: Ernest Borgnine
How about Kevin Costner as Racer-X.
Cario
Darren Bush
>In article <6418@arcturus> mi...@arcturus.UUCP (Mitchell S. Gorman) writes:
># A friend and I were being a bit random a little earlier, and I
>#suddenly posed the stupid question: "If you were casting a live-action
>#movie version of Speed Racer, who would you cast as the leads?"
>
>My roomie and I have thought about this one (really, we're stupid too :-)
>
>Speed: Tom Cruise Speed: Tom Cruise
>Pops: Ernest Borgnine
Perfect! And how about:
Molly Ringwald (with black-dyed hair) as Trixie
Kirk Cameron as Spridle (sp?)
Bubbles as Chim-Chim
AND:
Alan Alda as "Racer X" (the looks work: the personality doesn't. I know)
>Douglas Krause One yuppie can ruin your whole day.
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>University of California, Irvine Internet: dkr...@orion.oac.uci.edu
>Welcome to Irvine, Yuppieland USA BITNET: DJKrause@ucivmsa
- Darren S. Bush | "Can you imagine the
- bu...@prodigal.psych.rochester.edu | level of a mind that
University of Rochester Department of Psychology | watches wrestling?"
Disclaimer: Groucho:Karl::Darren:George | -Frederick
Jeff Meyer
"I'm sure it'll be a real magnet for scholars in
the future: The Reagan Library. I see a
split-level stucco warehouse with rows of Reader's
Digest condensed books and a magnifying glass
beside every chair."
-- A. Whitney Brown
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
INTERNET: mori...@tc.fluke.COM
Manual UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, microsoft, hplsla, uiucuxc}!fluke!moriarty
CREDO: You gotta be Cruel to be Kind...
<*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want with me, but leave my employers alone! <*>
Paul Vinson Brown
role of Racer-X. He played Melanie Griffith's boyfriend who gets out of jail
and causes problems in Something Wild. Anyone know who I'm talking about?
--Paul V. Brown
William December Starr
> }::#"If you were casting a live-action
> }::#movie version of Speed Racer, who would you cast as the leads?"
Casting, schmasting. The big question is: who would you get to sing
the catchy "Go, Speed Racer, Go!" title song (sure to get at least an
Oscar nomination for Best Song)?
My nominee is Prince :-) :-)
Michael J Kobb
>In article <36...@orion.cf.uci.edu> dkr...@orion.oac.uci.edu (Doug Krause) writes:
>>In article <6418@arcturus> mi...@arcturus.UUCP (Mitchell S. Gorman) writes:
::# A friend and I were being a bit random a little earlier, and I
::#suddenly posed the stupid question: "If you were casting a live-action
::#movie version of Speed Racer, who would you cast as the leads?"
::
::My roomie and I have thought about this one (really, we're stupid too :-)
::Anyway, we could one tget two absolutes:
::
::Speed: Tom Cruise Speed: Tom Cruise
::Pops: Ernest Borgnine
:
:Perfect! And how about:
:
:Molly Ringwald (with black-dyed hair) as Trixie
Ugh.
:Kirk Cameron as Spridle (sp?)
WAY TOO OLD! Kirk is older than Speed supposedly is.
:Bubbles as Chim-Chim
:
:AND:
:
:Alan Alda as "Racer X" (the looks work: the personality doesn't. I know)
WAY TOO OLD again. He's older than Pops.
Robert A Beeler
This tiny little posting basically serves as the gossip
corner on what is going on behind the films. No, no, no, I
don't mean Shirley McClaine's love for caviar or that Jack
Nicholson may have fathered the child of, gulp, a below
the line extra! I like finding out what is in production and
who is making the deals in Hollywood.
As far as the validity of any of this, I guarantee nothing.
As to the overall tone, true, it is condescending, but if I
bust on your favorite director, don't give me heat, it's all
in good fun.
If you want to make any general comments over the net,
please change the heading so that people know what is
The Movie Hotline and what is not. If you have any
comments for me, or better yet any rumors send them to
rabe...@rodan.acs.syr.edu. I'd love to hear from you. So
ask your Uncle Meat who works at Warner Bros. to tell
you what's going on, and pass it along!
It seems to be a regular feature now, The Guber-Peters
Report: Warner Bros. has sued for a hefty $1 Billion as I
last reported. Sony has countersued saying that WB has
interferred with their business transactions. I, myself,
want to option the video rights to this battle.
Looks like 'Bonfire of the Vanities is being hung up for
now. DePalma has shown disinterest in the project....
A correction to Eastwood's 'White Hunter, Black Heart'
report last week: Eastwood is to play John Huston in the
film, not Bogie. Awwww.
Paul Newman is not pleased with the title of 'Blaze' which
refers not to him but to the stripper his character 'longs'
for. Gee, Paul, Disney is pushing for you to win the Oscar
in this one. Ain't that enough?
Movie Line made a comment about an actor who spent
$800 with two prostitutes and a friend in Reno. Was it
Christian Slater? Could his 'friend' be either Rob Lowe or
maybe it was one of his costars-to-be in 'On The Prowl'
which includes Corey Haim and Ricky Schroder. Nahhh.
Just silly rumors...
Oh, the Humanity Section- Rentals:
Field of Dreams- $6.1 Million
Uncle Buck- $6.0 Million
Tag team from Hell- Michael Cimino and Dino De
Laurentiis, both of whom have in the past slain studios,
are coproducing 'The Desperate Hours.' Cimino is set to
direct and cowrote it. Rourke will star.
David PuttnamUs project 'Memphis Belle' is being helmed
by Michael Canton-Jones. His debut was the flashy
'Scandal'.
Wim Wender is back in action working on 'Till the End
of the World' which he is directing and cowrote. William
Hurt will star and the budget is set at $17M.
'Highlander 2-The Quickening' starts shooting in January
with Russell Mulcahy (director) and Sean Connery and
Chris Lumbert returning. This one takes place in the year
2024..
-Question: Anyone have a copy of the original Highlander
script titled 'Shadow Clan'? I hear that it was written by a
student at UCLA and was incredible. Any word on it, drop
a line.
The sequel to '9 1/2 Weeks' looks like it is on the way
with Rourke and Basinger returning and Roman Polanski
directing. Why, you might ask. It may not have done well
but was a big time success internationally. I hope in the
sequel they live happily ever....
You really don't think that sequelmania applies only to
Rambo, Jaws, Freddie and Jason do you? Here comes- 'The
Godfather-The Continuing Story. Coppola, Gordon Willis,
Pacino and Diane Keaton will be bringing it to you...
Will 'Rock N Roll High School Forever boost Mojo Nixon's
career like the original did for The Ramones? Not if it also
has Corey Feldman in it. Don't worry, this one is a long
way off, and hopefully California will be in the drink
before it hits the screen.
That is all for this report. If any of you want to be
reporters, please drop me a line. I am having problems
locating The Los Angeles Times around here and if
someone wanted to, keep me informed. I will probably
have another report next week instead of in two weeks,
because I got my hands on the Dec. issue of Premiere
before it hits the stands... Keep your ears open...
Robert A. Beeler, editor, writer, layout, publisher,etc.
rabe...@acs.syr.edu
Doug Krause
#I'm not sure what this actor's name is, but I feel he'd be perfect for the
#role of Racer-X. He played Melanie Griffith's boyfriend who gets out of jail
#and causes problems in Something Wild. Anyone know who I'm talking about?
Ray Liotta. He was also in Dominick and Eugene with Tom Hulce.
Jonathan D.
> Casting, schmasting. The big question is: who would you get to sing
> the catchy "Go, Speed Racer, Go!" title song
Well, Devo did a song called "Speed Racer" a while ago, although it
wasn't just about Speed.
I say that we get the kid who did Witness as Spridle.
Doug Krause
#I say that we get the kid who did Witness as Spridle.
Lucas Haas, also in Solarbabies.
Jonathan D.
> }#I'm not sure what this actor's name is, but I feel he'd be perfect for the
> }#role of Racer-X. He played Melanie Griffith's boyfriend who gets out of jail
> }#and causes problems in Something Wild.
> }Ray Liotta. He was also in Dominick and Eugene with Tom Hulce.
Nah, he should play the lead punk in the evil racing team...
Mark Mitchell
}In article <9...@ariel.unm.edu> ma37...@carina.unm.edu.UUCP (Paul Vinson Brown) writes:
}#I'm not sure what this actor's name is, but I feel he'd be perfect for the
}#role of Racer-X. He played Melanie Griffith's boyfriend who gets out of jail
}#and causes problems in Something Wild. Anyone know who I'm talking about?
}Ray Liotta. He was also in Dominick and Eugene with Tom Hulce.
And "Shoeless" Joe Jackson in FIELD OF DREAMS.
Ron D. Harvey
I mailed something like this to the original poster before
I saw any other responses. I'm delighted that (with a few *very*
notable exceptions) we're all sort-of in the same ballpark:
Speed Racer..................Rob Lowe (thin and wimpy, just
like Speed)
Mach 5.......................1989 white Pontiac Firebird +
bells and whistles
Trixie.......................The gals in the "Rob Lowe
Video" or a brunette Meg Ryan
Racer X......................Mickey Rourke (a cartoon
Motorcycle Boy)
Sparky.......................John Cusak
Pops.........................Ernest Borgnine
Mom..........................Sally Field
Spridle......................Dustin Hoffman (he needs a challenge)
Chim-chim....................Bubbles or Michael Jackson
Have fun!
Ron
---
Ron D. Harvey jail...@ihlpm.ATT.COM
"Speed! Speed!"
Michael J Kobb
:}Ray Liotta. He was also in Dominick and Eugene with Tom Hulce.
:And "Shoeless" Joe Jackson in FIELD OF DREAMS.
Oh, HIM. Yes, he'd be a good cast for the role of Racer-X.
Dave Alexander
Ray Liotta.
He was also in "Dominick and Eugene" and "Field of Dreams."
-- Dave Alexander
--
"I'm afraid it's grim news, Sandy - the Vice-Consul
intends to ban the wearing of wimples after 7:15 PM."
-- Glen Baxter
Doug Moran
David Carradine or the actor who played Alan Sheppard in The Right
Stuff as Racer-X.
Ally Sheedy as Trixie.
Brain Dennehy or Wilford Brimely as Pops.
Now *this* is a silly topic.
--
Doug Moran | "Am I not sensitive, clever, well-manered,
{ames,decwrl,...}! | considerate, passionate, charming, as kind as I'm
pyramid!unix386!dougm | handsome, and heir to a throne?"
robert.g.robillard
>In article <6418@arcturus> mi...@arcturus.UUCP (Mitchell S. Gorman) writes:
>#"If you were casting a live-action
>#movie version of Speed Racer, who would you cast as the leads?"
Pop Star Debbie Gibson in her movie debut as Chim-Chim
--
| Duke Robillard |
| Internet: r...@m21ux.att.com | BITNET: rgr%m21ux.uucp@psuvax1 |
| UUCP: {backbone!}att!m21ux!rgr | (maybe) |
Mitchell S. Gorman
>In a preceeding article mjk...@media-lab.media.mit.edu (Michael J Kobb) wrote:
>}In article <13...@diamond.BBN.COM> mla...@bbn.com (Matt Landau) writes:
>}>dkr...@orion.oac.uci.edu (Doug Krause) writes:
>}:
>}::In article <6418@arcturus: mi...@arcturus.UUCP (Mitchell S. Gorman) [HEY
that's ME!!:^] writes:
>}::#"If you were casting a live-action
>}::#movie version of Speed Racer, who would you cast as the leads?"
>}:
>}::Speed: Tom Cruise
>}::Pops: Ernest Borgnine
>}:
>}:Racer-X: Peter Weller
>}
>}Yeah, but if you do Peter Weller as Racer-X and Tom Cruise as Speed (I thought
>}of Cruise for this part immediately :-), then they won't look much like
>}brothers... Ernest is a definite as Pops, but I don't know who I'd do as
>}Trixie or Sparky (or Spridle, or Chim-Chim, or Mrs. Racer for that matter).
> ^^^^^^
>We gotta get Wynona Ryder for Trixie.
Okay, I'll buy Wynona Ryder. I think Peter Weller is better for
Racer X than Cruise is for Speed. Ernest is clearly the only choice for
Pops. In a private response, it was suggested to have Dustin Hoffman
portray Spridel, an entry that I find extremely amusing.
Wha'bout someone like Mark Hamill for Racer X. Or, maybe better
yet (in that Star Wars-ish vein), Harrison Ford; he could probably be
pretty good in that role.
As for the Mach 5... this could be difficult. We've already used
up the DeLorean (BTTF) and the Pontiac Firebird (Smokey and the Bandit;
that stupid show about the talking car). So what do we use here?
Remembering that it is supposed to be a true race car sorta knocks out the
high-tech stuff like the Esprit and the Countache or the 308. Any ideas
for casting this all-important part?
Mitch (@arcturus.uucp), the source of this stupidity! :^)
Stephen K Mulrine
>the catchy "Go, Speed Racer, Go!" title song (sure to get at least an
>Oscar nomination for Best Song)?
Devo did a track called "Speed Racer"...the first bit goes something
like "I'm speed racer and I drive real fast/He's speed racer and he
drives real fast/He's speed racer and he drives real fast/I drive real
fast, I'm gonna last" and then the chorus goes "Go, go, go speed
racer"(*4)
It's got weird Japanese noises in it....I only sussed out what the song
was about after reading all this stuff. We don't get Speed Racer in the
UK.
--
"Wot did you sa about the masters at yore skool, nigel?" ask mum. "The
ones who are teddy boys?"
"They would rip you with a botle for two pins, mater."
Michael J Kobb
Well, he's the right age, at least. The question is, can he act mischevious?
--Mike
Michael J Kobb
>
> I mailed something like this to the original poster before
>I saw any other responses. I'm delighted that (with a few *very*
>notable exceptions) we're all sort-of in the same ballpark:
>
>
> Speed Racer..................Rob Lowe (thin and wimpy, just
> like Speed)
I still think Tom Cruise would be better, but he'd never take the part...
> Mach 5.......................1989 white Pontiac Firebird +
> bells and whistles
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! The Mach-5 *has* to be a custom job! There's no
way this film works with a souped-up heap from Detroit. Remember: Pops
designed and build the machine!
> Trixie.......................The gals in the "Rob Lowe
> Video" or a brunette Meg Ryan
> Racer X......................Mickey Rourke (a cartoon
> Motorcycle Boy)
I sort of like the idea of the fellow from Field of Dreams better.
> Sparky.......................John Cusak
YES!! Perfect!
> Pops.........................Ernest Borgnine
Yep.
> Mom..........................Sally Field
Yes, good choice.
> Spridle......................Dustin Hoffman (he needs a challenge)
> Chim-chim....................Bubbles or Michael Jackson
:-)
--Mike
Michael J Kobb
Greetings. Well, I returned a few hours ago from a sneak preview of Steel
Magnolias. (It stars just about everybody, including Shirley MacLaine, Dolly
Parton, Tom Skerrit, Darryl Hannah, Sally Field, Olympia Dukakis, etc).
I'm not in the mood to, nor am I really qualified to, give a review, but I
will say this: The movie swings from utterly hysterical, to crushingly sad
and back again; despite the pitfalls involved in movies like this, it was
carried off very well. The audience (and we're pretty picky) seemed to really
get into the movie, and applauded energetically at the end. I'd say it's
worth the $$$.
--Mike
Kenny Crudup
I don't care who actually plays Speed, but whoever it is better know how to
"uh, uh, ah" like he does everytime he spins his car or gets into trouble on
the track.... :-)
--
Kenneth R. Crudup, Contractor, Interactive Systems Co.(386/ix), Cambridge MA
Congratulations to Governor Wilder and Mayor Dinkins!
Phone (617) 661 7474 x238
{encore, harvard, spdcc, think}!ima!haddock!kencr ke...@ima.ima.isc.com
William Schwartz
videotape? I haven't seen it in a while (like 20 years probably),
and would be interested in at least glancing at it now. If
for no other reason, just to figure out why I liked it when I
was little.
All of the characters names rang a bell, but there's no way I
could have come up with them on my own.
Thanks,
Marty Schwartz
ren...@m.cs.uiuc.edu
Re: Live action Speed Racer.
I think Brian Dennehy would be a better Pops than Borgnine.
(I can't believe I'm actually contributing to this.)
hal.
William Kucharski
Emilio Estevez(sp?) for Racer X.
--
===============================================================================
| ARPA: kuch...@uts.amdahl.com | William Kucharski |
| UUCP: ...!{ames,apple,sun,uunet}!amdahl!kucharsk | Amdahl Corporation |
===============================================================================
| Saying: "It's a window system named 'X,' NOT a system named 'X Windows'" |
===============================================================================
| Disclaimer: "The opinions expressed above may not agree with mine at any |
| other moment in time, so they certainly can't be those of my |
| employer." |
===============================================================================
George Reilly
------
George Reilly g...@cs.brown.edu
uunet!brunix!gvr g...@browncs.bitnet Box 1910, Brown U, Prov, RI 02912
Vampire In The Sun
>
>(I can't believe I'm actually contributing to this.)
Me either, but...
I think Tom Cruise has really gotta be the one who plays Speed.
No 2 ways about it, IMHO.
--
---
"Puir Airnie"
George A. Basar
> As for the Mach 5... this could be difficult. We've already used
> up the DeLorean (BTTF) and the Pontiac Firebird (Smokey and the Bandit;
> that stupid show about the talking car). So what do we use here?
> Remembering that it is supposed to be a true race car sorta knocks out the
> high-tech stuff like the Esprit and the Countache or the 308. Any ideas
> for casting this all-important part?
How about an open-top GT40, or a early Lola? But we can't forget the bubble
and internal air supply to let the car run underwater :-).
* George A. Basar (317)742-8799 (home)
* a...@mentor.cc.purdue.edu BA...@PURCCVM.BITNET
| General Consultant (317)494-1787 (work)
| Purdue University Computing Center
Discalimer: My opinions are just that, mine.
Mitchell S. Gorman
Nah. Ptooey.
I say The Fixx.
Mitch (@arcturus.uucp)
Network News
>I don't care who actually plays Speed, but whoever it is better know how to
>"uh, uh, ah" like he does everytime he spins his car or gets into trouble on
>the track.... :-)
>
-
Beats "When Harry met Sally"'s orgasm scene.
mega :-)
From: bu...@prodigal.psych.rochester.edu (Darren Bush)
Path: prodigal.psych.rochester.edu!bush
- Darren S. Bush | "Can you imagine the
- bu...@prodigal.psych.rochester.edu | level of a mind that
University of Rochester Department of Psychology | watches wrestling?"
Disclaimer: Groucho:Karl::Darren:George | -Frederick
Ron D. Harvey
> I don't care who actually plays Speed, but whoever it is better know how to
> "uh, uh, ah" like he does everytime he spins his car or gets into trouble on
^^^^^^^^^^
> the track.... :-)
Why do you think I picked Rob Lowe? Certainly not for his
*acting* abilities! I mean, have you seen his latest release????
Ron
---
Ron D. Harvey jail...@ihlpm.ATT.COM
"I have to take a ten-minute breather..."
Jeff Meyer
The *real* question is, can he and his damned monkey hold their collective
breath for 8+ hours in the compact trunk of a racing car, without serious
physical impairments? (i.e. like Death?) Especially if the car goes
underwater?
"So after today, Germans can go into any country
they want.
...Say, wasn't that the problem in 1939?"
-- Carson on THE TONIGHT SHOW
---
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
INTERNET: mori...@tc.fluke.COM
Manual UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, microsoft, hplsla, uiucuxc}!fluke!moriarty
CREDO: You gotta be Cruel to be Kind...
<*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want with me, but leave my employers alone! <*>
Phil Miller
Speed - Ralph Macchio
Pops - Pat Morita
Mach 5 - Rick Shaw
Phil
Michael J Kobb
> As for the Mach 5... this could be difficult. We've already used
>up the DeLorean (BTTF) and the Pontiac Firebird (Smokey and the Bandit;
>that stupid show about the talking car). So what do we use here?
>Remembering that it is supposed to be a true race car sorta knocks out the
>high-tech stuff like the Esprit and the Countache or the 308. Any ideas
>for casting this all-important part?
Yes: A custom-job. There's simply no way to justify *anything* else.
Remember the plot: Pops hand-built the Mach-5. It wasn't a mod, it wasn't
a souped-up Detroit heap, it was a hand-built, one-of-a-kind car. I really
don't see the problem with this. It shouldn't be _that_ expensive, in movie
terms, to throw a fiberglass body on some sports-car chassis.
I'm a diehard fan. So sue me.
--Mike
Michael J Kobb
>Could someone please enlighten me. What is Speed Racer?
You are clearly a deprived individual. :-)
Speed Racer was (and I'm sure someone will correct me if I make even the
slightest mistake), the first Japanese animated series to make it big in the
U.S.. The important points, in 10,000 words or less:
There's this racing family (the Racers, fortuitously). Pops is an automotive
engineer. He is booted from his job for suggesting an engine design that
would be revolutionary (and apparently step on the toes of some dirty
exec). So, he builds the engine himself, and incorporates it into his master-
piece automobile, the Mach-5. This car was a custom racer, with certain mods.
In the hub of the steering wheel, there are seven buttons, which activate
seven special features:
A: Deploys jacks for maintaining the car. Actually lifts it
quite high. If you're moving, they'll boost the car into
the air. Useful for traffic jams.
B: Deploys belts around the tires, and boosts power to the
wheels (for rough terrain, driving up sheer cliffs, etc :-)
C: Deploys rotary saws from the front. For a drive in the woods.
D: Seals the cockpit in bullet-proof glass. (It's an open-top
otherwise)
E: Infra-red headlights (speed had a visor on his helmet that
let him see in the IR). Useful for stealth.
F: Seals the cockpit airtight, starts aux. oxygen, and deploys
a TV periscope, which feeds to the rear-view mirror. This
allows under-water operation.
G: Deploys a remote-controlled gull. This "bird" can carry a
tape-recorded message, and can be ordered to "home" to the
Racer house.
So, the middle son, Speed, drives this machine in road-races. The eldest son,
Rex, smashed up one of Pops' earlier cars in a race he wasn't supposed to have
entered, so he ran away and started racing as Racer-X. He also moonlights
for CIA. The youngest son, Spridle, is a twit. He and his pet chimp, Chim-
Chim, always stow away in the trunk of the Mach-5 whenever Speed is on an
adventure, which he seems to find whenever he races.
Speed's girlfriend, Trixie, is a licensed fixed- and rotor-wing pilot, which
comes in handy. Speed's mom is the typical worrying mother. Finally, there's
Sparky, the wizard pit-mechanic who keeps the Mach-5 in tune.
So, this crew travels the world and has lots of adventures. If I'm not
mistaken, they saved the world at least once.
Now, lest you think from the tone of my text that I don't like this show,
I suggest that you recheck the detail of the functions. I didn't look it up,
I just did it from memory. I watched the show EVERY DAY for as long as it
was on the air. Unfortunately, I never was able to tape more than one or
two episodes, since we didn't have a VCR. Sigh. There are three episodes
available on video. I have been able to get two, but I'm still looking for
the second tape. At any rate, it's an experience, but I'm not sure that
people who didn't grow up on this show would appreciate it. This show made
me want to be an engineer (ok, ok, computer science is close... :-).
--Mike
Blair P. Houghton
>Here's a stupid question, but is "Speed Racer" available on
>videotape? I haven't seen it in a while (like 20 years probably),
Get out those VISA cards, casting-couch drivers!
So there I was, tooling through Hahvahd square, and I rolls into
a comicbook shop, and what should appear before me but issue
number twenty-nine of NOW Comics Speed Racer, and what should
there be across its top as a banner but the legendary legend:
At Last! SPEED RACER VIDEOS!
See inside for details
So, MENSA-eligible boy that I am, I sees inside for the details.
They say:
FINALLY!! SPEED RACER!
ON HOME VIDEO!!
Please send me the following, immediately!! Enclose a check
or money order for $19.95 for each tape!! ($35.95 in Canada, US
funds only)
VOLUME ONE
"The Great Plan" THE VERY FIRST EPISODE!
Shows all the Mach 5's special gadgets!
VOLUME TWO
"The Mammoth Car" THE MOST POPULAR EPISODE!
The car that can "crush" the competition!
VOLUME THREE
"The fastest Car on Earth!"
Co-Starring RACER-X!
ALL THREE EPISODES,
[...blah-de-blah free sub to your choice of
speed racer or racer-x mag blah-de-blah...]
[order form]
[Illinois residents add 8% sales tax]
[Shipping and Handling $3.00 ($6.00 Canada)]
[VHS Only.]
Mail Check or Money Order to: NOW VIDEO, USA
332 South Michigan Ave. Suite 1750,
Chicago, IL 60604. ATTN: SPEED RACER VIDEOS
Please allow eight weeks for delivery.
SPEED RACER is TM and (C) CST. All Rights Reserved.
And my favorite part:
These are limited
LIBRARY
COLLECTOR'S
EDITIONS
with a one time run of
10,000 units each. First
Come, First Served!
Don't Delay, Order
Today! GO SPEED
RACER, GO!
--Blair
"Okay, so I guess your
VISA card is useless..."
Steve Masticola
INSPECTOR DETECTOR!
I nominate Arnold Schwartzenegger, if he'll grow a beard for the part.
"You zay da Mach 5 is missink? OK, I get my flamethrower ant my
Phalanx gun." [ sfx: PFFFFCCCCHHHHHHHTTTTTTT!!!!!! BRRRRRAAAAAAKKKK!!!! ]
- Steve "Yes, he's a demon, and he's gonna be racing after someone" Masticola
(mast...@athos.rutgers.edu)
Robert Michael Gutierrez
In article <10...@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU> mjk...@media-lab.media.mit.edu (Michael J Kobb) writes:
>In article <20...@brunix.UUCP> g...@panda.UUCP (George Reilly) writes:
>>Could someone please enlighten me. What is Speed Racer?
>
>You are clearly a deprived individual. :-)
>Speed Racer was (and I'm sure someone will correct me if I make even the
>slightest mistake), the first Japanese animated series to make it big in the
Actually, the first big Japanese animated series is 'Astro Boy' (actual name:
Tetswuan Atom ['Mighty Atom']) by NBC and Mushi productions in 1964. This
series is in black and white. The second most popular is 'Kimba, The White
Lion' by the same production team (real name: Junguru Taitei ['Jungle
Emperor' or 'Jungle King']. Then came 'Speed Racer' by Tatsunogo (sic)
productions (real name: Mach Go, Go, Go ['Mach 5, 5, 5']). These were
the same people who did 'Robotech' recently, or parts thereof.
For those of you are intrested, 'Kimba' was re-done (re-animated) by it's
creator, Osamu Tezuka, who died in February of this year. Unfortunately,
he was only able to do 6 episodes until his untimely death. The series was
completed by a different director, though, in honor of Mr. Tezuka. 'Kimba'
is currently on it's 6th episode on Japanese TV today.
(p.s.: surprising that this article didn't get attacked by the rec.arts.anime
group, like me :-)
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| Robert Gutierrez -- NSI Network Ops Center <guti...@nsipo.arc.nasa.gov> |
| NASA Science Internet Project, Bldg 233-8, Moffett Field, CA. 94035-5000 |
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|"I want some......I need some......Emotion.....And More........" (a song) |
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Marty Stevens
In article <891114202...@nsipo.arc.nasa.gov> guti...@NSIPO.ARC.NASA.GOV (Robert Michael Gutierrez) writes:
>
>In article <10...@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU> mjk...@media-lab.media.mit.edu (Michael J Kobb) writes:
>>Speed Racer was (and I'm sure someone will correct me if I make even the
>>slightest mistake), the first Japanese animated series to make it big in the
>>U.S..............
>
>Actually, the first big Japanese animated series is 'Astro Boy' (actual name:
>Tetswuan Atom ['Mighty Atom']) by NBC and Mushi productions in 1964. This
>series is in black and white. The second most popular is 'Kimba, The White
Yay Astro Boy! Can't say as I remember a hell of a lot
about the li'l guy, but I know I loved him. The only
episode I can remember was when he begged Dr. Elephant
for a heart so he could be like other little boys, only
then he was too scared to be a super hero.
Anyway, is this seminal figure widely available on tape?
I'm not a collector, but it would be nice to visit with
a childhood friend once again.
Marty
--
Red means run, son; numbers add up to NOTHIN'. --Neil Young
Unknown
>
> I mailed something like this to the original poster before
> I saw any other responses. I'm delighted that (with a few *very*
> notable exceptions) we're all sort-of in the same ballpark:
>
>
> Speed Racer..................Rob Lowe (thin and wimpy, just
> like Speed)
Oh, it's going to be one of *those* movies. |-)
IMHO, good ol' Rob just isn't right for this part. Peter Weller
would be a little closer, but I'm not sure. I'd have to see the
show again before making a definite call on this one.
> Mach 5.......................1989 white Pontiac Firebird +
> bells and whistles
Look, if you're going to imitate a fast, technologically advanced
car, why not use a tricked out ZR-1 'Vette. Firebirds have been
around quite a while, and are just not the image the Mach 5 needs.
Besides, Firebirds have been used *way* too often as the performance
car of the movies. Besides, at least the ZR-1 comes close to the
actual performance I would expect from the Mach 5.
> Pops.........................Ernest Borgnine
From what I remember, this is a perfect match.
As I said, it's been a long time since I've seen the show. Some
of the characters listed I couldn't even remember( age does that
to you, I guess. |-) Certain things do stick in your mind, though,
like the characters above. Otherwise, I probably would have n'ed
this.
The idea is intriguing.
> Ron D. Harvey jail...@ihlpm.ATT.COM
SJO
================================================================================
--
" How can I save my little boy Steve Owens @ Micropen, Inc.
From Oppenheimer's deadly toy." Pittsford, N.Y. 14534
-- Sting, "Russians" micropen!st...@ee.rochester.edu
...!{ames|harvard|rutgers|topaz|...}!rochester!ur-valhalla!micropen!steve
Robert Michael Gutierrez
$guti...@NSIPO.ARC.NASA.GOV (Robert Michael Gutierrez) writes:
$>
$> mjk...@media-lab.media.mit.edu (Michael J Kobb) writes:
$>>Speed Racer was (and I'm sure someone will correct me if I make even the
$>>slightest mistake), the first Japanese animated series to make it big in the
$>>U.S..............
$>
$>Actually, the first big Japanese animated series is 'Astro Boy' (actual name:
$>Tetswuan Atom ['Mighty Atom']) by NBC and Mushi productions in 1964. This
$>series is in black and white. The second most popular is 'Kimba, The White
$
$Yay Astro Boy! Can't say as I remember a hell of a lot
$about the li'l guy, but I know I loved him...........
[...]
$Anyway, is this seminal figure widely available on tape?........
Good news and Bad news:
Good: Yes, it's on videotape.
Bad: It's in Japanese.
I believe that NBC lost their portion of the rights just in the last 5 years
or so (2nd hand info), though maybe somebody knows somebody at NBC who can
confirm this???
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Robert Gutierrez -- NSI Network Ops Center <guti...@nsipo.arc.nasa.gov> |
| NASA Science Internet Project, Bldg 233-8, Moffett Field, CA. 94035-5000 |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| "Alone again, naturally....." Gilbert O'Sullivan (1972) |
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