When I heard that Lifetime was remaking Steel Magnolias, I have to admit that wasn’t pleased about it. I was like why mess with a good thing. Well when I watched Lifetime’s revival of the Oscar nominated movie, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that tonight’s version that debuts at 9p is better than the original one. While the 1989 decided to add more comedy to the Dramedy, the new one focuses more on the heart. Because of that I really believe this version is even better and more emotional than the original.
The Lifetime movie has a cast that is just as stellar as the original. Queen Latifah plays M’Lynn and Condola Rashad plays her daughter Shelby. Even though Queen is playing her TV mom her real mom Phylicia Rashad is starring as Clairee. Clairee’s best friend Ouiser is played by the perfectly cast Alfre Woodward. Jill Scott stars as the heart of the movie Truvy and Adepero Oduye is her assistant Annelle. Together these women, who shot the movie in just 18 days, make it seem like they have been lifelong friends and because of that you want to be in on their circle of friendship.
Recently I was on a conference call with the telemovie’s producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron and they told why the adapted this play for the small screen. Here is what Zadan said about it:
We approached it as though it was a new piece of writing and we’re not doing anything to copy the original production because the original play was amazing and the original movie was amazing.
And we wanted to do something that was brand new and we wanted to do something that would be done our way with our cast and our production. And it’s using the material as the basis of that. And the same way as if you work in the theater, you do what they call revivals.
And, you know, it may have been done originally the play earlier, you know, on and then it’s done later on with other casts. And each production is relevant because they’re done with different directors, different producers, different actors.
So we feel like what we’ve done is fresh and different from the original and yet as relevant as the original.
When you watch the movie on Lifetime tonight at 9p, you will see it is as relevant as the first one if not more so!
Some behind-the-scenes footage was released by Lifetime for Liz & Dick and I think Grant Bowler deserves the Emmy for what he said about his co-star Lindsay Lohan. I actually believe he meant everything he said when we hear him say, “Lindsay is excellent to work with. She’s pretty much Elizabeth Taylor reincarnated.” Now even though he sounds like he is being truthful, was anyone else wondering if they were holding a gun to his head to make him say those words. Either that or he is the greatest actor out there. I am sure it is the latter, but I enjoy thinking it is the first.
BTW I can’t wait to get the screener for this movie. I haven’t been this excited since Jersey Shore Shark Attack and I am sure this movie will be equally as awesomely bad! November can’t come soon enough!
Lifetime announced today that Army Wives will be back for a 13-episode 7th season that will launch sometime 2013. After that season finale ending, I am so happy that the network renewed the show. Could you imagine if they left us fans hanging without knowing who did and did not survive the plane crash. On that note the network did not say who will be back and who won’t be back for another tour of duty, but I am hoping there is a way that Roxy will be back at Fort Marshall.
Thank you Lifetime for believing in Army Wives as much as the fans! Now can you please pick up Dance Moms for another season too.
The first trailer is out for the much anticipated Liz & Dick and I can’t wait to see this Lifetime telemovie that is airing in November. It just looks so awful and because of that it makes it look wonderful fun. I mean Lindsay Lohan looks and sounds like Lindsay Lohan and is nothing like Elizabeth Taylor. In fact when I watched the trailer, I thought I felt a little quake. I am assuming it was Dame Elizabeth turning over in her grave.
I am sure there will be drinking games galore for this movie and once I watch it, I will let you know the ones I come up with. But I recommend that we drink something with barely any alcohol content because it will be very easy to sh!tfaced before the movie’s first commercial.
If you are like me, then when you watched Army Wives yesterday you were shocked by the ending and were wondering when will the show be back so we can find out what happened. Well we don’t know because as of now Lifetime has no word yet if there will be a 7th season. So I have to wonder if that cliffhanger was enough for them to say we have to bring the show back so that fans could find out what happened and who survived and who didn’t. It worked for Jericho, will it work for Army Wives too?
I mean it felt like a season finale and not a series one unlike last year’s where they ended it with Fort Marshall about to close. So if you want Lifetime to bring back the longest running drama on cable, then let them know via the Army Wives’ website. Us loyal watchers deserve a proper sendoff for this show. Not saying I want it to end, but I don’t want to have the series’ final minutes to be what we saw yesterday. That storyline needs to be wrapped up and the network shouldn’t leave us hanging.
