Catch 22 - Channel 4 Thu 20 Jun 19
The first major departure from the book, Doc Daneeka was on the manifest of McWatt’s aircraft so he could draw flight pay even though he was scared of flying. The current programme has McWatt in a solo aircraft, the Doc Daneeka storyline is a whole satire in itself.
I watched 2x episodes this morning on the All 4 app - it really was quite disappointing when it came to the script. The flying sequences were pretty good but the dialogue not so great - certainly no laugh out loud moments. I was hoping with so many good actors in it that it would be better but the screen-play, script and timing make it not very funny at all. I found the same recently with “Good Omens” with David Tennant and Michael Sheen - great actors but an awful screen adaptation of a great Terry Pratchett book.
This Catch - 22 seems to be getting get 3-star or 4-star approval ratings, which is probably fair, but it certainly isn’t a classic in my humble opinion. I’m not sure I’ll bother with the other 4 episodes.
This Catch - 22 seems to be getting get 3-star or 4-star approval ratings, which is probably fair, but it certainly isn’t a classic in my humble opinion. I’m not sure I’ll bother with the other 4 episodes.
If Joseph Heller's book was simply a story, then this series is as though someone else is telling the same story but in their own way. Of course it isn't just a story but a sardonic take on war in general and WWII in particular, and this series doesn't do sardonic. It doesn't do humour either in my view, but for me most modern comedy doesn't either, so that is probably a comment on me rather than this series.
As others have observed, anyone who has served has known a Milo, Carthcart, Yossarian, etc. Anyone who lived through WWII would know them well. Unfortunately those who wrote and directed this did neither I suspect and simply took Heller's book as a story and rewrote it for their own purpose. No doubt they would do the same for the Goon Show if, God forbid, it were ever 'remade'. The Goons and Catch 22 were creatures of their time; WWII and Vietnam respectively. They do not take kindly to being refashioned by those who knew neither.
Just read the book, and don't get me started on the Italian Job....
As others have observed, anyone who has served has known a Milo, Carthcart, Yossarian, etc. Anyone who lived through WWII would know them well. Unfortunately those who wrote and directed this did neither I suspect and simply took Heller's book as a story and rewrote it for their own purpose. No doubt they would do the same for the Goon Show if, God forbid, it were ever 'remade'. The Goons and Catch 22 were creatures of their time; WWII and Vietnam respectively. They do not take kindly to being refashioned by those who knew neither.
Just read the book, and don't get me started on the Italian Job....
Gnome de PPRuNe
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but for me most modern comedy doesn't either, so that is probably a comment on me rather than this series.
Think i did see a remake of The Italian Job while on a trans-Atlantic flight. Or was it a remake of Get Carter? Caine had a cameo role, the film was crap.
