13 replies to this topic

[WC]

Has anyone here seen the original adaptation of the Bourne Identity book with Richard Chamberlain as Jason Bourne and Jaclyn Smith as Marie St Jacques (different surname to the late character in the current movies)?

If so, how does it compare with the Matt Damon version? Is it closer to the book? Is it as exciting as the Damon Identity? Would you recommend it?

Any thoughts?

[ACE]

I have seen the Richard Chamberlain miniseries.
It does not compare to the Matt Damon version apart from the amnesiac secret agent.
I prefer the modern trilogy.
I have not read the Robert Ludlum books.

[Loomis]

Has anyone here seen the original adaptation of the Bourne Identity book with Richard Chamberlain as Jason Bourne and Jaclyn Smith as Marie St Jacques (different surname to the late character in the current movies)?

Yep.

If so, how does it compare with the Matt Damon version?

Not nearly as well-made or exciting, or as much of a must-see work of art/groundbreaking masterpiece of popular moviemaking. But in a way it's an apples and oranges comparison, since they're pretty different. Imagine if the BBC had done a faithful period adaptation of CASINO ROYALE in the 1980s, with no amazing high-budget action scenes or gloss, but sticking pretty rigidly to Fleming's novel. Well, that's your BOURNE 88, really. No comparison with CR 06 - although the basic story is obviously the same, everything else is different, including the hero.

Is it closer to the book?

Much closer. It's a very, very, very faithful adaptation of Ludlum's novel (although, if memory serves, the ending is slightly different - otherwise, it's a Ludlum fan's dream adaptation).

Is it as exciting as the Damon Identity?

No, not even vaguely. However, that's not to say that it isn't watchable (and, I imagine, pretty gripping if you haven't read the book or seen the Damon film - I write "I imagine" because I'd done both before watching the Chamberlain version).

Would you recommend it?

Surprisingly, yes. If nothing else, it serves as a comprehensive primer on Ludlum's Bourne for those who can't be bothered to read the book but want to know exactly what happens in it and how it differs from the Damon flick (not referring to you or to anyone else in this thread, WC, but just sayin' - it's so faithful that it'll give you the flavour of having read Ludlum even if you've no intention of doing so). And, while it's pretty tacky and dated, it's still quite fun. The absolutely abysmal performances from Chamberlain, Jaclyn Smith and others will mar the experience or (in the manner of "so bad it's good" fare like PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE) enhance it, depending on your point of view (and, as ever, Denholm Elliott plays a drunk).

[Kilroy6644]

I grew up watching it. It's not quite as exciting as Matt Damon's version, but it's quite good. It's very close to the book. Naturally, a lot was left out. Very rarely can you capture an entire book on film, even in a miniseries, but even so, it captures the essence of the book. Chamberlain is good as Bourne; Smith is good as Marie (hotter than the other Marie, too). I would definitely recommend it, if you've read the book. If you've only seen Damon's movies, it's radically different. (Not that I don't like them; they're great. Just different.)

Funny story. (I think it's funny, anyway.) When I first heard they were making a movie out of The Bourne Identity, I decided to read the book first. I loved it, and since the movie wasn't out yet, I decided to watch the miniseries. Dad is a big Ludlum fan, and he taped it when it was on TV. I dug out the tape and watched it, and enjoyed it very much. However, during the viewing, a weather warning started scrolling across the bottom of the screen. I started reading it to see what was coming, then I realized that the warning was 13 years old (at the time), and a few hundred miles away (we lived in Massillon, Ohio, when it originally aired).

[Kilroy6644]

The absolutely abysmal performances from Chamberlain, Jaclyn Smith and others will mar the experience or (in the manner of "so bad it's good" fare like PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE) enhance it, depending on your point of view (and, as ever, Denholm Elliott plays a drunk).

Of course, it's '80s TV; it's to be expected. Besides, Jaclyn Smith is hot (still is, even if she's 14 years older than my mother) . For a good laugh, watch james Clavell's Shogun, also starring Richard Chamberlain. In one scene, Yoko Shimada's character asks him if he would like her to get him a woman for the night. He declines, so she offers him a boy. He gets pissed. Knowing what we know now, that scene is hilarious.

[WC]

The absolutely abysmal performances from Chamberlain, Jaclyn Smith and others will mar the experience or (in the manner of "so bad it's good" fare like PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE) enhance it, depending on your point of view (and, as ever, Denholm Elliott plays a drunk).

Of course, it's '80s TV; it's to be expected. Besides, Jaclyn Smith is hot (still is, even if she's 14 years older than my mother) . For a good laugh, watch james Clavell's Shogun, also starring Richard Chamberlain. In one scene, Yoko Shimada's character asks him if he would like her to get him a woman for the night. He declines, so she offers him a boy. He gets pissed. Knowing what we know now, that scene is hilarious.

Knowing what we know? Umm... what do we know?

I've read the Bourne Identity book and I do think that Bourne of the books isn't as sympathetic a character as the Damon Bourne. And he certainly depersonalises Marie a lot more ("that St Jacques woman" etc). Is Chamberlain equally as unsympathetic then?

[Kilroy6644]

Knowing what we know? Umm... what do we know?

That Richard Chamberlain is gay.

I've read the Bourne Identity book and I do think that Bourne of the books isn't as sympathetic a character as the Damon Bourne. And he certainly depersonalises Marie a lot more ("that St Jacques woman" etc). Is Chamberlain equally as unsympathetic then?

That I don't remember, unfortunately. I guess it's about time to hit the books again.

[Tarl_Cabot]

If so, how does it compare with the Matt Damon version?

Not nearly as well-made or exciting, or as much of a must-see work of art/groundbreaking masterpiece of popular moviemaking. But in a way it's an apples and oranges comparison, since they're pretty different. Imagine if the BBC had done a faithful period adaptation of CASINO ROYALE in the 1980s, with no amazing high-budget action scenes or gloss, but sticking pretty rigidly to Fleming's novel. Well, that's your BOURNE 88, really. No comparison with CR 06 - although the basic story is obviously the same, everything else is different, including the hero.

Is it closer to the book?

Much closer. It's a very, very, very faithful adaptation of Ludlum's novel (although, if memory serves, the ending is slightly different - otherwise, it's a Ludlum fan's dream adaptation).

Is it as exciting as the Damon Identity?

No, not even vaguely. However, that's not to say that it isn't watchable (and, I imagine, pretty gripping if you haven't read the book or seen the Damon film - I write "I imagine" because I'd done both before watching the Chamberlain version).

Would you recommend it?

I'd say the Zurich stuff is actually better than the Damon version(and it's more faithful to the book).

Spoiler

I like the way he kidknaps Marie and uses her to escape the assassins and how he ultimately saves her from being raped and earns her trust in the process.I like the way he goes to the hotel and cleverly hides his condition to the conserge.I thought Damon-Bourne simply offering Marie 10 grand to drive him to Paris was comparitively dull as a way for them to meet.

But as a whole the 2002 movie is better. But I enjoyed the '88 miniseries and I was intrigued by the 2002 film way in advance(they filmed it in 2000 and I waited 1 1/2 years for it to come out) because of my fondness for the original. The TV movie hasn't aged well and has loads of flaws but it's certainly better than anything you would find on network television at the time.

[Righty007]

That 1988 miniseries is boring garbage.

[LadySylvia]

I've seen the 1988 miniseries. In fact, I have a DVD copy of it. It is a closer adaptation of the Ludlum novel than the first Damon movie. Honestly? I think it was just as good as the 2002 movie. It was simply different. This means that the CIA was not portrayed in a villainous manner. It was portrayed as short-sighted and judgmental (especially in the character of General Conklin portrayed by Bond veteran Shane Rimmer). Also, Bourne's relationship with Marie started out in a more hostile manner, considering that he took her hostage in Zurich. And although the final fight between Bourne and Carlos at the Treadstone headquarters in New York lacked the martial arts skills shown in the Damon movies, I thought it was rather brutal.

Edited by LadySylvia, 19 August 2007 - 04:29 AM.

[WC]

Hmm. I don't suppose Marie suffered from Stockholm's Syndrome, going from hostage to having feelings of love for Bourne?

[DLibrasnow]

Has anyone here seen the original adaptation of the Bourne Identity book with Richard Chamberlain as Jason Bourne and Jaclyn Smith as Marie St Jacques (different surname to the late character in the current movies)?

If so, how does it compare with the Matt Damon version? Is it closer to the book? Is it as exciting as the Damon Identity? Would you recommend it?

Any thoughts?

Yep. Always had a weak spot for Jaclyn Smith who was my favorite of Charlie's Angels.
I would recommend checking it out if you haven't done so already, although, as a made for TV miniseries, it's a lot different from the Damon version. Not better, not worse, just different.

[LadySylvia]

Hmm. I don't suppose Marie suffered from Stockholm's Syndrome, going from hostage to having feelings of love for Bourne?

No. Bourne had saved her from being raped and murdered by one of Carlos' minions in Zurich. She had thought that Carlos' men were the Zurich police and led them to Bourne. When the leader (Peter Vaughn) revealed that he was a terrorist, he ordered another minion to kill Marie and he and a third minion (Wolf Kahler) briefly took Bourne hostage before he escaped. The guy who had portrayed Marie's attacker also appeared in "TOMORROW NEVER DIES" - a tall and rather bulky German who was bald and had a beard.

Edited by LadySylvia, 20 August 2007 - 04:56 AM.

[Blofeld's Cat]

I have the VHS one that shows the TBI as one complete TV movie (so to speak), and I also have the DVD that has the two separate "episodes" of the mini-series as shown on TV.

I enjoy it for the fact that it more closely follows the book than the Damon one.