1078 replies to this topic

[Ian Dickerson]

Great but be quick, volume 1 is now out of print and copies are disappearing fast!

Ian

[Byron]

I am fairly new to the Saint having recently started watching the monochrome episodes.

Before i watch too many, would it be better if i started reading the novels first?

And do the novels have to be read in chronological order? Are there recurring plot lines and characters or are they all stand alone adventures?

[Ian Dickerson]

Before i watch too many, would it be better if i started reading the novels first?

Personally I'd read some of the early novels first so that you could get a sense of how the Saint was in his younger days, and the elements of the character that might well appear in the 21st Century.

But it's not vital unless you want to see how the adaptations fare against the originals.

And do the novels have to be read in chronological order? Are there recurring plot lines and characters or are they all stand alone adventures?

Not really. There is a very loose tetralogy that brings The Last Hero, Knight Templar, Getaway and The Simon Templar Foundation together but they all stand alone fine anyway.

Recurring characters like Patricia Holm and Peter Quentin dip in and out of the series and that's probably what you should do.

Ian

[marktmurphy]

Probably won't be any formal announcement for a week/10 days for a variety of reasons.

You mean just a few days before you formally announce Dougray Scott as the new Saint? Oh that'll be nice- what a lovely surprise that'll be

[jaguar007]

Recurring characters like Patricia Holm and Peter Quentin dip in and out of the series and that's probably what you should do.

Ian

If I recall correctly, Peter Dawson also makes quite a few appearances in the novels

[Ian Dickerson]

If Peter Dawson were still available it would most certainly be in the pilot!

[Ambler]

Story's in today's Broadcast.

[marktmurphy]

"Welsh actor Dougray Scott"

[Trident]

"Welsh actor Dougray Scott"

Hm, if it was a foreign publication one could at least suspect they wouldn't know better.

Although Scott's name would be an indicator, wouldn't it?

[marktmurphy]

Broadcast is British; unless you mean you'd let them off if they weren't.

You'd hope the accent would be a bit of a pointer!

[Trident]

Broadcast is British; unless you mean you'd let them off if they weren't.

Personally, I'd only let them off if they could bring up hard evidence that they are indeed as ignorant as to have in fact no idea of the difference, i.e. either locating Wales somewhere in Scotland or vice versa. Failing such evidence, well, then it's simply remarkable, and not in a particularly flattering way.

You'd hope the accent would be a bit of a pointer!

Actually, any kind of research should dig up the fact easily enough, even for those assuming Scott always played Scottish characters when sporting his accent, but otherwise was indeed Welsh. Shame that research is so out of fashion today with publishers.

[marktmurphy]

Well he went to Cardiff drama school; perhaps that's enough for them!

[s.a.s. Malko]

If Dougray Scott is the best they could get for the leading role then I guess they have serious problems. He was boring in Ripley´s Game, Desperate Housewives and Hitman. He wasn´t very good in MI:2 either. His best performance in my opinion was Enigma. I would be very surprised if he can carry a TV-Show on his own.

[Ambler]

"Welsh actor Dougray Scott"

I see Broadcast has revised its story. Scott is Scottish once more.

[Col. Sun]

Dougray Scott!!!

Really?

He's a poor, poor choice. Charmless. Flat actor who tends to go OTT when he does try to show some range. He's never taken off with the public even after many attempts in Hollywood films.

Not a good sign.

[jaguar007]

I think Scott might be ok, but a rather generic choice. It is too bad that James Purefoy left the project to do The Philanthropist which all episodes have now aired and looks unlikely to get a second season.

[marktmurphy]

Yes, I'm not a massive Dougray fan, although he's never offended me. I don't think he would be my number one choice for the Saint (in fact I think the perfect actor is out there) but I won't shut my mind to his portrayal.

[Trident]

Honestly, I don't think Scott is a bad choice at all. He's certainly different from Moore, but if it's going to be an adaption of the original stories I think he may actually be quite a good choice. Of course, for most of us Moore was the defining actor for Templar but from what I gather ST used to be a somehow darker and more ruthless character than the 'lighter' sixties version. I daresay Scott could depict both these sides convincingly and I'm quite eager to see his go at the material.

[jaguar007]

Yes, I'm not a massive Dougray fan, although he's never offended me. I don't think he would be my number one choice for the Saint (in fact I think the perfect actor is out there) but I won't shut my mind to his portrayal.

who do you think would be perfect?

[marktmurphy]

I think Damien Lewis pretty much is the Saint. He can do light comedy, do a dark turn, is a top actor, and a lead star in many things. Plus he's even got light hair!

[Ian Dickerson]

I think Damien Lewis pretty much is the Saint. He can do light comedy, do a dark turn, is a top actor, and a lead star in many things. Plus he's even got light hair!

Mark,

I'm curious...have you read the books?

Damian Lewis' name hadn't come up before now and I'm curious to know what inspired it. If it's because you're basing it on Roger's TV show then I kinda understand, but if you've read the books then I'm intrigued.

To be honest I'd rate him and Dougray Scott in a similiar category insomuch as both make lots of films and both have tried to crack US TV and up till now, failed.

Ian

[Safari Suit]

I approve As far as I'm concerned Scott was the best part of M:I-2 and one of the better parts of Hitman. I think he'll be fine.

Though how much of my enthusiasm is down to my relief it isn't James Nesbitt is uncertain (seriously, I don't hate him, I just don't want someone that over familiar to play this kind of character).

[marktmurphy]

I think Damien Lewis pretty much is the Saint. He can do light comedy, do a dark turn, is a top actor, and a lead star in many things. Plus he's even got light hair!

Mark,

I'm curious...have you read the books?

Damian Lewis' name hadn't come up before now and I'm curious to know what inspired it. If it's because you're basing it on Roger's TV show then I kinda understand, but if you've read the books then I'm intrigued.

To be honest I'd rate him and Dougray Scott in a similiar category insomuch as both make lots of films and both have tried to crack US TV and up till now, failed.

Ian

I can't claim to have read them all but I've had a few dabbles over the years- no-one's quite done Templar on screen as he is in the books (all that business of calling people 'sweetheart' and so on- although I thought after reading some that Roger was actually closer than I first thought he was at times) and I think it'd be hard to do him exactly like that in anything but a period adaptation, but in terms of a sort of Saintly, light-on-his-feet (no, not that way) sparkle contrasting with the turns to steel he goes for.. yeah, I'd say Lewis would be a top match (and two seasons of starring in your own show isn't failing to crack the US, is it? Not many shows even last for one in the US, I thought).
I'm not saying Scott can't do that, but I haven't yet seen him in anything that would make me think he can so far. Lewis does those sort of roles pretty often; stuff with a sense of humour, a bit of a twinkle, zesty stuff. And he's done turns as a hardman too.

Any idea if Scott'll be using his own accent or going for an English one? I saw a bit of 'Things to Do Before You're 30' the other day and his London accent was very good; although I do think I remember hearing him getting 'posh' all wrong in Desperate Housewives.

Though how much of my enthusiasm is down to my relief it isn't James Nesbitt is uncertain (seriously, I don't hate him, I just don't want someone that over familiar to play this kind of character).

The more I think about it the more I can see Nesbitt doing it, actually. I think he probably could; especially after Jekyll.

[Tybre]

A bit late seeing as I was in school during all the talk, but not having seen Dougray Scott in anything but a few youtube clips (and in fact I only just looked him up when he was first mentioned as a guess round these parts) but going off of what I've seen I think he'll be good. I don't think he'll be the best actor to embody Simon Templar to date, but I could be completely taken by surprise, and even if my feeling is right, he'll still be better than Clarke, Kilmer, and Dutton.

[jaguar007]

he'll still be better than Clarke, Kilmer, and Dutton.

I actually rather liked Dutton in the role, he was however let down by rushed production quality.

[Tybre]

he'll still be better than Clarke, Kilmer, and Dutton.

I actually rather liked Dutton in the role, he was however let down by rushed production quality.

I do think Dutton was the best of those three, and I prefer Dutton to Sinclair and Sanders, but imo, Ogilvy > Roger > Dutton > Sinclair > Sanders > Clarke > Kilmer, based upon what little I've seen of certain actors' tenures (as opposed to seeing almost all of Duttons, seriously I've only not seen half of one of his at this point because the second half was taken down). I would agree Dutton was let down by the production...the whole of those are just...terrible. I think if given the right amount of money, materials, and time, a series with Dutton could have been brilliant.

And my Bond-fanness is intruding now. I very nearly typed "Dalton" a few times.

[St Louis]

Actually, Simon Dutton as the Saint is often compared to Timothy Dalton. Certainly, Dutton tried to capture a darker side to the Saint, as Dalton had with 007. The main problems with the series were lacklustre scripts and poor performances by foreign European actors, who really should have been dubbed. As a Saint fan I still do enjoy viewing these movies, with the exception of The Blue Dulac - a film so bizarrely bad - one can only imagine a large amount of cocaethylene would be found in the director’s body…

Tybre: have you never seen Louis Hayward as the Saint? He was the first actor to play the Simon Templar on screen, and both his movies are worth watching; talk about a dark side...

Edited by St Louis, 10 September 2009 - 11:09 PM.

[jaguar007]

Louis Hayward was certainly a different best than what The Saint would become on film/TV. He best captured the young buccaneer of the earlier Charteris novels than any other actor (who all portrayed ST as in the later novels where he was more world weary).

Personally I tend to prefer Dutton over Ogilvy (although the Ogilvy series was better made). Much of that may have to do with the tacky 70s clothes that Ogilvy wore where Dutton dressed more classic Saville Row. I also find Ogilvy's Cary Grant impression gets a little old.

[Tybre]

Tybre: have you never seen Louis Hayward as the Saint? He was the first actor to play the Simon Templar on screen, and both his movies are worth watching; talk about a dark side...

I don't believe I have. Or if I have I don't recall. I unfortunately spent a fair bit of the TCM marathon only able to hear the TV, as I was dog sitting for my relatives, and much as I tried to make the most use of their then brand new 48" LCD HDTV flatscreen, they have 12 acres, and the only collars on their dogs are choke chains so you can grab hold of them if they attempt to run off and you manage to catch up to them. The dogs mostly stayed inside, but even when inside you've got to keep an eye on the troublemakers, and it's a rather large house. Still, I saw very near the whole of pretty much all of them from the time I woke up onwards.

tacky 70s clothes that Ogilvy wore

Now, see, for me, that's part of why I love Return of the Saint. I positively love that nearly everything in Return just exudes 1970s. I don't find any of it tacky at all.

Quite nice indeed, but I'll take Ian over that any day, thank you. Still, to each their own.

Although I will admit, the Dutton version is probably my favorite of all the Saint themes.

[Double-Oh Agent]

Dougray Scott?

I look forward to seeing what he does in the role. He definitely was the best thing about Mission: Impossible 2.