News Matthew Rhys to Play Perry Mason in HBO Limited Series
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I don't think there's any requirement for Perry Mason to look like Raymond Burr. Apparently the books barely described his appearance at all.
If you ran a poll I doubt most Perry Mason fans (most of which are casual and just watch old reruns) are even aware there were books first. Burr made the property popular and gave it the longevity it still enjoys.
Yeah, but it's already obvious from what we know about the HBO series that they aren't basing it on the Burr series in any respect, and are barely basing it on the books; they're doing more of a "Perry Mason Begins" origin story where he's a private detective.
I'm with you. While I'm all in favor of making strong choices in adaptations, but, this is an odd choice. It's going off brand for me. Mason is known for the courtroom stuff. That's the thing I would keep above all else. Black, white, Asian, that would be fine....
Like, you don't do a Bond movie without spy stuff. You don't do a Pirates of the Caribbean movie without Pirates.
The show maybe great, but... it just seems odd to focus so much on something the character ISN'T well known for... and maybe that was the selling point...
I still think it's a weird take to use a character who is known as a court room character and toss that aside for a gumshoe. I get the desire to have a different take on a character--or why remake it--but, to toss out the thing the character is known for....
It's like doing an origin story for Sherlock Holmes, but, it's about him raising bees instead of solving cases. It's a take, sure... but... really?
It's like doing an origin story for Sherlock Holmes, but, it's about him raising bees instead of solving cases. It's a take, sure... but... really?
First trailer for the new Perry Mason is out:
I'm sorry, maybe the novels are really different from the show, but I don't see how this has anything to do with a character named Perry Mason, as opposed to just being a generic noir crime drama. I mean, I've got nothing against reinterpretations as a rule, but I expect them to keep the essence of the idea and the characters, to have something recognizable, at least. I mean, what kind of line is "Everyone's guilty" for a character whose fame is for being a great defense attorney?
I'm sorry, maybe the novels are really different from the show, but I don't see how this has anything to do with a character named Perry Mason, as opposed to just being a generic noir crime drama. I mean, I've got nothing against reinterpretations as a rule, but I expect them to keep the essence of the idea and the characters, to have something recognizable, at least. I mean, what kind of line is "Everyone's guilty" for a character whose fame is for being a great defense attorney?
As I've said before, I don't have any loyalty to the character but I'll definitely check this out because of its killer cast.
Maybe it's more about the book character than the TV one?
Looks interesting. I'll just pretend it's Merry Pason to get Raymond Burr's portrayal out of my mind.
I like the teaser, especially the look of it, on its own terms, but it owes a lot more to James Ellroy than Earl Stanley Gardner. If you'd told me this was connected to, say, L.A. Confidential, I'd believe you. Tell me it's connected to Perry Mason, and I'm going to look at you funny.
Yeah, that was the impression I got. A sense of deep cynicism about the legal system, corruption everywhere, "everyone's guilty." Hard to see how that fits with a character who traditionally works within the legal system (flexibly but within acceptable bounds) to clear the innocent and expose the guilty.
Maybe we will see Mason's character development from war-weary cynic to crusading optimist. After all, this is supposed to be some kind of redemption story, from what last year's articles were saying.
And I took his "everybody is guilty" line to be specifically about people in Los Angeles, as part of his "I don't like it here" monologue, and not literally about everybody. Maybe this is his first time living and working in this city, and it's part of his impression of this unfamiliar setting.
I haven't read the novels in ages, but I vaguely remember that being a big fan of the TV show first and going from that to the novels, I found the written versions of the characters to be rather dry, generic and lacking in personality. An adaptation that starts from the books and ignores the TV show could go in a lot of new directions to create its own distinct characterizations that differ significantly from both.
Kor
And I took his "everybody is guilty" line to be specifically about people in Los Angeles, as part of his "I don't like it here" monologue, and not literally about everybody. Maybe this is his first time living and working in this city, and it's part of his impression of this unfamiliar setting.
I haven't read the novels in ages, but I vaguely remember that being a big fan of the TV show first and going from that to the novels, I found the written versions of the characters to be rather dry, generic and lacking in personality. An adaptation that starts from the books and ignores the TV show could go in a lot of new directions to create its own distinct characterizations that differ significantly from both.
Kor
I see what you did there.
Although really, Perry Mason rarely had to contend with a jury, as he usually solved the case in the preliminary hearing.