CHARLIE’S ANGELS
US, 2000, 98 minutes, Colour.
Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Bill Murray, Sam Rockwell, Kelly Lynch, Tim Curry, Crispin Glover, Matt Le Blanc, LL Cool J, Tom Green, Luke Wilson, voice of: John Forsythe.
Directed by Mike G.
A frothy but eye-popping update of the popular TV show. Along the lines of James Bond movies, it provides some amusing lines and the derring-do of Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu with the bumbling of Bill Murray. Sam Rockwell and Kelly Lynch are the villains – opposing the other villain, Tim Curry. It's old-time matinee material with gloss and glamour.
1. The popularity of the television series? Adapted for the 21st century? The stars and their screen presence, glamour, action? Bill Murray as Bosley, and the voice of John Forsythe as Charlie?
2. The opening in the plane, the bomb threat, Dylan disguised as LL Cool J? Throwing the bomber out of the plane, the parachutes, Alex coming to the rescue?
3. Each of the characters, their own distinctive screen presence, Drew Barrymore as shrewd and attractive, Lucy Liu, serious and her martial arts, Cameron Diaz playing the shrewd but ditzy personality?
4. Bill Murray as Bosley, with the Angels, the contact with Charlie? His becoming involved with the action, confronting Corwin at the party, being captured, held in the castle, the rescue?
5. The mission, Roger Corwin and his power, the party, Bosley and his disguise, confronting him, the mock battle in the animal suits? The sinister presence of the Thin Man, his escape, the pursuit, his vanishing? His re-appearing as the racing car driver? The competitive drive against Natalie? His later reappearance with Corwin? Turning against him and being with Knox and Vivien? His sword, the final fights?
6. The kidnapping of Eric Knox? His software and the expectation that Corwin was stealing it? The irony that Knox was the villain, wanting Corwin’s satellites, homing in on people through the satellites and the software?
7. The various escapades? At the racetrack and the races? The Angels disguised as pitstop help? The social, Natalie as waitress? Her meeting Pete, the attraction? Going out with him, the competitive dance, her going on stage, exhilaration with the dancing, the mainly black audience, disdain, yet getting into the rhythm? Getting a message to leave? The later phone call, Pete ringing while she was trying to rescue Bosley, doing the action and having the conversation at the same time?
8. Alex, her partner, his performance in films and television, the filming of his scene and audiences think it was he with Alex?
9. Dylan and her friendship with Chad, his boat, helping out at the end?
10. Dylan and her security with Eric? The infatuation? The revelation that he was the villain? The arrival of Vivien, the past contact with Bosley, with the Angels, turning against them, the fights? The guns and Natalie falling off the balcony – and the irony of her dress catching, yet her walking away safe?
11. The deadline, Eric and his intentions? Taking Bosley? The shooting of Alex’s partner and his trailer, demolished? Natalie and the attempt on her, her escape?
12. Converging on the castle, Alex and her computer skills, Natalie trying to free Bosley, Dylan and her coming to the rescue?
13. The helicopter, the dramatic culmination?
14. Memories of the Bond films, women instead of men, and combination of comedy with derring-do?
