THE UNAUTHORISED SAVED BY THE BELL MOVIE

US, 2014, 88 minutes, Colour.
Sam Kindseth, Dylan Everett, Alyssa Lynch, Tiera Skovbye, Taylor Russell, Julian Works, Andrew Moxham, Ken Tremblett, Kendall Cross, Sean Campbell, Andrew Herr.
Directed by Jason Lapeyre.

This is a sprightly film intended for the now adult fans of the American Saturday morning live-action program, Saved by the Bell, 1989 to 1993.

This television show had its origins in another short-lived television program, Good Morning, Miss Bliss, starring Hayley Mills. It had a range of young actors who were auditioned and hired. When Miss Bliss was cancelled, executives had the idea to focus just on the youngsters themselves which led to the several seasons of Saved by the Bell (with some aftermath series and television film, showing the characters after graduation but this series was eventually cancelled).

The film is also of interest in giving some background to the workings in the minds of television executives, coming up with ideas, some bright, some not, the powers of the producers in deciding what was to go to air and not, how it was to go, to where and when, the particular emphases on themes, as well as the protection of their property by supervising the behaviour of the young actors. It also shows the work of the writers and their creativity, the meetings of the executives, especially television producer Brendan Tartikoff.

But the main emphasis is on the young actors themselves, their age at the time of audition, the different personalities, their having to grow up on screen as well as offscreen and the repercussions for their lives, the moments of being spoiled, the moments of overcoming difficulties, the pressure on them for their characters and their real selves, the growing adulation of fans and fan behaviour. The principal actors were: Mark-Paul? Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Dustin Diamond, Lark Voorhies, Dennis Haskins, Tiffani Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkly. They all went on to successful television careers, Elizabeth Berkely almost immediately appearing in Showgirls after her departure from the series. The character of Dustin Diamond who is the narrator of this film – but he had a mixed career as well as some bad behaviour and prison sentences and published an unreliable, sometimes falls, memoir.

The young cast for this film brings the characters to life, the teenage girls, their careers in training, gossip, hopes, romantic attachments. The characters of the boys are more varied, Mike-Paul? Goss of our as the teen hero, Mario Lopez as the cheeky boy, and Dustin Diamond as Screech, who is not a likeable character, rather alienating as he narrates the film. He is a comic character whom fans identify with the actual actor, having a bad effect on him, his befriending of Eric, an ambitious extra who wants better roles and who urges Dustin to alcohol getting drunk, videotaping him drunk with the threat of exposing him if he does not help Eric’s career.

And the film is interesting in showing the rehearsals, the skills of the young people and their acting, the live performance and the response of audiences.

As with most of the films about show business, the film shows the dreams, the disappointments, the challenges, the temptation to arrogance, the need to be honest with oneself, audiences identifying with the characters and their life stories – which meant that the young actors asked the producers and writers to bring in more serious themes, which also enhance the popularity of the series.

The actors in this 2014 television film have, themselves, had successful careers principally on television.