STARSKY AND HUTCH
US, 2004, 105 minutes, Colour.
Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughan, Juliette Lewis.
Directed by Todd Fields.
Expecting another boom boom police thriller homage to the 1970s and the icons of TV land, I was surprised that the action takes a back seat (well, not entirely) to the more comic aspects of the characters and partnership of Starsky and Hutch. Some TV channels screened the original 1975 pilot at the time the new film was released and it is surprising (at least after the pilot; the stars were able to go on and develop their characters and style over four seasons) how comparatively straightforward Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul were. It is pleasing to see them turn up in a good cameo in the new film.
What we have is an Odd Couple buddy movie, Starsky obsessive, Hutch anything but. The uptightness that Ben Stiller has shown when under siege in recent comedies contrasts with the easygoing nonchalance of Owen Wilson that we have seen in Shanghai Noon, Shanghai Knights and I Spy. They make an entertaining comic couple and are given plenty of lines and situations to highlight these qualities (best of all the drop the dead pony sequence).
Vince Vaughan is the mastermind villain who is not nearly so smart as he thinks and Juliette Lewis is his girlfriend.
It's all a concoction and another example of the trend of TV series remakes, but it works well and entertainingly in its own right.
1. The popularity of the series in the 70s? A revival and remake? The police buddy genre, the investigation of the criminals, Starsky's car and its style, the good cop-bad cop routines?
2. 2004 and the remake, the update, the emphasis on comedy and irony, the stars and their previous films, screen persona? Buddies - and the sexual subtexts? The guest spot for David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser? The range of songs - "Don't Give Up on Me, Baby" (and David Soul as a singer)?
3. The Los Angeles settings, gloss and style? Starsky and his being prim, a touch obsessive, his apartment, his pride in his car? The contrast with Hutchinson, the robbing of the banks, his apartment and its not being tidy, his relationships? The introduction to each? The good cop and the bad cop? Going by the book - and interpreting the book broadly? Their chief, his exasperation? Their bickering in front of him, the comments about Starsky's permanent wave and hair and touching it? Their being put together as partners?
4. Vince Vaughan as the criminal chief, on the yacht, his style, the parody of the criminal? Kitty as his assistant? Doing his hair and manicuring him? His henchmen, the issue of drugs, his ruthlessness and killing one of his henchmen? His meetings with Starsky and Hutch, smooth manner? Kevin as his assistant, his using him? The celebration of the Bar Mitzvah at his home, Starsky and Hutch coming as clowns? The gift of the pony, its being understood in an ambiguous way, Starsky and his shooting - and the pony dropping dead? His contact with the criminal in jail, getting the pony, misinterpreted as a drug deal? The arrest, his anger, authorities releasing him? The build-up to the dinner, his speech, the guests, the raffle, the drugs hidden in the cars? His being exposed, his escape, the boat-chase? Kitty, her relationship with him, her looking after the funds, on the boat at the end? Kevin and his doing the office work? His wife, his neglect of her?
5. Starsky and Hutch and their personalities, their interaction, comedy routines, verbal humour? The contrast between the slow going by the book and Hutch's intuitions, and his being close to the truth? Their detective work, the clues, the information about the drugs, their contacts, the interview with the criminal boss? The contact with the girls, the cheerleaders - and the locker-room sequence? Starsky and his self-importance, reporting Hutch? Hutch upset about the complaints? Their going their separate ways? Joining together at the dinner, the dangers, the pursuit, saving the day?
6. The Bar Mitzvah sequence, the humour, the clowns and their performance, the bewilderment of the people, the pony and its death? The banquet, the disguise, Starsky and his risk of being exposed again? The showdown? The car pursuit, his crashing the car? Getting the new one? The guest spot for David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser and the humour about this updating and remake?
7. The nostalgia for this kind of television program? The irony, the innuendo, the sub-texts about police and buddy movies?
