M*A*S*H on the Silver Screen!

Talk about all things M*A*S*H -- the novel, the film, the television series, even the play. Not to mention the spin-offs, merchandise, cast, crew and anything else you can think of to talk about.
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Jeeter
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M*A*S*H on the Silver Screen!

Post by Jeeter »

Last weekend I had the pleasure of seeing the movie M*A*S*H on the big screen as part of the Classic Film Series. It was peculiar seeing the word M*A*S*H upon the entrance to the theatre so I took a picture of that. Once inside we were the only ones there, but then later a few more came in. It wasn't a horrible turn out for an audience but I thought there was going to be a little more with only one show time. It was cool seeing other fans though.

The only thing I didn't like was that they basically took the DVD version and projected it onto the screen. By doing so, the movie didn't take up the entire screen. But other than that, I enjoyed it even though it's not one of my favourite movies. I just couldn't turn it down.

Other films I'll be seeing as part of the Series: North by Northwest, The Bridge on the River Kwai and possibly To Kill a Mockingbird. The tickets are only 5 bucks! Compared to the usual 11. Still gouging us with the popcorn and drink prices.
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townsbg
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Re: M*A*S*H on the Silver Screen!

Post by townsbg »

I didn't like the movie. Way more depressing, not as funny, & otherall it just isn't the same. I'm glad that they didn't stay down the same path when they did the show.
Ampersand
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Re: M*A*S*H on the Silver Screen!

Post by Ampersand »

I'm so glad I'm not the only M*A*S*H fan who didn't like the movie!

The movie just doesn't make much sense, because it doesn't have much in the way of plot. Maybe I just don't "get it". Also: movie Hawkeye comes across more mean-spirited and anti-religious, movie Frank Burns is a more sympathetic character, and movie Margaret is weaker (psychologically) than her television counterpart, in my opinion.

I watched the TV show first, so I'm so used to Alda/Rogers/Linville/Swit/Stevenson that it's strange to see Sutherland/Gould/Duvall/Kellerman/Bowen.
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Mash4Ever
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Re: M*A*S*H on the Silver Screen!

Post by Mash4Ever »

I Didn''t Like The Mash Movie Either I Like The TV Show Better!
From A Big Alan Alda Wayne Rogers Mash Fan Kirsten

RIP Harry Morgan 1915-2011

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townsbg
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Re: M*A*S*H on the Silver Screen!

Post by townsbg »

Maybe it would have helped to have seen the movie first. :?
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RJ
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Re: M*A*S*H on the Silver Screen!

Post by RJ »

I have only seen the first twenty or thirty minutes of the movie, truth be told.
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pinkpagoda
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Re: M*A*S*H on the Silver Screen!

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I saw the movie when it first came out, and at the time, it was very relevant. You will notice that the word "Korea" is never used in the movie - with the exception of at the very beginning when the credits say "And then there was Korea". This was added at the insistence of the powers that be, in order for the movie to be shown. Only ONE movie that actually addressed the Viet Nam war ever made it to the Theater while that war was going on, and that was "The Green Beret" - which showed the war in a positive light.

The movie was actually about Viet Nam, and at the time, everyone knew it. In the movie, Hawkeye is married, is not really a womanizer like the television Hawkeye is, and is very cynical. Trapper is chief surgeon, NOT Hawkeye. Spearchucker is there as a ringer - because he is a great football player and they want to win the game - and the entire movie is really tongue in cheek and satirical (as evidenced by the shot of Johnny Unitis at the football game, smoking a joint on the bench).

The movie also was a lot of adlib, and random scenes shot, and then the idea came to use the P.A. to pull all of the scenes into a semblance of a movie. What a great idea, and one that went over to the television show perfectly!!

The 70s were a different time, and planet... we were all war weary, and the movie was a protest of sorts, and also a pretty good view of how ridiculous the Army could be. And Sally Kellerman's Hot Lips was GREAT - because we had never seen the television version, it did not exist yet. If you are in love with the television MASH (as I am) you sort of have to look at it as an entirely different entity than the movie - just characters with the same names.
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townsbg
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Re: M*A*S*H on the Silver Screen!

Post by townsbg »

pinkpagoda wrote:If you are in love with the television MASH (as I am) you sort of have to look at it as an entirely different entity than the movie - just characters with the same names.
That's true however I still don't like it nearly as much as the show.
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Re: M*A*S*H on the Silver Screen!

Post by TrapperJoe »

Jeeter, those are some top notch films on your schedule :)

I'd love to see North By Northwest on the big screen! Such a perfect rollercoaster ride of a film, and a great way to spend a night on the weekend. It would be cool to do a Hitchcock weekend marathon, show a few films starting in the afternoon, with intermissions, then end the night with one of his best, Rear Window, Vertigo or North By Northwest.

That's awesome to see M*A*S*H on the big screen, it would have been nice if they found a film reel instead of the dvd. I enjoy the show more than the film, but then there's people who swear by the film and have no intrest in the show. They both are their own unique productions, but I think they both complement each other well, and I enjoy seeing Gary Burghoff in the film, it's nice to have a connection between the two. I love films from the late 60's and 70's, all the great directors that blossomed during that time, and had a lot of creative freedom and spoke much truth. The show M*A*S*H had those same qualities, but had more heart and compassion, which I enjoy seeing.
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