Tales of the Gold Monkey

[Charles Gunn]

You saw all 26 episodes then. Perhaps you just saw one or two duds.

[emitron]

You saw all 26 episodes then. Perhaps you just saw one or two duds.

erm....no it was a week after week "is this going to get any better scenario". Looking at the web, most sources say that it ran to 21 episodes before the plug was pulled.

[Charles Gunn]

Perhaps it just wasn't your cup of tea. Not everybody likes 1930s homages to the adventure format.

[emitron]

Perhaps it just wasn't your cup of tea. Not everybody likes 1930s homages to the adventure format.

If the homage was enjoyable, I would. Disney did a fairly good job on films like 'Rocketeer', but that film knew it was tongue in cheek. TOGM couldn't decide what it was.

You seem to be sold on the idea (supported by Raiders.net) that the series has any virtue. The author of the Raiders.net piece also sems to think TOGM superior to Casablanca and claims it could not get released today because of racist stereotypes. I am unsure if that author is aware that 'Casablanca' was re-released with new prints in 2003, unlike TOGM which has never seen the light of day for nearly 25 years and features true racist one dimensional stereotypes like 'Todo'.

Bearing in mind ROTLA was a homage to the 30s serials and adventure films, this show was a further dilution of that to the point where there was plenty talk and no action. Even the opening theme was completely unmemorable. Like 'Bring Em' Back Alive', 'Manimal' and 'Automan', we had a spark missing which falied to ignite enthusiasm.

Another problem was the depiction of the 1930s and the adventure format. Even today a 1939 film like 'Gunga Din' can consistently impress and excite in a way that 'Gold Monkey' could only vaguely hint at. Again the problem is it all sounds great until you started watching it and realised that it was all talk and not much adventure. Another problem was the wooden acting, particularly from the lead, who true to his 'Star Trek' appearance, didn't deliver any charisma, despite many attempts.

I'm not posting any more on my opinions on it. When it does turn up on DVD or whatever (assuming they haven't already rejected it as uncommercial) I predict the original Variety reviews and my own memory will be fairly accurate.

[markoates]

I remember both Tales of the Gold Monkey and Bring Em Back Alive, and survived the whole run of both of them.

TOGM was notable for picking on the Japanese as the villains. It ran to 22 episodes and I'd say was to Raiders what Buck Rogers In The 25th Century was to Star Wars. Stephen Collins was extremely unremarkable as the hero. The series heroine was Caitlin O'Heaney, whose career never recovered. Marta DuBois played the exotic Princess Kogi who seemed to be a kind of Mata Hari character. The only other cast member of note was Roddy McDowall as Bon Chance Louis, taking over a role that in the pilot had been played by Ron Moody. There was an urban legend at the time it was made that the original title was Tales Of The Brass Monkey - as the bar had one as its figurehead.

I wouldn't mind seeing this again, but I'd rather it screened on Bravo than buy a DVD box set.

BEMA was based on a true-life adventurer Frank Buck and starred Bruce Boxleitner in the role. If anything it was more loaded with racial stereotypes than TOGM. It had a prettier leading lady in Cindy Morgan (Lacy Underall from Caddyshack), and Harvey Jason doing his Hollywood Bombay accent.

Both shows were desperately un-PC and will probably never see the light of day again.

[Charles Gunn]

Both shows were desperately un-PC

I'm bound to like it then.

[rickcurz]

The rumour is that Universal is preparing Tales of the Gold Monkey for DVD release to coincide with the new Indiana Jones film. Hopefully Sony will do the same with Bring'em Back Alive.

[Charles Gunn]

Good news if true. Where did you hear this rumour?

[Robert Mammone]

I have very faint memories of this from when I was about 6. However after reading an article on theraider.net recently I suddenly realised I HAVE to see this series again. Although I understand there's no sign of a DVD release. Watching the title sequence on youtube was tantilising enough.

I watched the first 20 minutes a month or two back of the first episode and it wasn't much chop at all. It looked cheap, poorly acted, badly scripted and the worst title music in a long time. If this was the episode with all the money designed to hook viewers for the long haul, well...

[rickcurz]

Info on rumoured DVD release here:

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Tal...ey-Rumors/8315

[shado10]

It would be great to see both these series again. I know they were ROTL rip-offs but I enjoyed both. Had the copies on VHS for years, but sadly taped over them some time ago.

[Tohaki]

I love the 30s as a period setting, and you can't really expect weekly television to deliver a product on par with Raiders of the Lost Ark or Chinatown.

[MLP*]

Seems to be imminent on R2 :

http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/11566.../Product.html#

[rickcurz]

I first saw this on its US premiere 1982-3 when I lived in Rochester NY. I have been after it for ages, and with the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) there was some hope that this and Bring'em Back Alive (1982-3), High Road to China (1983) etc. were going to get decent DVD issues. Sadly that didn't happen last year.

I have preordered this from Play. Sounds good, but does this mean that six months after the R2 release a superior R1 version terns up with extras, ie. The Invaders (1966-8)?

[Charles Gunn]

I'm tempted to order it straight away. I've waited too long.