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Arrested Development may be posting bail on the big screen

arrested-development

Arrested Development creator Mitchell Hurwitz and his co-executive producer James Vallely are working on a screenplay for the long-debated feature version of their short-lived Fox series…Hurwitz would also direct the Fox Searchlight feature.”

The groundbreaking series launched the career of future Juno star Michael Cera (a newcomer at that point) as well as making a household name of Toronto, ON native Will Arnett.  The series was also spiced up with the inclusion of foul-mouthed comedian David Cross, veteran actor Jason Bateman, and the terrific Larry Sanders Show alumni Jeffrey Tambor.  Arrested Development was unique because the half-hour sitcom format was altered by altering conventions like  eliminating the laugh track.  The series also followed a narrative arc from show to show, and utilized a “pseudo-documentary format.”.  The series followed the misadventures of the Bluth family.  The family never seemed to get anything in their offbeat lives right, due to their own eccentricities and the troubles that never ceased to plague them.

The characters were fresh and full of wonderful quirks, especially from Cross and Tambor.  The show effectively mixed slapstick with subtle, sometimes surreal humour.  The series only lasted three seasons, despite its “cult following”, which did not translate into large ratings for Fox.

With this feature film, Hurwitz has the opportunity to make a fresh and fun comedy; it will be interesting to see what is done when the film is made without the restrictions TV put on it terms of language and content.  Hurwitz showed integrity when he “said that he wouldn’t start writing a film unless all the main actors…were committed”  He was unwilling to make a lame film that did not live up to the standards of the series just for the money.  Hurwitz understands that the success of the writing relies on the unique chemistry of all the characters.  This film has the potential to be one of the better comedies in recent memory.  Here’s hoping it does not let us down.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Arrested+Development+movie+script+works/2067461/story.html

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0148418/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004715/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000867/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrested_Development_%28TV_series%29

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