Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Charlie's Angels'

Another recent trend in Hollywood is filming "untold" or "behind the scenes" TV films about previously broadcast TV series...a continuation of the cannibal-like cycle of television programming. Previous TV shows that got this treatment include "Gilligan's Island", "The Partridge Family" and "Three's Company". They're like "E! True Hollywood Stories" with doppelganger actors playing out all the juicy tidbits instead of relying on interviews or footage. This time, "Charlie's Angels" is the subject and, all in all, it isn't too bad. The makers of this flick have gathered 3 ladies who truly do look and sound like the ones they are portraying. That goes a long way in putting the project over. Helfer as Farrah Fawcett-Majors has the hair down pat and shares the wall-to-wall smile, tan and bone structure. The only big difference is that she isn't quite as ditsy-acting as the real lady was. Stamile as Kate Jackson does a tremendous job with the voice. It had to have taken work and she nails it. Chambers as Jaclyn Smith is startlingly right-on in both looks and mannerisms...even her posture and stride. They all are so good at inhabiting the original trio that it does give one that sense of being "Behind the Cameras". The film has ample humor in it as well, with intentionally hammy portrayals of Aaron Spelling, Jay Bernstein and Fred Silverman. There is also a running gag of show ideas that keep getting turned down even though later they were unbelievable successes. If one has seen any documentary on the series or biographies of the stars, there isn't much new here. Still, it's a fairly captivating two hours for those who enjoy '70's nostalgia, '70's clothing or the series itself. One drawback is the lunk-headed, humorless, one-sided portrayal of Lee Majors. It's true that he had some Cro-Magnon views on marriage, but this teleplay makes it impossible to understand why Farrah would have married him in the first place.

The reincarnations are still easy to look at - jiggle is still jiggle - but the acting is even more underwhelming than the original. Sorry gals, but you are mere cardboard caricatures of the originals. Aaron Spelling's visionary understanding of the TV viewing public is lost in the buffoon created by the script.

Then, of course, I am old school and this DOES give a whole new generation of teenage boys the opportunity to debate over the finest angel - Farrah's blatant sexiness, Jaclyn's prom queen sweetheart next door or Kate's smarts and tomboyish good looks.

It was a nice trip down memory lane, remembering the ground Spelling broke, but don't miss any sleep waiting up for this one. Good soundtrack though!

(PS Trekkies, was that Michael Dorn in a brief fur-clad cameo?)

This is what you expect, watching one of these shows. Unauthorized, willing to shatter the phoniness surrounding the public facade:

The show was torn apart by feminists for its sexism. Nobody fell for the female empowerment claim.

It was a jiggle show, first, last, and always. The ladies were always in bikinis, tight or see through clothes, wet clothes, eye candy.

And the ladies were pushed into this against their will. Smith was morally conservative. Jackson refused to go braless and happy to quit. Fawcett hated her sex symbol image and how it affected her marriage.

There are some slow parts to the film. It's padded. The 90 minutes would have been far better at 60.

Did anyone like the soundtrack of this movie as much as I did? Would love to have all the music; that was the best part of this fluffy thing.. I got a kick out of it. Especially the tight-A Lee Majors! Makes Farrah look like a fluff-head too.

Well if the Brodcast Networks (ABC,CBS,NBC) are going to make TV movies at all then they should stick to what TV newtworks know best and that of course is TV! Remeber when we only had 7 or 8 tv channels? Remember that if you were watching "Little House" "The Walton's" "dynasty" or "DALLAS" chances were every else was too! Well Remember when TV movies were great (BRIAN'S SONG,BAD RONALD,SALEMS LOT,THE DAY AFTER) well its been years since they gave us something worth talking about. Any how this is a fun look an the creation of the hit show. This also show's Farrah in a positive way. That surprised me. I will not give too much away but lets just say that if your a Pop Culture Junkie you love this! ITS TV JUNK FOOD AT ITS BEST! Take a look!