It was the early 80's and we just got HBO and Cinemax. This was one of the movies that were legion on both channels.
I had seen Get Smart off and on in reruns so I was only passively familiar with it. So the exclusion of 99 and most of the rest of the gang didn't really bother me. I never knew that 99 and Max eventually married until I watched the show again later on so that was not a factor either.
I liked the movie and got familiar with it because it was on all the time. At the time, I enjoyed the somewhat racier humor and slapstick.
Then, for a while it all but disappeared from view only to be released on VHS and Laserdisc around the time the Naked Gun movies were popular. So I sought out a copy.
Looking at it now after being more familiar with the original Get Smart I could see how the fans of the show were disappointed. But I still like it as a stand alone parody of a James Bond movie.
It has a lot going for it in that regard, the opening sequence, the music (another good job by Lalo Shifrin) and scenes are a good mocking of a James Bond movie.
A lot of the humor fits right in with the original Get Smart, as well. The silliness of a Nude Bomb, secret devices that actually draw attention to themselves (shoe phone, desk car)and the wacky clone happy finale.
As a stand alone parody of James Bond movies, it works, as a continuation of Get Smart, it doesn't. But I saw it at first as a stand alone movie (even though I knew about the show it came from) and I can keep it separate from the show.
And the best thing is they both have Don Adams.
I had seen Get Smart off and on in reruns so I was only passively familiar with it. So the exclusion of 99 and most of the rest of the gang didn't really bother me. I never knew that 99 and Max eventually married until I watched the show again later on so that was not a factor either.
I liked the movie and got familiar with it because it was on all the time. At the time, I enjoyed the somewhat racier humor and slapstick.
Then, for a while it all but disappeared from view only to be released on VHS and Laserdisc around the time the Naked Gun movies were popular. So I sought out a copy.
Looking at it now after being more familiar with the original Get Smart I could see how the fans of the show were disappointed. But I still like it as a stand alone parody of a James Bond movie.
It has a lot going for it in that regard, the opening sequence, the music (another good job by Lalo Shifrin) and scenes are a good mocking of a James Bond movie.
A lot of the humor fits right in with the original Get Smart, as well. The silliness of a Nude Bomb, secret devices that actually draw attention to themselves (shoe phone, desk car)and the wacky clone happy finale.
As a stand alone parody of James Bond movies, it works, as a continuation of Get Smart, it doesn't. But I saw it at first as a stand alone movie (even though I knew about the show it came from) and I can keep it separate from the show.
And the best thing is they both have Don Adams.