Nostalgia Patrol - Aykroyd & Chase Re-Team

Dan Aykroyd revealed on his Facebook page that he and Chevy Chase will re-team. Exactly how they will re-team is shrouded in a bit of mystery but the fact is that these two once great comedians will try to re-kindle some of the laughter they once produced in some capacity. The news initially had me excited but as commonsense started to rear its ugly face, I realized how high the stakes are stacked against these two that this reunion will be a caliber project.

Here's Aykroyd's post on Facebook:

Chevy (Chase) and I are about to start work on a script concept for a comedy movie. Cannot say too much about the concept, but the joy of working with him again is one that I am extremely excited about. Chevy is one of my favourite people, and one of the great anarchistic and physically committed comedians in the business.

First off, this reveal does not give us any real specifics other than they will be reuniting in some form. While we can assume they will be acting together again, for all we know they are just brainstorming together. "About to start work on a script concept for a comedy movie...," Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd could merely produce a new comedy together. There's nothing specifically that says they will act, I'd hope that's the case because personally I can careless if Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase produce a movie together. I mean I would eventually see whatever film they produce but there's no real excitement coming from these two old comedians producing a concept for a comedy. The wow factor is they are going to be back on screen again, but even that loses its luster real quick for a couple of reasons.

Dan Aykroyd wrote his last good script in 1985, "Spies Like Us" which happens to star both Aykroyd and Chase. Since then Aykroyd has yet to produce anything of value. I'm sure there are plenty of defenders from Aykroyd and Chase's other big screen pairing in "Nothing But Trouble," but I see that as nothing more than a fun concept gone to spoil. As for Aykroyd's other attempts with a pen, he probably spent too much time wading in the Ghostbusters pool and holds the title for worst sequel ever with "Blues Brothers 2000." If you are lucky enough to have not seen it, be thankful. I enjoy Aykroyd's efforts like "Dragnet" and "Coneheads" but not in the kind of way that I could use them as examples of why I should be excited by Aykroyd possibly writing again. Those movies are both forgettable unlike the material they were conceived from (and that is being easy on them).

Chevy Chase hasn't done significant writing since his days on SNL. I'm sure you could count his short lived self-titled television series in 1993, but that wouldn't be working in Chase's favor. Not trying to undercut his ability to work in the concept mode giving meaningful input to an idea, but time has proven that Chase is not a writer. Chase's talents lie more in the performance.

Let's say these guys have an idea and they get a team to flesh out the script for them. A vehicle for the both Aykroyd and Chase to star in, sadly even then I'm second guessing the project. Is it going to be some grab at nostalgia, like Aykroyd wants to do with Ghostbusters 3? Then forget it, I'm not going to get excited for something that has no chance at being as good as the original. Maybe for someone who hasn't grown up watching both of these actors for thirty years, but those years of nostalgia create a force field that is near impossible to penetrate with some attempt to re-kindle what once was. Its not like getting the band back together and letting them play some old songs you use to love, this is new material with high expectations.

I'm certainly open to the idea of Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd making a movie together and it being hilarious, but I'm also very cautious in getting my hopes up. Better to just let this project develop and see what comes of it, because after all these two haven't even started working, "about to start..."

Source: Facebook