Screenplay: Macon Blair and Evan Katz based on a novel by David Zeltserman
Stars: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Robert Forster, Jacki Weaver and Gary Cole.
The Pitch: “Let’s turn David Zeltserman’s novel into a movie!”
Tagline: None.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
When ex-cop, ex-con, Joe Denton is released from prison he finds himself still entangled with the crooks and crooked cop who got him sent up. Each step Joes makes takes him deeper into a life of crime where his chances of survival are knife-blade thin.
Gem Seddon and GamesRadar present The 25 Best Action Movies to Get Your Blood Pumping. Seddon has come up with a great list. It was hard to pick just three, so depending on my mood, my choices could change. But for now, here they are (with some thoughts to follow)…
5. Aliens (1986) Action hero: Ellen Ripley
The film: Ridley Scott’s atmospheric opener saw Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) trapped on a spaceship with a single Xenomorph, so it made sense for James Cameron’s sequel to try and up the ante: an abandoned space colony, a unit of gung-ho marines and an entire hive of acid bleeding bugs.
Most action-packed scene: Confronting the queen in the bowels of the industrial complex, Ripley has a few nice mother-to-mother moments before later strapping into the power loader and fighting her claw to claw.
2. Die Hard (1988) Action hero: John McClane
The film: New York cop John McClane picks the first of many wrong places and wrong times to visit his wife at work, but for star Bruce Willis and director John McTiernan, the timing couldn’t have been better. Putting an ordinary Joe in the middle of a firefight, confining a terrorist takeover to a single, claustrophobic building, and balancing quip-smart dialogue with hard and heavy action set-pieces, Die Hard set the mold and broke it at the same time.
Most action-packed scene: A rooftop bomb. A short fire hose. A plate glass window. The rest is history.
8. John Wick (2014) Action hero: John Wick
The film: Director Chad Stahelski overcomes first-time jitters in his filmmaking debut, largely due to his experiences as a martial arts stunt co-ordinator. This revenge actioner throws in some dark motivating factors for Keanu Reeves leading man. His vendetta kill mission is the most dazzling work Reeves has accomplished since his first time tackling Neo.
Most action-packed scene: Wick enters a club wherein he punches, kicks, headbutts and shoots anyone who crosses his path. Each strike hits with an eerie precision.
I was glad to see Stallone made the top 25 with First Blood. I was also happy to see both John Wick films made the cut. If it was my list I would have found room for Rambo and Enter the Dragon.
Screenplay: Richard Alan Simmons and John C. Higgins from a novel by William P. McGivern
Stars: Edmond O’Brien, John Agar, Marla English, John Agar, Caroline Jones and Claude Akins.
The Pitch: “Let’s turn William McGivern’s best-seller into a movie!”
Tagline: The Story Of A Killer-Cop Who Used His “SHIELD FOR MURDER”
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
When tough cop Detective Nolan (O’Brien) kills a bookie for the 25 grand the bookie is carrying, he thinks there are no witness. Nolan then learns a deaf/mute man saw the murder. This leads Nolan down a path of no-return full of murder and mayhem.
Stars: Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Michael Madsen and Bibi Besch.
The Pitch: “Let’s throwback detective story about a pretty woman, stolen money, a psycho boyfriend and down-on-his-luck private eye.”
Tagline: Her last request was his first mistake.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
When an attractive woman (Whalley) offers Jack Andrews (Kilmer) enough money to get him out from under with his bookies, Andrews agrees to help her disappear. What Andrews doesn’t know is that she’s on the run from her psycho boyfriend (Madsen) with the cash that they stole and killed to keep.
THE “FIVE-O” SLANG FOR POLICE CAME FROM THIS TELEVISION SHOW.
Ever wonder where that piece of slang came from? Believe it or not, the TV series originated it. The series’ title actually was an homage to Hawaii being the 50th state of the U.S.A. Hawaii Five-O used the numerals as the fictional police division on the show. Over the year, the term came to be used as code for police in general.
THE SHOW NEARLY STARRED GREGORY PECK. Jack Lord will forever be associated with his character Steve McGarrett, but producers originally had other actors in mind. Richard Boone, the former star of Have Gun – Will Travel, was first offered the part. The former “Paladin” turned it down. Hollywood legend Gregory Peck was also considered for McGarrett. Robert Brown, perhaps best known for playing Lazarus in the Star Trek episode “The Alternative Factor,” nearly won the role, as well, before creators settled on Lord.
ONE CONTROVERSIAL EPISODE WAS BANNED AND WILL NOT BE SEEN AGAIN. When it originally aired on January 7, 1970, “Bored, She Hung Herself” was one of the stranger cases of Hawaii Five-O. Don Quine, best known as a regular on The Virginian, portrayed Don Miles. He was the primary suspect in the episode, after his girlfriend, Wanda (Pamela Murphy), was found dead, hanging from a noose in their Hawaiian apartment. Audiences were unaccustomed to seeing a character who practices a so-called form of “yoga” with a noose. Somewhere in America, a viewer tried the hanging technique performed by Don at the opening of the episode — and died. “Bored, She Hung Herself” was never shown again, and is no longer included in syndication packages.
Screenplay: George Bruce and Harry Essex from a story by Harold R. Greene and Rowland Brown
Stars: John Payne, Coleen Gray, Preston Foster, Neville Brand, Lee Van Cleef, Jack Elam and Donna Drake.
The Pitch: “Let’s make a crime movie with an ex-con trying to go straight framed for a heist by crooks and crooked cops!”
Tagline: Exploding! Like a gun in your face!
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Joe Rolfe (Payne) is an ex-con trying to go straight who finds himself set-up to take the fall of a million dollar heist. When the cops can’t beat a confession out of Rolfe, they release him. This allows Rolfe to begin a real investigation. The trail takes him to Mexico where he finds himself up against the crooks and a crooked cop.
I’ve been a Seth Damoose fan since I first saw his art. There’s a joy to everything Seth draws. I was extremely happy when Seth announced he was taking a few sketch commissions through the mail. I jumped on board with a request for Jack Carter and John Wick. As you can see, Seth came through like a champ.
Covert Media is also producing my screenplay adaptation of Victor Gischler‘s Edgar-nominated novel GUN MONKEYS , which will be directed by Simon Brand. The development history of GUN MONKEYS goes back years. I optioned the book myself, wrote the script on spec, and for a long while it was set up with actor Kevin Costner and director Ryuhei Kitamura. That project came real close to getting made…and then fell apart. A new producing team came on board, offers are going out to big-name actors now, and we’re on track to shoot in late 2017/early 2018.
Back in September, Simon shot an action scene from my script as a camera/lighting test…and I’ve just been given the okay to share it now that he’s posted it on his site. The key parts are played by his friends and it has a voice-over that isn’t in the script — I wrote it just for this so that the action makes sense out of context. I think the footage looks terrific. Here it is. I hope you like it!
I dig everything about this test footage. Gun Monkeys by Victor Gischler is an excellent book. Kudos to Lee Goldberg for having the faith in it and himself to option the book, write the spec script and stick with it until a deal was made.
Goldberg managed in a short video that is mostly action to create a main character that we care about, a feeling that everyone in the clip has a backstory, plus he gives us a twist at the end not only in the climax but how things are resolved. Bravo, Lee Goldberg!
My hat is also off to director, Simon Brand and director of photography, Pedro Luque. I certainly hope that they will work together to create this feature film. I don’t know who the actors are in the Gun Monkeys test but I’d like to see more of the actors playing Charlie and Milt.
I’ll be in line to get a ticket when Gun Monkeys hits the big screen and will keep us posted on any updates.
Today Drew Moss takes us to Sin City with his take on Jack Carter and Marv! Gotta love it! Hopefully there will be more Drew Moss goodness in our future…
Until then, if you’d like to see more of Drew’s art, you can here. – Craig
By now you’ve probably seen the poster and trailer for the new Death Wish movie coming out on November 22nd. I’ll post my thoughts after the trailer.
I’m glad to see Willis starring in a feature (especially one heading to the big screen). I’m a long-time Bruce Willis fan. For the last few years we’ve seen him regulated to supporting roles with top billing in limited or direct-to-video releases. So, yeah, it’s good to see him back.
Let’s talk the remake now. First of all, why? The original Death Wish with Charles Bronson is a classic. Perhaps the only (or best) reason is that if successful the remake could be a hit and spawn sequels.
In the original Bronson was an architect. Making Willis a doctor does provide more conflict for the character. After all, he did take an oath to save lives not end them. Other than that it seems we have the same peaceful man turned into a killing machine. In one earlier version of the script the idea was that the Bronson/Willis character would be a peaceful man but after his family’s murder we learn that he was once a violent gang member. THAT could have been an interesting back story.
In the original film, Bronson’s wife and daughter get raped, his wife murdered and his daughter left in a coma with little hope of recovery. Bronson has lost everything and gained a death wish. In the remake Willis’ daughter appears well on the road to recovery. Willis has something to live for. For him to just go out to kill muggers treads the line of wanting to be a hero. That gives the film a different vibe which still can work if done correctly.
The poster is not bad. Not great and definitely has an 80’s feel with the tagline…
“They came for his family. Now he is coming for them.”
JEC at Classic Movie Reviews posted his choices for Forty Essential Film Noir Classics. His list is a good one. I’ve seen all but about 10. Using just JEC’s list, here are three of my favorites…
4Double Indemnity 1944 Foolish insurance man meets one of the best femme fatale in this must see drama. JEC
9The Postman Always Rings Twice 1946 Infidelity and murder. JEC
23The Big Heat 1953 A tough cop, played by Glenn Ford takes on a well-connected mob. Gloria Grahame is great in this film. JEC
