Speaking during a TCA Summer Press Tour visit (via Den Of Geek) the show’s creator Rob McElhenney revealed the Rocky IV and Creed IIstar would be playing on his action movie persona for the guest role.
According to McElhenny, Lundgren will play the part of Johnny Thundergun, in a call back to the season 11 episode Thunder Gun Express, which saw the gang try and fail to watch the latest summer blockbuster – also titled Thunder Gun Express.
The appearance will mark the Swede’s first foray into comedy since his turn in the 2016 direct-to-DVD sequel to the Arnold Schwarzenegger favourite Kindergarten Cop.
That film saw Lundgren play Agent Zack Reed, a gruff FBI agent forced to go undercover as a kindergarten teacher, at a liberal, politically correct school.
Released in May, 2016, the follow-up garnered negative reviews from audiences and critics alike. Lundgren will be hoping for better this time around.
What are your thoughts on Dolph doing some ultimate action comedy? Let us know in the comments below…
Scott Adkins would have killed in the 80s and 90s!
I miss Cannon movies. No other company epitomized 80s action movie cliches better than they did. Shootouts, explosions, ninjas, you name it. They gave us the goods in spades. One of those goods was bonafide action star Michael Dudikoff. The star of such action classics as American Ninja 1&2and Avenging Force, just to name a few, Dudikoff represented a new breed of action hero who was primed to take over the action world. But unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be, as Cannon went bankrupt, and Dudikoff’s career took a downturn after that, becoming relegated to the DTV market (Although he continued to make great action flicks there as well).
Now, in this day and age of genuine articles and great pretenders, we await the arrival of a hero & movie to save us. An epic combo package to bring back the heroic nature Dudikoff & Cannon so masterfully gave us. Alas, that combo of hero and movie is here. His name is Scott Adkins. And that movie is Savage Dog.
“In 1959 Indochina, Ex-Prize Fighter & prisoner Martin Tillman must confront the savage beast within as he seeks vengeance against the corrupt powers that be after they take all he holds dear to him…”
Now, ask anybody that knows me, they can tell you how much I looooove Scott Adkins movies. He’s just the epitome of an action star. Quite frankly, if you ask me, the guy is the most complete action star in the world (Ha). And this one is another one in a long line of action movies that proves just that.
But in my opinion, it does more than that. So much more. It quite beautifully brings back that amazing feeling you got when you watched a Cannon/Dudikoff movie. Truthfully speaking, I’ll go as far as to say this is the greatest Cannon/Dudikoff movie Cannon/Dudikoff never made. Scott Adkins as Tillman perfectly invokes the spirit of Dudikoff during the proceedings. That steely eyed look. That super cool demeanor. It’s all there. Adkins is the second coming of Dudikoff here.
Supporting him are the iconic Keith David as Valentine, the man who takes in Tillman to be the cooler at his bar and becomes a father figure to him. He’s also the narrator of the movie, and hearing that awesome voice overlay the proceedings was pure magic. You’re a legend, Mr. David. Rounding out the cast is Vladimir Kulich as Steiner, the diabolical head bad guy, badass MMA fighter Cung Le as the cold hearted soldier Boon, the lovely JuJu Chan as Isabelle, Martin’s love Interest, and the spectacular Marko Zaror as Steiner’s main henchman Rastignac, or as he likes to call himself… The Executioner.
And everyone & thing are brought to life exceptionally by the great action auteur himself, Jesse V. Johnson, who perfectly captures the look and feel of a Cannon movie. Although the fight scenes are a bit faster and more “intricate”, if you will, (more on that in a second) than the usual Cannon movie, the action sequences on a whole are pure Cannon goodness.
Now, to put it in perspective, making an action packed period piece on a low budget is no small task, but Johnson executes it all amazingly. But because it’s a period piece, we don’t get the awesome gymkata style of fighting we usually get from Adkins. You can tell he had to tone it down a bit in this one. But that’s not at all a bad thing. Because in this one, even though it’s a more grounded style of fighting, it’s more hardcore. I’m talking bare knuckle, “Hard Times” style of fighting, but with the occasional beautiful kick here and there. And it is awesome! Just brutal, hardcore beatdowns.
But it’s not just fighting in here either. Oh no. We get some awesome, glorious shootouts as well. Glorious by way of Commando and Missing in Action 3. Just Adkins running around killing countless bad guys one man army style. Just beautiful stuff. Beautiful and bloody. And when I say bloody, I mean BLOODY.
Now, here’s a fair warning for the faint of heart. This is one violent movie. VEERRRY violent. I’m talking geysers of blood, severed limbs, decapitations, exploding heads, and quite possibly one of the most brutal and disgusting disposals of the final bad guy in action movie history. I’m dead serious. Top 3 bad guy disposals. Up there with Richter’s death in Total Recall and Night Slasher’s in Cobra. I’ve seen this movie quite a few times already, and yet every time that part comes up, I’m wincing at the screen like “Ahh… Grody.”
Savage Dog. An awesome revival of Cannon style badassness. But, if that wasn’t enough to paint a picture for you, allow me to use broader strokes. When you watch this (It’s currently streaming now on Netflix) just picture:
Dudikoff as Tillman
Steve James as Valentine
Richard Lynch or John P. Ryan as Steiner
Sho Kosugi as Boon
Michel Qissi as Rastignac
Written by James Booth (Writer of Avenging Force, Pray for Death, American Ninja 1&2)
Directed by Albert Pyun
You can’t unsee it now, can you?
What do you think about Savage Dog? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) team up and face off in "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw," directed by David Leitch.
As a child of the 80s & 90s, I’ve been spoiled by some of the best action movies those glorious decades had to offer. Most notably the movies of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Those 2 icons of action molded the minds of many action fans around the world, myself included.
Unfortunately, we never got the team up movie we so desperately craved from them until 2013 with the prison action thriller Escape Plan. And while the movie itself is very entertaining affair, it is somewhat disappointingly a far cry from their heydays. Like it’s not bad at all. I think it’s a really good action flick. But it wasn’t what we were expecting. What we were expecting was a balls out, non-stop, slam bang, pun heavy action epic.
Needless to say, what we were expecting was something like Hobbs & Shaw.
“After a cybernetically enhanced super soldier makes an attempt to steal a deadly virus, DSS agent Luke Hobbs must team up with his former nemesis, british spy Deckard Shaw to stop him from getting his hands on it and threatening the fate of the world…”
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (or as it’s known in Japan, “Wild Speed: Super Combo“) is the 9th movie in the long running Fast & Furious franchise and the first spinoff. It stars Dwayne Johnson as the Samoan He-man Hobbs, Jason Statham as the British badass Shaw, Idris Elba as “Black Superman” Brixton (his words), and Vanessa Kirby as Shaw’s equally badass MI:6 agent sister, Hattie. And as directed by burgeoning action auteur David Leitch of John Wick & Deadpool 2 fame, it is an 80s action fan’s dream come true.
Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham
Truthfully speaking this is the Stallone/Schwarzenegger team up movie Stallone/Schwarzenegger should’ve given us. It takes not only all the fundamentals we loved about Stallone/Schwarzenegger’s 80s action movies, but everything we loved about the 80s buddy cop action movie in general and maximizes it by 100. Think Lethal Weapon, 48 Hrs, Red Heat, and most importantly Tango & Cash mashed together with a Bond movie and filled to the brim with gamma radiation, and you have Hobbs & Shaw.
And they picked the 2 best people to lead this. Nolte& Murphy. Gibson &Glover. Schwarzenegger & Belushi. Stallone & Russell. Those are the names that are synonymous with buddy cop action. And Johnson & Statham perfectly carry on that tradition. Their back & forth banter is easily the best part of the movie. I could’ve watched them roast each other for hours if that was all the movie was. Real hilarious stuff.
Elba is equally great as the (literal) supervillain Brixton. The man is the epitome of supercool and is one of the best villains to grace the F&F franchise since… well Statham. Some people may be put off by just how ridiculous his character is (they literally show him having a Terminator spine and cyborg Equalizer eyes), but after watching Hobbs shove a torpedo out of the way with his bare hands in the last F&F, I think he fits right in.
He also brings levity to the character as it’s revealed that he was once a partner of Shaw’s and was actually executed by him, leaving him to be “revived” with cybernetic alterations. His feelings of betrayal by his former friend and partner is conveyed subtly but very well, giving this over the top to the point of cartoonish character a bit of solid ground. I know a lot of people wish he would play James Bond, but I think he’s too cool for Bond. In fact, screw James Bond. He’s Black Superman!
But the scene stealer among the cast is most undoubtedly Vanessa Kirby as Hattie Shaw. Man, I was not prepared for the ultimate action badassery that she would provide for us! This woman is a walking, talking death machine. After her impressive performance in last year’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout (which coincidentally starred actual Superman Henry Cavill), I walked out of this wondering if producers were already figuring out which action movie to put her in next. If I were one, I’d be looking for projects right now. She was awesome! Complete and total badass!
And everybody comes off looking great thanks to the amazing direction by Leitch. Man, is he really coming into his own as one of the best action directors out now. He keeps the movie moving at such a fast pace that its 135 min runtime just breezes by. And his sense of style and staging of scenes is impeccable. It has already come to the point in his career that within the first few minutes of the movie, I was saying to myself, “This is definitely a David Leitch movie.” The man has a vision that he communicates so well and thoroughly, and it brings me immense joy to watch a filmmaker I’m a huge fan of come into his own as a true auteur of action cinema. Bravo, Mr. Leitch. Bravo.
And speaking of action, we get a full course meal of superhuman action theatrics. Wanna see Dwayne Johnson send guys flying across the room with a bitch slap? Wanna see Idris Elba catch a car with his hands, then flip it over? Wanna see Statham beat up 10 guys all at once without breaking a sweat? And non-stop car chases, fights, shootouts and explosions? Then you have come to the right show, because all of that is featured here in spades. The level of ridiculous action put a big fat grin on my face. It felt like being a kid again sitting in that theater.
For example: Remember in Captain America: Civil War when Captain America held onto a helicopter with one hand while holding onto the landing pad with the other? I guess Johnson took that as a challenge, because he one ups Steve Rogers himself by holding onto a chain attached to a helicopter while riding the back of a truck doing 100 mph! It’s that kinda movie, folks. And I loved it!
Any nitpicks? The cinematography of the big brawl between Hobbs‘ family and Brixton’s goons slightly bordered a little too close to shaky cam. Like I could see what was happening, but the camera got somewhat “energetic” for a second there. But it corrected itself soon enough for the final chase and fight scene, so no biggie.
But all in all, this was a great throwback to the glorious 80s for me. It may not be the Stallone & Schwarzenegger epic that we wanted, but it sure was the awesome Johnson & Statham epic that we never knew we needed. Just don’t keep us waiting too long for the sequel. Can’t have you guys making the same mistake Tango & Cash did. I need at least 5 more of these, pronto!
What were your thoughts on Hobbs & Shaw? Let us know in the comments below!
Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) in "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw," directed by David Leitch.
Hobbs & Shaw is Pure Ultimate Action Movie… Sci-Fi?
So Hobbs & Shaw (Excuse me… Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw) came out this weekend, and like any action movie lover, I’m hyped as hell. The F&F franchise has become the go to action franchise for dumb and super ridiculous action that we grew up loving in movies like Commando and Tango & Cash. But last night I noticed something…
It’s been stated that Chris Morgan, writer of Wanted and every F&Fmovie since Tokyo Drift, will NOT be the writer on F&F 9 due to his writing duties on Hobbs & Shaw (although he is credited as co-writer on the movie’s IMDb page). Which, I admit, had me a little concerned due to the fact that Morgan’s writing is definitely partially responsible for the series being the billion dollar franchise that it is right now. So I did some digging.
The writer who will be taking on writing duties is Daniel Casey. Who is Daniel Casey, you ask? Let’s backtrack a sec here.
The series has walked the borderline of sci-fi since the inclusion of God’s Eye in part 7 and the zombie car swarm in part 8. With Hobbs & Shaw going practically full sci-fi with the inclusion of Idris Elba’s bionically enhanced super villain and his transformer motorcycle, and Morgan’s numerous mentions of possible sending the franchise into space, it seems that Sci-Fi is where the future of the series is headed.
Now, this is where I believe Casey comes in. Casey has numerous writing credits on his IMDb page, including a curious one for Hitman 2 (2 to what? The Chuck Norris one? Timothy Olyphant one? Or the one with Kelvin timeline Spock?). But two credits stuck out to me. A writing credit for the web series dr0ne (about a military cyborg that goes rogue) and last year’s Kin (about a teen who comes into possession of a state of the art alien weapon).
Notice something?
Is it purely coincidence that this specific guy was hired to write the next F&F, or was it deliberate? And if it was deliberate, can we expect a full on sci-fi F&F by the next entry? Jon Scott, a fellow member of the Facebook group Pixels & Reels stated what he would like to see, in regards to popular character Han:
“Cypher took Han’s body to the moon, resurrected him, wiped his memory, and gave him cybernetic implants…
To many, that statement may seem like a joke. But now, after this development, may not be that far fetched. Also, don’t forget that the main star and franchise producer Vin Diesel is also a huge geek, with a great love for all things sci-fi and fantasy. I mean, we are talking about Richard B. Riddick here. The man that’s been playing D&D almost all his life.
Also, director Justin Lin, most known for helming F&Fs 3, 4, 5 & 6, is making his triumphant return to the series after his last theatrical feature. What was that feature you may ask? “Star Trek Beyond“.
See what I mean?
A star/producer who’s a huge sci-fi geek. A series that’s just gone practically sci-fi in its latest entry. A writer who’s dabbled in thorough sci-fi themes. And a director who just came off a huge sci-fi epic. Put all of that together, and we may be looking at a full on sci-fi action extravaganza.
So what do you think it’ll be?? I got my money on cybernetic car enhancements. Knight Rider style smart cars turbo boosting all over the place, probably driving up walls. And what about that Han idea? I could see it. A cybernetically enhanced Han being brainwashed (or reprogrammed) to take out his former family. Dom & the fast family vs the Six Million Dollar Han. Hahahaha. Yeah? No? To hell with you. I thought that was funny.
Or, like Morgan said, we could very well see them in space. Could you imagine? Dom out running a photon torpedo on the moon in his cybernetically enhanced dodge charger? Who knows at this point? Anything is possible. And for the creators behind this ongoing franchise, the sky’s not only the limit.
But beyond…
What are your thoughts on a the future for the Fast & the Furious franchise? Let us know in the comments!
The Ultimate action franchise – The Expendables in numbers
What do you get when you take a bunch of action hero actors in various stages of their careers and shove them into one movie? The Expendables of course! Will the thirst for 80s action heroes ever disappear? Is it a thirst that simply gets misconstrued with nostalgia? Or were the 80s just fan-bloody-tastic? The 80s were a truly unique time and in so many ways, but it’s the movies that we remember. Indiana Jones, Robocop, Die Hard, all products of the 1980s.
The action hero, which many film aficionados believe to have been a by-product of the Regan era, became a staple of the 1980s – Commando, Rambo, Cobra, Conan – those 4 films are attributed to the two biggest stars of the 80s – Schwarzenegger and Stallone – but there are many others. Norris, Van Damme, Segal, the list goes on and on. The power of these formulaic films would carry on well into the 90s with more Die Hard sequels and hits like Con Air. And so, while it was refreshing, it also came as no surprise when Stallone decided to assemble a whole bunch of action stars, past and present into a singular vehicle called The Expendables.
The numbers were good
If there’s one thing you’ve got to give Stallone credit for, it’s his ability to totally cash-in on a movie. Before the Rocky movies, the idea of a sequel was largely unknown. Sly discovered the power of repeat business and fully exploited the concept, making those who partook in and investing in indices trading on production companies very rich. Some of his, and a certain Arnold’s, business methods also paved the way for more movie start re-investing their earnings in these companies, starting their own production houses and hugely capitalized on the action-niche, as a whole. He’s played Rocky Balboa eight times! Never one to be disheartened by the critics, Stallone who had been interested in an ensemble movie for some time came across a script he liked as set about transforming it into what would eventually become the Expendables.
Action movie colleague, Jean-Claude Van Damme was initially offered a role but turned it down citing character development issues. The box office success of The Expendables made him change his mind and he was cast in the second instalment as the main villain. The eventual cast was the result of a sifting process that saw roles offered to the likes of Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Wesley Snipes to name but some. But the big drawcards were there – Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li and Mickey Rourke. Actors approaching their twilight years might struggle to carry a movie on their own and Stallone clearly saw strength in well- known numbers. Speaking of numbers, The Expendables grossed a total of $274.5 million off a budget of $80 million, more than doubling the returns. Stallone had clearly struck and gold and went on to do what he typically would – making sequels.
Subsequent outings
Now the that formula had been established – assemble popular action genre actors – and there was proof of concept, Stallone set about making two sequels in the span of 4 years, which in Hollywood time is really churning them out. The second instalment in the franchise, The Expendables 2 was made off a budget of $100 million dollars and grossed $315 million dollars providing further proof that Stallone was clearly sitting on a lucrative franchise. Naturally, as with all sequels, more old-school actors of the action genre were added including Chuck Norris and Bloodsport legend, Jean-Claude Van Damme.
There was talk about a PG-13 rating, which received a fair amount of flack from fans, but when the time came, The Expendable 2 got an R -rating. Stallone knew there was still milk in the udder and proceeded to milk it for one more. The Expendables 3 didn’t achieve the same financial returns as done by its predecessors. Sure, it made $214.7 million off a $100 million budget, which is still quite decent, but apparently its success was marred by its PG-13 rating, which upset the fans, and the fact that it was leaked three weeks prior to its scheduled release. This one brought with it the likes of Harrison Ford and Mel Gibson, once again showcasing the franchises ability to rope in old talent. Over the years there have been talks of a sequel but for now talk is all there has been.
Check out some of the ultimate action titles to be premiered at this year’s Fantastic Fest…
As far as pure genre film festivals go, Fantastic Fest has got to be one of the most ultimate! Going into its 15th year, Alamo Drafthouse’s signature genre filmmaking event has seen some very notable ultimate action movie contributions premiere at its screenings in Austin, Texas with the likes of the original John Wick, The Bouncer and Universal Soldier: Regeneration.
And while Taika Waititi film JoJo Rabbit opening night premiere might get the biggest buzz (full first wave announcement list here). Let’s take a look at some ACTION MOVIE highlights from this FIRST WAVE of films announced for Fantastic Fest 2019.
BLOODY BIRTHDAY
Presented by AGFA + Arrow Films
USA, 1981
World Premiere of Restoration, 85 min
Director – Ed Hunt
The classic Killer Kids slasher, newly restored by Arrow Films and presented by AGFA.
COME TO DADDY
New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, 2019
Texas Premiere, 94 min
Director – Ant Timpson
When 30-year-old Norval receives a letter from his estranged dad begging him to visit, he is set on a weird path of discovery, unusual encounters… and a lot of violence.
DEERSKIN
France, 2019
North American Premiere, 77 min
Director – Quentin Dupieux
When Georges buys himself a deerskin jacket, he will find his life on a collision course with madness, crime, and the desire to be the only man wearing an overgarment.
FIRST LOVE
Japan, 2019
US Premiere, 108 min
Director – Takashi Miike
When aspiring boxer Leo discovers that he may not have long to live, he goes all out to help drug-addicted call girl Monica, facing down gangsters, assassins, corrupt cops, and much more over the course of one long night.
FRACTURED
USA, 2019
World Premiere, 100 min
Director – Brad Anderson
An unfortunate accident at a truck stop means Ray has to rush his daughter to the nearest hospital for a broken arm, but when his family disappears, he soon finds himself in a frantic fight to discover what happened.
THE GOLDEN GLOVE
Germany, 2019
North American Premiere, 110 min
Director – Fatih Akin
Based on true events that transpired in the grimy slums of 1970s Hamburg, loner-turned-murderer Fritz Honka stalks his local drinking spot, The Golden Glove, in search of his next victim.
IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON
USA, Canada, 2019
World Premiere, 115 min
Director – Jim Mickle
In 1988, a Philadelphia police officer doggedly hunts a serial killer whose crimes seemingly follow no pattern, but he hasn’t considered how far the repercussions of his hunt may go.
THE WHISTLERS
Romania, 2019
US Premiere, 97 min
Director – Corneliu Porumboiu
Corneliu Porumboiu mixes Romanian New Wave with Hollywood noir beats as he follows a corrupt detective who helps a wealthy criminal escape from jail by learning the ancient, secret language of silbo whistling.
WHY DON’T YOU JUST DIE!
Russia, 2019
Texas Premiere, 100 min
Director – Kirill Sokolov
In Attendance – Director Kirill Sokolov
After agreeing to kill his girlfriend’s father, Matvei gets in way over his head when he arrives at her parents’ apartment to learn her dad’s a cop.
If you’re looking to attend, FAN Badges, 2ND HALF Badges, and MIDNIGHT Badges for Fantastic Fest 2019 are available for purchase here.
Lee Marvin and Carl Weathers against Charles ‘The Mad Trapper’ Bronson!
The proper way to watch any action movie screening is on a 16mm print strung up in the middle of a hot parking lot just at nightfall in Austin, Texas (thanks to hosts Vulcan Video and Bat City Cinema). It’s a fact. Also, free beer must be provided and there should be a friendly dog sitting nearby waiting for you to drop it kernels of popcorn.
I originally saw the film years ago in high school, with friends during the early non-digital days of the Ultimate Action Movie Club. But all I really remember from that screening was a scene where someone is taunted: “you’re so dumb I could sell you dirt!” Which, apparently, back in the 1920s was about the meanest, most serious insults you could hurl at someone.
My only other memory of Death Hunt – which was quickly reaffirmed in this outdoor 16mm screening – was that it’s just pretty much the story of John Rambo in First Blood.
And regardless of the fact that Death Hunt came out in 1981 and First Blood was released in 1982, it’s hard not to at least compare the two. Not just for originality, but more so for ultimate-ness – and how Charles Bronson might have been robbed of a potential action movie Blockbuster franchise.
So, I don’t claim to know the exact details of how Death Hunt came to pass. I can research on Wikipedia about how the film was financed by Hong Kong’s Golden Harvest as part of a six film set in 1979. I can also read up on the (amazing, but obviously exaggerated) true story of the real Albert Johnson – whom Bronson portrays.
First Blood on the other hand was based on a novel by author David Morrell which was published in 1972, and its film roots go back just as far with Steve McQueen even being originally considered for the role.
And I can simultaneously Wiki-confirm that First Blood director Ted Kotcheff had been approached to work on Sylvester Stallone’s First Blood as early as 1976. Which would lead me to believe that both films were on similar production paths, but most probably not influential – or even much aware – of each other.
But that being said – the stories ARE quite similar. Man ostracized from society with checkered past and amble combat training is set upon by a manhunt which leaves only body bags in its wake. However, there are notable differences in style and tone at least.
Bronson, as is the way with most of his roles, is quite reserved and seems to be quite secure with his fate, almost as if he knew this day was coming regardless. Whereas with Stallone’s role, we really get to feel the torment and indignation that fuels Rambo’s fight.
Both films feature amble killing, but the snowy landscape of Death Hunt is a little less bloody (mostly due to the huge parkas everyone is wearing when they’re shot). Lee Marvin’s role is also served to really make the audience like and honor Bronson even more as he chases Johnson like a forlorn Captain Ahab.
And generally speaking overall, the cast to Death Hunt is far superior to First Blood and gives what is a little tamer of the two films more depth and some great characters and scenes.
Perhaps one of the most unlikely duos in any action movie ever, it’s a shame we didn’t just get a whole movie of these two. Their third wheel side kick – Constable Alvin Adams (Andrew Stevens) – gives Marvin and Weathers plenty of space to demonstrate just how to be an ultimate action movie manly men badasses.
The whiskey chugging cabin scene with Weathers and a slow dancing Marvin stands out as what probably should be a 90-minute feature in itself. Plus once the men are on the hunt, it goes a little too quickly as the trappers are whittled down scene by scene.
Overall, any chance to visit Charles Bronson in a non-Cannon Films or Death Wish role is highly worth the viewing. And if you can’t travel to Austin, Texas to watch the film on an original 16mm print with other action movie aficionados, then you should at least gather a group of friends on a cold winter night and watch it while sharing chugs of whiskey and in memory of the time old man Bronson out Rambo-ed a young Sly Stallone.
Have you seen Death Hunt? What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments!
While Quentin Tarantino’s latest (and perhaps penultimate) film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is off to a critically and commercially successful opening weekend by all accounts, there is one character of note which many classic action movie fans may take issue.
We’re talking, of course, of Bruce Lee – who as a character is featured in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in a couple of scenes that, well… aren’t that flattering for the martial arts legend.
So, what’s Tarantino’s beef with Bruce? It’s almost as if the writer/director went out of his way to make Lee into a gross mis-charaterization of himself. Here are some brief thoughts on what happened, and what might be going on…
At the surface level, this must appear to be what’s going on. And for a director who has cited Bruce Lee as an influence for some of his films in the past – most notably Kill Bill Vol 1, and to a lesser extend Kill Bill Vol 2– it’s just all kinds of odd that we get this character attack.
Tarantino has built a reputation and a career on “homaging” and honoring other films and filmmakers. And while some might say “stealing” instead of coming up with stylings of his own, in just about every instance his “homages” are very sincere and respectful of his source materials.
Yet, the Bruce Lee scene where Lee boasts braggadocious about his skills and exploits in the face of Brad Pitt’s stunt professional character Cliff Booth, is exactly the opposite. Actor Mike Moh, who portrays Lee around the late 1960s (just a few years before Lee tragically passed away in 1973), goes about as over the top as any character in the Tarantino-verse ever has.
UPDATE: Shannon Lee, Bruce Lee’s daughter, has responded to Lee’s portrayal in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood via The Wrap.
“I can understand all the reasoning behind what is portrayed in the movie. I understand that the two characters are antiheroes and this is sort of like a rage fantasy of what would happen… and they’re portraying a period of time that clearly had a lot of racism and exclusion.”
“I understand they want to make the Brad Pitt character this super bad-ass who could beat up Bruce Lee. But they didn’t need to treat him in the way that white Hollywood did when he was alive.”
“He comes across as an arrogant asshole who was full of hot air. And not someone who had to fight triple as hard as any of those people did to accomplish what was naturally given to so many others.”
The most common counter argument so far found online is that Bruce Lee’s portrayal isn’t a “real” scene in the movie, but rather a fantasy from the imagination of Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth. The scene does come in the movie as Cliff is fantasizing – although it just as easily appears to simply be a flashback – about working on set with Lee as a stunt double to Rick Dalton, Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie star character.
So the theory would be that Cliff is the one who has exaggerated Lee’s exploits to be annoying and a fraud as he is easily defeated in a fight by Cliff. But still, this doesn’t exactly make the sequence forgivable for Lee fans or family.
Bruce Lee is lovingly remembered as one of the greatest figures in martial arts action cinema of all time. From an ultimate action movie legacy that includes Enter the Dragon, Fist of Fury, The Game of Death as well as introducing the world to Chuck Norris and notably giving unlicensed post-death training a young Kurt McKinney to defeat an evil Russian Jean-Claude Van Damme in No Retreat No Surrender, it’s just odd that Tarantino – for whatever reason – would go out of his way to indignify the man like this.
Sure, you could argue that it helps the story in some form. But Tarantino is no newcomer to the world of cinema criticism and discussion. He’d have to be very aware of what the response to Lee’s portrayal would bring. And without the blessing of the Lee family and estate, it’s almost like he just didn’t care.
We’ll have to see how history eventually settles on this, as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is still fresh in theaters and should enjoy a pretty solid run into the 2020 Oscars. But as far as action movie legacies go, this will undoubtedly slightly tarnish Tarantino’s, as well as unnecessarily throw shade at Bruce Lee’s – who isn’t even around to defend his own.
What do you think about this Bruce Lee portrayal by Quentin Tarantino? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
If a person is a skilled gambler, there are chances that he is aware of the name Stu Ungar. He is an award-winning gambler who conquered a lot of media attention for winning a range of trophies and titles. Previously during his time, he was a common name among the contestants of tournaments hosted for gamblers where he started getting recognized for his skills. Soon after people started to identify him as an exemplary gambler. Eventually, he was getting known for his high rolling skills which are the predominant ways that fetched all these awards.
Digging deep into his past we can tell that his gambling skills are not based on his luck but that he followed the footsteps of his father, a bookmaker by profession and the proprietor of Fox’s Corner Bar. He studied the ways of a gambler from the very childhood which eventually led him into excellence. In his childhood, Stu has always prioritized gambling over his academics. This eventually led him into underage gambling which although added to his experience but forced him into an unsupervised path.
Speaking about his career, it went uphill initially but it came crashing down when the same skill backfired when he was diagnosed with addictive gambling issues. His entire life took a hit. The situation worsened and he ended up not being able to support his family.
The Plot of High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story
The storyline of the film revolves around the life of the professional gambler. The story unfolds as a flashback as Ungar, in his final days, trying to narrate his life story to a stranger he met. The story highly focuses on his drug usage including the cocaine abuse and the crumbling office married life.
The film takes the viewers through his high time and extravagant victories in gambling tournaments, his interpersonal relationships, and how his addictive tendencies to gambling and cocaine brought an end to his flourishing life. It reaches an end where the lifeless body of Stu was found inside a motel room by the housekeeping service lady.
About the Film
High Roller was released back in 2003 starring Michael Imperioli as Stu. It features many well-known gamblers as cameo actors like Andy Glazer, Vince van Patten, and Al Brenstein. The awards backed by the film include Nashville Film Festival Audience Choice Award Best Featured of 2003, Prism Awards Commendation of 2004, and San Diego Film Festival Award for Best Direction in 2003.
Films like this although come as a form of entertainment to the viewers it acts as a cautionary tale behind their heads while indulging in activities like gambling.
Consequences of Gambling Addiction As Seen in the Movie
There are noticeable differences between the activities of a seasoned gambler and a person who is addicted to a gambling lifestyle. The display of addictive behaviour is often quite clear as a lot of associated troublesome attitudes are linked to it. These behavioural elements are not very unclear if someone takes time to notice the facets of the behaviour. Most of these gamblers are seen rapidly losing property and possessions. This can also be reflected in the family life of these gamblers. One of the commonly associated traits can be failed marriages and broken families.
Apart from that, gambling addicts are also seen to unknowingly harm their interpersonal relationships by dragging monetary transactions in between. Not only that they are bombarded with massive amounts of debts but advanced loans from friends and family. It results in spoiled relationships. Needless to say, although gambling gives people momentary satisfaction and a feeling of being under control, it ultimately takes away a lot more than it gives back.
Is Gambling Addiction Reversible
To get over compulsive gambling urges and to completely curb addictive gambling, one requires to first understand the root cause of it and why it appeals to the gambler. In spite of knowing the fate, gamblers immerse themselves in the activities. For example, many UK players use non-UK casinos via https://www.nongamstopbets.com/non-uk-casinos/ where they spend their spare time.
They know it would cost them property, bank balance, and interpersonal relationships, Yet people find it impossible to convince themselves about the illusion of false rewards. It requires rehabilitation and constant self vigilance to start over and continue an addiction-free life.
Conclusion
Although we love the adrenaline rush, deep inside we know what harm gambling is capable of. It taps into a highly addictive tendency we have and leaves people with no control.
Gambling can cause lots of harm which brings us to the conclusion that it is better to seek help as soon as problematic behaviors are noticed and follow healthy gambling standards.
Action movie legend Rutger Hauer has died. Let’s look at his ultimate career…
Oh man, just a month after the passing of one of the most ultimate action movie bad guys of all time in Billy Drago, we have sad news that Rutger Hauer, perhaps even a more prolific action movie bad guy (and good guy) has passed away. Confirmed by a report in Variety, Hauer has died on July 19th, 2019 at the age of 75. His funeral his being held today on Wednesday July 24th as he passed in his home in the Netherlands.
But perhaps his greatest ultimate action movie accomplishment might have been the delightfully awesome and absurd role as Nick Parker, a blind, sword-wielding Vietnam POW veteran, who stars in Blind Fury. A comedic samurai buddy adventure similar to Stallone’s Over the Topmight not have been Hauer’s biggest claim to fame, but for die hard 80s and 90s action movie fans, it will always stand out for its crazy premises as well as Hauer’s deft performance balancing comedy and action so perfectly.
We’ve truly lost an action movie legend today. Rutger Hauer’s legacy will live on as one of the single greatest bad guy performances ever, as well as one of the biggest champions of 80s and 90s action that will die a little today with his loss. We’ll miss you Rutger!
What were your favorite Rutger Hauer movies and roles? Let us know in the comments!
