Mark Hamill, Michael Dudikoff and Savina Gersak star in Midnight Ride (1990).
Housewife Laura (Savina Gersak) has had it with her cop husband Lawson (Michael Dudikoff). More devoted to his work than their relationship, she takes off in the middle of the night, intent on bunking with a friend until she can decide whether she wants to make their separation final. Meanwhile, despite having an injured leg, Lawson isn’t taking his abandonment lying down and pursues Laura in his own fashion, hoping for reconciliation.
On her way out of town, Laura encounters Justin McKay (Mark Hamill), a photography-enthusiast looking for a ride.Charmed by his boyish manner, Laura lets him in the passenger’s seat, unaware she’s set herself up for a night of madness and terror.
Justin is a mental hospital escapee, traumatized by memories of his homicidal mother and enamored by Laura’s similarities to his murdered sister. He wants to talk with his psychiatrist Dr. Hardy (Robert Mitchum), kill a few people on impulse, and win the terrified Laura’s heart before the night is through. Can Lawson rescue Laura and stop Justin’s rampage? And more importantly, will their cat-and-mouse game blow up every vehicle in town?
Midnight Ride (1990)
Imagine a hybrid between Friday the 13th and Duel. That’s a broad description of Midnight Ride. Produced by Cannon Films, it’s a fast-paced delight from start to finish, clocking in at a lean ninety-minute run-time and featuring all the slasher-style killings and car explosions your little heart could ever desire. Somehow, it has never amassed much of a following despite its immense entertainment value.
Part of the appeal comes from just how over-the-top and strange the movie gets. Laura’s ordeal with Justin includes a number of bizarre episodes. Early on, Justin rips a sleazy motel owner’s glass eye out of her head so he can make a necklace for Laura with it. (He proceeds to suck on the eye in subsequent scenes when distracted and bored—a little detail that gets me every time.) Later on, Dudikoff gets tied spread-eagle to the hood of a truck, with Hamill laughing wickedly behind the wheel as he powers it down the road at high-speed.
A Ultimate Midnight Slasher
Midnight Ride is peppered with such moments. Justin’s body count grows as he slashes throats and guns down the authorities. He dons more disguises than Inspector Clouseau as he stalks Laura when she briefly escapes him. Cars explode one after another, to the point where it almost becomes a running gag. The action set-pieces grow in insanity as the story rushes to its climax, a bombastic showdown in a hospital where Hamill uses a conveniently-located four-wheeler to chase down Dudikoff after they square off with a bone-saw.
Hamill’s eccentric performance is the chief delight of the film. Put Norman Bates’s mother issues and the Joker’s gleeful sadism in a blender, add a little of Mad Max’s road warrior flair, and you’ve got Justin McKay. Hamill steals every scene with his mad cackling, compulsive nail-biting, and childlike enthusiasm for violence. His line deliveries are delicious too, whether he insists he get a photograph of Laura in a sing-song voice or disappointedly chides her for trying to bribe him with sex.
At one point, when Dr. Hardy tries to get Justin to remember how therapy used to stop the voices in his head from convincing him to murder, Justin says with a shrug, “Cut the crap, doc. I’m still killing people!”
Mark Hamill and Michael Dudikoff!
Though Hamill leaves the biggest impression, Dudikoff is no slouch as the square-jawed hero. Like Hamill, he seems to be aware of how seriously to take the material and has a great deal of fun delivering lines such as, “I’m tired! I’m pissed! And I’m ready to kill!” His character does have a dark side—his unwillingness to give Laura some space is a bit creepy, to be honest—but in the end, he’s the perfect hero to Hamill’s villain.
The film has some weaknesses, though how much they affect your enjoyment will vary. The editing is awkward during the later chase scenes, more confusing than exciting. Savina Gersak’s performance is often flat and emotionless, even when the leering Hamill has a knife in her face.
Hollywood legend Robert Mitchum seems to be here solely for the paycheck, all but sleeping through his scenes. Like Gersak, he regards the peril he’s in with a casualness most might find unintentionally comical. However, these elements just add to the charm.
An Underappreciated VHS Classic
Despite its campy delights and the presence of Luke Skywalker himself, Midnight Ride remains underseen. Those interested will have to satisfy themselves with a VHS copy. In a perfect world, this movie would have a DVD release stateside (dare I dream of a Blu-ray edition?), perhaps including a short interview with Hamill, who as far as I know has never spoken about this movie. A media upgrade would be welcome in any case, since the horror movie-style lighting’s effectiveness is often undercut by the blurred presentation on video.
I would call Midnight Ride a guilty pleasure, but so great is my love for it that I just can’t. I love every overcooked moment unabashedly and would not have it any other way.
Do you remember Midnight Ride (1990)? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page!
The first film, which saw Reynolds tasked with stopping a series of shady criminal types from taking out Jackson’s notorious contract killer, was a major hit.
Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson
Reynolds played Michael Bryce, the world’s top bodyguard, who is enlisted to transport Jackson’s Darius Kinkaid to give testimony at an international court.
Gary Oldman’sVladislav Dukhovich stands in their way, with Dukhovich eager to eliminate Kincaid, who is giving evidence against him and his crimes.
Something of a throwback to films like 48 Hrs. and Lethal Weapon, The Hitman’s Bodyguardwas packed full of big explosions and amusing wisecracks.
A Major Buddy Action Hit!
More importantly, it made some serious money, raking in more than $175 million off the back of a budget of just $30 million and becoming one of the low-key hits of summer 2017 in the process.
Now Variety is reporting that a sequel is on the way which will centre on Jackson’s onscreen wife from the first film, who was memorably played by Salma Hayek. Hayek was arguably the standout performer first time around, thanks to a string of memorable one-liners and a penchant for violence and bad language.
The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard?
The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguardhas been given the briefest of synopsis:
“Patrick Hughes will take on directing duties again from a script by Tom O’Connor. The sequel follows bodyguard Michael Bryce (Reynolds) enlisted by Jackson and Hayek’s characters to join them on a mission along the Amalfi Coast. Production is expected to start in March.”
A straightforward actioner with a distinctly 90s feel, with so many remakes, comic book films and mega-franchises dominating the multiplex, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard feels like a breath of fresh air, even if it is a sequel.
What are your thoughts for this Hitman’s Bodyguard sequel? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Though details on what Creed IIwill centre on remains unclear, though the trailer has already hinted at an epic training montage to come. In the meantime, Lundgren has been busy promoting the upcoming release with a series of interviews.
Ivan Drago Since Rocky IV
EFACME DOLPH LUNDGREN & SYLVESTER STALLONE ROCKY IV (1985)
“Basically, my character has been in a living hell since ’85 and lost everything,” Lundgren revealed. “The script reintroduces him as a pretty damaged character, emotionally, and somebody who’s suffered a lot physically from a hard life. I can identify with that quite easily. The physical part and the emotional part.“
And speaking to Empire, the Swede even went as far as to paint a vivid picture of what Drago has been doing since he lost to Balboa in Rocky IV.
Viktor and Ivan Drago’s Revenge
It’s a situation that will apparently see Viktor baying for blood on behalf of his father.
While Jordan’s Adonis Creed will want to win for his late father Apollo, who was killed by Drago in the ring, Viktor has seen his dad’s life crumble around him following his loss to Rocky. It’s all shaping up for an intense face-off.
Creed II will arrive in cinemas on November 21st.
What are your thoughts on Ivan Drago’s updated backstory? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
While Rocky is great, Stallone Really Finds His Own As The Director of Rocky 2 (1979).
In 2018 it’s quite difficult to imagine what a sleeper hit like Sylvester Stallone’s original Rocky (1976) was. A movie made for around a million dollars that made well over $225 million which in today’s currency is somewhere in the region of $967 million dollars. In today’s cinema the expectation is that big budget movies bring in big box office returns.
You might have to go back to The Blair Witch Project (1999) to see a movie land such massive receipts out of nowhere and have such a cultural impact and even then it wouldn’t have the legacy of Rocky. The success of Rocky was rare, it gripped the imagination of the movie going public and reinvigorated mainstream interest in sports drama as a movie genre. The producers of the movie were hungry for more.
Stallone would once again be on screenwriting duties, this was a real boon to Rocky II (1979). One of the real successes of both of these films is Stallone’s scripts. The script for the second movie has all the quality, wit, interesting character dynamics and spectacle of the first but its real magic comes from the fact that it’s a seamless sequel.
The action picks up from the end of the first film. it makes the most of the first film’s brilliance and uses that climax as a jump off point for the action to continue. This allows for development of both plot and character. This sequel script also does something that’s still refreshing and rare in action movies, the point of view of the antagonist is taken into account and weaved into the story.
One of the real highlights of the plot is Apollo Creed’s all encompassing obsession with getting back into the ring with Rocky. Every character arc is just as strong and the magic of the first film was ready to be captured in Stallone’s script but there was a complication.
Stallone Steps into the Director’s Chair
John G. Avildsen, who had done such an incredible job directing the first movie in the franchise, so incredible that he won the best director Oscar for it, was deep in pre-production for Saturday Night Fever (1977) and decided not to take the directors chair for the sequel to Rocky.
United Artists were reluctant to hire Stallone to direct on the grounds that his wrestling drama Paradise Alley (1978) didn’t perform well. Rocky’s producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff aided Stallone’s bid for the directors chair, they really campaigned to get Stallone to direct as they knew how much input he had on the first movie. Stallone’s real skill as a director in Rocky II was that he kept the tone and style of the first film. The continuity from the first film to this is virtually flawless, every tiny detail has been considered.
When that’s placed into the context of a movie made in a pre home video market it’s an element that could easily have fallen away from the sequel but the continuity of the Rocky Balboa family saga is part of the franchise’s appeal. In this era of binge worthy movies and television where every single frame is scrutinised Stallone’s attention to detail would be the envy of any continuity based show today.
Rocky 2’s Ultimate Legacy
Directorially what is achieved overall is a development of the visual language of the first movie. Stallone shapes his storytelling around his cast in ways which are not always obvious but always carry an incredible payoff for the audience.
Yes, you could level the criticism that the franchise takes a soap opera approach to its storytelling but that’s really just a homage to the golden age of Hollywood and it actually feels fresh in an action movie franchise. You don’t see it very much and even when you do the more emotion driven approach doesn’t tend to be dealt with very well.
Rocky II, like Rocky was a massive success, nearly making as much at the box office as the original. it effectively cements the franchise and is as completely engaging as the first with the original cast returning, an awesome score and fantastic direction on Stallone’s part. If you’re of the view that sequels are bad, take a ringside seat and let Rocky II prove you wrong.
What are your favorite memories from Stallone’s Rocky II? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
It’s been 15 years since Smith and Lawrence reprised their roles as Miami PD duo Mike Lowry and Marcus Bennett in Michael Bay’s gloriously chaotic Bad Boys 2.
A smash hit upon release, talks over a potential follow-up have been gestating for much of the past 10 years with various personal concerns and additional projects getting in the way. But now it looks like Bad Boys 3 or, to give it its official name, Bad Boys For Life is finally happening.
‘Bad Boys For Life’
While Smith always looked a certainty to sign-on for another film given the franchise’s enduring popularity, Lawrence was a different story.
The comedian’s last movie role came with Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son with the 53-year-old going back to his roots with a stand-up special in 2016.
Martin Lawrence Whereabouts
Though another film, The Beach Bum starring Matthew McConaughey, is in post-production, fans were still unsure as to whether Lawrence was definitely coming back to play Marcus.
Any concerns have washed away, however, with confirmation from the man himself on social media that he would be back for more.
The Fugitive (1993) Takes On It’s Ultimate Copycat Fugitive X (1996).
It’s a thriller chase showdown between Harrison Ford’sThe Fugitive (1993) and David Heavener’s ultimate copycat knock-off Fugitive X (1996) in another exciting edition of our new UAMC seriesCOPYCATS! (Check out our last episode on Robocop vs Robo Vampire here!) Let’s dive in and find the real ultimate culprit…
Copycats is a bimonthly column about popular action movies and the low-budget films they inspire. Each column, we take a popular action movie and find its cinematic doppelganger, revel in their similarities and dissect their differences. Some of these copycats are good enough (or strange enough) to earn their place in action movie history, but most are being chronicled here to preserve their existence – for better or for worse.
Synopsis of both films: A seemingly normal man finds himself on the wrong side of a massive manhunt
Copycat Comparison
Based on the 1960’s television show, Dr. Richard Kimble (Ford), is wrongfully accused and convicted of killing his wife. After escaping from a prison transfer bus, Kimble is on the run trying to clear his name and avoid capture by a team of U.S. Marshals lead by Deputy Samuel Gerard (Jones). This film was hugely successful at the box office, earning $183 million in its domestic run and nearly $369 million total worldwide. It spawned a 1998 sequel starring Jones and Wesley Snipes and a spoof, Wrongfully Accused, starring Leslie Nielsen – which was not very good.
Fugitive X: Innocent Target was one of the six movies low-budget legend David Heavener helped bring to life in 1996 – writing, directing, producing and starring in this one which features a former cop, Adam Trent (Heavener) being mysteriously hunted down on the streets of Los Angeles. And while it shares more similarities with 1993’s Hard Target (a reinterpretation of the classic Richard Connell short story “The Most Dangerous Game”) it shares its name and several minor thematic elements with The Fugitive.
Both leads had close family members die (Kimble’s wife, obviously, and Trent’s daughter) and both are being hunted. However, in Fugitive X, there isn’t a clear reason why. Trent goes to work on day at the computer firm (wearing a tuxedo because it’s his birthday?) and is tagged by a stripper jumping out of a cake. Remember kids, this was a different time when cake strippers at work were totally acceptable. Now he’s on the run.
Which is better?
Well, this one is kind of tough. You see, The Fugitive was a great movie in 1993, but it would be hard to convince audiences today that Kimble would be found guilty of his wife’s murder. With improvements in 911 technology, surveillance equipment, DNA evidence, cellphone technology, etc. Kimble couldn’t have been realistically charged with this crime today – let alone convicted. No crime, no movie. Fugitive Xon the other hand doesn’t require viewers to believe as much. It’s just a guy, with a gun, being chased by other guys with guns.
And, in a way, while it borrows from The Fugitive, it also borrows heavily from the 1990s action genre. Heavener has a slicked back ponytail (just like Steven Seagal), there’s a girl in a cake (again, just like Seagal in Under Siege), Fugitive Xgets trapped and tortured by a bunch of nutjobs (including action legend Robert Z’Dar) in the backroom of a store (like Pulp Fiction), there’s a fight on a rooftop (like every movie set in a city), and … you see where I’m going with this. Fugitive Xplays like a greatest hits record – for action movies! So, while The Fugitive will always be a better-made movie, time has made Fugitive Xa more watchable one.
Other notes: Good luck finding a version of Fugitive Xto watch. It was never released on DVD, and it’s hard to find a good copy on VHS. I found one version of it (Russian dubbed) on YouTube. But do your best to track it down. It is worth it!
Article by Eric LaRose – a Wisconsin-based connoisseur of action, horror and sci-fi movies from the ‘80s and ‘90s. A former journalist and podcaster, Eric wrote the ending to the Toxic Avenger Part 4, but the only person who will back up that claim is his wife.
What’s your thoughts on the Fugitive (1993) vs. Fugitive X (1996) copycat showdown? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Dennis Hayden chats about his work on Die Hard, Action Jackson, Another 48 Hrs. and more!
Dennis Hayden is an actor of some repute with impressive 50 films roles to his name as well as countless TV and commercial credits.
However, most action movie fans will recognise him as Eddie, the last of Hans Gruber’s henchman to meet his maker in Die Hard and the man who bears a more than passing resemblance to Huey Lewis.
One of Hollywood’s go-to heavies in films like Action Jackson and Another 48 Hrs, Hayden kindly took time out his busy schedule to talk about all things Die Hard, his life, how he got into acting and the moment he came face-to-face with his pop rock doppelganger, Huey Lewis himself.
Early Action Beginnings
UMAC: What made you decide you wanted to be actor?
Dennis: I grew up in Kansas on a pig farm with 3 older brothers and one younger brother, and a little sister with Down syndrome and a very tough Mom. My Dad was an alcoholic who also suffered from PTSD. He fought in WWII under Patton. Of course, back then the military just sent everyone home when the war ended. There was no understanding of PTSD or therapy. So, even though he loved us, he would periodically see demons and lash out at the family. When I was in grade school, play acting and being a class clown helped me to forget about other problems. One day my brother brought home a black and white TV from the dump and made it work. The first show I saw was called the Whirly Birds and my brother Bill told me that actors made good money. I thought,” I do that every day at school, and that’s what I’m going to do when I grow up!”
UMAC: You played football to a high level – was there ever a chance you could have turned pro?
Dennis: Football was also a way for me to channel my youthful anger and get to take hot showers, a real luxury! When I was a freshman, the Principal of Girard High School pulled me off the top of a senior who had picked a fight with me. It turned out that the senior I was beating up was their star fullback. I ended up as All-State tackle and had some scholarship offers. But the Vietnam draft got in the way. I had a low number so I had to report for induction. In the end, the military decided that I fought ‘TOO WELL!” after MP’s had to break up a fight between me and 3 Marine recruits! You’ll have to read my upcoming memoirs for that story.
UMAC: You’ve played a lot of “heavies” down the years – were you ever concerned about being typecast or something you just embraced?
Dennis: I started out playing heavies in my early theater days and moved up to playing lead good guys. When you’re six-foot-four and rugged, they always want to categorize you. I embraced all kinds of acting, Commercials, Television and Film. Back in the seventies and the eighties, a lot of actors would say, ” I’m only a film actor” and others would say ” I’m only a TV actor” and I would say “Pay me and I will be there on time and smiling.”
Die Hard’s Ultimate Legacy
UMAC: What do you put the enduring popularity of Die Hard down to?
Dennis: I credit the popularity to the writers Steven E.de Souza and Jeb Stuart for writing a great script. When I read it for the first time I remember thinking that it was going to be a big hit. Then when I watched the rough cut, I knew it was going to be a block-buster. But what I didn’t know was that it was going to be the number one Christmas movie of all time. And I didn’t know it would be in the National Archives. This film officially is forever and I get to be a big part of it!
UMAC: How did you land the gig play Eddie in Die Hard?
Dennis: I had just finished” Action Jackson” with Carl Weathers. And he had just came off the Rocky movies and Predator had just been released, and now he was starring in his own film.
I got a call from Jackie Burch, the casting agent, to go to Joel Silver, the producer for Die Hard. So I went over to Fox Studios. When I walked in, Jackie handed me a script and said, “You are reading for the part of Eddie.” Joel looked up from his desk and forcefully said,” He doesn’t have to read for me! Dennis is a great actor! He’s one of the stars of Action Jackson. I just wanted you to meet him.” I said,” Thanks, Joel” and left. But I wished he hadn’t been so hard on her. I thought that she would never cast me in another film. I was right.
UMAC: It sounds like a lot of changes and rewrites happened during filming on Die Hard. Did you have any other lines or scenes that ended up getting cut or changed?
Dennis: When I read the original script, I realized that Eddie got killed about half-way through the movie. The movie wasn’t scheduled to start for a month or so. I was down at the Butler building recording studio visiting a friend and I mentioned that with all these movies I’m in that I could use a publicist. My friend mentioned that there was a publicist down the hall. When I was getting ready to leave, I ran in there and asked her what kind of clients she had. She said that she had only done music clients like Herbie Hancock but that she wanted to dabble in that field. I told her that I was looking for a publicist and that I just got cast in a movie called Die Hard. She said that her future brother-in-law was one of the writers. I said,” I get killed about half way through the movie. If you could get Steven E de Souza to make me the last guy John McClane kills, I will hire you as my publicist.” A week or so later she called me and said, “How about the last one McClane shoots, next to the last to get shot?” She became my new publicist, and the rest is history.
By the way Eddie didn’t Die!! He had a steel plate in his head from the war. So, when McClane shot him in the head, it just knocked Eddie out. He got up during all the chaos and stuck to the original plan and stole an emergency vehicle. He eventually made his escape to central America where he is planning to take revenge on McClane in Die Hard 6 or 7.
Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman
UMAC: What was it like to work with Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman?
Dennis: Bruce was great to work with. He was working Moonlighting in the day and then we shot at night. He was really into his work. When he would show up on set he always had this grin on his face like he was thinking of something funny. He was also planning his wedding with Demi Moore. I remember one day we had a delay, and Bruce got up and started doing a comedy act. He had us all in stiches. Alan and I hit it off. He liked my country background. It was his first film. He knew that I came from theater and with that we bonded. I had tons of film under my belt. He had read Joel’s next film Road House, and thought I would be a great heavy in that one. He went to Joel and told him Hayden would be great in that. Joel even brought Swayze out to the set to meet me. He didn’t know that we had known one another for years. But when the Director put us in the room together I was so much bigger than Patrick. The director said,” No way. ”
Alan and I stayed in touch and we actually made efforts to be in one another’s films. But the timing never worked out. Awesome guy.
UMAC: Did you get a sense Bruce Willis was destined for big things?
Dennis: Yes, I did. He was hilarious in Moonlighting. I saw him in Blind Date and he was awesome in that one. I tell people if you want to see a funny movie check out Blind Date.
UMAC: What was your favourite scene to film in the movie and why?
Dennis: There’s one with Reginald Veljohnson. We had just come back from lunch, which was midnight. Everyone was waiting on Joel when John McTiernan, the director said,” Let’s just shoot one for rehearsal while we’re waiting on Joel.” So, Reginald and I started at the front door and walked and talked and did the whole scene. When we got done John said,” Cut! That’s perfect.” When Joel got there, John showed him the scene on the Playback monitor. Joel said,” Next! We are moving on.” It was the only one-take scene in the whole movie.
UMAC: What was the atmosphere like on set during filming?
Dennis: There were a couple of egos at first. I kept reminding them how lucky they were to be in such a great film. The egos eventually left, and we all had a blast for the next 3 months. I still keep in touch with Al Leong and Hans Buhringer. A few of the guys have moved on to” Die Hard Heaven,”… Gary Roberts, Alan Rickman, Wilhelm von Homburg, Paul Gleason.
Action Movie Acting 101
UMAC: Actors have been known to develop their own backstories for their characters. Did you do that for Eddie?
Dennis: I go back to the author and try to read his intent and that has always paid off for me. Nick Nolte is an old friend. When we worked the same theater, he would get intense on back story. I always believed in knowing your stuff inside and out. That’s what makes good acting
UMAC: There’s a sense of military efficiency about Hans Gruber’s gang. Was that something that just came naturally, or did you guys have to do a bit of team bonding on set and beyond?
Dennis: Joel hired one of the top military trainers. We had two weeks of military training to learn weaponry. I was a natural at it so the trainer and I bonded before the movie started. I had a great time going into buildings and shooting pop-up targets. I could do a somersault while loading my Uzi and bounce up with a full mag, ready for the next target. Reminded me of playing as a kid. When we finished, the trainer told me that he had trained every bad ass on the planet, but that I was the best. I didn’t know what to say, so I said it’s because I had you as a trainer. Then he said, “But you did it in cowboy boots! And if you ever want to do this for real, I can get you work tomorrow!” I said,” No man, I’m just an actor!”
UMAC: Eddie survives longer than most of the henchman in the movie – do you take a strange sense of pride from that? I would.
Dennis: Yes, I take pride in that. Like I said in an earlier question, getting the script change was quite an accomplishment!
UMAC: You’re eventually killed with a bullet to the head – was that a tricky shot to get right?
Dennis: When we set up the shot, a guy had a blow gun with a wax ball in it with red dye. But the guy had PTSD, so when Bruce would pull his gun and shoot, he would jump. He shot me in the eye once and other spots on my face. Each time I would have to hit that hard tile floor and then we would have to clean me up, and re-tape the gun to Bruce’s back, and start over. This went on for 15 or 16 takes. Finally, Joel came over and said, ” We’ll have to do this another time with a different blow gun person.” So, a couple weeks later we re-shot it all again. After 5 or 6 times they got the shot that they liked and we moved on. A few years ago, in the two-disc DVD they included all those head shot takes. You can watch them with or without music.
UAMC Great John McTiernan
UMAC: What was John McTiernan like as a director?
Dennis: John was great. After I did my one-take scene with Reginald, I could do no wrong with John. I ran into him at the screening of “Another 48 Hours” and he came over and we talked for awhile. It was a star-studded night, and I remember his new wife, at the time, came walking over and said, “Why are you hanging out with him? There are stars to rub elbows with!” and drag him off to hang with the A list.
UMAC: How often do Die Hard fans recognise you? Does it bother you at all or do you like it?
Dennis: Sure, I like it. Being recognized for your art is always nice. When the movie came out I flew back to Kansas and went to the Veterans hospital and convinced the night nurse to let me take my Dad out to see it. He had fallen off the wagon pretty bad after my Mom passed with Cancer. I had never been to a movie with my Dad. When it was over and we were walking out, he said, “That was quite the adventure.” Then someone said,” Look that’s the guy in the movie,” and they all wanted autographs. I remember my Dad looking at me with pride. It’s one of my fondest memories.
UMAC: And what about those Huey Lewis comparisons? When did you become aware of the Huey Lewis thing? Have you ever met him?
Dennis: A long time ago I was singing back up on Tanya Tucker’s album, TNT. Several people told me that there was a band down the hall called,” Clover” and that the lead singer looked like me. I thought to myself,” Sure, I hear that all the time.” Later, I was in the bathroom and this guy came walking in and I had to do a double take. He was a shorter version of me. We both laughed and introduced ourselves and went back to our studios. Years later, Huey had a hit album with his new band. People started coming up to me wanting my autograph. I would say, “Who do you think I am?” If they said,” Huey Lewis,” I would either say, “Sorry wrong guy,” or just sign “Huey” so they would leave me alone!
Then I started doing quite a few hit films and commercials and TV and making my own name. And then when ” Die Hard” came out, all of a sudden, I was the guy who looks like Huey Lewis. One of the major newspapers even said,” Huey was great in Die Hard.” I tried to move up and get a bigger Agent, but they kept saying,” that’s not you it’s Huey Lewis.” This was before the internet and IMDB, and it hadn’t been released on VHS, so I couldn’t show them.
And then years later, after Die Hard became one of the top Christmas movies, Seth MacFarlane does a Die Hard parody on the Cleveland Show. They used my character from Die Hard and called him, “the guy who looks like Huey Lewis.” Then to further rub it in, they hired Huey Lewis to do the Voice-over on my character. So, every Christmas, Huey gets royalty checks and I get nothing.
Action Jackson and Another 48 Hrs.
UMAC: You were also in Action Jackson with Carl Weathers. That film was a lot of fun. Why do you think it isn’t as fondly remembered by fans?
Dennis: It just needed a Christmas theme! LOL! It’s still pretty popular. I get asked about it all the time. The director, Craig Baxley was the best to work with. Had a blast on that film. ” How do you like your ribs?” LOL
UMAC: And then there’s Another 48 Hours – was that a fun film to make? Eddie Murphy must have been making a lot of jokes on set.
Dennis: My good friend Andrew Divoff, the lead bad guy, says “hey Dennis, Walter Hill is doing a big action picture and you should see if there are any parts left.” So, I went over to Paramount Studios and walked in. That was back when you could walk in a studio. I found Walter’s office and walked in and said, “Do you remember me? I met you with Nick Nolte.” He said “yes, but. it’s been cast”. So, I thanked him and left my pic and resume. About two weeks later he called and said, “I wrote you a part, but don’t tell Nick, I want it to be a surprise.” It turned out awesome. We had a blast! Eddie was hilarious. Every time he sees me, he just points at me and laughs and says, “Hayden!”
UMAC: Actors like yourself tend to audition for a lot of roles. Are there any notable parts in major movies you came close to getting?
Dennis: When I was doing Action Jackson, the Producer Joel Silver says to me, “Where were you when I was casting Predator?” I said “in your office reading for it, and you gave the part to a wrestler, Jesse Ventura.” He didn’t know how to respond to that.
UMAC: If you could change anything from your Die Hard experience, what would it be and why?
Dennis: I think I did all I could do at the time. I got my role expanded, that was a biggie.
The Latest from the Great Dennis Hayden
UMAC: What else are you up to up the moment? A lot of people will have seen you in those Old Spice ads.
Dennis: I’m just takin it easy. I got a little ranch in the country and I still keep in touch with a few directors. We shall see what the future will bring. Working on a book and a couple of screenplays.
Rico Verhoeven Might be the New Dutch Jean Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Van Damme could be facing serious competition from a rising star looking to steal his mantle as Europe’s go-to guy for high-kicking, high-octane action thrills. His name is Rico Verhoeven and he’s a 29-year-old Dutch kickboxing champion currently ranked no.1 in the world heavyweight division.
More importantly, he’s just signed on to front his very own action movie and it’s a project that sounds like something straight out of the JCVD playbook.
Meet Rico Verhoeven
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Verhoeven is set to star in The Black Lotus, an action-adventure inspired by revenge thrillers like Man on Wireand Taken.
Verhoeven is playing an ex-military operative on a revenge mission to save the women he loves from the clutches of some nefarious bad guys who really should know better. The film represents the Dutchman’s feature film lead debut. He’s signed on to produce the film alongside Tom de Mol and Marcel Block.
Writers and directors have yet to be recruited to the project, with shooting scheduled to take place in Amsterdam, London, Poland, and Sofia next year.
The Black Lotus
“I’m thrilled to play my first leading role in an international action movie,” Verhoeven told THR.
“This new adventure is a big challenge for me, and I am excited to get the opportunity to pursue this dream.
“Similar to my fights, I will go all the way preparing for this and be extremely focused to deliver a top performance. I can’t wait to make a super entertaining film for all of my fans around the world.”
Both in Kickboxer: Retaliation
Interestingly Verhoeven has already crossed paths with the Muscles from Brussels on the big screen having appeared alongside Van Damme in Kickboxer: Retaliation.
Now he’s preparing to go out on his own and will be hoping to emulate the success of his hero.
What are your expectations for Rico Verhoeven as a potential new Van Damme? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
The Original Rocky changed action movies forever, and launched one of the most ultimate careers of all time!
We all know Rocky (1976). A film that on a micro budget, even for the time, that became a massive smash. A movie which in its decades long history has created a critical legacy which very few films enjoy, especially in today’s culture where film critics make the mistake of thinking the job means spreading undisciplined criticism around the internet. It is a movie which is referenced in pop culture time and again.
Let’s take a look back at some of the less discussed areas of Rocky and challenge some of the pre-conceptions that the popular imagination has created about the movie.
This multiple Oscar winner is deemed so important that the American government have included it in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”. Rocky launched Sylvester Stallone into movie stardom and indeed the Rocky franchise which is still rolling on with the highly anticipated spin off Creed 2(2018.)
This rags to riches story is considered by the American Film Institute to be the greatest sports film of all time, its legacy is massive. We here at the Ultimate Action Movie Club often talk, sometimes in not the most serious way about action movies which are considered ultimate but Rocky really is, objectively, an Ultimate Action Movie.
Sylvester Stallone: Rocky Writing Genius
It’s such an oversite by most critics that Stallone is not remembered with more respect as a screenwriter. It is after all the case that for Rocky his talents as both actor and writer were recognised by the academy. In the history of the Oscars that had happened only twice before with Orson Welles and Charlie Chaplin. When you consider the pedigree of that statement it really is the case that Stallone as a writer is absolutely overlooked.
Rocky’s script is one which is full of humour, wit, dramatic pathos, knowledgeable understanding of the sweet science of boxing, faith, companionship and other elements of the human condition.
Rocky, a Movie for 2018
Two of the most interesting elements of Rocky are that the movie deals quite prominently with the themes of isolation and loneliness and the frustration and internal suffering that it brings. The most revolutionary thing about this is that Rocky is a film effectively about men, marketed for a male demographic made in the 1970s. All of the male characters in the movie are grasping for some sort of connection or betterment out of the motivation to stop their isolation in some way, shape or form. This is brilliantly mirrored by the movies setting of a run down Philadelphia that perfectly echoes the themes at play.
Rocky deals with these themes with understanding and compassion, both in the script and in the casts performances. Watching the movie back it reflects what’s going on in the world of men’s mental health today and is a stark warning of the dangers of the very real threat of isolation within contemporary society.
Rocky deals with these themes in a much more mature and plausible way than Taxi Driver (1976). In fact there are few action films that have ever achieved such important observations that reflect on its audience.
Feel The Rocky Fight
Rocky should also absolutely be credited for the climax of its 3rd act. The documentary style of the fight between Balboa and Creed is still fresh and original. The audience genuinely feels like it’s watching a live boxing match that’s being televised. As has been written about recently on the Ultimate Action Movie Club the physical commitment of both Stallone and Carl Weathers is still incredibly impressive and smooth. Cinematography created by steadicam technology, which was brand new at the time, gives the viewer, ring side seats as every blow of the action takes place.
One of the interesting paradoxes of Rocky as a movie is that it’s a classic action movie which doesn’t really contain that much action. It’s a bold move on the films behalf that it keeps the audience waiting till the last act for the action to occur. It would still be a huge gamble in Hollywood now to forsake the formula of a script containing an action beat roughly every 20 pages.
Rocky is a movie which takes creative risks that are seldom seen in action movies and its legacy is absolutely massive as we will explore over the next few articles. it rejuvenated a kind of storytelling which had really not been witnessed since the golden age of men’s pulp adventure magazines. It’s a movie which has shaped moviemaking and demonstrates the importance of a good script and a strong cast of actors in a action movie. There is a credible case that Rocky could be seen as the father of the contemporary action movie.
What are your thoughts (or favorite scenes) from the original Rocky? Let us know in the comments!
Parole Violators is must-watch direct to video ultimate-ness!
Parole Violators is a low budget DTV action flick from 1994 starring stuntman Sean Donahue, and is directed by his father Patrick, also a stuntman. In it, Sean plays Miles Long (No Joke!), a former cop turned Vigilante/Host of the TV show “The Parole Violators“, which follows recently paroled criminals who are about to commit crimes, or… violate their parole. When he learns of the recent release of gangbanger/pedophile/rapist Chino (because he couldn’t just be a gangbanger), he becomes furious. And when Chino kidnaps the young daughter of his cop “Girlfriend” Tracy (I’ll explain in a min), they team up to take him down for good.
If I could ask the director one question, and one question only, it would be… “Do you hate your son?” Like seriously, the amount of stuff he puts his son through throughout the movie has me wondering if he even likes him at all. Falls, beatings, car crashes, etc… Name it. He makes his kid do it all. And I know Sean is probably a capable enough stuntman, and was more than willing, but jeez… There’s filmmaking, and there’s abuse. And this film greatly blurs the line between both.
UAMC Stuntman Sean Donahue
Now, let’s talk about the recipient of all the abuse, Sean Donahue. A stuntman with 40 credits to his filmography, including stunt work on such illustrious low budget films as Firepower with Chad McQueen and Gary Daniels, Hitman’s Run with Eric Roberts, and Class of Nuke ‘Em High II: Subhumanoid Meltdown, just to name a few, Donahue also starred in a few films prior to Parole Violators, such as Roughcut with the late, great Richard Lynch, Fighting Spirit with Loren Avedon, and Blood Hands. So he wasn’t new to acting. I haven’t seen any of those… yet, but watching Parole Violators, it’s easy to see why he never caught on as an action hero and went on to bigger budgeted movies.
Honestly, I think it’s because the guy just looks like the farthest thing of what you would consider an action hero to look like. Seriously. He has the looks of a confused Parker Stevenson, the body of a buff Martin Short, and the wardrobe of a homeless Jerry Seinfeld. He looks more at home playing Onlooker #2 during a fight scene in a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie. But here he is. Playing the hero. Miles Long. All 3 foot 2 inches of him. A pint sized hero who gets the living poop beat out of him all movie. No lie, this guy gets beat up so often Moe Howard rose from the dead to offer him the part of “Larry Joe” in a new Three Stooges short. I’m telling you, when it comes to taking a beating, Sean Donahue makes Bruce Campbell look like Donald Sutherland as “The Clumsy Waiter” in “That’s Armageddon“.
For real. And all the stunts during the action sequences look like those wannabe “Jackass” videos where one kid dares his buddy to do something really painful and stupid, just recorded with shittier cameras. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of the stunts were accomplished by yelling at Sean Donahue “Just do it! Stop being a wuss!” Insane, I tell you. Insane. Often more than once, Miles gets thrown off a mountain, run over, shot, falls through a tree, falls off a roof, thrown out a window, and beat up 242 times.
Tracy and the Rest of the Cast
And his “girlfriend” Tracy is no better. I keep putting quotation marks around girlfriend because I’m still not sure of their relationship. Do they love each other? Do they hate each other?, etc… I guess they were going for that witty banter between antagonistic lovers that you found in something like Romancing the Stone or Moonlighting but plays more like a crappy and more annoying action movie version of The War of the Roses.
But yeah, she gets the hell kicked out of her too. Not as badly as he does, but she gets a pretty close second place. It gets to the point where you even start to feel bad. I wanted to jump through the screen and yell “LEAVE HER ALONE!” Poor Tracy. She gets beat up so bad, she makes Ronda Rousey feel better about her last UFC fight.
And their acting is sooo laughably horrendous. Especially Tracy. She makes Anna Nicole Smith in Skyscraper (which you can read our UAMC review of here!) look like Meryl Streep in Silkwood… Damn. How many references is that? I watch entirely too many movies. Anyways, back to what I was saying. Her acting is so atrocious, I’d be surprised if she got any work after this…
B-Movie Dialogue, duh
And the acting is made even worse by the terrible dialogue. *SPOILER ALERT* For example, she kills a henchwoman by shoving her head into a protruding nail and responds with the pun: “I hope you had your tetanus shot, bitch!” Wait a min, what? “I hope you had your tetanus shot, bitch!”?? No “Nailed you, bitch!”?? It was an perfect set up! And you go with that?? Freaking amateur hour. Arnold Schwarzenegger is sitting somewhere shaking his head at your missed opportunity as he comes up with 8 different puns that could’ve been used.
And the action. Oh boy. Just a lot of your standard fist fights, 15 mph car chases, and bottomless clip shootouts. Difference here is these scenes go on FOOOOREVER! Every sequence feels at least 10 mins long. It gets to the point of being borderline overbearing. Imagine a 10 min long action sequence with boring cinematography and average choreography. Now imagine getting sequences like that over and over again throughout the course of this movie’s 87 min running time. Sounds excruciating, right?
Ultimate Action Glory!
But you know something? Even after everything I just said… I. LOVED. THE HELL. OUTTA THIS MOVIE! I had a grand old time watching this crap. I laughed so hard and heartily during this movie. The climax alone had me in tears. It was beautiful. The terrible dialogue. The awful acting. The painful stunts. It all made for such a rewarding experience. When this was done, I immediately wanted to watch it again. That’s how much fun I had. I think I even had a better time watching this than the new Mission Impossible movie, and that movie’s beyond awesome!
I think what I loved about this movie most though is the heart that went into it. The “We tried our best” aura that hangs all over the proceedings. And I respect that. Their best was awful, but I respect it. I mean it. When the credits started rolling, and a 90’s freestyle song started playing, I clapped. I clapped with the biggest kool-aid smile I could muster. It’s not everyday you get to see Good Bad movies as Good Bad as Parole Violators.
So if you’re into that, order a pizza, grab some booze, hunker down and have a ball. It’s the least you can do for all the bodily harm Sean Donahue endured to make this. All the multiple contusions, various abrasions, broken bones and…
Have you seen Parole Violators? Do you want to see it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page!
