Things were going badly on Saturday Night Live‘s 1980-1981 season, even before producer Jean Doumanian realized than the January 10, 1981 episode was headed towards disaster.
The previous season had seen the departure of Lorne Michaels and the entire cast, including founders Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, and Laraine Newman, as well as Bill Murray and Harry Shearer. Doumanian had tried to pitch her incoming group of comedians as the next generation for the hit series, but the performers quickly gained reputations as also-rans. Charlie Rocket was a less funny Chevy Chase, Gail Matthius an off-brand Jane Curtin, and so on.
But on that Jan. 10, 1981 episode, hosted by actor Ray Sharkey, things were going particularly badly. The skits went faster than anticipated and the show had five extra minutes to fill. So in an act of desperation, Doumanian followed the advice of writer Neil Levy and pushed 19-year-old featured player...
The previous season had seen the departure of Lorne Michaels and the entire cast, including founders Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, and Laraine Newman, as well as Bill Murray and Harry Shearer. Doumanian had tried to pitch her incoming group of comedians as the next generation for the hit series, but the performers quickly gained reputations as also-rans. Charlie Rocket was a less funny Chevy Chase, Gail Matthius an off-brand Jane Curtin, and so on.
But on that Jan. 10, 1981 episode, hosted by actor Ray Sharkey, things were going particularly badly. The skits went faster than anticipated and the show had five extra minutes to fill. So in an act of desperation, Doumanian followed the advice of writer Neil Levy and pushed 19-year-old featured player...
- 3/20/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
In 1989, the movie Best of the Best had a somewhat abbreviated run in theaters. Only grossing a mere $1.7 million, the movie was a major hit on home video and cable. That’s why, three years later, a sequel, Best of the Best 2, hit theaters… for a while. While the first film has maintained a certain cult status, the sequel, and the two more that followed, have been largely forgotten – until now on this edition of The Best Movie You Never Saw.
Best of the Best 2 came from the same creative team behind the original, including director Robert Radler and producer/ star Phillip Rhee. Intriguingly, it was co-written by a TV actor of the time named John Allen Nelson, who starred on Baywatch for a few seasons, played Paul The Wine Guy on Friends, and has shown up as a guest actor on most of the biggest shows on TV.
Best of the Best 2 came from the same creative team behind the original, including director Robert Radler and producer/ star Phillip Rhee. Intriguingly, it was co-written by a TV actor of the time named John Allen Nelson, who starred on Baywatch for a few seasons, played Paul The Wine Guy on Friends, and has shown up as a guest actor on most of the biggest shows on TV.
- 2/11/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Last year, Amazon closed an $8.5 billion acquisition of the film studio MGM, giving them ownership of the studio’s thousands of films and TV shows. Earlier this year, we heard that Poltergeist was one of the six MGM properties Amazon was most interested in doing something with… and now Variety has discovered that a Poltergeist TV series is in early development at Amazon MGM Studios! There are no plot details to share at this time, but Variety has been told “the show will be set within the world of the film”.
Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey are set to executive produce the series for Amblin Television.
Tobe Hooper, who had previously made The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Eaten Alive, Salem’s Lot, and The Funhouse, directed Poltergeist from a screenplay Steven Spielberg wrote with Michael Grais and Mark Victor. Spielberg also crafted the initial story. The film has the following synopsis: Strange...
Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey are set to executive produce the series for Amblin Television.
Tobe Hooper, who had previously made The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Eaten Alive, Salem’s Lot, and The Funhouse, directed Poltergeist from a screenplay Steven Spielberg wrote with Michael Grais and Mark Victor. Spielberg also crafted the initial story. The film has the following synopsis: Strange...
- 10/30/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
20th Century Studios deserves recognition for listening to fan demand, as not only has Prey received a physical media release — virtually unheard of for a Hulu original — but it’s an impressive one. Not only does it carry exclusive extras, but there are 4K Uhd and Steelbook options to boot. (Hopefully we can convince them to do Hellraiser next!)
An audio commentary with writer-director Dan Trachtenberg, star Amber Midthunder, director of photography Jeff Cutter, and editor Angela M. Catanzaro is included alongside a making-of featurette, a FYC panel with cast and crew, and more.
Here are eight things I learned from the Prey commentary…
1. The Predator originally infiltrated the 20th Century Studios logo.
The 20th Century Studios opening title card originally featured Predator’s laser target and the logo went invisible like the creature’s cloaking mechanism as the fanfare dropped out.
“We fought for it, and then they gave it to us,...
An audio commentary with writer-director Dan Trachtenberg, star Amber Midthunder, director of photography Jeff Cutter, and editor Angela M. Catanzaro is included alongside a making-of featurette, a FYC panel with cast and crew, and more.
Here are eight things I learned from the Prey commentary…
1. The Predator originally infiltrated the 20th Century Studios logo.
The 20th Century Studios opening title card originally featured Predator’s laser target and the logo went invisible like the creature’s cloaking mechanism as the fanfare dropped out.
“We fought for it, and then they gave it to us,...
- 10/10/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
How much sympathy do average working people have for Hollywood actors? Not much, I suspect. Fancy trailers, high-end catering, and eye-watering salaries are not the hallmarks of a tough gig. However, it's not all luxury and dollar signs, especially in the extravagant science fiction genre. On-set accidents have injured performers such as Charlize Theron, who was nearly paralyzed while making "Æon Flux," and Carrie-Ann Moss, whose botched cartwheel in "The Matrix" caused a nasty ankle injury
Such incidents remind us of why stunt people are needed to protect a production's cast and crew from accidents and injuries. But what about the threat of illness? Who is responsible for that and what danger does it pose to a multi-million dollar project with a tight schedule and a tighter budget? Well, a lesser danger than injury, it seems, but there is still a precedent for actorly illnesses -- and the causes range...
Such incidents remind us of why stunt people are needed to protect a production's cast and crew from accidents and injuries. But what about the threat of illness? Who is responsible for that and what danger does it pose to a multi-million dollar project with a tight schedule and a tighter budget? Well, a lesser danger than injury, it seems, but there is still a precedent for actorly illnesses -- and the causes range...
- 3/25/2023
- by Jack Hawkins
- Slash Film
"Batman & Robin" has been derided enough at this point. We all know it's not a fondly-remembered Batman movie, let alone a comic book adaptation. Which is why it's strange to think that before director Joel Schumacher unveiled his infamously disappointing follow-up to 1995's "Batman Forever," there couldn't have been more excitement surrounding the project.
Once "Batman Forever" proved a huge hit, everyone wanted in on Schumacher's sequel — from actors angling for parts to company CEOs demanding their products be featured. As the director explained in a making-of-featurette:
"It was the opposite from 'Batman Forever' when we had to go around and convince everybody to come along with us, we were going to make a Batman movie. This was, 'How can we stop everybody?' It was everybody and their mother wanted to have their franchise in the movie and be part of it."
Schumacher went on to say that whereas,...
Once "Batman Forever" proved a huge hit, everyone wanted in on Schumacher's sequel — from actors angling for parts to company CEOs demanding their products be featured. As the director explained in a making-of-featurette:
"It was the opposite from 'Batman Forever' when we had to go around and convince everybody to come along with us, we were going to make a Batman movie. This was, 'How can we stop everybody?' It was everybody and their mother wanted to have their franchise in the movie and be part of it."
Schumacher went on to say that whereas,...
- 2/25/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
The action movies of the '80s were dominated by Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who developed an intense rivalry going back as far as the Golden Globes in 1977. The two actors found themselves seated at the same table and Arnie, the up-and-coming star who had already bagged an award for his role in "Stay Hungry," openly gloated as Sly's "Rocky" kept missing out on the big prizes. When Stallone's underdog tale finally came out of the envelope for Best Picture, he responded by throwing a bowl of flowers at the ungracious upstart.
Almost a decade later, the "Rocky" franchise unwittingly contributed to Schwarzenegger taking over for Stallone as Hollywood's biggest action hero. The story goes that, after "Rocky IV," a joke spread that the next logical step for the Italian Stallion would be for him to fight a visitor from outer space. That germ of an idea became the screenplay for "Predator,...
Almost a decade later, the "Rocky" franchise unwittingly contributed to Schwarzenegger taking over for Stallone as Hollywood's biggest action hero. The story goes that, after "Rocky IV," a joke spread that the next logical step for the Italian Stallion would be for him to fight a visitor from outer space. That germ of an idea became the screenplay for "Predator,...
- 2/19/2023
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
In 1987, a hyper-advanced alien species known as the “Yautja” descended upon an elite military squad in Guatemala. Thanks to its memorable performances, quotable dialogue and inventive action set pieces, “Predator” became an American action movie staple. The film has spawned four sequels, including the new Hulu film “Prey,” and two spinoffs. Yet, the mega franchise all started with a piece of paper underneath a door.
“The Thomas brothers snuck the script onto the Fox lot and under somebody’s door,” says John Davis, who has produced all seven “Predator” movies. “We got there on Monday, and there was this script. I was an executive at the time, and I had been working with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was a really good friend of mine. We were always both trying to figure out how we could work together. And so I’m the executive on this movie at Fox, and what happened is I became a producer.
“The Thomas brothers snuck the script onto the Fox lot and under somebody’s door,” says John Davis, who has produced all seven “Predator” movies. “We got there on Monday, and there was this script. I was an executive at the time, and I had been working with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was a really good friend of mine. We were always both trying to figure out how we could work together. And so I’m the executive on this movie at Fox, and what happened is I became a producer.
- 8/15/2022
- by Carson Burton
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
In 1987, Dan Trachtenberg was too young to see John McTiernan’s R-rated Predator, but the older kids in his karate tournament carpool insisted on telling him the whole movie anyway. And at the time, Trachtenberg distinctly remembers a story involving Sonny Landham’s half-Sioux tracker, Billy Sole, who died in a dramatic fight with the Predator. The only problem is that no such scene exists, something Trachtenberg would later figure out. Billy does decide to face the creature head on, but the scene cuts away, leaving the audience with only his blood-curdling scream to infer death.
Oddly enough, rumors have persisted for years that Billy Sole’s full death scene was included in rare VHS releases or TV edits, but there is no concrete evidence to support that such a scene is anything but a myth. Thankfully, a mere rumor led to something very real 35 years later.
In 1987, Dan Trachtenberg was too young to see John McTiernan’s R-rated Predator, but the older kids in his karate tournament carpool insisted on telling him the whole movie anyway. And at the time, Trachtenberg distinctly remembers a story involving Sonny Landham’s half-Sioux tracker, Billy Sole, who died in a dramatic fight with the Predator. The only problem is that no such scene exists, something Trachtenberg would later figure out. Billy does decide to face the creature head on, but the scene cuts away, leaving the audience with only his blood-curdling scream to infer death.
Oddly enough, rumors have persisted for years that Billy Sole’s full death scene was included in rare VHS releases or TV edits, but there is no concrete evidence to support that such a scene is anything but a myth. Thankfully, a mere rumor led to something very real 35 years later.
- 8/9/2022
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With its dude-heavy cast that includes Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Sonny Landham and Jesse "The Body" Ventura, you might not be surprised to learn that the set of John McTiernan's sci-fi/action classic "Predator" was a daily test of macho mettle. The boys went for daily five-mile runs and hit Schwarzenegger's private weight room (which the former Mr. Universe had transported from Los Angeles) for daily workouts that, according to Weathers, apparently descended into muscle-measuring contests.
There was no let-up, especially for the "Predator" star, who felt he had to maintain his Alpha-Dog dominance over his co-stars. However, this prideful drive...
The post Predator Star Arnold Schwarzenegger Pooped His Pants While Working Out Before Filming appeared first on /Film.
There was no let-up, especially for the "Predator" star, who felt he had to maintain his Alpha-Dog dominance over his co-stars. However, this prideful drive...
The post Predator Star Arnold Schwarzenegger Pooped His Pants While Working Out Before Filming appeared first on /Film.
- 6/27/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
What would it take to overpower the world’s toughest special forces soldiers? A hunter from out of this world, of course.
That’s the spark that ignited Predator (1987), one of the all-time great sci-fi action adventures. Released 35 years ago today, the film’s legacy is now secure: it has spawned three direct sequels and an upcoming prequel, plus two Alien Vs. Predator spin-off movies, along with a variety of comic book series, extremely cool action figures, and assorted other merchandise unusual for a gritty R-rated picture. Naturally we at Tfh felt it was high time to reflect on the original classic.
Cigar-chomping Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger at his most ‘roided-out) and his crew of military mercenaries are recruited by his former Vietnam War comrade Al Dillon (Carl Weathers), now a CIA agent, to purportedly save foreign government officials, taken hostage by a team of guerrilla revolutionaries in a Central American jungle.
That’s the spark that ignited Predator (1987), one of the all-time great sci-fi action adventures. Released 35 years ago today, the film’s legacy is now secure: it has spawned three direct sequels and an upcoming prequel, plus two Alien Vs. Predator spin-off movies, along with a variety of comic book series, extremely cool action figures, and assorted other merchandise unusual for a gritty R-rated picture. Naturally we at Tfh felt it was high time to reflect on the original classic.
Cigar-chomping Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger at his most ‘roided-out) and his crew of military mercenaries are recruited by his former Vietnam War comrade Al Dillon (Carl Weathers), now a CIA agent, to purportedly save foreign government officials, taken hostage by a team of guerrilla revolutionaries in a Central American jungle.
- 6/12/2022
- by Alex Kirschenbaum
- Trailers from Hell
Among the many memorable moments in "Predator" is the titular alien hunter's showdown with the Native American tracker Billy Sole (Sonny Landham). By this point, director John McTiernan's 1987 movie has seamlessly evolved from another Reagan-era exercise in machismo and jingoism to a sweat-soaked slasher, with Arnold Schwarzenegger as "Dutch" emerging as the Final Girl. In an effort to give the rest of his team time to escape, Billy stays behind to confront the Predator atop a fallen tree trunk hanging over a deep ravine. He even removes his protective vest and slashes his chest with his knife for good measure.
This ... does...
The post The Predator Scene That Inspired Prey Wasn't Even in the Original Movie appeared first on /Film.
This ... does...
The post The Predator Scene That Inspired Prey Wasn't Even in the Original Movie appeared first on /Film.
- 6/10/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of 1987's action alien flick, 20th Century Fox and Park Circus have released a new trailer for John McTiernan's Predator. The action classic is even making a return to theaters in the UK.
Back in 1987, Predator opened #1 at the box office in the middle of June. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his many iconic roles, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves, and, yes, even Shane Black.
Fox has not announced any plans for a Us re-release yet. Predator will return to UK cinemas this November. Hopefully, the Us gets a 30th-anniversary re-release!
Here's the new UK trailer for the 30th anniversary of John McTiernan's Predator, from YouTube:
And if you need even more convincing of why Predator is such an awesome action classic. Take a look at this little tribute video I made a long...
Back in 1987, Predator opened #1 at the box office in the middle of June. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his many iconic roles, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves, and, yes, even Shane Black.
Fox has not announced any plans for a Us re-release yet. Predator will return to UK cinemas this November. Hopefully, the Us gets a 30th-anniversary re-release!
Here's the new UK trailer for the 30th anniversary of John McTiernan's Predator, from YouTube:
And if you need even more convincing of why Predator is such an awesome action classic. Take a look at this little tribute video I made a long...
- 10/2/2017
- by Kristian Odland
- GeekTyrant
"It came for the thrill of the hunt. It picked the wrong man to hunt." While we wait for Shane Black's new The Predator, set to hit theaters in 2018, we can all revisit the original. 20th Century Fox and Park Circus have released a new trailer for the 30th anniversary of John McTiernan's Predator, returning to theaters (in the UK) this November. The action classic was first released in 1987 and actually opened #1 at the box office in the middle of June, earning a total of $59.7 million during its Us theatrical run. Predator starred Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his early iconic roles, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves, and, yes, even Shane Black. I wish this was a 4K restored re-release, but I don't think it is. Still, it's still awesome to see this film returning to theaters again. Here's the new...
- 10/1/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Fans of actor Sonny Landham were sad at his recent passing at age 76. The Native American actor is well known for playing the role of Billy Sole in the film “Predator” (1987). He also joined Arnold Schwarzenegger as he played the part of Billy Bear in “48 Hours.” The beloved Cherokee and Seminole actor also appeared in “Firewalker,” “The Warriors” and “Poltergeist.” He did not limit himself to one career. He also ran for a political office in the state of Kentucky and was a professional stuntman. In his earlier years as an actor, he starred in a number
Our Five Favorite Sonny Landham Movie Moments...
Our Five Favorite Sonny Landham Movie Moments...
- 8/21/2017
- by Dana Hanson-Firestone
- TVovermind.com
Best known for starring in the original Predator film, actor Sonny Landham has passed away at 76.
- 8/19/2017
- cinemablend.com
He had a strength on screen that was both palpable and genuine, and although his memorable screen presence will live on forever, it is with great sadness that we share the news that actor Sonny Landham has passed away at the age of 76.
According to the Associated Press, Landham passed away from congestive heart failure on August 17th at a hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. Landham's sister, Dawn Boehler, confirmed the sad news.
An actor and stunt man, Landham is perhaps best known for his role as Billy, one of the commandos who goes up against a vicious alien hunter in the seminal sci-fi action film Predator.
Landham also had roles in several movies that have gone on to become only more beloved with the passing of time, including The Warriors, 48 Hrs., Poltergeist, and Southern Comfort. Landham also worked behind the camera, directing 1996's Billy Lone Bear, in which he also starred.
According to the Associated Press, Landham passed away from congestive heart failure on August 17th at a hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. Landham's sister, Dawn Boehler, confirmed the sad news.
An actor and stunt man, Landham is perhaps best known for his role as Billy, one of the commandos who goes up against a vicious alien hunter in the seminal sci-fi action film Predator.
Landham also had roles in several movies that have gone on to become only more beloved with the passing of time, including The Warriors, 48 Hrs., Poltergeist, and Southern Comfort. Landham also worked behind the camera, directing 1996's Billy Lone Bear, in which he also starred.
- 8/19/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Very sad news as actor Sonny Landham has passed away at age 76 from congestive heart failure. The Predator star also appeared in films such as The Warriors, Poltergeist, 48 Hrs., Best of the Best II, and Firewalker, amongst others.… Continue Reading →
The post Rest in Peace: Sonny Landham appeared first on Dread Central.
The post Rest in Peace: Sonny Landham appeared first on Dread Central.
- 8/19/2017
- by Jonathan Barkan
- DreadCentral.com
Sonny Landham, the film actor and stuntman known for his role as a Native American tracker in the 1987 film Predator, died Thursday of congestive heart failure at a Kentucky hospital, his sister Dawn Boehler tells the Associated Press. He was 76. Landham began his career in the movie business in the 1970s in several X-rated films before segueing into mainstream features. One of his first roles was as a subway policeman in Walter Hill’s 1979 thriller The Warriors. Hill…...
- 8/18/2017
- Deadline
Sonny Landham, the muscular action-movie actor who co-starred in Predator and 48 Hrs., has died. He was 76.
Landham's sister, Dawn Boehler, said the actor died Thursday from congestive heart failure at a Lexington, Ky., hospital.
Landham was a brawny, deep-voiced actor and stunt man who played a bit part in Walter Hill's 1979 street-gang thriller The Warriors before the director cast him as the trigger-happy criminal Billy Bear in 1982's 48 Hrs.
Landham, who was part Cherokee and Seminole, was perhaps best known for playing the Native American tracker Billy Sole in the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film Predator.
Landham...
Landham's sister, Dawn Boehler, said the actor died Thursday from congestive heart failure at a Lexington, Ky., hospital.
Landham was a brawny, deep-voiced actor and stunt man who played a bit part in Walter Hill's 1979 street-gang thriller The Warriors before the director cast him as the trigger-happy criminal Billy Bear in 1982's 48 Hrs.
Landham, who was part Cherokee and Seminole, was perhaps best known for playing the Native American tracker Billy Sole in the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film Predator.
Landham...
- 8/18/2017
- by the Associated Press
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sonny Landham, the brawny journeyman actor best known for tough guy roles in films like “48 Hrs.” and “Predator,” has died. He was 76. The actor died from congestive heart failure Thursday at a Lexington, Kentucky, hospital, his sister Dawn Boehler said, according to the Associated Press. Landham played a small part in Walter Hill’s 1979 street-gang thriller “The Warriors” before Hill cast him as the trigger-happy criminal Billy Bear in 1982’s “48 Hrs.” Also Read: Shane Black's 'The Predator' Pushed to Late Summer 2018 However, Landham who was part Cherokee and Seminole, is perhaps best known for playing the Native American tracker Billy.
- 8/18/2017
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Sonny Landham -- who played Billy the self-knifing military badass in "Predator" -- has passed away in a Kentucky hospital at the age of 76 from congestive heart failure. Landham was part of Arnold Schwarzenegger's band of special forces soldiers in the 1987 flick -- and starred in the famous scene where he tried to go one-on-one with the alien armed only with a knife. He lost ... but he went down in a frickin' blaze of glory.
- 8/18/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
I’m not sure a movie has ever had a cooler cast than John McTiernan’s Predator, packed with badass dudes carrying big ass guns. One of those actors who made a huge impression in the film was Sonny Landham, who we’re very sad to report has passed away at the age of 76 from congestive heart […]...
- 8/18/2017
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Great Job, Internet!: Nobody who worked on Predator can agree on why Jean-Claude Van Damme got fired
In advance of Shane Black’s forthcoming Predator revival (and the original film’s 30th anniversary), nostalgists around the internet have been revisiting what’s probably the most thrilling of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ’80s output. The latest is a comprehensive oral history of the film from The Hollywood Reporter, who talked with the screenwriter, cinematographer, visual effects supervisor, some actors, and a few more about how the now-iconic action film came to be.
There’s plenty of takeaways: intense heat, bulky costumes, and a shitload of red ants made filming hell; Sonny Landham, who played Billy, was terrifying and needed his own bodyguard; the cast couldn’t have cut it as real soldiers; and Schwarzenegger apparently took meetings in hot tubs.
Probably the most striking revelation, however, is that pretty much everyone THR spoke to had a different story regarding why Jean-Claude Van Damme, who was tapped to play the ...
There’s plenty of takeaways: intense heat, bulky costumes, and a shitload of red ants made filming hell; Sonny Landham, who played Billy, was terrifying and needed his own bodyguard; the cast couldn’t have cut it as real soldiers; and Schwarzenegger apparently took meetings in hot tubs.
Probably the most striking revelation, however, is that pretty much everyone THR spoke to had a different story regarding why Jean-Claude Van Damme, who was tapped to play the ...
- 6/22/2017
- by Randall Colburn
- avclub.com
“If it bleeds, we can kill it.”
Director John McTiernan and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s classic 1987 sci-fi action film Predator has been newly restored in 2K for an upcoming theatrical re-release. I freakin’ love this film, and it's a movie I’ve never seen on the big screen. So, to think that one day I’ll be able to watch this newly restored version on the big screen is exciting! Its first stop is in France, though, where it will screen on August 17th. There’s no word on when or if the movie will get a U.S. release yet, but I hope it happens! It would be a bloody shame if it didn’t. Why go through all the trouble of restoring the film if you can't share the awesomeness with the world?!
The movie also stars Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, and Richard Chaves,...
Director John McTiernan and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s classic 1987 sci-fi action film Predator has been newly restored in 2K for an upcoming theatrical re-release. I freakin’ love this film, and it's a movie I’ve never seen on the big screen. So, to think that one day I’ll be able to watch this newly restored version on the big screen is exciting! Its first stop is in France, though, where it will screen on August 17th. There’s no word on when or if the movie will get a U.S. release yet, but I hope it happens! It would be a bloody shame if it didn’t. Why go through all the trouble of restoring the film if you can't share the awesomeness with the world?!
The movie also stars Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, and Richard Chaves,...
- 7/6/2016
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
God love the French, they've gone and restored Predator for a re-release. Originally released in 1987, John McTiernan's (who later went on to direct Die Hard and Last Action Hero) sci-fi horror hybird is now considered a classic from the era.
This new 2K restoration of Predator screens in France on August 17th. There is no plan to bring the film to the Us or Canada.
Synopsis:
A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extra-terrestrial warrior.
The Predator stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham and Richard Chaves.
[Continued ...]...
This new 2K restoration of Predator screens in France on August 17th. There is no plan to bring the film to the Us or Canada.
Synopsis:
A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extra-terrestrial warrior.
The Predator stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham and Richard Chaves.
[Continued ...]...
- 7/5/2016
- QuietEarth.us
"There's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no man." Who has time to bleed when there's a predator lurking around? Everything is getting re-released these days! Why not? France is preparing for a re-release coming up this August of a newly restored (apparently only in 2K, not full 4K though) version of John McTiernan's original sci-fi action film Predator. Originally released in 1987, Predator stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham and Richard Chaves. Years after release it has become known as one of the best action movies made, and this trailer lives up to that claim with plenty of explosions. Of course this will make you want to see it again. Here's the new restored French re-release trailer (+ poster) for John McTiernan's Predator, from Vimeo: A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extra-terrestrial warrior.
- 7/5/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Stars: Chuck Norris, Louis Gossett Jr., Melody Anderson, Will Sampson, Sonny Landham, John Rhys-Davies, Ian Abercrombie, Richard Lee-Sung | Written by Robert Gosnell | Directed by J. Lee Thompson
Looking back now – three decades later – it’s hard to believe that the idea of an archaeologist as The go-to film hero was, oftentimes, a guarantee to bring in the punters and create a big-money blockbuster movie! Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, King Solomon’s Mines, etc. all graced the big screen to varying degrees of success during the mid-80s; and yes, it was Spielberg’s film that reignited the genre but it took Cannon Films – the purveyors of low-budget, high-concept big screen bonanzas – to really put the fun into this now-buried treasure of a genre.
After hitting it big with King Solomon’s Mines, they milked the classic character for another big-budget (at least for Cannon) movie before the flash-in-the-pan adventurer genre faded.
Looking back now – three decades later – it’s hard to believe that the idea of an archaeologist as The go-to film hero was, oftentimes, a guarantee to bring in the punters and create a big-money blockbuster movie! Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, King Solomon’s Mines, etc. all graced the big screen to varying degrees of success during the mid-80s; and yes, it was Spielberg’s film that reignited the genre but it took Cannon Films – the purveyors of low-budget, high-concept big screen bonanzas – to really put the fun into this now-buried treasure of a genre.
After hitting it big with King Solomon’s Mines, they milked the classic character for another big-budget (at least for Cannon) movie before the flash-in-the-pan adventurer genre faded.
- 4/4/2016
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Ryan Lambie Jul 6, 2016
In 1986, Jean-Claude Van Damme was the title alien in Predator before he was hurriedly recast. Ryan looks back at what happened...
In the mid-1980s, Belgian martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme arrived in America with dreams of stardom. Possessing a finely-honed physique, thanks to years of training in (among other things) karate, kickboxing and ballet, he was ambitious and brimming with self-belief.
The acting bug bit Van Damme while he was still in his teens: he played “a bad guy with all the knives” in the 1984 French gangster movie Rue Barbare and, determined to further his goal of becoming an actor, hopped on a plane to Los Angeles. His first few years in America were, however, tough. He slept in a rental car for two weeks, and made money by teaching aerobics and martial arts, delivering pizzas, and working as a doorman at a restaurant belonging to Chuck Norris.
In 1986, Jean-Claude Van Damme was the title alien in Predator before he was hurriedly recast. Ryan looks back at what happened...
In the mid-1980s, Belgian martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme arrived in America with dreams of stardom. Possessing a finely-honed physique, thanks to years of training in (among other things) karate, kickboxing and ballet, he was ambitious and brimming with self-belief.
The acting bug bit Van Damme while he was still in his teens: he played “a bad guy with all the knives” in the 1984 French gangster movie Rue Barbare and, determined to further his goal of becoming an actor, hopped on a plane to Los Angeles. His first few years in America were, however, tough. He slept in a rental car for two weeks, and made money by teaching aerobics and martial arts, delivering pizzas, and working as a doorman at a restaurant belonging to Chuck Norris.
- 10/21/2014
- Den of Geek
In 1986, Jean-Claude Van Damme was the title alien in Predator before he was hurriedly recast. Ryan looks back at what happened...
In the mid-1980s, Belgian martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme arrived in America with dreams of stardom. Possessing a finely-honed physique, thanks to years of training in (among other things) karate, kickboxing and ballet, he was ambitious and brimming with self-belief.
The acting bug bit Van Damme while he was still in his teens: he played “a bad guy with all the knives” in the 1984 French gangster movie Rue Barbare and, determined to further his goal of becoming an actor, hopped on a plane to Los Angeles. His first few years in America were, however, tough. He slept in a rental car for two weeks, and made money money by teaching aerobics and martial arts, delivering pizzas, and working as a doorman at a restaurant belonging to Chuck Norris.
In the mid-1980s, Belgian martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme arrived in America with dreams of stardom. Possessing a finely-honed physique, thanks to years of training in (among other things) karate, kickboxing and ballet, he was ambitious and brimming with self-belief.
The acting bug bit Van Damme while he was still in his teens: he played “a bad guy with all the knives” in the 1984 French gangster movie Rue Barbare and, determined to further his goal of becoming an actor, hopped on a plane to Los Angeles. His first few years in America were, however, tough. He slept in a rental car for two weeks, and made money money by teaching aerobics and martial arts, delivering pizzas, and working as a doorman at a restaurant belonging to Chuck Norris.
- 10/21/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
I’d have to say that 1987 was one of my favorite years to be a young movie fan. Because we didn’t have a ton of money, my mom and I would spend most of our weekends at the drive-in taking in double features of all kinds of now-classic films, which included John McTiernan’s eternally badass Predator.
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke, Shane Black, Sonny Landham and Kevin Peter Hall as the titular intergalactic hunter, Predator opened at number one the weekend of June 12th despite receiving a lackluster response from critics at the time. Predator’s theatrical success would continue for another six weeks, with McTiernan’s genre-bending blockbuster eventually taking in almost $60 million during its run that summer.
Predator’s run wouldn’t end there though- there was also the release of the successful 1990 sequel Predator 2 starring Danny Glover and Gary Busey,...
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke, Shane Black, Sonny Landham and Kevin Peter Hall as the titular intergalactic hunter, Predator opened at number one the weekend of June 12th despite receiving a lackluster response from critics at the time. Predator’s theatrical success would continue for another six weeks, with McTiernan’s genre-bending blockbuster eventually taking in almost $60 million during its run that summer.
Predator’s run wouldn’t end there though- there was also the release of the successful 1990 sequel Predator 2 starring Danny Glover and Gary Busey,...
- 7/9/2014
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
"I remember a lot of times seeing John with his head in his hands, like 'What the hell have I gotten myself into,’ ” actor Carl Weathers recalled when discussing his stint on “Predator,” director John McTiernan’s 1987 sci-fi actioner. In many ways, the film was an act of pushing past any doubts or insecurities, as it exhibits an increasingly bizarre tone by McTiernan and a game Arnold Schwarzenegger to match it. And now we’ve got a look back at the sequel-spawning classic.Holding up remarkably well, even two years after its 25th anniversary, “Predator” possesses some of the best behind-the-scenes stories around, whether focusing on the psychological toll the film took on McTiernan (causing him to lose 25 pounds), or the fact that actor Sonny Landham requested the production hire a bodyguard to protect the cast and crew from him and his violent tendencies. Its Special Edition DVD charted many...
- 3/20/2014
- by Charlie Schmidlin
- The Playlist
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville, Peter Stormare, Eduardo Noriega, Luis Guzmán, Sonny Landham, Jaimie Alexander, Zach Gilford | Written by Andrew Knauer | Directed by Jee-woon Kim
After a temporary retirement and a brief stint as the Governator of California Arnold Schwarzenegger has returned to the silver screen. Schwarzenegger has had a few cameos in The Expendables franchise but The Last Stand marks the first time Schwarzenegger has taken the lead in a film since Terminator 3. With such a long layoff one wonders if Schwarzenegger could pick up where he left off. While he would never be confused with an acting savant, he brought a certain magnetic charm that made him one of the world’s biggest action stars. Perhaps it’s an issue of too much rust on the gears or a hindrance due to advanced age that has water downed his charismatic persona. His movements are achy, his punches are feeble,...
After a temporary retirement and a brief stint as the Governator of California Arnold Schwarzenegger has returned to the silver screen. Schwarzenegger has had a few cameos in The Expendables franchise but The Last Stand marks the first time Schwarzenegger has taken the lead in a film since Terminator 3. With such a long layoff one wonders if Schwarzenegger could pick up where he left off. While he would never be confused with an acting savant, he brought a certain magnetic charm that made him one of the world’s biggest action stars. Perhaps it’s an issue of too much rust on the gears or a hindrance due to advanced age that has water downed his charismatic persona. His movements are achy, his punches are feeble,...
- 5/23/2013
- by Dan Clark
- Nerdly
Predator
Directed by John McTiernan
Written by Jim Thomas & John Thomas
Us, 1987
It’s mostly the filmgoers who were the young action junkies who savored the excess of the 80’s who found a new lease of life upon news that Schwarzenegger was back. The Austrian bodybuilding dynamo’s return to film after ending his unlikely tenure as governor of California not only serves as a whimsically nostalgic callback to blockbusters of yesteryear, but also a sad indictment of the decline in quality of popcorn flicks of the modern era. Such talk, however, is hyperbolic, and there’s truth in the old adage that absence makes the heart grow fonder. While Schwarzenegger certainly brought a very different, very distinct and fun energy to Hollywoodland, its worth remembering that much of his curriculum vitae is substandard even by schlock ham values. For every Terminator there’s a Running Man, each Total Recall let down by Eraser.
Directed by John McTiernan
Written by Jim Thomas & John Thomas
Us, 1987
It’s mostly the filmgoers who were the young action junkies who savored the excess of the 80’s who found a new lease of life upon news that Schwarzenegger was back. The Austrian bodybuilding dynamo’s return to film after ending his unlikely tenure as governor of California not only serves as a whimsically nostalgic callback to blockbusters of yesteryear, but also a sad indictment of the decline in quality of popcorn flicks of the modern era. Such talk, however, is hyperbolic, and there’s truth in the old adage that absence makes the heart grow fonder. While Schwarzenegger certainly brought a very different, very distinct and fun energy to Hollywoodland, its worth remembering that much of his curriculum vitae is substandard even by schlock ham values. For every Terminator there’s a Running Man, each Total Recall let down by Eraser.
- 3/10/2013
- by Scott Patterson
- SoundOnSight
Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: DVD with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 5 pairs of advance-screening movie tickets up for grabs for “The Last Stand” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger! Plus, our winners will each win an action DVD set with “Total Recall,” “The Expendables” and “Crank” DVDs!
“The Last Stand,” which hits theatres on Jan. 18, 2013 and is rated “R,” also stars Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville, Luis Guzmán, Eduardo Noriega, Arron Shiver, Titos Menchaca, Richard Dillard, Sonny Landham, Mathew Greer, Peter Stormare, Chris Browning, Christiana Leucas, Zach Gilford, Rio Alexander, James Burnett and David Midthunder from director Jee-woon Kim and writers Andrew Knauer and Jeffrey Nachmanoff. Note: You must be 17+ to attend this “R”-rated screening.
This advance movie screening for “The Last Stand” is on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. To win your free “The Last Stand” passes and action DVD set courtesy of HollywoodChicago.
“The Last Stand,” which hits theatres on Jan. 18, 2013 and is rated “R,” also stars Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville, Luis Guzmán, Eduardo Noriega, Arron Shiver, Titos Menchaca, Richard Dillard, Sonny Landham, Mathew Greer, Peter Stormare, Chris Browning, Christiana Leucas, Zach Gilford, Rio Alexander, James Burnett and David Midthunder from director Jee-woon Kim and writers Andrew Knauer and Jeffrey Nachmanoff. Note: You must be 17+ to attend this “R”-rated screening.
This advance movie screening for “The Last Stand” is on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. To win your free “The Last Stand” passes and action DVD set courtesy of HollywoodChicago.
- 1/14/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Southern Comfort
Stars: Keith Carradine, Powers Boothe, Fred Ward, Franklyn Seales, T.K. Carter, Lewis Smith, Peter Coyote, Alan Autry, Brion James, Sonny Landham | Written by Michael Kane, Walter Hill, David Giler | Directed by Walter Hill
There is something about Walter Hill’s style of storytelling that just gets me. I’m a big fan of The Warriors, even though it took me long enough to finally see the film. Once I finally got to see it though it turned into one of my favourite films. Southern Comfort is a film very much like The Warriors, written and directed by Hill it very much mirrors the style with a group of men out of their element and fighting for survival, though the city and the bayou are two very different “jungles”.
When out on a training exercise in the Louisiana swamp a squad of National Guard soldiers arrogantly decide to steal...
Stars: Keith Carradine, Powers Boothe, Fred Ward, Franklyn Seales, T.K. Carter, Lewis Smith, Peter Coyote, Alan Autry, Brion James, Sonny Landham | Written by Michael Kane, Walter Hill, David Giler | Directed by Walter Hill
There is something about Walter Hill’s style of storytelling that just gets me. I’m a big fan of The Warriors, even though it took me long enough to finally see the film. Once I finally got to see it though it turned into one of my favourite films. Southern Comfort is a film very much like The Warriors, written and directed by Hill it very much mirrors the style with a group of men out of their element and fighting for survival, though the city and the bayou are two very different “jungles”.
When out on a training exercise in the Louisiana swamp a squad of National Guard soldiers arrogantly decide to steal...
- 11/26/2012
- by Pzomb
- Nerdly
Three of Stallone’s best films are about to be into one explosive package on DVD & Blu-Ray! James Mangold’s under-appreciated Cop Land, John Flynn’s Lock Up and the classic Rambo: First Blood will be in a 3-Pack DVD and Blu-Ray set from Lionsgate Home Entertainment in August! Read below for all the fine details!
From the Press Release:
The world’s favorite action superstar, Academy Award® nominee Sylvester Stallone (Best Actor in a Leading Role, Rocky, 1976), is back with the Blu-ray Disc and DVD release of the Stallone 3-Film Collector’s Set from Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Just in time for the theatrical release of his highly anticipated action film, The Expendables 2, this collection features three of Stallone’s most memorable hit films Cop Land, Rambo: First Blood and Lock Up, together for the first time. A must-have for Stallone fans of all generations, the collection...
From the Press Release:
The world’s favorite action superstar, Academy Award® nominee Sylvester Stallone (Best Actor in a Leading Role, Rocky, 1976), is back with the Blu-ray Disc and DVD release of the Stallone 3-Film Collector’s Set from Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Just in time for the theatrical release of his highly anticipated action film, The Expendables 2, this collection features three of Stallone’s most memorable hit films Cop Land, Rambo: First Blood and Lock Up, together for the first time. A must-have for Stallone fans of all generations, the collection...
- 5/24/2012
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
In our writers' favourite films series, Phil Hoad reveals the secret Arnie fanboy at the heart of a world-cinema writer
• Fancy posting your own hard-hitting Predator review? Shoot – or fire away in the comments below
The year: 1990. The place: Kingston upon Hull, England. The mission: to obtain and chain-watch as much senseless, Ott violence as possible. Hull's secondary-education system has been accused of many failings but, at least in the all-boys' comprehensive I attended, it succeeded spectacularly on one count: breeding in its teenage charges an obsession with any artistic material of an unwholesome nature. That basically meant cheap sex and violence. When pupils weren't combing the nearby wasteground for orphaned porno mags, they were busy talking up whatever horrific VHS spectacle they had most recently procured. Certain scenes – more discussed than viewed – gained mythic status, such as Terminator's auto-eye surgery, or Bruce Campbell chainsawing off his own hand...
• Fancy posting your own hard-hitting Predator review? Shoot – or fire away in the comments below
The year: 1990. The place: Kingston upon Hull, England. The mission: to obtain and chain-watch as much senseless, Ott violence as possible. Hull's secondary-education system has been accused of many failings but, at least in the all-boys' comprehensive I attended, it succeeded spectacularly on one count: breeding in its teenage charges an obsession with any artistic material of an unwholesome nature. That basically meant cheap sex and violence. When pupils weren't combing the nearby wasteground for orphaned porno mags, they were busy talking up whatever horrific VHS spectacle they had most recently procured. Certain scenes – more discussed than viewed – gained mythic status, such as Terminator's auto-eye surgery, or Bruce Campbell chainsawing off his own hand...
- 11/4/2011
- by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
The plot of 48 Hrs is as inessential to the film’s success as it is to the film itself; while few directors can claim to spin a gritty urban tale as colorfully as Walter Hill, the ostensible goals of cop Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) and con Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy) fade almost immediately after the film is over. Instead, the crux of the story is centered entirely on the antagonism between the two leads, and the eerily prescient snapshot of post-civil rights race relationships that it provides. While it’s hard to look back at the politics of this film from the post-Obama era and not grimace a little, the ugly frankness probably serves a better function than any number of high-minded liberal attempts to bridge cultural gaps. Similar to Blazing Saddles, the unrestrained racism on display is more than a little uncomfortable, but only because it’s that much more honest.
- 2/24/2011
- by Anders Nelson
- JustPressPlay.net
Conan the Barbarian is a film about the birth of an ancient legend, but the film created its own modern legend: Arnold Schwarzenegger, the impossibly muscular, unbeatable, barely understandable, curiously noble badass. In turn, Commando is a film about a legend (super-soldier John Matrix) at the peak of his form. Coming right after Schwarzenegger’s breakout hit The Terminator, it’s no coincidence that the hallmarks of John Matrix’s life — big house, cool cars, comely flight attendant, regularly breaking the law — are also the hallmarks of a movie star’s existence. But now, on the final day of Arnoldfest ’11, we reach Predator.
- 1/8/2011
- by Darren Franich and Keith Staskiewicz
- EW.com - PopWatch
Part II: The Producers Take Back The Reins
By the late 1970s, the tremendous creative license the major studios under a new generation of production chiefs had granted the young tyros of the 1960s – Coppola, Scorsese, et al – had expired as each managed to deliver at least one, major, back-breaking flop. For Scorsese, it had been the grim musical New York, New York (1977, $13.8 million U.S. vs. a budget of $14 million); Peter Bogdanovich turned out a streak of losers including period piece Daisy Miller (1974), comedy Nickelodeon (1976), and another disastrous musical, At Long Last Love (1975, $1.5 million U.S./$6 million cost); after the back-to-back hits of The French Connection and The Exorcist, William Friedkin delivered Sorcerer (1977, $6 million U.S. against a crushing $22 million cost); and Francis Coppola, after a string of commercial and/or critical home runs including The Godfather (1972), The Conversation (1974), The Godfather Part II (1974), and Apocalypse Now (1979), turned out One from the Heart...
By the late 1970s, the tremendous creative license the major studios under a new generation of production chiefs had granted the young tyros of the 1960s – Coppola, Scorsese, et al – had expired as each managed to deliver at least one, major, back-breaking flop. For Scorsese, it had been the grim musical New York, New York (1977, $13.8 million U.S. vs. a budget of $14 million); Peter Bogdanovich turned out a streak of losers including period piece Daisy Miller (1974), comedy Nickelodeon (1976), and another disastrous musical, At Long Last Love (1975, $1.5 million U.S./$6 million cost); after the back-to-back hits of The French Connection and The Exorcist, William Friedkin delivered Sorcerer (1977, $6 million U.S. against a crushing $22 million cost); and Francis Coppola, after a string of commercial and/or critical home runs including The Godfather (1972), The Conversation (1974), The Godfather Part II (1974), and Apocalypse Now (1979), turned out One from the Heart...
- 11/22/2010
- by Bill Mesce
- SoundOnSight
With the Blu-ray release of the Alien Anthology on the 25th of October HeyUGuys are taking a look at the entire Alien and Predator series. From Facehuggers to trophy hunting Predators, from the iconic and classic to the dubious crossovers – this is your ultimate retrospective.
So remember, even if you ain’t got time to bleed, in the Video Vault no-one can hear you scream…
Dave Roper hunts down Predator.
Although he had two “Conan” films and a handful of other bit parts under his belt beforehand, it was his iconic turn as an unstoppable cyborg in The Terminator that really put Arnold Schwarzenegger on the map. He followed up that career-making, career-defining role with Red Sonja, Commando and Raw Deal before hitting the South American jungle with a team of bad-ass special forces commandos for Predator.
At the time, it was absolutely perfect. An absurdly muscular man in an...
So remember, even if you ain’t got time to bleed, in the Video Vault no-one can hear you scream…
Dave Roper hunts down Predator.
Although he had two “Conan” films and a handful of other bit parts under his belt beforehand, it was his iconic turn as an unstoppable cyborg in The Terminator that really put Arnold Schwarzenegger on the map. He followed up that career-making, career-defining role with Red Sonja, Commando and Raw Deal before hitting the South American jungle with a team of bad-ass special forces commandos for Predator.
At the time, it was absolutely perfect. An absurdly muscular man in an...
- 10/25/2010
- by Dave Roper
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Say what you will about the admittedly wavering quality of Sylvester Stallone’s acting: the man has a way of winning the audience over. His protagonists are typically underdogs, men for whom a certain set of skills has substituted social interactions. In films like Demolition Man and Judge Dredd (hardly crown jewels from the man who created Rocky Balboa), the comedy is derived from watching tough-guy Stallone settle into an unpredictable and often hostile environment. His typically gruff demeanor bodes equally well for action-heavy flicks, with Stallone throwing his weight around figuratively and literally. We invest in the man and the character – The Expendables is another test of the Stallone archetype, but we’ve yet to see if it pays off.
The year 1989 was marked by two Stallone star vehicles - Tango & Cash, which teamed Stallone with Kurt Russell in a film that has, at best, not aged well – and Lock Up,...
The year 1989 was marked by two Stallone star vehicles - Tango & Cash, which teamed Stallone with Kurt Russell in a film that has, at best, not aged well – and Lock Up,...
- 8/12/2010
- by Mark Zhuravsky
- JustPressPlay.net
In honor of Friday's release of The Expendables, we're taking a week-long look at the action films of Sir Sylvester Stallone -- which is to say we're skipping his comedies. Out of respect.
Title: Lock Up
Setting: Present-day 1989. A typical movie prison full of typically typical prisoners. I believe it's in New Jersey, if that helps.
Our hero: Noble convict Frank Leone (Stallone), who just wants to finish out his last six months of jail time and get home to have sex with Darlanne Fluegel.
Our villain/s: Stunningly evil Warden Drumgool, as played by Donald Sutherland as if he's been asked to play Hitler combined with Satan. Various unsavory types are played by Sonny Landham, John Amos, and an irritatingly chatty Tom Sizemore.
The stakes: Leone's freedom, life, and future plans of having sex with Darlanne Fluegel.
Filed under: Action
Continue reading Stallone-a-Thon: Lock Up (1989)
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Title: Lock Up
Setting: Present-day 1989. A typical movie prison full of typically typical prisoners. I believe it's in New Jersey, if that helps.
Our hero: Noble convict Frank Leone (Stallone), who just wants to finish out his last six months of jail time and get home to have sex with Darlanne Fluegel.
Our villain/s: Stunningly evil Warden Drumgool, as played by Donald Sutherland as if he's been asked to play Hitler combined with Satan. Various unsavory types are played by Sonny Landham, John Amos, and an irritatingly chatty Tom Sizemore.
The stakes: Leone's freedom, life, and future plans of having sex with Darlanne Fluegel.
Filed under: Action
Continue reading Stallone-a-Thon: Lock Up (1989)
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- 8/9/2010
- by Scott Weinberg
- Cinematical
Predator
By the late 1980s, Arnold Schwarzenegger, a former Austrian bodybuilder-turned-actor (and currently the governor of California), had become the 80s' most popular action star. Despite several missteps (e.g., the Conan sequel, Conan the Conqueror, Red Sonja, and Raw Deal), Schwarzenegger picked roles that worked to his strengths as an onscreen performer, not his limitations, none better, qualitatively than his first collaboration with James Cameron, The Terminator, and his second (after Commando a year earlier) with John McTiernan (The Thomas Crown Affair, Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Last Action Hero, The Hunt for Red October, Die Hard), Predator.
Predator, a genre mash-up that combined science fiction with horror and action, centers on Schwarzenegger's character, listed only as "Dutch" in the credits. The U.S. military, calls in Dutch and his squad, Blain (former Navy Seal turned actor [and later politician] Jesse Ventura), Mac (Bill Duke), Billy (Sonny Landham), the squad's Native-American tracker,...
By the late 1980s, Arnold Schwarzenegger, a former Austrian bodybuilder-turned-actor (and currently the governor of California), had become the 80s' most popular action star. Despite several missteps (e.g., the Conan sequel, Conan the Conqueror, Red Sonja, and Raw Deal), Schwarzenegger picked roles that worked to his strengths as an onscreen performer, not his limitations, none better, qualitatively than his first collaboration with James Cameron, The Terminator, and his second (after Commando a year earlier) with John McTiernan (The Thomas Crown Affair, Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Last Action Hero, The Hunt for Red October, Die Hard), Predator.
Predator, a genre mash-up that combined science fiction with horror and action, centers on Schwarzenegger's character, listed only as "Dutch" in the credits. The U.S. military, calls in Dutch and his squad, Blain (former Navy Seal turned actor [and later politician] Jesse Ventura), Mac (Bill Duke), Billy (Sonny Landham), the squad's Native-American tracker,...
- 7/12/2010
- by Mel Valentin
- Cinematical
Predators Directed by: Nimrod Antal Written by: Alex Litvak and Michael Finch Starring: Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Walton Goggins, Oleg Taktarov, Laurence Fishburne, Danny Trejo, Louis Ozawa Changchien, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali Predators is a movie that hates surprises. It teases the viewer with mysteries and potential twists only to explain them away minutes later, ensuring that both the characters onscreen and the audience know exactly what's coming next. Consider the opening scenes, perhaps the most original element of the film. The first shot is of an unconscious Adrien Brody in freefall. He comes to, panics, and then his automated parachute opens just before he crashes into the trees. One by one he encounters the other humans, fresh from their own drop from the sky. When they find a broken corpse smashed on the jungle floor, he helpfully surmises, "Looks like his parachute didn't open." You think? Much of Predators...
- 7/11/2010
- by Daniel
- FilmJunk
Last weekend, Scott Stewart's apocalypse film, Legion, seemed to strike a chord with audiences, delivering just what the trailers promised -- B-movie angel-on-angel action. Although our Peter Hall didn't agree, writing: "The trailers may have you thinking that Legion looks silly and stupid but in a good way; a kind of cinematic junk food. It is not. It's worse than that. Legion is the cinematic equivalent of a Styrofoam cup. It's an empty container as easily disposed of as it is manufactured and just begging to be tossed in a junk yard."
Nevertheless, who knew there was such a big demand for Paul Bettany, Action Hero? He certainly doesn't look very threatening -- wingless, gaunt, and oh-so-British -- but I can think of seven more angels so wimpy they make Michael Landon look like Sonny Landham.
Filed under: Cinematical Seven
Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Least-Threatening Angels
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Nevertheless, who knew there was such a big demand for Paul Bettany, Action Hero? He certainly doesn't look very threatening -- wingless, gaunt, and oh-so-British -- but I can think of seven more angels so wimpy they make Michael Landon look like Sonny Landham.
Filed under: Cinematical Seven
Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Least-Threatening Angels
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- 1/27/2010
- by John Gholson
- Cinematical
So the word on the street is that Danny Trejo, frequent Robert Rodriguez collaborator and star of the upcoming "Grindhouse"-inspired "Machete," is heading to another Rodriguez-produced project — none other than mother-loving "Predators."
Punch Drunk Critics caught up with the actor over the weekend at HorrorFind Weekend, where Trejo claimed that "we" start shooting "Predators" in about a month — the "we" presumably meaning himself, Rodriguez, director Nimrod Antal and whoever else is still unmentioned for roles in the film.
Needless to say, this is absolutely awesome. Trejo could be a fantastic spiritual successor to "Predator"'s Billy (Sonny Landham), a more-than-adequate replacement to Jesse Ventura's gruff-and-tough Blain and — dare I say it — a leading man with a presence to rival even Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch. Indeed, Trejo joining the "Predator" franchise is easily one of the greatest bits of movie news I've heard in recent months.
Really, the very...
Punch Drunk Critics caught up with the actor over the weekend at HorrorFind Weekend, where Trejo claimed that "we" start shooting "Predators" in about a month — the "we" presumably meaning himself, Rodriguez, director Nimrod Antal and whoever else is still unmentioned for roles in the film.
Needless to say, this is absolutely awesome. Trejo could be a fantastic spiritual successor to "Predator"'s Billy (Sonny Landham), a more-than-adequate replacement to Jesse Ventura's gruff-and-tough Blain and — dare I say it — a leading man with a presence to rival even Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch. Indeed, Trejo joining the "Predator" franchise is easily one of the greatest bits of movie news I've heard in recent months.
Really, the very...
- 9/28/2009
- by Josh Wigler
- MTV Movies Blog
Normally in this loosely connected series of my fave moments, I pick out a short clip or scene here or there from a film or tv show.
But I have watched Predator all the way through twice recently (one night after another, thanks to some bizarre Sky One scheduling) and to pick one moment out from such a sci-fi masterwork would be doing the film a disservice.
Put simply, this is a perfect film - acting, direction, script, casting - you name it. And even though it is 22 years old now, yes, read that again, 22 Years old, it still works like a beautifully crafted Swiss watch made by pixies out of gold and precious metals.
To start with Arnold, he was at the peak of his powers here and produces some of his best work as Dutch. Check this out if you don't believe me.
Brilliant! But he also took...
But I have watched Predator all the way through twice recently (one night after another, thanks to some bizarre Sky One scheduling) and to pick one moment out from such a sci-fi masterwork would be doing the film a disservice.
Put simply, this is a perfect film - acting, direction, script, casting - you name it. And even though it is 22 years old now, yes, read that again, 22 Years old, it still works like a beautifully crafted Swiss watch made by pixies out of gold and precious metals.
To start with Arnold, he was at the peak of his powers here and produces some of his best work as Dutch. Check this out if you don't believe me.
Brilliant! But he also took...
- 5/23/2009
- by noreply@blogger.com (xxNapoleon Solo)
- Scifi Love
Filmmakers Mischa Perez and Richard Myles of Viper Productions got in touch with comments and some exclusive photos from their new fright film Mental Scars, which was lensed in Indiana and recently premiered in Raleigh, Nc. The movie stars Myles (who has previously played Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees in fan films) as David Taggart, the last survivor of a massacred Native American tribe who lurks in a junkyard built over his people’s burial ground, and murders unwary intruders.
“Mental Scars was a monumental project for me, because I played so many important roles in addition to David Taggart,” says Myles, who also scripted the movie with John Dalton, composed the score and was one of the executive producers. “I had to get used to wearing the makeup and bandages all over my face. We shot the film last May, so the weather was fickle. I have never done...
“Mental Scars was a monumental project for me, because I played so many important roles in addition to David Taggart,” says Myles, who also scripted the movie with John Dalton, composed the score and was one of the executive producers. “I had to get used to wearing the makeup and bandages all over my face. We shot the film last May, so the weather was fickle. I have never done...
- 4/27/2009
- Fangoria
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