Lance Henriksen – People Talking

Classic Twofer – ‘Cruising’ & ‘Hit List’ – Red Light, Red Light

Original Release Date: February 15, 1980
Written and Directed by William Friedkin, based on the novel of the same name by Gerald Walker
Cast: Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen, Richard Cox, Don Scardino, Joe Spinell, Jay Acovone, Randy Jurgensen, Barton Heyman, Gene Davis, Allan Miller, Sonny Grosso, Ed O’Neill, James Remar, William Russ, Mike Starr, Powers Boothe
Soundtrack: Jack Nitzsche

It’s virtually impossible to talk about this movie without at least some discussion of the controversy surrounding it, so I won’t pretend to ignore it.

The plot of ‘Cruising’ involves a serial killer targeting gay men in the Lower Manhattan S&M scene (which may or may not still exist today; I have a distinct lack of expertise in this area), and the effort to bring him to justice by a young undercover cop (played by Al Pacino). Needless to say, many in the gay community were outraged at what they perceived to be an unfair portrayal, and, in fact, the protests during filming were so vigorous that none of the audio from outdoor night shoots was usable. Combined with the fact that much of America was not ready for any sort of look at homosexuality, let alone such a lurid and peculiar slice of it, it’s easy to see how ‘Cruising’ was a critical and commercial nightmare waiting to happen (although it did just fine in Europe).

Based on the novel of the same name (though reportedly in title only), but more so based on the real-life experiences of former NYPD detective Randy Jurgensen (the film’s technical adviser and one of the supporting actors, with whom there was a Q&A with after the screening), ‘Cruising’ is a movie that is not without its issues. The third act especially becomes somewhat disjointed, and character motivations become frustratingly hazy (not to mention Karen Allen is basically given nothing to do). And yet, despite all of its flaws, ‘Cruising’ is a movie I would absolutely watch again in the future, even if I can’t fully articulate why.

One reason is that buried under all of the layers of controversy and shock value are a wonderfully subtle performance from Al Pacino (one of the last times audiences got to see him before he became a self-caricature, which I’m not complaining about, just saying), a beautifully eclectic musical soundtrack (including some really great stuff from Willy DeVille), and a reasonably effective crime thriller story. Add in a lot of name actors in before-they-were-famous roles, along with more than a pinch of genuine New York City grindhouse feel, and you’ve definitely got something cooking.

It is, for sure, not his best film, and I don’t think I would recommend it for general audiences, but, William Friedkin’s ‘Cruising’ is quite the mood piece. If you’re curious enough to step beyond the controversy (and not be put off by the more lascivious elements), check it out, You might be surprised by what you find.

Rating: ★★★½ (out of five)

Original Release Date: March 3, 1989
Directed by William Lustig
Written by Aubrey K. Rattan (story), John F. Goff and Peter Brosnan (screenplay)
Cast: Jan-Michael Vincent, Leo Rossi, Lance Henriksen, Charles Napier, Rip Torn, Harold Sylvester, Harriet Hall, Ken Lerner, Nick Barbaro, Lou Bonacki, Robert A. Ferretti, Vic Manni, Frank Pesce
Soundtrack: Garry Schyman

This was actually director William Lustig’s personal film print, and was not only willing to share it with an audience, he also provided quite a bit of behind-the-scenes insight (not unlike what you’d find on a commentary track), so much of my information comes directly from him.

The first thing to know about this movie is that it’s loosely based on Akira Kurosawa’s ‘High and Low‘ (which is itself based on the novel ‘King’s Ransom’ by Ed McBain).

The second thing to know is that William Lustig was conversant with Nicholas Pileggi at the time Pileggi was interviewing Henry Hill (these interviews led to the book ‘Wiseguy’, which led to the movie ‘Goodfellas’), so if you think you hear dialogue in ‘Hit List’ that sounds like it’s straight out of ‘Goodfellas’, you’re not wrong (except ‘Hit List’ came out first).

Other interesting odds and ends include Jan Michael Vincent attempting to make a comeback after a couple years out of work and being, shall we say, difficult to manage (drinking problem), Charles Napier living out of a camper trailer, Rip Torn being tons of fun, Lance Henriksen’s [temporary] back tattoo costing $1000, an uncredited Janusz Kaminski receiving the offer to shoot ‘Schindler’s List’, and Scott Spiegel and Josh Becker being the actual writers (as opposed to the credited CineTel writers).

All that said, I’ll allow the director himself to sum up the movie in one sentence, “It’s ridiculous, but it’s fun.”

As for me, I’d say the movie is full of wonderful accouterments in the form of fun supporting characters and over the top action, but it unfortunately suffers from a lack of chemistry from its two lead actors.

I’ll give ‘Hit List’ credit for having at least a somewhat clever premise (all-American dad and Mafioso team up to find the former’s son), but it’s not a great movie overall. I definitely put the ‘Maniac Cop’ trilogy above it in terms of the William Lustig catalog.

However, if you’re interested to see how Lance Henriksen might’ve handled the role of The Terminator, I recommend this movie. It’s just a shame it likely won’t ever get a proper home release (unless you’re still good with VHS), thanks to various bankruptcies and legal entanglements.

Rating: ★★½ (out of five)

Quick Thoughts – Spring Round-Up

Someday I won’t be writing these posts months after the fact, but, for now, we press on.

‘Big Trouble in Little China’ (1986)

Sure, technically speaking, ‘Ghostbusters 2′ is the sequel to ‘Ghost Busters‘, but ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ isn’t exactly far off. The tone is similar, the stakes are about the same, and the proportion of comedy to horror is almost equal. The one major difference is John Carpenter was moving from horror into comedy whereas Ivan Reitman was moving from comedy into horror.

Point is, you’ve got Awesome Mode Kurt Russell as a fish-out-of-water on a great adventure against some dark Chinese magic. Throw in a diverse supporting cast (including, but not limited to, the ever-wonderful James Hong, as well as Kim Cattrall at peak loveliness) and some classic 80s special effects (led by Richard Edlund, whose team also did ‘Ghost Busters’), and you’ve got a recipe for a good time. I also think it might be the first Western production to make use of Chinese wire-fighting techniques, but I can’t confirm that.

If you still haven’t seen this one, I understand your trepidation. It took me a while to take the plunge on it, but, trust me, it’s more than worth your time.

Rating: ★★★★☆

‘Vigilante’ (1983)

I have to admit, I’m not sure how highly I’d rate this one if I hadn’t seen it complete with a Q&A session with both the director “Bill” Lustig and former NYPD detective turned all-around movie guy Randy Jurgensen, but they helped me put the film in its proper context, and hopefully I can do the same for you.

On the surface, William Lustig’s ‘Vigilante’ is a poor man’s ‘Death Wish‘, as evidenced by the inexplicably multi-racial gang members, but, more than that, it’s essentially a cinematic cartoon of New York Post headlines from the late-70s and early-80s. Many events and characters have some basis in reality (including the judge, who was based on Bruce McMarion Wright, aka “Turn ‘Em Loose Bruce”).

Just as a movie though, ‘Vigilante’ is a solid enough exploitation revenge film. Robert Forster brings his unique everyman quality to a character pushed to the limit by violence against his family, and Fred Williamson brings his imposing screen presence (and perfectly manicured beard, of which I am jealous) as a man who’s long decided he’s not going to take it anymore.

Perhaps what’s most interesting about ‘Vigilante’, like many movies of its era, is simply New York City as a location. It really is like another character on screen.

Other than that, it’s pretty standard fare.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

P.S.
One note of particular interest from Bill Lustig was that when the film got distribution in countries with oppressive governments (including Brazil and the Philippines, which were under dictatorships at the time), there had to be a title card inserted at the end of the film stating that the vigilante was brought to justice himself. This reminded me of the end of ‘Blood Debts‘, famously highlighted by Red Letter Media, in which a similar title card exists, no doubt because it was a 1985 Filipino production.

‘Alien’ (1979) + ‘Aliens’ (1986)

I’ve heard people accuse me of not being very festive, and I don’t know where they get the notion; you have to be pretty festive to go see ‘Back to the Future 2‘ on October 21, 2015, or go to an ‘Alien’ double feature on 4/26 while sitting in seat 426, but I digress.

I’ve been familiar with ‘Alien’ at minimum since I watched it to prepare myself for ‘Prometheus’, but obviously it’s a different animal on the big screen As I’ve said on many occasions, I’m not a big horror guy, but ‘Alien’ is transcendent, thanks largely to its hard sci-fi base. To say it’s a great looking movie is an understatement; everything has substance, everything feels lived-in, and it’s all in service of what is essentially a blue collar sci-fi story, which is rather uncommon.

What also helps ‘Alien’ in its effectiveness is its small cast (not unlike ‘Predator‘ in that regard). The low number of space truckers and focus on their daily grind ensures we get to know them all pretty well, not to mention a good bit of improvised dialogue in group settings. Sure, it becomes a bit of a haunted house movie in the final act, but between the limitations they had in 1979 and the groundbreaking design of the alien monster, I’m not taking points off for that.

All-in-all, the movie is a timeless classic.

Now, ‘Aliens’ I had never seen before, on any sort of screen. We can debate til the end of time which movie of the two is better, but one thing for certain is that they are different.

‘Aliens’, like most great sequels, builds upon and expands the world we already know, and in this case switches up the genre as well, adding in a whole mess load of action thanks to our friendly neighborhood space marines. James Cameron was correct in keeping the visual aesthetics of the first movie while also adding his own signature touches and new bits of lore (like the M41A Pulse Rifle and the Alien Queen). It’s a fairly unique watch in terms of the simultaneous level of action and terror.

Of course I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the true thread holding these films together, that being Sigourney Weaver. Her portrayal of Ripley is nearly flawless (although I like her hair better in ‘Alien’, but that’s superficial).

Ultimately, both ‘Alien’ and ‘Aliens’ are must-see, Whether you prefer more slow-moving hard sci-fi or futuristic action will likely determine which you think is better, but, personally, I don’t feel compelled to choose.

Ratings:
‘Alien’ ★★★★☆
‘Aliens’ ★★★★☆

P.S.
Shout out to NECA Toys for showing off some wares and doing some giveaways before each movie.

Classic Four-Play: ‘Van Dammage’ – There Is No Substitute

As a lover of movies in the Greater New York Metro Area, the only thing I love more than actually going to the Alamo Drafthouse [Yonkers] is going to movie marathons at the Alamo Drafthouse; and why shouldn’t I? I’ve tasted three flavours of blood and ice cream. I’ve seen a man Caged. I’ve been to the Stallone Zone and lived to tell about it.

So, when they announced that the next such action-packed marathon was going to feature the incomparable JCVD, I naturally bought ten tickets and invited nine other friends to attend. I mean, how else are you supposed to heat up January? It’s not like there’s anything good playing.

Now, I have to admit, before attending the marathon last Saturday (once again curated by Alamo’s Cristina Cacioppo and Greg MacLennan, whose love of Van Damme is so real I could actually feel it), I’d never actually seen a Jean-Claude Van Damme film, at least not in its entirety. I’m sure I’ve caught bits and pieces of things on cable over the years, but I’d never actually sat down and watched one from beginning to end, and I’d definitely never seen one in a theater before, so I was very excited; and, for the most part, my excitement was justified.

Let’s talk about these movies!

Movie #1: Sudden Death (1995)

Directed by Peter Hyams
Written by Karen Elise Baldwin (Story) and Gene Quintano (Screenplay)
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Powers Boothe, Raymond J. Barry, Whittni Wright, Ross Malinger, Dorian Harewood, Kate McNeil, Michael Gaston, Audra Lindley, Brian Delate, Brian Hutchison, Diane Robin, Rohn Thomas
Soundtrack: John Debney

Look, there’s no question Peter Hyams has directed some bad movies in his career, but on the whole I think he’s criminally underrated. Capricorn One is a pretty good late-70s conspiracy thriller; Outland is a totally bad-@$$ space western; 2010 is a more-than-worthy (and Kubrick-approved) sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey; and maybe The Presidio isn’t a great film, but boy does it have its moments. But, we’re not really here to wax poetic on Peter Hyams; we’re here to talk about his amazing action film, Sudden Death.

This movie is awesome. It’s completely over-the-top and, at times, a little cornball, but if you’re looking for well-directed and exciting action set pieces, then you’ve come to the right place. Powers Boothe is, as usual, a fantastic black hat, and any time I get to hear this music is just totally gravy.

I also have to give a lot of credit to the production team for really embracing the city of Pittsburgh as a location. I’m not from there, or anything like that, but I have visited, and it’s a unique city with a unique look that really adds a lot of character to the movie.

Other than that, I really don’t know what else to say that’s meaningful.

Game 7. The Vice President. And it’s up to Van Damme to save the day.

What more could you want?

Rating: ★★★★½

Movie #2: Lionheart (1990)

Directed by Sheldon Lettich
Written by S.N. Warren (Earlier Screenplay), Jean-Claude Van Damme (Story and Screenplay), and Sheldon Lettich (Screenplay)
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Harrison Page, Deborah Rennard, Lisa Pelikan, Ashley Johnson, Brian Thompson, Voyo Goric, Michel Qissi, Eric Karson, Billy Blanks, Lawrence Bender, Scott Spiegel, Abdel Qissi
Soundtrack: John Scott

So, this one was Greg’s must-see pick, because it’s his favorite JCVD movie. I don’t necessarily see what he sees in it, but I’m not going to judge in this case. It’s a sold-enough fighting movie, and the really interesting story is that the print of it we watched was apparently loaned out by the Academy Film Archive, so kudos to them, though I struggle to understand why they have it.

Lionheart is the directorial debut of long-time Van Damme collaborator Sheldon Lettich, and is the story of a French Legionnaire (who we don’t get a whole lot of English-language films about, other than Beau Geste) who goes A.W.O.L. in order to return to his badly burned brother in Los Angeles, and along the way gets involved in the world of underground fighting for the entertainment of rich people in order to make enough cash to get where he needs to go and also take care of his brother’s family.

In short, Van Damme fights his way out of Africa, goes to New York and fights some guys, then goes to LA and fights some guys, and then goes to some ridiculous mansion to fight a huge guy.

All of the fight scenes in Lionheart are shot competently enough, and the New York footage is a nice time capsule, but on the whole I just felt like it was missing something. I can’t really put my finger on it, but there was just something lacking in it, like it’s not as fun to watch as you’d think; although a slow clap did break out in the theater during the final fight, which is always fun.

I was genuinely disappointed that Van Damme never fought Brian Thompson’s character (aka “The Night Slasher” from Cobra), but maybe that’s just me.

Rating: ★★★½

Movie #3: Knock Off (1998)

Directed by Hark Tsui
Written by Steven E. de Souza
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Rob Schneider, Lela Rochon, Paul Sorvino, Glen Chin, Peter Nelson
Soundtrack: Ron and Russell Mael (aka Sparks)

Every Alamo Drafthouse actor marathon has at least one really obscure selection that causes the audience to say, “What’s this movie?” Sometimes it’s great; sometimes it’s good.

In the case of Van Dammage, it was Knock Off (personally selected by Cristina).

This movie occasionally veers into the so-bad-it’s-good territory, and when it does, it’s glorious, but for the most part it falls into the frustratingly bad category.

Directed by Hark Tsui (who also directed Double Team), Knock Off feels akin to Russian Terminator, an attempt to make an English-language action film by people who don’t really have a grasp of what they’re attempting, which is shocking given that writer Steven E. de Souza also wrote such amazing action films as Die Hard and Die Hard 2.

The plot is incoherent, the filmmakers clearly have no grasp of what the CIA is or does, and some of the editing is so uncomfortably fast and furious that I actually had to look away because my head hurt (fortunately, I had my chicken and waffles special to dig into when times got rough).

There are some nice Van Damme moments in here, but not enough to watch the entire movie. Find a highlight reel on YouTube or something and you’ll be good to go.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Movie #4: Hard Target (1993)

Directed by John Woo
Written by Chuck Pfarrer
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lance Henriksen, Yancy Butler, Arnold Vosloo, Wilford Brimley, Kasi Lemmons, Ted Raimi, Sven-Ole Thorsen, Chuck Pfarrer (Cameo)
Soundtrack: Graeme Revell and Tim Simonec

It’s a John Woo film (his Hollywood debut, in fact). It’s got guns, motorcycles, slow motion, and doves.

And Jean-Claude Van Damme. And the City of New Orleans. (Which got me thinking: what if Van Damme played Gambit in an X-Men movie? Hmmm…)

Anyway, Hard Target is essentially John Woo’s version of The Most Dangerous Game. Once again, like in Lionheart, rich people are doing crazy illegal things because they can afford it; this time, hunting people for sport! Also, Van Damme plays a merchant seaman who has to take whatever work he can get because he can’t afford his union dues (just like Inside Llewyn Davis).

Van Damme helps a girl to find her father, they cross paths with the wrong people, and much action ensues. So. Much. Action.

This was a great film to end the day with. The crowd was definitely into it and everyone was having a wonderful time. Plus, this movie inspired a fantastic drink special complete with custom mason jar. Thanks, Wilford Brimley!

I give it a half star less than Sudden Death because I think Van Damme’s performance is more magnetic in that one (plus, you know, hockey), but Hard Target is still a must-see for action fans.

Rating: ★★★★☆

In conclusion, although not every movie was a winner, Van Dammage was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and I’m grateful for the experience, as are my friends, I’m sure.

Now who wants to go home, and who wants to go WITH ME!?