A week ago, Wayne Kramer walked away from the director’s chair for the film Headshot, in which Sylvester Stallone is slated to star. Blame creative differences; in other words, there was a staredown over material and the star won, as tends to happen. Shortly afterward Sylvester Stallone wanted Walter Hill to step into the job as director, and that is now happening. In other words, the director of The Warriors, 48 Hrs. and the Deadwood pilot is on his way back! Read More »
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Earlier today we reported that the Sylvester Stallone film Headshot needs a new director, as the previous hire, Wayne Kramer (The Cooler) walked due to creative differences. Now we know there are a number of contenders to replace him, with Sylvester Stallone’s key choice being Walter Hill, director of films like 48 Hours and The Warriors, and an early participant in Deadwood. Read More »
It’s a crazy, mixed up world and we are thankful for movies, sans The Tooth Fairy, that offer proof. /Film’s Weekend Weirdness examines such flicks, whether in the form of a new trailer for a provocative indie, a mini review, or an interview. In this installment: the perverse and obscure ’60s thriller, Who Killed Teddy Bear?, being shown tonight at NYC’s Anthology Film Archives; the doc, Nick Nolte: No Exit, which finds good ol’ Nick candidly Q&Aing himself on topics ranging from god to drugs. For a special Weekend Weirdness posted yesterday about the imaginative skateboarder fantasy Machotaildrop, click here.
Photographed above is a real deal, shrink-wrapped, limited-edition VHS for The House of the Devil, promoting its release on DVD/Blu-Ray early next month. It’s one of the coolest pieces of swag I’ve received for this column thus far; to my knowledge only a few peeps were sent one, including Devil-supporter Drew McWeeny at HitFix. And even fewer peers have watched the tape. Some are scared, others are sans VCR. I’ve seen last year’s best horror flick at least thirteen times now, so I’d rather keep it sealed. Similar to the wizard-bong approved THotD poster design by Kellerhouse last year, the VHS packaging has faux rental scruffs, in addition to a retro “new release” starburst. A disclaimer on the back reads, “Caution: This film contains Satanic references and graphic violence.” Haters would add: “…and so much pointless walking.”
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It’s been quite a while since Walter Hill directed a film that could be called a total success, but I never stop pulling for the guy who directed The Warriors, 48 Hrs. and Streets of Fire. (Even if he also directed Another 48 Hrs. — nasty stuff.) So I’ll take any shred of positive news about his upcoming work, and this news is seriously positive. Hill is working on a film called St. Vincent that will reunite him with his Johnny Handsome star Mickey Rourke. Now he’s added another Johnny Handsome alum, Forest Whitaker, and some other great cast members that should push the film up on my watch list. Read More »
With the right material, Walter Hill can play a blinder. Very often, however, the scripts he choses just aren’t up to the job – and I suppose the same can be said of Mickey Rourke. I’m definitely rooting for him in the Oscars and, before that, tonight’s BAFTAs.
They worked together in the late 80s, before each suffered a sad commercial and artistic struggle in the 90s. That time around they gave us the undervalued Johnny Handsome, a gangster fable about redemption, revenge and plastic surgery – somewhat prophetic, I feel. This time around they’ll bring us St. Vincent – another gangster fable about redemption and revenge, though apparently not this time tackling cosmetic operations.
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