Tag: David Carradine

RIDLEY SCOTT TO DIGITALLY DE-AGE RIDLEY SCOTT

HOLLYWOOD – Blade Runner and Alien director Ridley Scott says he’s open to de-aging himself.

Thelma and Louise and White Squall director Ridley Scott could digitally de-age himself. Scott revealed in an EXCLUSIVE interview with the French magazine Chapeau that he would be willing to undergo digital de-aging.

Of course I would. Why not?

I thought it was a digital process that was only appropriate to actors.

So did I. Then I thought I want to have a go. Think about it. I’ve made so many good films, but the best ones were when I was a young man, or at least a younger man. I’d like to ahve that energy again and that originality. The last few years all I seem to do is try and remake my old successes. But if I could be young again, I’d break out into something really different.

Like what?

The Duellists 2. Harvey Kietel and David Carradine de-aged, me de-aged, we’ll even de-age Vangelis and get him to do the music.

The revolutionary process involves 3D printing the subject and then having the original killed to avoid legal wrangles. The only center that currently operates legally is in Zurich, Switzerland and is run by Christopher Nolan’s brother Jonathan.

The Duellists 2 will be released in 2018.

47 FILMS: 45. THE LONG RIDERS

In our continuing series of 47 films to see before you are murdered in your dreams we present Walter Hills The Long Riders.

Walter Hill has had a strange career as a director. He’s produced some stone cold classics – 48 Hours, Extreme Measures, Southern Comfort to name a few. He’s directed the first episodes of the TV show Deadwood and was a writer and producer on the Alien franchise. He made Brewster’s Millions for crying out loud. And yet he never seems to get the recognition he deserves. Perhaps this is because some of his best work feels like it’s been influenced by past masters. The Warriors is a New York Clockwork Orange. The Driver has Bullitt written all over it. And The Long Riders is the best Western Sam Peckinpah never made. It also doesn’t help that he’s made some dross like gender realignment thriller The Assignment.

The Long Riders is another telling of the Jesse gang which takes as its gimmick the casting of real life brothers Stacy Keach and James Keach in the leads. Along with Keith Carradine, David Carradine and Robert Carradine as the Younger brothers. Randy Quaid and Dennis Quaid are here. Christopher Guest and Nicholas Guest play the Ford brothers. The overwhelming impressions is people had a lot of brothers in those days.

The story is familiar enough, but Hill films the action brilliantly. A protracted shootout in a town produces a bloodbath worthy of Peckinpah. The sound of the bullets played backwards creates a nightmarish ambience. And unlike Peckinpah there actually seems to be pain in the violence. The performances are all top class though it’s fun to notice which brothers come off best. James Keach has a dead-woodenness that actually suits his role. Soundtrack by Ry Cooder is also fantastic.

For more of our 47 Films to see before you’re murdered in your dreams CLICK HERE.

FIRST IMAGE OF TILDA SWINTON AS CAINE IN KUNG FU MOVIE

HOLLYWOOD – Following the female remake of Ghostbusters 3, Tilda Swinton is to take on the iconic David Carradine role of Caine in Kung Fu.

Kung Fu, the shortlived cult TV show that broadcast from 1972-1975, is to be remade as a motion picture starring Tilda Swinton in the role of Caine.

Caine leaves China when her master is assassinated. She wanders the Wild West in search of her sister, but also righting wrongs and using her skills as a Kung Fu master to bring wrongdoers to justice.

Swinton spoke to Studio Exec about her role.

I’m very pleased because I had already shaved my head for my role in Doctor Strange, so it was a twofer. I loved the TV show and I feel that the time is right for this sort of story. And why not a woman? I don’t even feel that’s a question anymore.

And what do you say to people who say that this is another example of white washing?

Well, yeah, guilty as charged. I like that! Except I’m not sure Caine was ever supposed to be Chinese in the original, but we wrote that he was Chinese in this one just so that we could do a bit of extra whitewashing.

 Kung Fu will be released in 2018.

 

47 FILMS: 32. DEATH RACE 2000

In our continuing series of 47 films to watch before you are murdered in your dreams, we look at cult classic Death Race 2000.

Set in a fictional 2000, Paul Bartlet’s Death Race 2000 posits a future in which a dictatorship ensures its continued popularity via the Transcontinental Road Race where competitors in souped up death cars pick up extra points killing pedestrians along the way, with the most points for the very old or babies. Whereas Rollerball – also released in 1975 – is a melancholy take on the same idea, Roger Corman’ rip off is gleefully inventive and funny. The gore is over the top and sensationalized and the absurdity of the premise is played up for laughs.

David Carradine is Frankenstein, a veteran racer whose body has been replaced so often that he is a walking version of my father’s ax! Simone Griffiths plays Annie, his new navigator and a member of the resistance who has her own motives for getting involved in the race. A young Sylvester Stallone is glorious as Machine Gun Joe Viterbo, a real live version of the leader of the Ant Hill mob, with a silk tie and a tendency to machine gun people and eat with his hands.  A year later he will break out in Rocky. Roberta Collins plays the neo-Nazi Matilda the Hun, with her lackey Herman the German.

The racing is exciting and Corman’s low budget aesthetic adds a kitsch charm, but there is also some genuine satiric intent, which nails the supine media celebration of violence and death even as it insists on cloying sentimentality. ‘He is a close personal friend,’ the interviewer opines. Even the rebels are a bunch of deluded crazies, with a Tomasina Paine who claims to be great grand-daughter of Thomas Paine. With its brilliantly punning script and its cartoon characters and ludicrous exaggeration, Death Race 2000 is an exploitation classic that hits its targets with bloody precision and eager vim.

For more of our 47 Films Click Here.

THE HEMSWORTHS TO FIGHT THE BALDWINS

HOLLYWOOD – In what is being tipped as the biggest family-based Hollywood celebrity rumble since the Carradines took on the Quaids, the Hemsworth brothers and the Baldwin gang are to thrash it out down by the railway tracks at half past ten tonight (no knives).

In what is set to look like some weird generation mismatch from The Outsiders, Luke, Liam and Chris Hemswoth will take on Alec, Daniel, William and Stephen Baldwin. ‘We’re going to kick seven shades of sh*t out of those assholes,’ said the usually very polite Luke, who for some reason seemed to be upset about something. ‘Chris is bringing his hammer.’

Alec Baldwin spoke for his family:

What we are looking forward to

The Hemsworths have been riding us for months. “Move out the way old men! Hey d’ya drop ya teeth?” Well, I’m in the mood to dropkick them into next Thursday. Stephen’s given up Christianity especially so he can gouge eyes out and not feel bad. And are there going to be inappropriate and inexplicable racial epithets flying? You bet.

The match will be refereed by the Armie Hammer twins and is being televised on Netflix.


Tweet about it using the hash tag #ChrisLukeLiamHemsworthvsAlecWilliamDanielStephenBaldwinrumble2015.

BEASTMASTER TO HOST OSCARS

HOLLYWOOD – In a surprise move it was revealed today that the Oscars will no longer be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, who has moved aside to be replaced by Beastmaster.

The How I Met Your Mother star spoke EXCLUSIVELY to Studio Exec about the shift:

Of course I was really excited about the gig. I had worked on material and we were going to do song and dance numbers as well. But late Friday night the call came in that Beastmaster was going to be available after all. And the minute I heard that I acquiesced. This is a historic moment in Oscar history.

Beastmaster had been approached in the early 1980s to host the Oscars but had consistently refused claiming that the awards ceremony was an infantile way of judging a medium which ‘should aspire to artistic relevance and genuine profundity, not these feeble trinkets’. Despite this the Academy continued to woo Beastmaster for three decades claiming that ‘What with the animal demographic alone, he could make the show a spectacular success.’

Beastmaster was born in a realm of fantasy and despite living the humble life of a hero and demi-God, he gained fame in 1982 when he was the subject of the film Beastmaster starring Marc Singer. Two sequels and a TV series followed, but lately Beastmaster’s powers have been on the wane. Uma Thurman, a longstanding critic of Beastmaster told Studio Exec:

I met Beastmaster when we were making Kill Bill Volume 2. He was great buddies with David Carradine and he came on location. It was sad really. This guy had commanded lions and mountain wolves, eagles and bison. Now he had this little otter on a string that he’d jerk and pretend was coming to his summons. It was pathetic.

What do you think of him presenting the Oscars?

Oh that’ll be great. He’ll bring his A game, I’m sure.

The Oscars will be broadcast on Sunday. 

KUNG FU REMAKE

MELBOURNE – Moulin Rouge and Great Gatsby director Baz Luhrmann – everyone’s favorite subtlist – is set to direct the Kung Fu remake.

The original series ran from 1972 to 1975 and starred David Carradine as the wandering Caine (AKA Grasshopper), who wanders the West dispensing Eastern justice and searching for his long lost half brother.  The current script is by Black Swan writer John McLaughlin but according to a source close to Mr. Luhrmann ‘doesn’t feature enough dancing’.
Legendary Pictures, who are developing the project, have already stated that the action of the film version will be moved to China ‘for purposes of money authenticity’. An insider told us:

Luhrmann is a perfect fit. He is kinetic and vibrant and let’s face it he’s rubbish when it comes to drama. This kind of kitschy stuff is more up his alley.

Jason Statham and Leonardo di Caprio have already expressed interest in the role, but it is understood that Jonah Hill is currently Luhrmann’s preferred choice.   

Kung Fu remake will be released in 2017.

5 FACTS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT STEVEN SEAGAL

HOLLYWOOD  – Since 1988 this boyishly handsome martial artist – Steven Seagal – has dominated the world of ACTION cinema and feminist literary criticism.  

However, who is this man and how high can he kick? Is it true he once killed a man with a sharp edged fart? No. We only have facts here at Studio Exec so enter the dojo of truth and bow to the Sensei of FACT:

  1. Steven Seagal can’t play the guitar.
  2. He’s a feminist, with a particular interest in feminist literature. ‘The female voice has been marginalised and erased from literary history for centuries,’ said Seagal at one of his popular feminist book club events. ‘As Virginia Woolf once wrote, we need a room of one’s own.’ For more on his feminist book club CLICK HERE.
  3. Steven Seagal loves grammar and his favorite English words are prepositions. ‘Not many people know that I’m a close student of the English language,’ said Seagal. Many of his films are tributes to prepositions, such as Above the Law, Under Siege, Opposite the Post Office, Into the Sun, Beside the Point and Out of Reach.
  4. For several years, Steven Seagal has been working under cover at the New Mexico police department where he answers the phones and sometimes is allowed to use the photocopying machine. 
  5. Actually he did once kill a man with a sharp edged fart. David Carradine described it as a back projected shuriken. It was in the 1970s and he doesn’t like to talk about it.
For more FACTS on everything from this to that click HERE!