Because I am an American exceptionalist, there is no doubt in my mind that the world was a better place when Hollywood stood atop it as planet Earth’s greatest soft power weapon, boldly broadcasting a powerful American culture to the World and daring them to beat us at our own game.
A personal favorite is the now seldom-seen Waterhole #3. The plot was thinner than a parking lot puddle and there were wall to wall offensive gags (but that was an era of comedic offense. Cf. Don Rickles). Thing was, it was funny and light, and I miss funny and light.
That in spades! Also don’t miss the often overlooked Sam Peckinpah classic “Cross of Iron” (1977) with James Coburn, James Mason, & Maximilian Schell. Amidst the hell of the Russian Front in 1943 a German Sergeant (Coburn) engages in a battle of wills with his aristocrat commanding officer (Schell). IMHO better than SPR; a more believable story.
Nov 13, 2023·edited Nov 13, 2023Liked by George MF Washington
Ever my pleasure! Keep up the great work!!! Btw met two of the cast of that film: Coburn & the fellow who portrays James Mason’s adjutant, British actor David Warner. Both were terrific but Coburn especially; no airs, no Hollywood BS, just a down-to-earth-one Kool Kat. Spent an entire night drinking with him so really got to know him. We discussed the production @ length & Coburn really considered it one of Peckinpah’s best works. Didn’t spend as much time with Warner but his character showed thru - Stellar!
Coburn shared the same Manager as Steve McQueen - Hilly Elkins. How’s that for a client roster! Both were with him their entire careers. Was supposed to do a profile on Coburn (was working @ an entertainment magazine) but the “Affliction” production was wrapping up & there was Oscar buzz so Coburn was too busy @ the time. So I gave the opening to Hilly Elkins who was a fascinating guy & was supposed to do Coburn later but then he unfortunately passed away before I could sit down,with him again. He’d really soured on Hollywood by the late ‘90’s/early aughts.
I'd like to see The Wind and the Lion and The Man Who Would Be King as a double feature. Both are Westerners dealing with tribals, at first condescendingly and then with more respect but without apology. Both have John Huston involved. Both have Sean Connery involved.
And this for you MFW: Brian Keith has the best portrayal of an American president ever in Wind and the Lion.
Let's see what you can do with John Hughes' magnum opus, "The Breakfast Club." You can focus on John Bender, but the arc of Mr. Vernon or even Carl the Janitor--with his Rosencrantz/Guildenstern amount of dialogue in the entire film--work, too.
Maybe that's the kind of reality check people need. But you're right--TBF is in the same pile as Blazing Saddles. It would NEVER be made in 2023+ (but for different reasons).
This movie was my HS experience. I had friends that were in each of the TBF groups and Hughes NAILED it.
So many good points made, my favorite is there is no Tension in modern action movies. People run through hails of bullets, have knock down drag out fights without a mark left on them, the guys in Predator were all beat up and exhausted. Even the good modern Marvel movies had tension and danger in them.
You could do Aliens too? Diverse in many ways without losing it's core themes of bravery, survival and family.
I thought the Tim Allen comedies, especially "For Richer or Poorer" and "Jungle 2 Jungle," were very good and not at all P.C. Also "Ghostbusters," with its EPA bureaucrat antagonist. And "My Cousin Vinny," a comedy of manners that shows real affection for the South and features the best-ever "dead-on balls accurate" Southern accent of Fred Gwynne, a New Yorker. Yankees almost never get the Southern accent right.
Gotta do "Die Hard". Irrespective of whether it's a Christmas movie or not (but it is), it's got way WAY more going on than just some "dumb action movie."
George MF W, great commentary! You forgot to mention one of the secret sauces -- the epic music in these films! Case in point (another Arnold movie): https://youtu.be/5ZY2mRG5mzg?feature=shared&t=67
Listening to this intro music makes you wanna bow up, nut up, and suit up ready to go mano-a-mano against the toughest mf’ing linebacker on the opposing team! (Although “your results may vary” against that proverbial linebacker, lol, but damn are you juiced up feeling like an unstoppable force ready to take on an immovable object! That is the essence of the manly struggle.) This is epic “walk-in” music. I can guarantee that if you close your eyes, and listen to only a few bars of music to any of the greatest blockbusters of all time, you’ll instantly recognize it and connect it to a movie. Music has a direct line to the things that move the soul. Today’s directors should be reminded of this. Also, the storytelling and character development in the original Conan is so much better than the dud-of-a-Conan-remake starring Jason Momoa. There’s a trick a fellow screenwriter once told me: every 8 minutes, ya gotta try to have a beginning-middle-and-end in the storytelling; it’s one way to keep the audience glued to the story — tricky, but doable. Anyways, good luck, and thanks again for this Predator commentary!
Thanks! Totally agree on the music point and I actually have a big collection of Hollywood soundtracks. Also agree on the 8 minute rule… I’m working on a hunt for red October essay and one of the points I’m going to make is that almost every scene ends in a cliffhanger
Emperor of the North
I miss Charles Bronson, Steve McQueen and anything directed by John Sturges.
Same
A personal favorite is the now seldom-seen Waterhole #3. The plot was thinner than a parking lot puddle and there were wall to wall offensive gags (but that was an era of comedic offense. Cf. Don Rickles). Thing was, it was funny and light, and I miss funny and light.
The Wild Bunch
That in spades! Also don’t miss the often overlooked Sam Peckinpah classic “Cross of Iron” (1977) with James Coburn, James Mason, & Maximilian Schell. Amidst the hell of the Russian Front in 1943 a German Sergeant (Coburn) engages in a battle of wills with his aristocrat commanding officer (Schell). IMHO better than SPR; a more believable story.
Awesome thanks!
Ever my pleasure! Keep up the great work!!! Btw met two of the cast of that film: Coburn & the fellow who portrays James Mason’s adjutant, British actor David Warner. Both were terrific but Coburn especially; no airs, no Hollywood BS, just a down-to-earth-one Kool Kat. Spent an entire night drinking with him so really got to know him. We discussed the production @ length & Coburn really considered it one of Peckinpah’s best works. Didn’t spend as much time with Warner but his character showed thru - Stellar!
That's awesome... I met Coburn once too... walked across a crowded room just to make sure I shook his hand. Love Warner
Coburn shared the same Manager as Steve McQueen - Hilly Elkins. How’s that for a client roster! Both were with him their entire careers. Was supposed to do a profile on Coburn (was working @ an entertainment magazine) but the “Affliction” production was wrapping up & there was Oscar buzz so Coburn was too busy @ the time. So I gave the opening to Hilly Elkins who was a fascinating guy & was supposed to do Coburn later but then he unfortunately passed away before I could sit down,with him again. He’d really soured on Hollywood by the late ‘90’s/early aughts.
And thanks for signing up! It's really nice to know people enjoy nreading these essays enough to want to pay for it! :)
Yes, Cross of Iron, also. In fact, slice and dice Sam's exceptional filmography while you're at it.
I'd like to see The Wind and the Lion and The Man Who Would Be King as a double feature. Both are Westerners dealing with tribals, at first condescendingly and then with more respect but without apology. Both have John Huston involved. Both have Sean Connery involved.
And this for you MFW: Brian Keith has the best portrayal of an American president ever in Wind and the Lion.
(GMFW puts on his thinking cap)
Casablanca and Maltese Falcon. Saving Private Ryan.
Let's see what you can do with John Hughes' magnum opus, "The Breakfast Club." You can focus on John Bender, but the arc of Mr. Vernon or even Carl the Janitor--with his Rosencrantz/Guildenstern amount of dialogue in the entire film--work, too.
My initial reaction is that the girls are just as damaged as the boys and they cannot be allowed in a modern coming of age movie
Maybe that's the kind of reality check people need. But you're right--TBF is in the same pile as Blazing Saddles. It would NEVER be made in 2023+ (but for different reasons).
This movie was my HS experience. I had friends that were in each of the TBF groups and Hughes NAILED it.
Totally agree
Sean Connery and Michael Caine: "The Man Who Would Be King".
Yes! Great action and adventure with two great and much-loved stars. Need more movies like that one.
good one!
Classic!
The first movie exec that reads this article and takes it to heart will get a blockbuster...
Yasssss
Water Hole #3! How delightful. Great Roger Miller soundtrack. Sweet yellow, sweet yellow, sweet tangerine gold…
So many good points made, my favorite is there is no Tension in modern action movies. People run through hails of bullets, have knock down drag out fights without a mark left on them, the guys in Predator were all beat up and exhausted. Even the good modern Marvel movies had tension and danger in them.
You could do Aliens too? Diverse in many ways without losing it's core themes of bravery, survival and family.
Yes! I definitely want to do Alien because it has the most important thing... a woman who doesn't mind being a woman!
Thanks for the kind words.
I thought the Tim Allen comedies, especially "For Richer or Poorer" and "Jungle 2 Jungle," were very good and not at all P.C. Also "Ghostbusters," with its EPA bureaucrat antagonist. And "My Cousin Vinny," a comedy of manners that shows real affection for the South and features the best-ever "dead-on balls accurate" Southern accent of Fred Gwynne, a New Yorker. Yankees almost never get the Southern accent right.
GB and Vinny for sure!
Gotta do "Die Hard". Irrespective of whether it's a Christmas movie or not (but it is), it's got way WAY more going on than just some "dumb action movie."
Yeah DH is on my list for sure… it’s so important that even an essay on Predator had to reference it at least once
George MF W, great commentary! You forgot to mention one of the secret sauces -- the epic music in these films! Case in point (another Arnold movie): https://youtu.be/5ZY2mRG5mzg?feature=shared&t=67
Listening to this intro music makes you wanna bow up, nut up, and suit up ready to go mano-a-mano against the toughest mf’ing linebacker on the opposing team! (Although “your results may vary” against that proverbial linebacker, lol, but damn are you juiced up feeling like an unstoppable force ready to take on an immovable object! That is the essence of the manly struggle.) This is epic “walk-in” music. I can guarantee that if you close your eyes, and listen to only a few bars of music to any of the greatest blockbusters of all time, you’ll instantly recognize it and connect it to a movie. Music has a direct line to the things that move the soul. Today’s directors should be reminded of this. Also, the storytelling and character development in the original Conan is so much better than the dud-of-a-Conan-remake starring Jason Momoa. There’s a trick a fellow screenwriter once told me: every 8 minutes, ya gotta try to have a beginning-middle-and-end in the storytelling; it’s one way to keep the audience glued to the story — tricky, but doable. Anyways, good luck, and thanks again for this Predator commentary!
Thanks! Totally agree on the music point and I actually have a big collection of Hollywood soundtracks. Also agree on the 8 minute rule… I’m working on a hunt for red October essay and one of the points I’m going to make is that almost every scene ends in a cliffhanger
How about the Chuck Norris characters? A little Dutch with a touch of Rambo.
I can see that
RRR hearkens to the 80's blockbuster - it's the action movie Hollywood used to make - and needs to make again.
Agreed… RRR is great