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Posts with tag Risky Business

Paul Verhoeven's Ready for More Erotic Thrills

Filed under: Thrillers », Deals »

When Paul Verhoeven returned to the silver screen after a six-year absence with Black Book, it felt like a homecoming. The Dutch director made a terrific thriller about the unheralded Dutch resistance during World War II, his first film in his native tongue since he'd left for Hollywood in the 1980s. Now the biographer of Jesus is "in talks" to make an erotic thriller that crosses Risky Business with Fatal Attraction, according to Variety.

The untitled project, written by Wendy Miller, follows "a college intern who finds himself trapped in a dangerous affair with the boss's wife." Will she be a college-aged trophy wife or a middle-aged lady? I'd like the danger to come from the wife herself, like Glenn Close -- wouldn't it be cool if she was a legendary black widow type, boiling rabbits if she doesn't get her way and ready to kill after the first mating? Could she secretly be an afternoon prostitute who is also attending college, like a cross between Catherine Denueve in Belle de Jour and Rebecca De Mornay?

Naturally, if we're talking Verhoeven and erotic thrillers, we must pay homage to Basic Instinct and wonder who will be his next Sharon Stone. She made her career, of course, by crossing her legs in that controversial flick, but times have changed since 1992. I mean, Basic Instinct writer Joe Eszterhas is now a churchgoing Midwesterner!

Who would you like to see in an erotic thriller directed by a "no holds barred" Paul Verhoeven?

Stars in Rewind: Tom Cruise Breaks Out the Moves

Filed under: Fandom », Trailers and Clips », Stars in Rewind »

In honor of that impending deal Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner's United Artists might be making with the WGA, allowing them to be the first Hollywood studio to bring writers back to work since the strike began, we figured it would be best to dig up an old Tom Cruise clip to share with you on this fine, fine day. But when looking for an old school Cruise clip that best celebrates this occasion, there was really only one place to go: 1983's Risky Business. You won't see Tommy gettin' down like he does here anymore; in fact, some of his more classic (and memorable) scenes involve the guy singing along to music -- having fun -- but he stopped all that nonsense long ago. Ah, but the clips still survive. Yay for us!

Some interesting tidbits about Risky Business: In this scene, Cruise improvised the entire dance. All it said in the script was that Joel needed to "dance to rock music." So yes, those are his moves ... and his moves only. Other folks we almost saw in this role include Tom Hanks and Nicolas Cage; both of whom auditioned for the part. Timothy Hutton was offered the role, but he passed. Thankfully, because it was this movie -- and, in some ways, this scene -- that flung Tommy Cruise into the spotlight. Good luck on your deal with the WGA, Mr. Cruise, and here's hoping you'll be doing a little dance like this once all the papers are signed.

Cinematical Seven: The Epic Movie Fashion Trends from the '80s

Filed under: Cinematical Seven », Lists »



If the '80s left us anything, it was a melange of bad fashion that made us all wonder what we were thinking. Crimped hair. Lace gloves. Blue eye makeup. I wish I could say that we've never revisited the clothing atrocities of that era, but lately, some nuts have put on the leggings, leg warmers, and off-the-shoulder tops. Crazy kids! Many of us, however, still consider the '80s to be a decade of bad taste and temporary, wide-spread insanity.

That being said, the mistakes of the '80s also hold a heck of a lot of nostalgia. We love replicating those times at Halloween, and we talk fondly, if not embarrassingly, about our fashion forays. Many of the decade's disasters came from music and videos, but cinema also added its two cents (especially in 1985), whipping up its own fashion frenzies and regrettable outfits. With the Flashdance Collector's Edition DVD out today, here's a list of cinematic trendsetters that helped feed the fires of bad fashion.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985)

One of the big trendsetting characters of the eighties was, believe it or not, Helen Hunt. As Lynne Stone, she taught young girls everywhere about the splendor of hair spray, and even more importantly -- Velcro. By day, she was the rabble-rousing student at the local Catholic girls' school. But once the bell rang, the rip of Velcro would echo, and Lynne would turn her uniform inside-out to reveal sleeveless shirts, vests, and black leather miniskirts. Man, I was so jealous of her. She might have been an absolute fashion train wreck, but she was oh, so cool.

Cannabis, the Movie

Filed under: Drama », Deals », Newsstand »

Holy crap! Am I the only person who didn't know you could make millions of dollars selling weed? It doesn't matter, really, because soon, everyone will know: HBO Films is producing a movie based on the story of a group of teenagers in Idaho who did just that. Entitled King Cannabis, the movie will likely focus on Nate Norman, a kid who went from pizza delivery guy to drug kingpin (and is now doing 12 years in federal prison). With his friends, Norman made $38 million -- selling pot. Either they smoke an insane amount of marijuana in Idaho, or my concept of how much the stuff costs is way, WAY off. John Stockwell (of crazy/beautiful and Blue Crush "fame") will base his screenplay on one of the many magazine articles about the group, and is planning to direct, as well.

So, basically, what we have here is a Risky Business for the 21st century: how I made big bucks, met ladies, and had tons of fun doing illegal things. Sure, this one includes a long prison sentence, but still - think of the money! Who wants to place bets on how many idiot stoner kids will take this as a how-to and get arrested within weeks of the film's release? Anyone?

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