death wish Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Summertime seems to be movie list-making time in just about every publication. I imagine it's because once you slap Chris Pine or Christian Bale onto a summer magazine cover, you're stuck waiting for the fall buzz to kick up ... or anxious film writers out there are hoping to remind audiences that they can ease the pain of mindless blockbusters with meat-and-potato classics. Either way, we get a lot of lists.

Esquire has a particularly interesting one up, though. They've compiled a collection of 75 movies they feel every man should see in his lifetime, and go so far as to suggest they've all shaped American manhood in some fashion. Some of the choices are obvious classics: In the Heat of the Night, 12 Angry Men, Chinatown, The Godfather, North by Northwest, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, The French Connection. Some are a little more on the forgotten side, like Fitzcarraldo and Run Silent, Run Deep.

But some of the choices are a little questionable. Iron Man? Three Kings? Runaway Train? Lone Star? Enjoyable sure, but are they must watch classics? Did Lone Star really shape modern manhood? I'm pretty sure Iron Man didn't considering it came out oh, exactly one year ago. Surely Easy Rider or Death Wish should have two of those spots. Doesn't John McClane deserve a rank above Johnny Dangerously? No Goodfellas? Why only one John Wayne (The Searchers) and no Jimmy Stewart or Gregory Peck?

Check out the list and ponder whether you think watching all 75 of these makes (or has made) a true man, as Esquire's version has me a little worried. Then come back and tell us what films you think are more essential than these.

*And no, clearly no one thinks there's an essential list for women. We may have to put that one together here on Cinematical.

Continuing right along with our Holiday Movie Junk series, today we have yet another batch of movie-inspired t-shirts for you to sink your wallets into. This time we're pointing you toward our good friends over at Dutch Southern, who've just debuted two new shirts (see above and below). These are the folks behind the very popular Tarantino Babies t-shirt, featuring characters from all of Quentin Tarantino's films as babies. As you can see, their new shirt, It's What's On The Inside That Counts (designed by Andrew Gregory), features a group of classic movie monster-ish characters like Rocky Dennis, Darkman, Edward Scissorhands, Rell the Cyclops and more. Additionally, they've also got a pretty sweet Death Wish t-shirt, designed by Tom Burns (check out the image down below). Both t-shirts are available in all sizes and can be purchased for seventeen bucks via the Dutch Southern website.



And from GoApeShirts.com

Well, you asked for it. (Did you ask for it? I wasn't sure if you asked -- because I know someone asked, but maybe it was a different question.) According to Screen Daily (via Moviehole), Sylvester Stallone will return for another installment in his Rambo franchise, despite what the actor has said previously. Apparently, they'll be utilizing new stages being built in Bulgaria -- and that Rambo 5 will be one of the first films to shoot on said stages. Does this mean the new Rambo won't find the title character returning to the United States? Who knows. But I bet he'll be kicking a whole lot of ass wherever he is.

Not long ago, Stallone signed a deal to star in and produce two more action films. Since then, there's been a ton of speculation regarding which films, exactly, he has in mind. Since both Rocky 6 and Rambo 4 were successful, talk soon turned to other famous Stallone characters (like the rumor that he'd be making a Cliffhanger 2), as well as other famous movies (like the rumor that he wanted to remake Death Wish). Honestly, I'd prefer the Death Wish route over all else. I'd kinda like to see Stallone play an average, over-the-hill guy who, due to certain unforeseen circumstances, must take the law into his own hands. Rambo 5? Eh? Really? Do we need it?

We might not know exactly what Sylvester Stallone is doing next, but we do know he's apparently got a thing for remaking old Charles Bronson films. Not long ago, Stallone expressed interest in remaking Death Wish, and now Dark Horizons tells us the aging action star will star in a remake of the 1972 Bronson flick, The Mechanic (and though they say nothing of the man also directing, other sites are jumping to that conclusion). DH also claims the film's budget clocks in at around $40 million, and that MGM is looking at folks like Ryan Gosling, Ben Foster, Cillian Murphy and Elijah Wood to co-star.

The original film revolved around an aging hitman (played by Bronson, and now Stallone) who befriends a young man that wants to become a professional killer. Over at IMDb, however, they claim the film will be totally re-imagined as a thriller in a post 9/11 world. A few days ago, Stallone struck a deal to star and produce two new action films, though there was no further info on what those two films would be. Perhaps Sly is off the Death Wish train and now setting his sights on The Mechanic? Could one of these (or both) eventually become the film(s) included in that deal? Which would you rather see Sly remake: Death Wish or The Mechanic?

While we may not be looking at another Rambo sequel, Sylvester Stallone has made it known that he's definitely not ready to give up the action roles. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Stallone has struck a deal, along with his Rambo producers over at Nu Image/Millennium Films, to star and produce two action films, neither of which appear to be sequels to Sly's very lucrative Rambo and Rocky franchises. So what are the films and what will they be about?

Well, we don't know right now -- HR says that several scripts are being considered, and that "the first script is expected to be locked and loaded by the fall, with production set to begin shortly thereafter." Seeing as the guy is fastly approaching his mid-60's, I imagine both films will revolve around an aging (something) who, in order to save (someone or something), must wage a private war against (these people) and save the day. I know Sly had previously talked about remaking Death Wish, so there's a chance one of the two projects will indeed turn out to be Death Wish. The other one, however, is completely up in the air. If it were up to you, what type of film would you like to see Stallone take on? (Perhaps he'll take notice of our list of seven characters Sly Stallone could sequel-ize.)

I recently attended a press junket for Sylvester Stallone's amazingly violent new Rambo (in theaters January 25th). There, he was asked about his plans to remake the 1974 Charles Bronson classic Death Wish. Peter told you a bit about the new Death Wish in November, when Variety announced that Stallone would direct and star. The film will be scripted by Michael Ferris and John D. Brancato (The Net, The Game, T3: Rise of the Machines). Stallone says he thinks Death Wish, done today "would be volcanic." And despite the lack of success for recent revenge thrillers like Death Sentence and The Brave One, I think he might be right. Below is what Stallone had to say about his take on the material:

The idea in the original of Jeff Goldblum as a mugger who breaks into an apartment seems very simplistic. It gives you an idea of how bad the elevation of violence has become. I want to focus on defense attorneys, on the people who are really allowing this crap to happen. Not so much the guy out in the street, but who permits it? What if it happened to you? What if your daughter down the hall was grabbed and her eyes were put out, would you want to defend that guy? There's moral questions here that are being presented that have not been asked in 30 years. So it's not the pacifist. This fella I see, and I'm giving you a little hint here, he was a very violent human being. An ex-convict who walked the walk, was accepted back into society, did everything he could to be clean. When the incident happens, he reverts back, and it's like "My God." Now you've unleashed a man who really understands the world of violence. He isn't burdened with this passive-aggressive conscientious objector thing that's been done. It's really what happens when the wolf in sheep's clothing goes back to the wolf.

What do you think? Does Stallone's Death Wish sound like something you Wish you could see?

Sylvester Stallone is ready to step into Charles Bronson's shoes. Variety reports that Stallone is in talks to direct and star in a remake of Death Wish, to be scripted by Michael Ferris and John Brancato. That's the writing team responsible for The Net, The Game, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines -- and Catwoman. Draw your own conclusions, but with Stallone in the director's chair, this could be another project that ends up better than it initially sounds.

Michael Winner's 1974 original starred Charles Bronson as mild-mannered Paul Kersey, a New York City architect transformed into a killing machine meting out street justice after his wife is brutally murdered and his daughter is raped. Four sequels would follow over the next 20 years, but with Bronson's passing in 2003, the search for a successor was inevitable.

Early September saw two new vigilantes hit the screen: Kevin Bacon in Death Sentence, a straightforward and enjoyable revenge flick misunderstood to be a message movie, and Jodie Foster in The Brave One, which drew more direct comparisons to Death Wish because it was set in Manhattan. It's hard to imagine that a new Death Wish will try to be profound or offer anything new on the subject, but if it's well made and Stallone restrains himself a bit, that may be enough.

Stallone has been working hard on the comeback trail and made some major coin for the backers of Rocky Balboa. He also has Rambo due out on January 25, 2008, a release date that's normally a death wish of its own, but the trailer looks fairly awesome as an action pic. If Rambo hits big, this deal for Death Wish will generate even more excitement. And if Sly's Death Wish hits big, MGM is prepared to make it into a franchise for him, which could sustain Stallone well into his 70s (Bronson was in his early 70s when he made his last Death Wish). While you contemplate that thought, MGM is hoping to start production before March 2008.

I wasn't crazy about the last poster that was released for the upcoming Death Sentence, but this latest one -- a ComicCon exclusive -- more than makes up for that big red canvas with a little Kevin Bacon in the center. What's up with that poster, anyway? So odd. Check out the new poster to the right of your screen (click on it for a larger version over at /Film). This one is a whole lot better; not only has Bacon grown in size, but it's got this great disturbing vibe to it (those old Death Wish and Reservoir Dogs posters immediately came to mind). And if it does sort of remind some of Death Wish, that's because the movie is based off a novel by Death Wish author Brian Garfield. Thus, some of the same elements are present, although the story goes in a slightly different direction.

Another reason to look forward to Death Sentence (which also recently released a trailer) is that James Wan directed the flick. Wan, as you know, helmed the first Saw film, but didn't do so well with his latest, Dead Silence. Wan is great at establishing an unsettling mood, while slowly rising the tension. Unlike some of his other projects, he's got a great lead actor this time in Bacon, and a decent supporting cast in Kelly Preston, John Goodman and Aisha Taylor. Essentially, the story centers on a nice, suburban guy (Bacon) who, after witnessing his son's murder, decides to personally hunt down those responsible ... while they subsequently hunt him. And although the premise feels familiar, I have a good feeling about this one. Bacon scares me when he's angry, and I've been waiting for Wan to deliver a thriller that's on par with the stuff he gave us in the first Saw film. My fingers are crossed that Death Sentence is it. Look for the flick to hit theaters on August 31.

Look, I'm not a huge raging AICN fan -- something about their absurd use of exclamation points just really gets to me sometimes!!! With that said, I've been really enjoying their 20 days of questions with Sylvester Stallone and, if anything, I'm a much bigger fan of Stallone now than I was before I began reading. The guy is such a good writer (so much so that I wish he would write more screenplays) and has provided a truly well thought-out answer for every single question tossed in his direction. And trust me, a lot of these questions have been random -- real random -- but I'd rather read this than watch him on, say, Inside the Actor's Studio ...

("Mr. Stallone, Farty McMatthews -- second year acting student in the range division. I have a question regarding the method in which you feel emotions through your consciousness -- can you possibly delve into some more psychological ..." Oh, just shut up. Don't you feel like punching those people sometimes. Just, like, a little?)

Anyway, on Day 19 of the questions, Sly finished things off by asking the AICN readers whether or not they would be down for a remake of Death Wish. Says Stallone, "I'd like to get your feedback on the idea of remaking Death Wish with a slightly different slant. Instead of the Charles Bronson character being an architect; my version would have him as a very good cop who had incredible success without ever using his gun. So when the attack on his family happens, he's really thrown into a moral dilemma in proceeding to carry out his revenge." Man Sly, get the hell out of the seventies, you're killing us here!

Earlier this month, there was a Reuters story about director Michael Winner and his claim that his 1974 film Death Wish is the most copied in the history of cinema. I haven't gotten to the point where I agree with that statement completely, but today I'm seeing one more piece of evidence, at least. Fox Searchlight has just made a deal to distribute a movie called Stephon's Coroner for State Street (I don't understand the title, either), which is kinda like Death Wish, but with and for moms. The script, written by Pat Gilfillan follows two single women who become friends after they each lose a son to useless acts of violence. When the judicial system fails them, they become vigilantes. George Tillman will direct.

There is no vengeance like that of a mother. So who should play these renegade moms? The best choice for one of them would be Julianne Moore, but I guess I'm typecasting since she seems to be playing a lot of mom's with missing children these days. For the other, perhaps Sissy Spacek? Or would that be too much red hair? Maybe it could serve as some cheesy metaphor?