Category: 2007

First Blood 2nd Best

Craig / / 2007, First Blood, Honors

The June 24, 2007 issue of The Calgary Sun has an article by Kevin Williamson who lists his choices for the Top Ten Action Films of the 80’s. First Blood comes in second and here’s what he has to say:

2. FIRST BLOOD (1982): Sylvester Stallone’s brutish, brooding alter-ego is now indefensible as anything but a churlish Reagan-era joke. But this inaugural outing, in which the psychologically scarred Vietnam vet John Rambo runs afoul of a hick police force, is, in retrospect, remarkable for its comparative restraint.

Click HERE for the full article. – Craig

Rambo II One of the Best

Craig / / 2007, Rambo 2

The June 22, 2007 issue of Entertainment Weekly lists their choices for the Top 25 Action Movies of All Time and they follow up on their on-line site with the top 50. Rambo, First Blood Part II came in at 35 and here’s what they had to say:35. RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II

Directed by George P. Cosmatos (1985)
Here’s where Rambo gets elevated from wounded Vietnam veteran trying to find a place in the world to entire-village-slaying, POW-rescuing American myth. Written by James Cameron (at the same time he was writing Aliens — busy boy!), this sequel corners like it’s on rails, hugging the plot turns and accelerating straight through to the speechifying finish. 

The same issue of Entertainment Weekly has an interview with Bruce Willis where Sly’s connection to “Die Hard” is discussed:EW: I’ve read that you were the studio’s fifth choice to play John McClane…
BW: Oh, I think I was the 50th choice! They went to everybody.
EW: I’ve heard Richard Gere…
BW: I heard that.
EW: Arnold Schwarzenegger…
BW: Clint Eastwood…
EW: Stallone and Burt Reynolds…
BW: [Laughs] Burt Reynolds? All of those guys probably would’ve been great John McClanes.

– Craig

 

Vanity Fair: "Killers Kill, Dead Men Die,"

Craig / / 2007, Celebs

Every year, for the last thirteen, Vanity Fair pulls together the top stars in Hollywood for a stylish photo shoot. This year they created their most ambitious shoot yet. “Killers Kill, Dead Men Die,” is an amazing 33-page portfolio in the tradition of the great noir films of the past.

Created by Annie Leibovitz and Michael Roberts it features Amy Adams, Ben Affleck, Jessica Alba, Pedro Almodóvar, Alec Baldwin, Adam Beach, Jessica Biel, Abigail Breslin, Jennifer Connelly, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench, Robert De Niro, Robert Downey Jr., Kirsten Dunst, Aaron Eckhart, James Franco, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Hudson, Anjelica Huston, Rinko Kikuchi, Diane Lane, Derek Luke, Tobey Maguire, James McAvoy, Helen Mirren, Julianne Moore, Jack Nicholson, Bill Nighy, Ed Norton, Peter O’Toole, Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, Kerry Washington, Naomi Watts, Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, Patrick Wilson, Kate Winslet, Evan Rachel Wood.

The March 2007 issue of Vanity Fair is on stands now. If you go to the Vanity Fair website, you’ll find some great behind the scenes videos of the making of “Killers Kill, Dead Men Die,” as well as a video presentation with narration of the portfolio. – Craig

Ultimate Fan Contest Winner

Craig / / 2007, Sly Fan, StalloneZone

I recently received an e-mail from Dan Nobel who had this to say:
Craig –

I just wanted to say thanks for the Rocky fan site contest and selecting my website as the winner. I am a huge Rocky fan and the autographed boxing gloves are awesome. These are my first pieces of Rocky memorabilia so I am very excited. Just need to figure out how to display them. I attached a picture of them. Thanks so much!!

Daniel Noble

__________
Thanks to Dan for the “thanks” and for sharing the photo with us! Dan’s collection is off to a great start. It’ll be interesting to see how it grows. – Craig