Sly Stallone as Freddy Hefflin from “Cop Land.” The pic comes from my collection.
best,
– Craig
Category: Cop Land
Sly Guests on AMC’s “Shootout”
Sylvester Stallone Guest Stars on AMC’s ‘Sunday Morning ShootOut’ on December 7 at 11 AM
for Sun. (Dec. 7) –(BUSINESS WIRE)–
AMC‘s weekly half-hour series, “Sunday Morning ShootOut,” hosted by Peter Guber and Peter Bart, brings the smarts and spin of Sunday morning political shows to the world of entertainment.
THIS WEEK’S GUEST: Actor, writer and director Sylvester Stallone. Since achieving worldwide fame with Rocky, which won an Oscar for Best Picture in 1976, Stallone has acted and co-written such successful films as First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, and Rambo III. His acting credits include Get Carter, Driven, Demolition Man and Copland, which garnered him international critical and audience acclaim. Most recently, Stallone has completed filming Avenging Angelo, co-starring Madeline Stowe.
DISCUSSION TOPICS: 1) The producers of Rocky offered you $150,000 to cast Ryan O’Neal in the title role. What made you turn it down? 2) Why did you agree to take a major pay cut for the film Copland? 3) Lost
Souls Seeking Redemption, Rocky VI — is this a parallel to your own life and life experiences? 4) Your upcoming Rampart Scandal delves into the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls. What made you choose this piece and how did it come about?
WHEN: The episode will air on Sunday, December 7 at 11 am ET/PT on the AMC cable network. The episode can also be viewed at http://movies.yahoo.com, beginning at 12 Noon (PT).
BACKGROUND: “Sunday Morning ShootOut” is a new, half-hour weekly series on AMC hosted by entertainment industry veterans, Peter Guber and Peter Bart. Guber is the chairman of Mandalay Pictures, former CEO of Sony Pictures, the producer of dozens of Hollywood‘s most successful movies including Midnight Express, Batman, Rainman, Basic Instinct. Bart is editor-in-chief of Variety, and former Hollywood reporter for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. In his career as an executive at Paramount Pictures and as president of Lorimar, Bart played a major role creating classics like The Godfather, Rosemary’s Baby and The Postman Always Rings Twice.
Like other Sunday morning debate shows, the sparks fly here as prominent producers, directors, writers and stars join the hosts to debate all sides of the week’s biggest stories in the world of movies and entertainment. The experts provide informed and spirited perspectives on the winners and losers at the box-office, the rising and falling fortunes of the stars and studios themselves and the emerging trends that are forever reshaping the business of entertainment.
The pic above comes from an ad in Entertainment Weekly and the text from Business Wire. – Craig Zablo
“Cop Land” a Titan!
Thanks to Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes for the item above from the November / December 2003
[Issue #22] of IFC/RANT. It’s for a series airing on the Independent Film Channel – Craig Zablo
Hey, Those Guys Look Like Rocky!
Hey, Those Guys Look Like Rocky
In Spy Kids, Sylvester Stallone plays an unconventional four-part role to appease his inner child
By RICHARD CORLISST
uesday, Jul. 22, 2003 [From the Time OnLine edition]
He is the Toymaker, the brainy bad guy bent on ruling the cyberworld. He holds conferences with three advisers — a steely general, a bald scientist and a blissed-out hippie — all played by the one actor. Sylvester Stallone is simply the guest villain of Robert Rodriguez’s 3-D video game, but when the veteran star is onscreen, this Spy Kids plays like Sly Kids.”
Actors who partake in films like this or in animated films, like I did in Antz, often say, ‘I did it for my children,'” notes Stallone, who’s 57 but looks a fit and muscular 15 years younger. “Nah. You mean you did it for your inner child. Here I get to scream and act like a total fool and get paid for it. In a part like this, you really have to let loose and not worry that you hear the ‘acting police’ sirens looming in the background.”
Stallone had mentioned to Rodriguez that he had no movies in which he appears to show his older daughters, Sophia Rose, 6, and Sistine Rose, 5. As the director recalls, “I told him he’d get to be a hissable but redeemable bad guy and to play opposite one of the greatest actors: himself. We sent the kids an early videotape so they could see how cool their dad is.”
Or some might say “was,” for Stallone is at least a decade past his uber-hunk prime. Of his star vehicles after 1994, the top U.S. grosser (a modest $45 million) was the arty Cop Land. His last action film, D-Tox, hardly played in theaters at all.
As for Rocky and Rambo: those franchises are sooo last century. Stallone knows he’s lucky to have played two iconic heroes, but he calls it “the esoteric kiss of death, because you’re never going to be taken seriously. It’s like if John Wayne wanted to dance The Nutcracker. People would say, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t care how good you look in a tutu or how you are en pointe, I’m not buying it.'”
At 57, any man hears the whispers of career mortality. “You almost feel obligated to get depressed,” he says. “What nags at you is becoming warehoused — having your soul and your ambition put in cold storage.” Your ego too: it’s tough to fade gracefully to character-actor status after 25 years of stardom.
So he’ll be starring in and directing Rampart Scandal, about alleged cop corruption in the Tupac Shakur murder case. He’s also defying age and logic by planning a Rocky VI.
Clearly, the pug boxer is never far from Stallone. His home is festooned with Rocky arcana, including paintings by the actor. There’s also a photo, taken the day Baghdad fell, of a young Iraqi hoisting a U.S. flag with Rocky emblazoned on it. The image pleases and tickles the star: “You know the movie wasn’t playing in Iraq. Why would someone smuggle into the country a character that represents the American Dream? Did he have it under his bed thinking, I can’t wait to be liberated! It’s the first thing I’m pulling out!?”
In Hollywood, Stallone the star may be history. But in the rest of the world, he still helps make it.
— Reported by Desa Philadelphia/Los Angeles
From the Jul. 28, 2003 issue of TIME magazine – Craig Zablo
Sly’s Denmark Interview
| Steen [from Denmark] sent us the scan to the left and the translation of the interview which follows:
Ekstra Bladet, Denmark, May 30, 2003 I HATED RAMBO. – I’ll never forget my first visit to Copenhagen in the mid eighties. I was on honeymoon with Brigitte and had been looking forward to experiencing her city. But my plane was vandalised by people who painted the words “Ho Chi Minh” and “Fascist” on it. And I received deaththreats. |
– All this apparently because of my Rambo films. And at Harvard University, where I was going to receive an award, people poured animal blood on me.
– After a while it became too much. And I started to really hate the Rambo character. People apparently thought I was him, says Sylvester Enzio Stallone, 56, who was married for two years to Brigitte Nielsen.
– The so-called serious filmmakers has never really taken him seriously. And he’s often been laughed at. But Stallone himself has been doing most of the laughing…All the way to the bank. He’s so rich, it’s almost disgusting. Rambo really put him on the map and since then he’s been asking all the way up to $20 million to do roles that didn’t require him to speak much, but only to be a oneman army, who deals with bad guys his own way.
NO MORE RAMBO
Today Sly has a very different view of the Rambo films: – I don’t regret a thing. The films were huge hits. And back then they meant a great deal to the real Vietnam vets. I’m sure of that. Even if the films were only adventure films, I think they took away some of the pain, that those vets felt. Like an escape from reality. But for me, the Rambo films are a thing of the past.
– What do you think about guns?
– “I can’t say I like guns, but I do have guns at my house. You have got to be able to protect your home. Most Americans own guns. But I don’t want to be remembered as this war guerilla. I can offer so much more. Look at “Copland.” I’m not just into violent movies. And I was only payed $60,000.”
– Have you had any serious personal experiences?
– “Yes, my daughter was born with a weak heart but she had an operation and is fine today. An experience like that changes you. Every thought imaginable goes through your head. Anything from religion, moral and succes etc. Suddenly you realise how out of control you really are. You can’t do a thing in those situations. No matter how much money you have.”
– Are you a religious man?
– “I’d like to keep that to myself.”
– You say you don’t regret a thing, but are there films you are particularly proud of?
– “Yes, a film called ‘F.I.S.T.’ and also ‘Copland.’ In both cases I insisted on playing the leading roles. I’m good at sticking to my own core, no mater what people say.
– What about a film like “Cobra”?
– “Well, that was a long time ago. It’s an ok action film, but probably not the kind of thing I’d be doing today. But there has to be room for harmless entertainment.”
About his own looks he says: – I’m not good looking in the traditional sense. I have dogs eyes, my mouth is curved, my teeth aren’t out of a toothpaste commercial and my voice sounds like a cheap mafia guy. But somehow it all adds up, so I guess I’m doing ok.
– You are doing ok, Sly. To us B-movie fans, you are a god.
Thanks again to Steen for sharing! – Craig Zablo
SLY IN UK’S HOTDOG MAGAZINE
Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes sent in the following:
I found this in the current issue of HOTDOG ( UK edition, volume3 number 2 ). It includes a piece that reads…
WHY MISS DIAZ… YOU’RE HIDEOUS
They’re Hollywood’s sexiest stars, but here they’re king of funny lookin.’ More than most passport pictures even…
STORY: Mark Wyatt
…It highlights actor’s who have transformed themselves for various roles. Among those featured are Sly Stallone, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Robert Deniro, ect…
Thanks to Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes for sending in the info!
– Craig Zablo (February 17, 2002)
STALLONEZONE AT DARK HORIZONS
On November 15th Dark Horizons ran the following item:
Rambo 4: Over at StalloneZone, a radio report indicates “Cop Land” director James Mangold is on the top of Mirimax’s list to direct “Rambo 4” – a likely choice and here’s why: “After ‘Cop Land’ Miramx signed James Mangold to a four film contract. So far he’s done two. It was said that Harvey Weinstein was pleased with the teaming of Cop Land, and that he would love for Stallone and Mangold to work together again.” – Thanks to ABKing
(November 18, 2001)
SLY IN TOTAL FILM
Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes sent in the pics and quotes from TOTAL FILM (August 2001/issue 55)
- “Ask him which movies he rates from the past, and he’ll list First Blood, Nighthawks, F.I.S.T. and Cop Land. Ask about the choices he’s likely to make in the future, and he’ll stress that he’s looking for more ensemble pieces, more character work. “
- “There’s a kind of thrill at seeing something that came off the page being enacted before your very eyes as opposed to just being an actor for hire.”
- “Next up he’s acting opposite Madeline Stowe as a mafia bodyguard wanting payback for his boss’ murder in Avenging Angelo, before carrying on down the revenge trail as a widower out for justice in Dolan’s Cadillac.”
- “In fact neither the remake of Get Carter nor cop thriller Eye See You (aka Detox) look likely to get theatrical release over here (UK ).”
- “His career did perk up momentarily , however, when racing movie Driven thrust him onto the winners podium as it took the number one spot at the US box office in April.”
Thanks to Jazz for sharing! – Craig Zablo (September 3, 2001)
Sly InSyle
Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes has checked in with another “heads-up” for SYLVESTER STALLONEfans:
In the June 2001 issue of InStyle magazine in the BODY + SOUL column there is a feature entitled … ‘ SHAPE SHIFTERS . It talks about physically prepping for roles.
There is a section called Hall of Gain: Expanding Their Range. “When it comes to actorly sacrifices for roles, sometimes the thighs have no limit.”
They list 5 actors/ actresses who have gained weight for roles . SLY is # 4…. SYLVESTER STALLONEsported 40 extra pounds in 1997’s “Cop Land.”
Thanks to Jazz for the tip! – Craig Zablo
SLY IN STYLE
Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes has checked in with another “heads-up” for Sylvester Stallone fans:
In the June 2001 issue of In Style magazine in the BODY + SOUL column there is a feature entitled SHAPE SHIFTERS. It talks about physically prepping for roles. There is a section called Hall of Gain: Expanding Their Range.
“When it comes to actorly sacrifices for roles, sometimes the thighs have no limit.”
They list 5 actors/ actresses who have gained weight for roles . Sly is # 4….
Sylvester Stallone sported 40 extra pounds in 1997’s Cop Land.
Thanks to Jazz for the tip! – Craig Zablo (May 22, 2001)