Comments on The House Next Door: 5 for the Day: Kurt Russell

No problem, Ross. C,mon, Wang!There were whispers...

2007-04-19T10:37:00.000-04:00

No problem, Ross.

C,mon, Wang!

There were whispers about a sequel (or a prequel) to Big Trouble, you know. The idea actually excites me as opposed to, let's say, Indy 4 with Shia "No, it's not chicken" LaBeouf.

Didn't like Sky High, thought Russell was the best...

2007-04-19T01:58:00.000-04:00

Didn't like Sky High, thought Russell was the best thing in it; loved his Carpenter films; loved Tequila, and Best of Times; loved Swing Shift, bastardized it may be.

I don't hear any love for Executive Decision, tho. Joel Silver could be the smarter incarnation of Jerry Bruckheimer, and Stuart Baird is the not inconsiderable editor of Die Hard who directed this pic, easily the best Steven Seagal movie ever made (if you've seen it, you know what I mean). Russell's terrific as a brainy counterterrorism expert who finds himself way in over his head--in the baggage compartment of a hijacked plane, trying to pull together an infiltration team when their commanding officer has just been blown away. He sweats, he worries, he has you convinced maybe even you have the guts to face up to dem pesky terrorists. Wonderful film.

Ross: It always tickled me in the BIG TROUBLE trai...

2007-04-18T16:57:00.000-04:00

Ross: It always tickled me in the BIG TROUBLE trailer that they cut to Kurt Russell saying, "Jack Burton! ME!"

But you know, it's like Jack Burton always says: What the hell.

I'm surprised to see so much love in the House for MIRACLE, which did not impress me as a film but Russell's performance blew me away.

I'm also glad to hear the mention of SKY HIGH, which I thought was a really horrible movie made tolerable by Kurt Russell's really strong, believable performance. I sat through it on a bus ride to Washington, D.C. and was reminded he is one of a handful of guys (Walken again comes to mind) who can really deliver even if the movie surrounding them is weak.

Shamus/Ross: I like that Robert Towne compared Russell to Clark Gable when he made TEQUILA SUNRISE. I haven't seen it in a long time, but I thought Gibson and Russell were well paired. There are some excellent performances in that film, including the great Raul Julia.

Steve: Thanks for posting the link to that Sight & Sound essay. I have yet to see the Demme cut, and the essay makes it sound like a buried treasure...

Anna - "It's all in the reflexes". Normally I'm no...

2007-04-18T16:48:37.199-04:00

Anna -

"It's all in the reflexes". Normally I'm not one to pick, but it's Jack! Forgive me!!

As I'm just grabbing from IMDB, some of these might be slightly off, too...But you know what Jack Burton always says? What the hell...:

Now I'm not saying that I've been everywhere and I've done everything, but I do know it's a pretty amazing planet we live on, and a man would have to be some kind of FOOL to think we're alone in THIS universe.

When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, looks you crooked in the eye and asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: "Have ya paid your dues, Jack?" "Yessir, the check is in the mail."

Everybody relax, I'm here.

Then there's this priceless exchange:

Jack: You know what ol' Jack Burton says at a time like this?
Thunder: Who?
Jack: Jack Burton...ME!

And many, many more.

(Now is everybody here clear on what Jack Burton always says?)

Sorry to rain on peoples' parades, but Stuntman Mi...

2007-04-18T15:16:00.000-04:00

Sorry to rain on peoples' parades, but Stuntman Mike does indeed have his scar in the second half of Death Proof. You can see it when he's watching the girls before the chase begins.

Lay off Soldier. It's an easy target. Even thoug...

2007-04-18T14:54:00.000-04:00

Lay off Soldier. It's an easy target. Even though it shouldn't be. "I'm going to kill them all, sir." should be right up there with "Are you crazy? Is that your problem?" in the pantheon of Kurt quotes.

A few years ago, I threw Ultimate Kurt Fest (there were earlier, smaller incarnations) wherein every room (and outdoor platform) at my parents' house had a Kurt Russell movie playing simultaneously. We served a food for each movie (powdered donuts for Breakdown, Rattlesnake for Escape From New York, etc.) so the point was to move around and not sit and watch just one. Everyone who didn't have it to begin with came away with newfound love for him.

It's kind of a shame it's taken Grindhouse to ilicit this re-examination.

There's something about Russell that telegraphs th...

2007-04-18T14:31:00.000-04:00

There's something about Russell that telegraphs that he's a cool dude in real life, too. Love, love Big Trouble in Little China. Jack Burton ("It's all in the wrist") is like the older, useless brother to Ash from Army of Darkness. All swagger, no substance. Kudos to Kurt Russell for playing this part and putting the spin on a typical action hero role. Also, lots of praise for his work in Tombstone. Everybody was in this film, from Charlton Heston to Jason Priestly, and Russell played the part of the iconic Earp perfectly.

I wouldn't call THE BEST OF TIMES failed at all. I...

2007-04-18T11:42:00.000-04:00

I wouldn't call THE BEST OF TIMES failed at all. It's a Ron Shelton-scripted sports comedy for grown-ups in the vein of BULL DURHAM, about small-town sports rivalries, and both Robin Williams and Russell are wonderful in it (as are Pamela Reed and Holly Palance as their wives).

Any list of personal Russell favorites would have to start with USED CARS. That and ELVIS were his great break-away-from-Disney performances.

Having seen the Jonathan Demme cut of SWING SHIFT, I can attest that it's a great film, and Russell is great in it. The studio-mangled version gives him some dumb scenes to play to soften his character and downplay his relationship with Hawn's character.

Here's the link to Steve Vineberg's SIGHT AND SOUND essay comparing the edits: www.storefrontdemme.com/sightandsound.html

I wouldn't call THE BEST OF TIMES failed at all. I...

2007-04-18T11:29:00.000-04:00

I wouldn't call THE BEST OF TIMES failed at all. It's a wonderful little gem about small-town sports rivalries, and both Robin Williams and Russell are wonderful in it. The Ron Shelton script is every bit the equal of his work in BULL DURHAM. Like DURHAM, it's a movie for adults and their grown-up loves and regrets.

Russell does provide a wealth of great performances, doesn't he? My list of favorites would have to be anchored by USED CARS, but you're also right to include MIRACLE.

I'll have to concur with the commenting crowd here...

2007-04-18T11:16:00.000-04:00

I'll have to concur with the commenting crowd here and say Jeremiah is giving Miracle short shrift; if nothing else, it's the most perfect hockey movie, but it's so much more than that, and it all hinges on Russell.

An odd confluence of events had me writing up my own little Kurt retrospective when Sky High was in the theaters. It's nice to see him getting so much appreciation here.

I had never heard of Elvis till the day he died, s...

2007-04-18T10:17:38.614-04:00

I had never heard of Elvis till the day he died, so Kurt Russell served as my introduction. If I remember it was sweeps month, and all 3 networks pulled out their big guns that year, with one showing the TV premier of Gone With the Wind, one showing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and the other Elvis. I watched Elvis. I haven't seen it since but as I remember it was damn good.

I would mention his performance in "The Best of Ti...

2007-04-18T03:29:00.000-04:00

I would mention his performance in "The Best of Times." A failed comedy by Ron Shelton (just beginning to work out his sports movie jones), but Russell is superb and has great rapport with Pamela Reed.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned "Stargate"...

2007-04-17T22:49:03.287-04:00

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned "Stargate".

Spawned one of TV's more prolific series.

I agree with Ross - "Big Trouble" is my favorite Russell movie. "Capt. Ron" second with the Pliskin movies third.

Russell is, without question, my favorite DVD-comm...

2007-04-17T21:24:00.000-04:00

Russell is, without question, my favorite DVD-commentary participant of all time. His co-commentaries with Carpy are rightly famous, but IMHO the best is his track with Bob Gale and Bob Zemeckis on USED CARS, which is made especially memorable by his response to Z&G's anecdotes about the rampant partying that went on during the shoot, which Russell was oblivious to 'cause he was in the habit of going back to chill in his trailer with then-girlfriend Tuesday Weld after work each day.

I'm surprised no-one has yet mentioned his superb performance in last year's SKY HIGH. The performance provides a great testament to his professionalism, since he's rumored to have fought constantly with his costar Kelly Preston, though there's zero evidence of it onscreen (apparently Russell is a hard-core Libertarian--he was converted to the cause by Carpenter--and, as such, he had no patience with Preston's Scientology. There have also been rumors that Russell's Libertaran beliefs have hurt his career--he skews right in a way that makes Hollywood liberals uncomfortable, but also alienates conservatives in the biz with his support of abortion rights, drug legalization, etc. If that's true, then IMHO his apparent refusal to change his tune is more admirable still).

"If this is the case, then the movie is reversed a...

2007-04-17T21:11:00.000-04:00

"If this is the case, then the movie is reversed and the end of the movie is the beginning"

Not the case, as evidenced by this screencap from the beginning of the second part:

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w139/jrydell/ScarmanMike.jpg

Benaiah,I've been telling people about that theory...

2007-04-17T20:38:41.104-04:00

Benaiah,

I've been telling people about that theory for over a week now. Tarantino can't do anything linear. It totally changes the context of the story. And it doesn't. I still think Stuntman Mike gets more or less what he deserves. He's still a predator of women. Just because the second group of girls are reckless doesn't give him an excuse to do what he does.

"Unlawful Entry" is one of the best examples of those early '90s home invasion thrillers that began with Fatal Attraction. Its mediocre box office was partly due to it being released a couple of months after the L.A. riots. (Ray Liotta plays a vicious L.A. cop who, at one point, brutally beats up a black man.) What makes the film work is that Russell and Liotta have similarities in their appearnce and acting styles.

His performamce in "The Mean Season" is also a fine one. Too bad the movie is rather routine.

I've always held that "Backdraft" was a terrific B movie. Howard doesn't get enough credit for his ability to handle large casts in the service of sturdy B melodrams like "Backdraft" and "Ransom." (Is there anyone brave enough to do a 5 for the Day on Ron Howard's movies?) DeNiro is awesome as a verteran arson investigator. It was an early glimpse of him starting to become a dependable character actor. "Backdraft" is far more enjoyable than the more "respectable" "Ladder 49." F/X's "Rescue Me" is the only thing to top "Backdraft"'s appeal and insights.

Is there any love for "Tango & Caash"? Just kidding. Or, am I?

This is a great post, Jeremiah. I haven’t seen ‘Mi...

2007-04-17T19:48:00.000-04:00

This is a great post, Jeremiah. I haven’t seen ‘Miracle’, but after your recommendation – and based on the other comments posted here – I’ll check it out. In Matt and Keith’s recent Quentin Tarantino/Grindhouse post (‘My Tarantino Problem, and Yours’), I remarked that Kurt Russell is an underrated actor, so it’s good to see him getting some attention here.

Russell always seems to bring something substantial to his roles, particularly in action films, where he adds a sly sense of humour to his characters and appears vulnerable without seeming weak. He’s easily the best thing in ‘Soldier’, barely saying a word, but telling us everything with his eyes. And I’ll give a shout out to ‘Escape From L.A.’ as well. I think it’s a flawed film, but it’s got a great ending.

Wax: Word. That movie is hilarious.But I had a cr...

2007-04-17T17:48:00.000-04:00

Wax: Word. That movie is hilarious.

But I had a crush on the guy for YEARS and it was a direct result of "Overboard." That movie was on cable seriously every weekend during the late '80s, and my brother and I would watch it every damn time.

For a Kurt Five, the Carpenter flicks are no-brain...

2007-04-17T17:30:29.523-04:00

For a Kurt Five, the Carpenter flicks are no-brainers. BIG TROUBLE remains my favorite Kurt flick of them all.

I've never seen THE MIRACLE. Something (i.e. all the comments here) tells me I now need to.

I like that you chose BREAKDOWN, which isn't one that would've leapt to my mind for a Kurt Five, but it's a solid choice nonetheless.

TOMBSTONE & CAPTAIN RON were mentioned -- both of which I'd second.

I'm with The Shamus on TEQUILA SUNRISE, a movie I've come to practically worship within the past year.

I'd also give it up to UNLAWFUL ENTRY, which is sort of the claustrophobic, character-driven version of BREAKDOWN. And I love his work in VANILLA SKY, esp his last scene on the rooftop when he realizes he's not even a real person.

Finally, I am stunned at the lack of love for ESCAPE FROM LA. Please tell me I'm not totally alone on that one.

(P.S. Kipp - watched PEAKS last night and the James singing w/ the girls scene came on. My kid said, "Why does he sound more like a girl than either of them?" That said, I'd totally forgotten how Bob invades the scene and somehow the juxtaposition of the sweet and the horrific worked really well for me.)

I don't know if this has been posted elsewhere, bu...

2007-04-17T16:25:00.000-04:00

I don't know if this has been posted elsewhere, but I just saw some people discussing this on Triggerstreet.

(Warning Spoilers)

Supposedly Stuntman Mike doesn't have a scar in the final reel of Death Proof. If this is the case, then the movie is reversed and the end of the movie is the beginning, and Rosario Dawson gives him the scar and the girls killed at the beginning are revenge for the girls at the end. I didn't see it and don't know if it is true, but man I would love it if QT just threw something like that in there. This would change the movie in a big way.

(End of Spoilers)

Wasn't there a story last year about Russell havin...

2007-04-17T15:37:00.000-04:00

Wasn't there a story last year about Russell having indirectly directed Tombstone through the malleable George P. Cosmatos? I believe Russell has some personal attachment to the Earp story, hence his son's name.

As with Christopher Walken, it was tough selecting...

2007-04-17T14:28:00.000-04:00

As with Christopher Walken, it was tough selecting 5 for Kurt Russell.

I opted to highlight the three big John Carpenter movies because I consider them his definitive roles, then picked the other two as being representative of the kinds of films Russell had done.

I could've gone for "Used Cars" as a great example of his comic timing, and also his first step outside of the Disney factory. It also captures his offbeat sensibility, since he isn't playing a typical romantic lead in that one. Those crazy suits alone help define the character.

I agree about "Tombstone" being an underappreciated and excellent western, and Russell's performance anchors the film. Val Kilmer gets to be colorful and crazy, but it's his pairing with Russell that makes it work. I almost wrote about this one, then decided to do "Breakdown" instead because I hadn't covered Russell's ability to play an everyman hero. Wyatt Earp is another iconic character.

I also considered writing about "Silkwood", but even though Russell is just great in that, he's really supporting Meryl Streep. It's her picture.

Writing about "Swing Shift" was difficult because it's difficult to consider Russell's (again very terrific) performance without considering the better movie that Jonathan Demme would have cut together without interference. That is an essay in its own right (if someone has the link to the fantastic Sight & Sound piece comparing Demme's version with the released cut, feel free to post).

I never saw "Captain Ron" but I'll bet he's a hoot in it. Anyone in the House recommend this one?

Jeremiah

I want to react a little to the mention of Poseido...

2007-04-17T13:59:00.000-04:00

I want to react a little to the mention of Poseidon. It's a terrible movie overall but Russell's death scene, drowning in a control room as he presses the button or whatever that lets everyone else live, is the single best thing in the whole movie. Not only because it's the most realistic visual effect out of the whole movie, remarkably done with no CGI, but you can read the pain and sacrifice on his face as he acts the hero one more time.

I don't know if it marks me as some kind of lament...

2007-04-17T13:52:00.000-04:00

I don't know if it marks me as some kind of lamentable douchebag, but I absolutely love Big Trouble in Little China. Cheesy, sure, but it just drips comic-spooky atmosphere, like a zero-budget Indiana Jones film. I fell for it as a kid and just loved it as a semi-creepy funny action flick; a couple years ago I watched it again and realized it's a really, really smart semi-creepy funny action flick - with a loopy little romance between Gracie and Jack that grows beautifully and ends perfectly.

And the Carpenter/Russell DVD commentary is as good as the film.

I agree with Alan that you're selling Miracle shor...

2007-04-17T13:06:00.000-04:00

I agree with Alan that you're selling Miracle short, both the movie and it's leading man's performance. In the film, Russell plays a man who says little and is almost incapable of expressing his real feelings. Yet in every frame, you can read his thoughts as clearly as if they were printed in subtitles.