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Thread: Remo Williams remake

  1. #1
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    Remo Williams remake

    Iron Man 3 writer/director is remaking Remo Williams ... sort of
    Don Kaye
    Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 6:25pm


    Remember Remo Williams? No? Well, Iron Man 3's Shane Black is about to refresh your memory.

    Black, who was personally selected by Robert Downey Jr. to co-write and direct last year's blockbuster Iron Man entry, has been attached to a number of different projects since, including Doc Savage. But it was announced today that Black will direct The Destroyer, a new film based on a series of paperback novels (some 150 of them) originally conceived by Warren Murphy.

    According to the official synopsis, The Destroyer is the story of Newark police officer Remo Williams, who is framed and sentenced to death but brought back to life after his alleged execution. He then becomes an "enforcement arm" for CURE, a secret branch of the U.S. government that operates outside the boundaries of the Constitution. Williams is tasked with taking out America's enemies, aided by his apparently ageless Asian sidekick, Chiun.

    And if some of that sounds familiar, that's because in 1985 Fred Ward starred in Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, an attempt to launch the series on film that also featured Joel Grey as Chiun and a pre-Star Trek: Voyager Kate Mulgrew as Ward's leading lady. The movie was a flop and the "adventure" ended quickly, although Grey did nab a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor and the movie even got nominated for an Oscar for best makeup.

    Still, 1985 was a long time ago, and it seems that the time has come around at last to give Remo Williams another go, probably with a grittier edge. Producer Charles Roven (the Dark Knight trilogy) said in a statement, "“Shane has been a fan of the original Destroyer book series since its inception and he has an incredible vision for this film. Atlas (Roven's production company) couldn’t be more fortunate to be working with this talented director on this material."

    The screenplay is by Jim Uhls (Fight Club) and James Mullaney; the latter co-authored or wrote several of the books until the series stopped in 2008. There's no word yet on a cast, but hopefully the film will actually cast an Asian actor this time as Chiun.

    In the meantime, The Playlist has helpfully posted the entire 1985 film online (directed by James Bond veteran Guy Hamilton), just to get you ready for the new one. What do you think -- could The Destroyer be the start of the next big action franchise?

    I have to watch it again now as I didn't realize that Capt Janeway was in it. I remember all the yellowface issues that came up with Grey tying his eyes back, but I still recall it as being amusing.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  2. #2
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    RIP Fred Ward

    Fred Ward, Veteran Character Actor And Star Of Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, Has Died At 79


    Orion Pictures
    BY*JEREMY MATHAI/UPDATED: MAY 13, 2022 1:20 PM EDT
    Fred Ward, a constant reliable presence over the years as an established character actor who elevated every movie he appeared in, died Sunday, May 8, 2022, at the age of 79. First reported by critic Alan Sepinwall on Twitter and subsequently confirmed by the late actor's publicist Ron Hofmann, Ward's death at least gives movie fans the opportunity to celebrate decades of commanding performances throughout a broad range of genres and budgets. Most widely known for bringing a rugged, experienced, and tangible texture to his roles in movies such as "Escape from Alcatraz," "The Right*Stuff," "Tremors," and many more, perhaps his most fondly-remembered performance among certain fans might just be*the*1985 action/adventure film "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins." Planned as the first of an entire series of films based on the original "The Destroyer" novels*(yes, studios putting the cart before the horse was never only a recent phenomenon!), the film was meant to boost the actor into leading man territory ... until its lackluster critical and box office performance put an end to that.

    Undaunted, Ward went on to enjoy widespread success through various movie and television appearances, carving out his own unique niche and refusing to be pigeonholed into any sort of box whatsoever. With his first major acting gig in "Escape from Alcatraz" (opposite Clint Eastwood, no less), a bit role in "The Incredible Hulk" series, and his tricky performance as astronaut Gus Grissom in "The Right Stuff" (among many other roles) already under his belt, the*veteran performer leveraged his early success to bring a specific sense of authenticity, earnestness, and emotion to otherwise no-nonsense characters — many of whom might not have contained quite as many layers on the page.


    Universal Pictures
    Born in San Diego in 1942, Fred Ward lived a rich and multifaceted life before ever even arriving in Hollywood. First serving in the United States Air Force, THR also notes that he made ends meet working as a boxer, a lumberjack in Alaska, a cook, and a construction worker in San Francisco before making the leap to dubbing films in Rome, acting as a mime, and acting in various projects by Roberto Rossellini. It should come as no surprise that the actor brought this lunch-pail, quintessentially American, blue-collar spirit to his acting career, as well.

    All told, Ward worked under a dizzying array of name-brand directors such as Don Siegel, Philip Kaufman, and Robert Altman, leading to some of the most fascinating collaborations and thoroughly entertaining movies of his entire oeuvre. But lest any viewer think that the actor only ever brushed shoulders with the most self-serious and prestigious talent in the industry, Ward never hesitated to bring the exact same level of commitment and verve to otherwise silly roles, as well. Few others would've turned in as great a performance as he did in 2001's "Joe Dirt," credited simply as "Joe's Dad" in the 2001 David Spade-starring vehicle. And as /Film's own Chris Evangelista pointed out, "Cast A Dead*Spell" features Ward as*H.P. Lovecraft himself ... but with a hilarious twist, naturally.

    Having climbed the Statue of Liberty, made it to outer space, and fought side-by-side with Kevin Bacon to fend off hungry worm-monsters — which really only scrapes the surface of his tireless work throughout such an incredibly prolific career — it's fair to say that most will never lead as charmed a cinematic life as Fred Ward. He's survived by*his wife of 27 years, Marie-France Ward, and his son, Django Ward.
    He was great in Tremors and The Right Stuff.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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