Last movie watched...

[Frank]

the odd bit is really fun, especially the final action scene set across two different trains to the Lone Ranger Theme and which has some great gunfighting, old-school stuntwork and the title character chasing the baddie down by riding Silver across the rooftops of the town and then across a moving train - that stuff is just the right mix of daft and awesome. 

Is it the turkey the US media is saying?  Not so far as I can tell, it's nowhere near as bad as Wild Wild West, for instance - but does it look like it cost a quarter of a billion dollars?  Does it fuck.  I am calling it now, that cash went up someone's nose and then they went on a massive hobo-battering bender.

The Lone Ranger theme? I'm sure you're familiar with Billy Connolly's definition of an intellectual, Prof.

Apparently Don Simpson used to unwind by [spoiler]fucking $10,000 an hour prostitutes in the arse as he flushed their heads down the toilet[/spoiler], had his face and physique remodelled in the same way other folk redecorate, and arrived at his high school reunion in a helicopter. I can believe Jerry Bruckheimer's still skimming production budgets to pay that off.

[Professor Bear]

You will have a time convincing me that the William Tell Overture in a movie about the Lone Ranger is being played for any reason other than it being the theme from the television show.  And also in the public domain, so I imagine they saved a bit of money there.

Don Simpson sounds like he had the right idea - not so much the misogyny and taking drugs until his heart exploded side of things, but the general notion that there's no point hiding being an alpha male prick if you live in Hollywood and pull down billions making films about exploding Ferraris.

[JOE SOAP]

I am calling it now, that cash went up someone's nose and then they went on a massive hobo-battering bender.

Par for the course but it doesn't beat a shoot originally planned for 120 days that was weeks behind schedule; bad weather destroying sets and rather than retro-fitting trains they built their own vintage choo-choos. Bruckheimer, Verbinski and Depp all deferred portions of their salaries until Disney recoups its money.

Bruckheimer's company has to pay for any overages so I doubt he's willing to pay for so much nose-candy.

[Frank]

the theme from the television show (is) also in the public domain, so I imagine they saved a bit of money there.

Good point, but they still managed to make it hugely expensive by paying Hans Zimmer to add a middle eight to it.

[Ghost MacRoth]

Your theory is promising but you need to check your math

Lol, guess there's always exceptions to every rule!

[JOE SOAP]

the theme from the television show (is) also in the public domain, so I imagine they saved a bit of money there.

Good point, but they still managed to make it hugely expensive by paying Hans Zimmer to add a middle eight to it.

It's a stonking version but I prefer it with some devotchkas.

[willthemightyW]

The Last Stand: Really fun movie, a bit of a quieter come back for arnie than I guess people wanted, but still a lot of fun, made me excited for his next movie opposite Stallone, 'The Tomb/Escape Plan'.

Conan The Barbarian (John Milius and Arnie version), surprisingly the first time I've watched it, and thoroughly enjoyed it, and has got me to go back and read the old Savage Sword of Conan issues my dad used to pass down to me which are always fun to read (also downloaded Red Nails on Kindle, the first Howard Conan book I have read, really enjoying it). The Arnie version really makes the new one look even worse.

Escape from New York. No matter how many times I watch this film I will never not love it. Escape from L.A tomorrow, while it's not nearly as good as the first, I have grown to like it.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

Oblivion

One of those films where you have the entire plot sussed by the time the opening voice-over is finished.

And it's a breath-taking rip off of [spoiler]Moon[/spoiler]. Only without the creepy quiet voiced robot.

[Jim_Campbell]

Conan The Barbarian (John Milius and Arnie version), surprisingly the first time I've watched it, and thoroughly enjoyed it

I honestly think Conan The Barbarian is one of my favourite films. It never springs to mind when concocting one of those 'top ten' lists, but I can watch it pretty much any time. Giant rubber snakes notwithstanding, it looks fantastic, has a great score, knows exactly how much to ask of its lead's limited acting abilities and, crucially, works precisely because it takes itself so very seriously.

Cheers

Jim

[Mabs]

The Last Stand: Really fun movie, a bit of a quieter come back for arnie than I guess people wanted, but still a lot of fun, made me excited for his next movie opposite Stallone, 'The Tomb/Escape Plan'.

Conan The Barbarian (John Milius and Arnie version), surprisingly the first time I've watched it, and thoroughly enjoyed it, and has got me to go back and read the old Savage Sword of Conan issues my dad used to pass down to me which are always fun to read (also downloaded Red Nails on Kindle, the first Howard Conan book I have read, really enjoying it). The Arnie version really makes the new one look even worse.

Escape from New York. No matter how many times I watch this film I will never not love it. Escape from L.A tomorrow, while it's not nearly as good as the first, I have grown to like it.

Some great films there Will, especially in the case of the latter two. I agree with Jim; all components from score to production design is fantastic. Millius managed to capture some of the intrigue and romance of Robert E. Howard's stories. As for Escape From New York, it's quite possibly my favourite John Carpenter film alongside The Thing. The sequel however is not nearly half as good in my opinion, but still has its moments. Kurt Russell's Snake Plissken is so bad-ass as a character, there's a moment where he's talking with Lee Van Cleef about the mission, and you think it's Clint Eastwood sitting there sporting an eye patch and growling in his iconic voice and not Kurt, that's how good he is. He is hugely underrated in my view, although he's appeared in some classic films.

[willthemightyW]

Conan The Barbarian (John Milius and Arnie version), surprisingly the first time I've watched it, and thoroughly enjoyed it

I honestly think Conan The Barbarian is one of my favourite films. It never springs to mind when concocting one of those 'top ten' lists, but I can watch it pretty much any time. Giant rubber snakes notwithstanding, it looks fantastic, has a great score, knows exactly how much to ask of its lead's limited acting abilities and, crucially, works precisely because it takes itself so very seriously.

Cheers

Jim

Couldn't agree more! Like you said, it takes its self seriously, but it never feels overly like it's trying to-do so, it knows when to lighten the mood in certain situations (granted, these are few) but not to the point of cheesy humour. The levity in the film comes from the characters triumphs throughout the film rather than one liners and silly humour. Every time I watch it again it surprises me how well the fight scenes are shot and choreographed, the orgy chamber scene, with it's slow build up, may be one of my favourite action sequences!

[JamesC]

Futureworld.

I'd never seen this before and I really enjoyed it. I was expecting a re-tread of Westworld but the conspiracy angle set it apart.
I particularly liked the maintenance man's friendly scrap robot and the weird dream sequence featuring Yul Bryner that was obviously just added so that they could put his name on the posters!
I think this and Westworld are both really fun, easy to watch films - they really don't make them like this any more. Saying that I can imagine them both remade on a large budget and they could actually work really well with lavish sets and amped up action sequences.

[Richmond Clements]

Saying that I can imagine them both remade on a large budget

[IAMTHESYSTEM]

I think this and Westworld are both really fun, easy to watch films - they really don't make them like this any more. Saying that I can imagine them both remade on a large budget and they could actually work really well with lavish sets and amped up action sequences.

Karl  Urban played Black Hat in Priest so all he needs to do is shave his head to be in with a shout.

[JamesC]

Saying that I can imagine them both remade on a large budget

Yep, Jurassic Park is very similar but with less emphasis on having sex with the attractions!