Jean-Claude



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Amongst the widely distributed Lethal Weapons, Rambos, Die Hards, Robocops, Rockys and the Sylvesters and Arnolds, there were also the Universal Soldiers, Kickboxers and Under Sieges, starring the likes of Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Steven Segal and Chuck Norris who also had their fair share in the limelight, before they exclusively turned into straight-to-rentals. Never amounting to be the top male action hero, at least not for the masses, I'd like to remember these men as yesteryear's equivalents to today's indie bands in the music scene. They were, well...sort of indie, were they not?  Everyone loved an Arnold or a Sylvester, they were mainstream but fewer were those who'd embrace the real bad-asses, and much less accessible and thus cool, such as Van Damme (as late as in high school was I exposed to his nickname by a Belgian friend in my class: Muscles from Brussels). At least one has to give them props for being clever enough to keep with the philosophy of sticking to one thing if you can do it and do it well.

In a press release the other year Dolph Lundgren confided; "You know, I was thinking today, it would be great to make a movie with the '80s action Rat Pack -- Jean-Claude and a few others." Rat Pack? Rather bold usage of the term, I'd say, naturally thinking of  Sammy Davis Jr, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Treasured film critic Roger Ebert quipped: "I remember it more as the Rat Whack."

There are obviously action movies around but is the real action hero a dying breed? I can't think of many today, at least not of actors who are but who also lack the interest or ambitions of becoming more than just that. Anyone that comes to mind seems to be one by typecasting rather than by choice.

Kommentarer
Postat av: Kosh

När styr du upp en filmkväll till minnet av dessa has-beens?

2009-05-03 @ 23:56:39
Postat av: Ash

Ja det var ju en god idé! En liten memorial, rest in peace-kväll.

2009-05-04 @ 00:07:13

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