I want to live in a world where Dudikoff is king

It's been nine years since the brilliant Michael Dudikoff last starred in a film. He is 56-years-old now so maybe he did not want to tarnish his powerful action career because he was over the hill. Perhaps, he realised the 80s action movies craze was over. I think he was having too many nightmares about Steven Seagal.

He has worked very diligently for an actor. This may be because he starred in so many B movies, which, I assume, did not pay very well. B movies are not often available in South Africa . This may be because they are too expensive to import, in light of the small likelihood of any one paying to watch them. Nevertheless, etV tends to show many B-movies.

Dudikoff's most memorable film series is the American Ninja series. It was kind of funny. He played Private Joe Armstrong and managed to churn out five American Ninja films. The first sequel American Ninja 2: The Confrontation amazingly featured South African actress and Cherel de Villiers from South African soapie, Isidingo: The Need; Michelle Botes. That film was released in 1987. To my knowledge, not many local actresses have been in cheesy martial arts movies, except for Candice Hillebrand, who was in the live action Tekken movie, but who is not as established an actress.

Dudikoff also mentors other actors and participates in martial arts. He practises Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I believe he could "take 70-year-old Chuck Norris to the hospital".

Wikipedia says Dudikoff is married and has two kids. He also owns a Golden Retriever.

There may be light at the end of the tunnel for the millions AND MILLIONS of Dudikoff fans around the world. I was very excited when I found this on the Internet:

http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=18711

In August last year, it was announced that Dudikoff was teaming up with another former action star, Wesley Snipes and, some actor called Joey Lawrence.

In recent news for Lawrence (April 29), the New York Daily News reported that Lawrence is supporting Donald Trump's bid for the White Office. By the way, Trump is not buying it. Instead, Trump wants to run for president of the US.

Here's the article and a link:

" Donald Trump may be losing friends by the minute, but he has at least one Hollywood star on his side - Joey Lawrence from the 1990s sitcom "Blossom."

The actor, who is best known for his role as Blossom's dimwitted brother on the '90s sitcom, told Fox News that he was behind the birther king.

"I'd be open to Donald. He's somebody out of the box and I think that some of the stuff he's saying makes sense," he said Tuesday. "It sounds like you and I would say it and it's time. I'm tired of 'so politically correct' every step of the way. "

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-04-29/gossip/29501158_1_birther-donald-trump-big-role

Are there any other "has been" acting legends you would like to see return to our screens?

Alistair Anderson

Twitter is taking over

This post was made for the IE Corporate Communicator Challenge. Prospective MA in Journalism at IE students were encouraged to: "Expose a case of disruptive innovation within the industry of journalism and the essential factors that made it a triumph".

In line with Harvard Business academic, Clayton Christensen's definition of "disruptive innovation", Twitter became a service that took root at the bottom of the media market, and then relentlessly moved up market, eventually replacing letters as a tool of communication to the masses, for example. It has not yet replaced television or newspapers but it may in the future. Digital book sales have overtaken print book sales already. Means of media consumption are changing quickly. Twitter is as major gamechanger in this evolution.

Some may argue that Twitter started as a way of social communication between a person and their friends or acquaintances.
It was, in a sense, a competitor to Facebook. It was a simpler Facebook because it allowed people to express how they feel or tell the world where they were and why. This was communicated in a concise manner.

People did not then need to scrawl a person's Facebook page. But one cannot understate the ability of Twitter as a tool to voice opinion. People can unleash their opinionson the "Twitterverse". There, other people can expose themselves to these opinions. If you are famous, you will probably gain more exposure, or, at least, gain it more quickly than the non-famous do.

The media quickly realised that it could use Twitter to spread itself throughout the globe. They could improve brand awareness on an incredible scale. They could gain new customers too. Newspapers and television media outlets could use Twitter to get into peoples' heads. People did need to agree to follow these companies but if enough people tweeted about corporate ideas and news, the companies would "trend" as newsworthy subjects. Twitter was used for finding information for stories and stories themselves.

If it is trending on Twitter, it is worth looking at for a news agency. These topics help to fund profitable stories in terms of news reach . More money can be made as a result of more people subscribing to paid online conetent because they liked a link on Twitter. Even if the contentwas free, they could be exposed to advertisements, which would make money for the site displaying them.

Journalists also develop their profiles by using Twitter. They are essentially standing on gigantic soapboxes. Their voices have been boosted. However, much of Twitter may not be trusted because the checks are not there. How much can one regulate a soapbox?

Alistair Anderson South Africa

Woody Allen - The Wanderer

Woody Allen does not want to make films set in the US anymore.

OK, that is not definitely true. I have not managed to contact the acclaimed writer and director and very strange actor to ask him.

But, judging by his recent films, I believe that Mr Allen is enjoying himself arsing about Europe making stories featuring some of the world's most interesting or potentially good actors.

Matchpoint (2005), Scoop (2005) and Cassandra's dream (2007) were all set in London, England. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) was set in, well, Barcelona. You will meet a tall dark stranger (2010) then took Allen back to London. His latest film, to be released this year, Midnight in Paris (2011), is set in Paris.

Then next year, he releases yet another film directed by him, The wrong picture, which is set in Rome, Italy.

Therefore, I conclude that he likes to travel. Maybe he should stick with films about people being alienated about countries other than America, though. I don't buy him understanding that much about Europe.

Americans may have lost some interest in him but keeps on making movies. He isn't winning Oscars anymore but he is going to Cannes often.

Be sure to read ScreenForum's review of Midnight in Paris soon. And then The wrong picture, which Allen stars. He does: "I'm a weirdo and I have a problem with my life" well, even if many people find him to be annoying.

Are you looking forward to the next Woody Allen movie to reach your country?

Alistair Anderson

Movie Reboots

Hollywood loves to reboot movies. They redid Star Trek. Fast Five is also a "sort-of" remake.

Here is a list of potential hollywood remakes courtesy of imdb.

Back to the Future
The Beastmaster
Beverly Hills Cop
Caddyshack
Die Hard
Evil Dead
The Fast and the Furious
Home Alone
Jackass
The Matrix
The Mummy
Ocean's Eleven
Rambo
Revenge of the Nerds
Rocky
Rush Hour
Saw
Scary Movie
Smokey and the Bandit
3 Men and a Baby

I'm not sure why Hollywood would remake Saw or Ocean's Eleven already but if it could get leverage out of a remake it owuld probably try.

Would you like to see any of the above films redone? Are there other films that you would like to see on the list? Let Screenforum know by posting a comment below.

Alistair Anderson

Comic book films that I would like to see - Part One

Ever since the movie studios became confident in the ability of then new technology, they have embraced comic books as a source of film. The Matrix, released in 1999, brought exceptional technology to the world and was based on a graphic novel. It was the ultimate cyber punk film. Other graphic novels such as V for Vendetta and From Hell soon followed. Comic book juggernauts such as Spiderman, Superman, The Incredible Hulk, The Fantastic Four, Batman and The X-men were all converted into celluloid.

Interestingly, not all the comic book to film transfers, were reliant on special effects. A film like Ghost World could have been made in the 1960s. This suggests that the technology made studios confident that they could re-realise graphic printed art on film and then they decided audiences would show an interest in any graphic novel or comic book, no matter how many buildings were blown up or how many characters bent time and space for the camera.

So with this in audiences' tastes in mind, I have decided to jot down a list of comic books and graphic works that I wish to see on film and why? I have suggested a few people who could work on the projects too. Do you agree with my suggestions? Do let Screenforum know your thoughts using the comment link at the bottom of this post.

Here is work of art number one:

Preacher

Preacher tells the story of Jesse Custer, a man who had terrible, abusive upbringing. He is a preacher by profession but does not preach very often. he lives in Annville, a tiny town in texas. He is possessed by a supernatural creature named Genesis. His church is destroyed during the possession. It's a violent, demented story but it's very entertaining and it uses the comic medium brilliantly.

Many people rate it as one of the best ever graphic novels. I get tired of "best ever" lists often because I may just like a piece of art because of some nuance within it, which sets it apart from other things in its genre, however big that class may be. I enjoyed Preacher after I got over the perverse characters within it. When I was 11-years old, I heard about how dark it was and did not bother with it. But, in my twenties, it has been far easier to appreciate.

Still, the question people will ask is can the craziness of the story being translated into film? It could if the makers focussed on the main plot and only a portion of the Preacher tale. It would also have to be R18 and probably get rid of some of what the hillbillys do to people and animals.

Or am I wrong? Should filmmakers tone things down at all? The Swedish movie, Let The Right One was toned down compared with the novel that it was based on.

A whole subthread about pedophilia is only touched on. Pedophilia is an emotionally demanding subject for many people and maybe to visualise it can be too off-putting. Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones, though, hinted at it and dealt with child murder. I leave audiences to watch that film to see what is actually shown in this regard. The book it was based on was much better.

But, back to Preacher; I would like to see Edward Norton in the role of Custer. It has been too long since he used his talent. Ryan Gosling would also fit well or even Eric Balfour, who has experience from the paranormal series Haven.

As far as the director is concerned, I do not really mind. Sam Mendes was once attached but he dropped out to direct James Bond 23, which is tentatively set for release next year. I think he should do Preacher and Bond or leave Bond to someone else.

Alistair Anderson

Musicians who act too

Pop stars have entered the film world with mixed results. Only some stuck to roles that are similar to their music careers. This has not necessarily led to good acting performances. Prince, pictured above, was decent in Purple Rain as a kid who wants to make it big in music, but he was terrible in Under the Cherry Moon.



Many pop stars enjoy performing, which may prompt them to try acting too as they can then express themselves through a different medium. They can also take on a second career and earn more money, if they wish. However, not every singer makes a good actor.

Rapper 50 Cent was awful in the movie, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. He plays a drug dealer with hip hop dreams. He's a walking stereotype and we don't care about him. He wastes our time; that's all.

Eminem did a much better job with 8 Mile. Yes, he plays himself but the film is well-directed and entertaining. It has humour and cool rap battles. Eminem is a man possessed when he's rapping in the film, kudos to him. The soundtrack was good too.

Music folks can also do comedy, sometimes. Snoop Dogg captured the character of Huggy Bear brilliantly in the Starsky and Hutch remake. Yet, Steve Tyler and Christina Milian were part of the big pile of swamp turd that was Be Cool. This film is a shoddy sequel to the clever Get Shorty.

Singers and rock stars do not have to megalomaniacs and take on leading roles in serious films, which they may mess up. Jack White played a quiet but likeable character in Cold Mountain.

Alanis Morissette played God in Dogma. She didn't have to speak which made her more believable as an supernatural being.

Finally, the best performance by a musician in a film has to be Bjork in Dancer in the Dark. Her character works to look after a son even though she is suffering from a disease which will make her go blind eventually. She finds strength in musicals.

One notable rock star I cannot end this post without referring to, is David Bowie. He was O.K. in The Hunger, awful in The Prestige and exceptional in Labyrinth. His performance in Labyrinth was referenced in the television masterpiece Flight of the Conchords. Interestingly, it is chosen as an era of Bowie as Ziggy Stardust was, but it was a film role and not a career persona.

Alistair Anderson

Also featured at

Soccer Movies

Few films have been made about the beautiful game of soccer. Instead, Hollywood has focussed on its major sports, Baseball, American Football and even Basketball Ice Hockey.

SA has not made any blockbuster or independent fictional soccer films that I can remember. Yet, besides the English and Spanish, even the Tibetans have made a film about kicking a round ball around.

The Cup, made by Tibetans, pictured above, was released in 1999 and had monks checking out soccer legend, Ronaldo's haircut, and, based on this, thinking he was a monk too.

While SA waits to see its national sport, soccer on celluloid, here is a look at bunch of films that were made about that sport.

Escape to Victory was released in 1981. It is one of the few soccer films to feature real players but the play is far-fetched and the acting is hammy. It has Pele, Bobby Moore and Osvaldo Ardiles in it. Then Sly Stallone and Michael Caine deliver two rotten performances in it.

The Cup, as mentioned above, was more entertaining, even if it did not deal with soccer and its rules as directly.

The plot of The Cup involves two young Tibetan monks who are soccer fans, living in a Himalayan monastery in India. Their major goal in the film is to get a television so that they can watch the 1998 Soccer World Cup Final.

It is a cute film that looks at the concept of delayed gratification.

A film that does well with looking at a part of British football history is 2009’s The Damned United. It tells the story of Brian Clough, a famous British soccer manager. The film, based on a novel, follows Clough’s work at Derby County and Leeds United. This was where he upset officials, fans and players. He then won European titles at Nottingham Forest.

Clough is played by Michael Sheen, who is famous for impersonating Tony Blair in movies. He also does a rather good David Frost.

Timothy Spall plays Peter Taylor, Clough’s assistant manager. Their chemistry between the two actors is excellent and the film is very entertaining.

Shaolin Soccer was released in 2001. It also does not show accurate football. It is very creative though. Actor-Director Stephen Chow meshes soccer and kung-fu into a crazy film.

A Shaolin monk soccer team takes on a corporate-type soccer team. It is fun but it just is not true to the laws of soccer but maybe the spirit of it.

Lastly, I want to mention, Bend It Like Beckham (2002). This film launched the career of the English actress who loves to pout and show audiences her teeth, Keira Knightley. It also has Bollywood elements and, for people who remember, a cameo from MTV UK presenter, Trey.

It is easy to get behind the characters and dance along to the soundtrack. The football actually looks real too.

Now, anyone interested in making a local soccer film with myself?

Alistair Anderson

Also featured on http://screenforum.blogspot.com/2011/04/football-movies.html

I need a hero

Hollywood is trying to find new action stars to begin a wave of films.

There was Newman and McQueen in the 1960s. Then, in the 1970s, Clint Eastwood was Mr Action. Then, they hit a golden age in the 1980s and 1990s with Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean Claude van Damme, Dolph Lundgren and Bruce Willis, who ruled the 1980s and 1990s. One could argue that whimpy Keannu Reeves took over with The Matrix in 1999 but what is clear is that macho action men were weak in the 2000s or the films they were in were just pure rubbish.

Jason Statham and wrestlers Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock were badly used in many films in that decade. Statham was only any good in Snatch - not a gungho action film and true story, The Bank Job. The Transporter's sequels and Crank I and II were poor but maybe I expected too much of them. Steve Austin was solid in The Condemned but the material he had to work with was ridiculous. Good action movies like the Die Hard series had strong performances from Bruce Willis playing John McClaine.

They also had good plots and exciting stunts. Good action films like all good films require actors who can act.

So, what has the current decade offered us so far?

Channing Tatum? GI Joe was junk. The Rock recently told the interviewer Piers Morgan that he would focus on acting for now. Does Bradley Cooper count as an action star? The A-Team was rather awful. Sly Stallone may have felt the same way as me and made the Expendables (see picture at top) with a host of action maniacs. Released last year, it was quite entertaining. Even the ending was very action 1980s.

Perhaps Hugh Jackman is the only real action hunk left? Ryan "I love to act in comic book films" Reynolds may be trying. Well, there are about 9,5 years to go for this decade so I am giving Hollywood a chance.

Alistair Anderson

This post also appeared on ScreenforumSA:

What's the best South African music video ever?

I watched Lark on MK yesterday. Their debut for Moonlight was incredible. It's the best South African music video that I have seen yet. It's something to do with people breaking into a compound and using a baby robot bear to blow things up.
It looks very cool - I love the use of blues and whites. Anyway, I'm on the hunt to find other good local music videos. aKing's "Safe As Houses" comes to mind. I think that video is a homage to Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence" - both the singers have crowns and look like they're playing "medieval times". aKing's has nice rain effects.

So, what other videos come to mind as being nice on the eyes or as evoking other things in audiences?

Playboy Magazine relaunches in SA

People have been commenting about the return of the once controversial magazine, Playboy.

They are arguing that it won't work because women are treated better or have more rights or live different lives, irrespective of their gender. I'm not convinced that that these arguments present the threats to Playboy SA becoming a successful magazine.

Rather, I think Playboy suffered because it became borrowing.

Yes, Playboy used to be controversial but reality TV shows like Girls of the Playboy Mansion have taken away any mischievious allure that it had in its most execiting periods.

In the 1960, 70s, 80s, even the 90s, people looked at it for naughty pictures and edgy, if sometimes non-serious journalism.

The TV show that took people into magazine founder, Hugh Hefner's house, made the magazine rather predictable.

The merchandise - aftershaves and clothes maybe made it "too safe" or conservative.

Hugh Hefner has before said he wanted people to embrace a Playboy lifestyle that empowered women but also one that included sexually confident women.

Perhaps, he succeeded and his magazine ran its course.

Another move that turned people away from Playboy was that many film and music stars just refused to pose among its pages anymore.

Marilyn Monroe was its first cover star in the 1950s - when she was one of American film's biggest stars. But even she did not pose for the mag as such - none of her nudy bits were on display.

The Wikipedia article's list of notable film stars who posed for Playboy is unimpressive.

Film:

Marilyn Monroe (December 1953) (Never actually posed for Playboy itself)
Jayne Mansfield (February 1955)
Mara Corday (October 1958)
Ursula Andress (June 1965)
Carol Lynley (March 1965)
Kim Basinger (February 1983)
Janet Jones (March 1987)
Drew Barrymore (January 1995)
Daryl Hannah (November 2003)
Denise Richards (December 2004)

What about since 2004?

Jessica Alba was in a bikini on a cover in 2006 and stopped the mag from putting any nude pics of her inside the particular issue.

As far as edgy journalism including the notable "Interview" series goes, well, that will stay strong as long as the people interviewed ensure good interviews.

I leave it to Playboy SA to find some innovative ways to keep selling then.