Review
END OF DAYS review
Hey folks, Harry here.
I’ve just returned from a series of missions out in the city of angels, and man... I’m tired.
But at the same time I’m really energized. Cause... What I saw, what I witnessed and watched did not depress me. Instead I’m left happy as can be, because no matter how many bad movies I see in September... I know that in the middle of the dreadful month, we have AMERICAN BEAUTY and in November we have an honest to goodness Arnold movie in END OF DAYS... And then.... Way off in June or July of next year... there’s that mysterious UK project that Moriarty and I infiltrated in full disguise to bring you the scoop on... You’ll be hearing about that... On Monday.
But tonight, today and this Afternoon, you get to hear about the other two films.
This piece will be on END OF DAYS.
How could I not go see END OF DAYS?
Ever since I was a pup, I’ve been hungering for Arnold movies. From 1982, with CONAN THE BARBARIAN, to 1991’s T2... Arnold ruled in my mind. I mean, sheesh.... CONAN, TERMINATOR, PREDATOR, TOTAL RECALL... Hell, I even liked KINDERGARTEN COP.
Then he made a couple of missteps, recovered with TRUE LIES, but to some that was also a misstep... But then... There was this huge plunge into a pit of hell filmmaking.
JUNIOR, JINGLE ALL THE WAY, ERASER and then the atomic bomb... BATMAN AND ROBIN. Things have really been sucking ass for Arnold fans. I still have hopes for him, but when I see fans like A.B. King, who seem impossibly devoted to the man and his films... Well it brings a smile to my face because I remember being that guy.
I remember not having a clue about PREDATOR. All I knew was it was Arnold vs something that was hunting him. And it was in a jungle. I thought it was a remake of MOST DANGEROUS GAME.
I remember walking in the Lincoln Theater here in Austin and seeing that poster with the pyramid on it that said... TOTAL RECALL. And... not knowing a thing about it, I psyched myself up beyond all recognition.
And Arnold delivered. He kicked the bad guy’s ass hard. A character would hit him, and he’d just smile at him, before breaking his neck or jaw or ribs or whatever.
I remember attending one of Arnold’s Youth Speeches here in town. He is a movie star. First and foremost... he’s Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He’s one of those stars, who’s every move I try to keep up with. I wanna know all about what he’s up to. Where he’s been, and how soon is it being made.
At the same time, he frustrates me beyond all belief. His demand of a movie-breaking up-front salary has kept the really good projects he’s attached to from moving forward. So... CRUSADE, WITH WINGS AS EAGLES, I AM LEGEND, S.W.A.T.... well, they sit in the wings awaiting the extra 20 million to get Arnold on board. I wish he’d just negotiate for a heavy backend with a low up-front so I could finally see him kick the cinematic ass I know he’s capable of.
BUT... Here’s END OF DAYS.
At the time this was greenlit, I was happy. Ya see, I enjoyed the script by Andrew Marlowe. However, it did have the distinct air of being an Arnold movie in the typical... we’ve seen it before fashion.
What I saw... was not really your typical Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. Oh sure there’s a ton of good explosions and bullets flying, and loads of death and mayhem and such... But... The machismo is toned down. Arnold is more human... he’s flawed. He has problems in his life.
The script everyone has read, if you could get your hands on it, had Arnold as this one dimensional head of security badass that just kicked ass.
Well, when Peter Hyams came aboard, he and Andrew Marlowe started rewriting things quite a bit. Why?
Because it needed it.
The movie begins with Arnold hungover, depressed and getting ready to commit suicide. The gun is cocked, it’s at his forehead. The memories around his darkened cluttered apartment depress him. He doesn’t have anything to live for.
Personally, for me, that’s a major tonal shift of a character for Arnold. We’ve seen Mel Gibson do that... IN A LOT OF MOVIES, but then Mel has always been about beating himself up quite a bit emotionally and psychologically as a character on screen.
But Arnold has always been the shining example of single-minded machismo. I’ve never even thought of Arnold thinking or pondering suicide... But still.... there on-screen was Arnold with the gun to his head.
The movie moves from there.
Arnold is human in this movie, hell... He's an alcoholic in this film. And Satan is his enemy. Ya know... Fucking with Satan is just a bad idea. (Life lesson #1) And when Gabriel Byrne is the horned one... Well, it’s a different dynamic.
When fighting Satan, as a human, you are at a distinct disadvantage. Rigging a big rock to fall on him... well that won’t work. Knocking him into a vat of molten metal... Damn man... Satan would just bathe in that stuff and say it smells of lavender. You can’t really shoot Satan. You can’t blow him up. Crosses don’t work. Silver bullets don’t work. Holy Water doesn’t work. Satan’s one of them bad guys that doesn’t have a real easy out. You can’t unscrew his heel and let the molten magma flow out. He’s Satan.
But is Satan the sort of character that would say... shoot a gun at you? Would Satan pick up a pipe and go at your head? How does Satan fight you?
And it is that aspect of this movie that really excited me. Sure fighting Satan’s minions is doable. You can sink bullets into them, blow em up, run them over... You can screw them up.
BUT, when it comes to the big red guy... well. He plays a different game.
There is a scene, about 2/3rds of the way through the movie where Satan really shows you what Satan can do. I’m not talking about fire and brimstone. I’m talking about Satan, the fella that got Eve to take a bite of the apple. He didn’t pick the apple and shove it down her throat. He tricked her into picking it, chomping on it, and had her trick Adam into doing the same.
And boy... I tell you. Gabriel Byrne sooo completely screws with Arnold’s head. Gives him something that we would all want back. Something that’s nigh impossible to turn down, lest you realize that it means the end of mankind and life as we know it. BUT... What he does gives a great moral dilemma for Arnold and folks... it’s electric. I was fascinated.
Now, I don’t want to get you too excited about this movie, cause it still has a lot of work to be done. The FX are far from being completed, but from what I saw... It looks like they are not sparing any expense. The final score has not been laid down. AND FOLKS... To me that’s the biggest missing piece to be filled. A fantastic score has got to be the highest priority for this movie. They have John Debney signed to score it, and I like him. But he has got to write his best score for this film.
For the end sequence he has to Miklos Rosza out. Arnold turns in perhaps his best performance, but Debney still needs to help him a bit more. The score needs to become Arnold’s soul. A soul that is ready to die at the beginning, and wants to live at the end. We have got to hear that in the score. We really need the power of a full orchestra with choir going at it.
Now I’m not going to rank this Arnold film in the scope of his career just yet. I can’t in good conscience do that till I’ve seen the final print. The film still needs a bit of tweaking, but it’s by and far Arnold’s best film since Terminator 2, (Though I really do have a soft spot for TRUE LIES, it’s just not as cool as this movie) and is a different type of film for Arnold.
Hopefully it will be the beginning of a trend. This film is a pretty darn cool horror action film. A cross-genre we don’t really see that much, but if after this film, UNIVERSAL gives us HELLBOY... well, we’ll have a trend of Action/Horror films.
Meanwhile, this is Peter Hyams best movie in a loooooong time. I love 2010 and OUTLAND. I feel his TIMECOP was the best of Van Damme’s movies, but... well you know. Peter is one of those honest to goodness filmmakers. He’s his own DP, and this film I do believe is his most handsome work yet as a DP. Hopefully, Peter will be given the much deserved pat on the back he needs, and the career boost to make more really cool movies.
And... lastly, this is for A.B. KING, the biggest Arnold fan I know. “Hey kid, you got a cool one coming. You can dance around like a maniac and email Moriarty ‘I Told Ya So’ messages out the wazoo.”
Readers Talkback
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yeessssssssssssssss
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Well, it seems like Ah-nold has finally gotten a good film, the first since TRUE LIES. I want to see this not for him, though, but to see USUAL SUSPECTS alums Bryne and Pollack together. I can't wait!!!!!
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Thanks for such a advanced review on the 2nd most anticiapted film for the rest of the year for me, the first being Fight Club. I have heard a lot of good things about this and that trailer absolutley kicks so much ass, I can't wait for a full one. We get Arnold more humanized, but still a lot of bang for our buck, this sounds like the way all Arnold's flicks should be. And Gabriel as Satan, well casting don't get much better than that. I was hearing from some though that this was no different than any other Ah-nuld action flick with the villan being Satan being the only twist, but I'm hoping this will be more.
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I personally can't wait to see this movie. I loved TRUE LIES and have been waiting ever since for a really good Arnold movie. Plus, I love Satan vs. human movies. They kick ass. ROSEMARY'S BABY, THE OMEN, THE EXORCIST, THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE. I love all those flicks. There's nothing like pure evil to dig really deep beneath the skin. By the way, Harry, JUNIOR was a funny movie. I know it wasn't typical kick-ass shit, but you have to admit the casting was perfect. Who is the exact opposite of a mother figure? Arnold! Watching him go through pregnancy was a blissfully funny movie experience, and proved to me that Arnold is capable of much more than kickass action flicks. I will probably hear some shit for this last bit in the post, but I don't care. I stand by the movie and my opinion.
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How was she in the film? Did she ever get involved with the action or was she just the "girl" in the movie?
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Harry, your reviews paralleled Arnold's career for a while there, but ever since the Inspector Gadget review, you've been back on track. Much like Ah-nold. Anyway, I would say you would be at a distinct DISadvantage when fighting Satan as a human... And John Debney totally kicks ass. I'm looking forward to this bad boy. Arnold is at his worst when he pulls his punches.
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Aug. 19, 1999, 12:24 a.m. CST
If this movie is better than True Lies I'll let Harry Oz me.
by TheMalcontent
As a kid, me and my friends had an obsession bordering on gay love with Arnold. All of us little catamites saw every Arnold movie the first day it come out, even Red Heat and Raw Deal, while Terminator and Commando were never far from our Betamaxes. But now, it must be said, my idols are more artistic in nature and I don't much care what the strongman-cum-restauranteur does next. I just can't stand seeing him on talk shows anymore, interjecting the name of his latest turnip every five seconds. Besides that, he looks to have had more surgery than Cher -- his cheekbones are a technological marvel that make the T-1000 look primitive. He's just not cool anymore, and I think I know why -- James Cameron has moved on to greener pastures. Harry, you know as well as I do that Peter Hyams couldn't direct a movie as good as Piranha II if he had twice the budget of Titanic. The red carpet has obviously been rolled out for the Big Man, and I don't blame him for shilling. But don't believe it, people.
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"Last Action Hero"! That was the biggest piece of crap I have ever seen! To this day, I still can't believe I wasted $5.00 on that film. Everyone involved in that film should have been shot after it came out. Oh, and Arnold, you are not worth $20 mil anymore. Give it up man!
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And who doesn't love Kindergarten Cop? A comedy classic. Arnold some career advice. Take back end deals and make some decent movies. No more Juniors! For the love of God
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The poster of this movie rocks for me... its Arnold just looking down and all you see it his silhouette, not his face, but the structure of him, and the background filled with images of fire and etc... its not his usual poster with him flashing a gun, very mysterious.. it works for me!
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..Was is the finished print?
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I thought True Lies was a comedy.
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I guess I should have read the review before making a complete ass of myself.So it was an unfinished print after all.I still had to sort through the spoilers to get that piece of information.A spoiler warning would be nice next time,Harry. Nevertheless,this is excellent work Harry ,keep it up.And don't let Hollywood corrupt you.
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Total recall was certainly Arnold's funniest thus far. The thing coming out his nose, the towel around his head, the amount of blood that came out of that rat. It had me in stiches. Some-one call the doctor my sides are splitting. And then the eye popping/no oxygen thing.HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! I was on the floor. The end.
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Knowles, you dirty bastard, why would you unleash ABKing on me? Besides, he only gets to say "I told you so" if I like the film. "Moriarty" out.
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Why does everyone rag on Arnie's performance in Batman and Robin? I thought he was a total hoot! His brilliant maniacal laugh was worth the price of admission alone. It's one of my fav performances from the man. I can't believe that Arnie fans can honestly say they didn't like it. It was tongue-in-cheek people!! You know... funny ha ha!
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I think that end of days is truly shaping up to be THE End of the Millenium movie. Byrne is such a cool touch(he really turned my head in usual suspects). I wonder if anything significant will happen when Y2k hits. God knows I won't be ready...Jesus Christ On A Cross save us all...
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three things happened. First, I saw the poster, which has to be one of the best movie posters to come out in some time. Arnold looks beaten in it. I am an Arnold fan, by the way, unrepentantly. When his movies kick ass, they KICK ASS. But Batman and Robin almost killed it for me. Second, yesterday I saw the trailer, which I quite liked. Looked really Seven-ish, and definitely a different turn for his career. When Arnold actually challenges himself as an actor, it's always a good thing. Does everybody here remember how awesome Predator is? Saw it again recently, and man, that is one well-directed and acted movie. Better than most of the so-called action films today. Then I read Harry's review (lucky bastard) and now I HAVE to se this one. Can't wait, now. And I want that poster.
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dude! what the hell is with this "wait till monday" shit?! tell us what it is you're keeping from us! if you're writing a long report just send a little non cryptic preview our way...please? i just hope its not some romantic comedy...:)
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Harry, you should title this link End of Days Teaser. You didn't tell us enough!
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I have always loved OUTLAND and have secretly prayed that Hyams got around making a half-decent script, hopefully this will be it... The concept and casting sound great. Now, just a hunch but... here's a connection I just made... I spoke with Mike Mignola in San Diego and he told me they wanted Ron Perlman for Hellboy. Personally I think that's a great idea, great actor, could-become-a-star role and career, great with makeup... but... I fear that if End of Days is a hit, U is going to now push for Arnold. Don't you think this is studio "logic" at work? Mignola seems to love the new script but holds little faith in the studio system, who can blame him? Far as I am concerned Hellboy is the star of Hellboy. Just a thought.
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Everything I have read about and seen about End of Days makes me hope that i will great. But I'm just praying I won't be let down, after all, I had high hopes for 8MM, and Christ did that blow. BUt Arnold needs something new, something unique to pull him out of his slump, and if this one, as I hope it will be, is more of a thought-provoker, it could be one of his best. I for one loved the Last Action Hero, it was great satire. But I think we are forgetting the real WORST Arnie movie. . . Eraser. Ugh, what poop that was (although those guns, while nothing like a real rail gun would be like, were damn cool). People always gripe about how he can't act, whereas I feel he can within his genre. Hopefully, this will push the envelope of his genre a bit. By the way, can anyone tell me what I Am Legend is going to be about, or where I can go to learn about it? The title is certainly intriguing. Anyway, best of luck to Arnie in EOD.
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Harry, I think that casting Gabriel Byrne as Satan could be one of the best casting moves this year. I'm so exicited about this film because it looks like Arnold is back.
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I Am Legend is very (very very very very very very very VERY) loosly based on the Richard Matheson (sp?) book of the same name and is a re-make of Charlton Heston's The Omega Man. The script is pretty easily accesible on the net if you look (I think drew's at www.script-o-rama.com has it). Without giving too much away, it's about the last man on earth and vampires. One word of warning, though: if you really love the book, do NOT read the script. This is IMHO, but the script is a horrible perversion of what is one of the only truly good vampire novels. About the only thing they have in common is the title. If I had never read the book, I proably would have enjoyed the script as a potentially fun action film, but being a huge fan of the book, I found it to be another piss-poor excuse to have Ah-Nold blow shit up for 2 hours. Again, this is all IMHO, just friendly advice.
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Uh, Twins? Hello?
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"Omega Man," "Soylent Green," "The Planet of the Apes," "Airport," etc. I'd like to see Schwarzeneggar move into more things like that (not that "Airport" is a great classic, but everyone went and saw it) and "The End of Days" seems the right direction. The poster is the best thing I've seen in awhile, but the script's dialogue when I read it awhile ago, well, frankly just was some of the worst I've ever read. Hopefully the re-write Mr. Knowles spoke on has helped clear that up. What's the deal with the sightings of Arnold and James Cameron hanging out in the editing bays of Centropolis? Heard that Arnold made some edits of his own.
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I suspect I'll just go out and get the I Am Legend book, even though it increases my chances of disappointment with the script. As for EOD, it has wonderful potential, as long as they don't screw it up. As long as the director isn't a complete whore like Schumacher. Let us pray.
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Harry, thank you for this AWESOME review. Thank you for mentioning my name in your review as a BIG Arnold fan. I have been waiting for a Arnold film like END OF DAYS to come along. It looks like James Cameron deserves some credit for telling Arnold to get Peter Hyams to direct. You just wet my appitite to the max with this review. First of all, I could be an asshole and rag all over MORIARTY. But I won't, I'm beyond that now. I knew END OF DAYS would kick ass. And like you said, IT DID. *Note to MORIARTY*--You shouldn't have bad mouthed END OF DAYS until you saw it. Now to other important stuff. I cannot wait to watch EOD atleast 4 times. If this is Arnold's best film to TERMINATOR 2, it will fuck up every film in November, including THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. This is a new Arnold film and performance if he holds a gun to his head and contemplates suicide. I want to see Arnold in pain. For the fuck heads who said Arnold can't act, GO WATCH EOD and then tell me he can't act or do different roles. I hope the score is kick ass for this film. I want a "duel of the fates" kind of score when Arnold fights Satan. Gabriel Byrns should be the badest villian this year to Darth Maul and The agents in THE MATRIX (if you count the sharks in DBS also). Harry you say this film is Arnolds best performance? I really hope so because I knew he was much more than an action star. Looks like Peter Hyams has a better career ahead of him after EOD. I'm going to read your review numerous times as a replacement until I see the full trailer for END OF DAYS. By the way Harry, did Peter Hyams tell you when the full trailer for EOD is coming? When will you interview Schwarzenegger?
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For the peron that wanted to know about the I AM LEGEND script. Go get the script and read it. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST FUCKING ACTION scripts in history. IT ROCKED!!! Arnold is known for taking control of his films (like he did in ERASER with Chuck Russell) when he is working with smaller directors. Where did you hear that Cameron and Arnold did editing for EOD at Centropilis productions?
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I'm the kind of film lover that almost always picks a psychological drama or comedy over an action movie, but Arnold movies always have that special effect on me. I'm able rest my mind for awhile and just enjoy Arnold doing things the rest of us mere mortals can only dream of pyshically-wise. My favorite Arnold films are The Running Man and Total Recall, and both of these required Arnold to really act. End of Days does also, so that is why I am almost positive I'll enjoy it. But who does Robin Tunney play? I'm going to guess his daughter.
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I don't mean to be mean, but ... Cameron asking Uni to go with Hyams? Isn't that like Kemp asking the RNC to go with Quayle?
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Hate to break it to you, ABKing, but Arnold ain't much of an actor. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy, but he's more of a "presence" than an actor. A great presence, mind you, but that's all he is. He can convey (passable) emotion when he has to, and he is appealing, but he'll never be confused with Laurence Olivier. Still, EOD looks like it could be good. Also, could someone answer this question: Was 'Commando' supposed to be a comedy? An intentional comedy, that is? A friend of mine and I have watched it repeatedly, and we love it, but we're always wondering if the filmakers were taking themselves seriously or not. Does anyone remember seeing 'Commando' in theaters and having to endure that David Bowie-Mick Jagger video of 'Dancing in the streets'? Ugh. Personal observation: Why do people have to 'sign' their postings at the end? Your 'signature' is already at the top. 'Powerslave' out.
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the National Inquirer soon will print pics of Harry's squad. They gotcha Harry, Moriarity and others. It was good while it lasted.
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Hal9000, Robin Tunney plays Arnold's friend in the film. Satan wants a bride and guess what, she is it. To Powerslave, I never said Arnold was a super great actor or Lawrence Oliver (sp). Arnold can act though. He can deliver very good performances like in T2, TOTAL RECALL and TRUE LIES, not to mention some of his other films like RED HEAT... EOD will shock Arnie's audience and give him some new respect from asshole critics. When Arnold does WITH WINGS AS EAGLES and CRUSADE, then we can talk great acting and even oscar. Until then, lets watch Arnold wup Satans ass and deliver a new performance. I want to see the scene where Arnold is pulling a Martin Riggs and holding a gun to his head.
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Just wanted you to know that you da man. I love to watch people get enthused about shit instead of tearing it down. Cynicism is easy. I'm gonna see End of Days and watch Arnold tear the Prince of Lies a new asshole...in his head! Man, and I just gotta hype on that poster. The guy who did that should have done the posters for TPM. That poster is the shit.
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Harry, you asked the question as to why Arnold won't just take a meager front salary in exchange for a heafty back end, and here's my two cents: Because Arnold is all about money, not films. First of all, don't get me wrong, Arnold fans out there. I've been a fan of the Austrian Oak since before his "Conan" days, when he was THE bodybuilder among bodybuilders. (the man only lost three competitions his whole career - and came in second each time). Arnold is confidence and self-reliance personified. He IS the American dream. How many people do you know came to this country literally with nothing (except his body), learned the language, made a name in the sport he dedicated his life to, used that fame to break into, then reach, the upper echalons of Hollywood, started and continues to run several companies, and ended up marrying a member of the Kennedy family? He is truly an inspiration on many levels. But he is also first and foremost a businessman, NOT a lover of film. Arnold got into acting to be seen, not because he enjoys films, or has any burning desire to tell stories. I believe he's staying in acting for the money and the fame, so why should there be any reason for him to pick stories with potential for coolness, but no up front cash? It's that simple, IMHO. As far as anyone not believing Arnold can do a good comedy routine, you need to check out a little known film out there called "The Villain." It came out in '79, and it's a slapstick looney-toon like romp with Kirk Douglas and Anne Margaret that has Arnold playing the Handsome Stranger, escorting Ms. Margaret across the frontier, dodging Kirk Douglas's bandit ambushes. Everytime Anne Margaret tries to come on to the big guy (usually at the end of the day, when they're setting up camp), he gives her this real awkward look, and says (as only Ah-nuld can): "I tink I'll go git some vood for da fi-ah." What a hoot.
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I agree Arnold has had his share of goofs but I just love the guy. He's the only "action hero"(no pun intended) that I never get tired of seeing. Not saying any names BRUCE! I 'll keep you out of it SLY! It'll be our little secret WILL! He always seems to have so much energy and enthusiasm. Even in the movies HE HAD to know sucked,lol. He still goes all out. I just hope the End Of Days "looks" as dark as the theme. Maybe the way Seven looked. I think that'll be important for the feel of the movie. Although some are nervous about the director I believe we should just wait and see. He's done some movies we don't like but we havn't seen him do End Of Days yet. Should be an awesome movie...I'm psyched! Doomz
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Aug. 19, 1999, 12:51 p.m. CST
EOD will be the words "COOL" and "KICK ASS". Hope Arnold signs u
by ABking
Peter Hyams will get my respect after I watch EOD. I never really liked his film-making style, but this will be new ground for him. He will earn my respect. As for Arnold, I hope he is reading all these talk back notes (I know Peter Hyams is) and see's what films Harry put in his above post: CRUSADE, WITH WINGS AS EAGLES, I AM LEGEND, SWAT... But I hope after THE SIXTH DAY (which should be as bad ass as TOTAL RECALL) he makes WITH WINGS AS EAGLES. I will never get tired of hyping the script for WWAE because it's that GREAT and a MASTERPIECE. Arnold, sign up for WWAE next!!!
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Aug. 19, 1999, 1:35 p.m. CST
Hyams should emulate the "DUEL OF THE FATES" score for END OF DA
by ABking
Peter, if you read this, you should do a MAJOR epic type score like EPISODE ONE'S "DUEL OF THE FATES" for the last battle scene between Arnold and Satan. We need a great score for a great movie. You should pat yourself on the back for making what will be the thrill ride of November. EOD will rule. Arnold is KING again.
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Now if theres a movie that should be done in the tone of Seven it is 'I am Legend'. I'm a big a fan of Arnie Films as the rest of the punters but, like farting, theres a time and a place for this man. He's not 'I am Legend' material as anyone who read the book will agree. The soul survivor of the human race should be Joe Average who uses his wits, ingenuity and luck to survive and not insanely huge muscles and silly one-liners. It sounds as if they may have changed the story around to suit him!! How wrong is that? If you are going to make a movie based on a book that is a best-seller heres a hint; don't change it round and dumb it down. I nearly cried when I saw "The Running Man" which didn't even come close to resembling Stephen Kings great story but had the movie been released under a different title and not 'based on anything' I might have enjoyed it on its own merits. Oh,and I'm looking forward to End of Days like I look forward to payday, but pity me in NZ as it'll probably take until March 2000 to get here...
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Hey speaking of great scores...ever notice how the score for Aliens is almost a complete ripoff of The Shining?And is it me or does anyone else agree that True Lies would've been cooler if Bill Paxton actually WOULD'VE turned out to be a dangerous spy?And lastly to you people in the know, is Imaginary Forces doing the titles to this flick? The early trailers I saw looked like SEVEN Pt 2, not to mention the rip-off of the "In the Line of Fire" trailer with the rotating dates...to...OH MY GOD 1999 is 6-6-6 UPSIDE-DOWN!! Squeal!! Don't get me Blair Witch!!!
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I have not seen this film. I did read the original script, but I have not seen this film. But, guess what? Based on Harry's review ALONE, I'm going to say IT SOUNDS LIKE A REAL PIECE OF CRAP. How many times have we seen a cop-like single guy down on his luck, living in a crappy apartment and boozing it up every night?????? Who gives a fuck if it's played by big-Arn, Mel Gibson, or Jim Carrey, IT'S THE SAME FUCKING CHARACTER WE'VE SEEN OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN! We're gonna see this typical low-life good guy do things that even Bruce Willis couldn't do in the Die Hard movies! We're gonna see him go head to head with Satan!!!!!! I'm sorry, but I'm gonna pre-judge this film as GRADE A SHIT!!!
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Aug. 19, 1999, 2:14 p.m. CST
yojimbo- AICN is becoming one big movie commercial led by Harry
by quentin2
Harry just spews his bullshit commercial movie-sell and slaps the label of "REVIEW" on it! THIS is a movie review, Harry???? BULLSHIT. My cat could write a better review. It doesn't matter if you liked the movie or not, you could at least write a decent movie review instead of this sentimental fucking bullshit "I'm just crazy about Arnie" crap!!!!!!
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First off, where can I read the WWAE script? Second, is it a book or an original screenplay? I love WWII and glad there's a bit of a reawakening of WWII in Hollywood...I think Ah-nold as the epitome of machismo would be a pretty cool pilot (just imagine him getting out of a P-51 riddled with bullet holes...sweet...), but I've one nitpick: is he flying for the Allies? Remember his accent? Poor guy must've gotten shit from the War Department...
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Predator is totally Arnold's best film, in my opinion. Man, Arnold has let me down so often. I didn't even bother to see a lot of his recent fiascos like "Junior and "Batman and Robin". No intrest, whatsoever. "True Lies was the last Arnold movie that truely satisfied my lust for blood, breaking bones, bombs, and bullet wounds. Let's see, when I was a kid I loved Terminator, Commando (boy, how many times have I seen that?), Raw Deal (yes, the ending was a kick behind bloodbath shootout. Arnold playing "Satisfaction" in his convertable while filling the bad guys with lead!!!!!! C'mon, tell me that wasn't awesome! Predator, Total Recal rocked, T2, and True Lies. Then all of that lesser stuff. Now another movie which hopefully will satisfy my need to see Arnold kick some! It's not going to return him to greatness once known, the audience is just too fickle in these times. But this could be great for hardcore fans.
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WWAE is an original screenplay. It is written by Randall Wallace of BRAVEHEART. I don't know what you've heard about the script, but Arnold does not play a pilot. He is a bad ass German killing machine who leads a group called THE BLACK EAGLES. They defend Germany from the invading Russians. I don't think the script is on the net but you can get a copy from PIX POSTER CELLAR in Cambridge, Boston. The phone number is (617)864-74 99. Call them and ask if they can ship a copy to you or something. I hope this helps. Try and by the script because it is the best action script I have ever read next to CRUSADE (I AM LEGEND comes VERY close though).
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You call this a review of "End of Days"? I entirely question that you have seen this film at all. Anyone who has read the script could have gleaned the information in your "review" Harry. I'd chalk this up as more proof that you're website is merely a vehicle for promoting upcoming movies.
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Honestly, you should leave the movie reviews to someone else. Your incoherent load of b.s. about Arnold, and to a lesser extent, the movie is painfull to read. You've told me nothing intelligent about it nor givin a real opinion of it. I appreciate you trying to write how you speak and put it "layman's" terms but come'on! Read a real movie review in the newspaper and see how these critics structure their articles and use some assemblance of grammer. You go off on tangents about yourself, you site details before explaining the plot and I could go on. If you had called this a "preview of", "a look at" or more appropriately, "my opinion of Arnold's career", I wouldn't complain. You can pull this comment if you want to. I just hope you give a little thought first. Thank you.
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With age, I too have tired slightly of Arnie. But it'll be good to rekindle some of the youthful exuberance of seeing wanton acts of Arnie-causing mayhem. Conan and Predator are not just great Arnie movies, but great movies on their own. Especially Conan. Arn's acting was very primitive as his career was just starting, and it played perfectly with the character. That film is sooooo underrated; great story, wonderful Milus direction, and who could forget one of the greatest film scores ever by Poledouris. Just my speculation, but does the part where Satan fucks royally with Arnie involve the story thread of his crumbling life and alcoholic ways? It's a little too Hollywood cliched, but potential exists for it to be done right, especially with Byrne behind the evil. Oh well, I look forward to it nonetheless. Damn, where is the Conan special edition DVD???
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Why are you defending Harry? Look, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this was a definite sub-par review. And NO, you're wrong about some things. How the fuck does the act of giving a negative review actually "promote" a film???? Explain that to me. What I'm saying is that Harry is only giving a positive review, of what seems to me to be an awful b-movie, only for the purpose of "selling" the movie to the public. Critics do not sell movies. Not real critics. Critics give their opinions on films to the public. Yes, if a film is good, they'll tell you to go see it. But they don't write a review that says "Yeah! This movie is sooo cool! Go see it!! Arn kicks ass!" This was in affect Harry's half-assed review, and I don't appreciate it. Was that in terms simple enough for you to understand?
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Saw End of Days last night at a test screening in Scottsdale, AZ, and I must concur with Harry... Arnie's best since T2 and easily one of his best overall. Peter Hyams is back in top form... just a beautiful looking film, and Hyams again demonstrates his awsome grasp of action sequences. This film is a non-stop suspense-thriller-action fest. Best of all the movie has a solid script, and allows Arnie to stretch his acting muscles a bit (and yes Arnie can act... just see this film). For all the naysayers griping that Arnie's character in this film doesn't sound any different than those in recent cop-angst-action films (i.e., Die Hard, Leathal Weapon)... sorry Jericho Cane (Cain???)(Arnie's character) is nothing like any of these wusses. This guy is dark...real dark. He reminded me a lot of Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) in "The Searchers." Actually, I think this is the best way to describe this film... it's Arnie's version of The Searchers. Can't wait to see the film in it's finished form.
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They just want some food for God's sake!
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WHy do I come to this site and have to look at people throwing insults at each other? Hellooo? It's just a moviiiie,haha. Either you like it or you don't. Either you agree with what another says or you don't. Why attack them? Anyone who bothered to read the review obviously had interest in the movie and would probably have seen it anyway. Whether the review was positive or negative shouldn't sway anyone who has a mind of their own. It's just one mans opinion.
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I know for a FACT Harry saw EOD. He let me know he was going to see it months in advance (Harry, now I can tell people since you already saw the film). So for all the fuckheads who doesn't believe him: FUCK YOU. Harry would say FUCK YOU too, but he's too busy to waste his time. By the way, Arnold is BACK and EOD will be the best action film this November.
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Omigod, I am so ga-ga to see this flick now! Harry, dude! I've heard little things about this flick from other sources and none compare to this review. Man, you've got lucky horse shoes just crammed up your butt. How the hell do you get to see these flicks? For starters, I am not the most die hard Ah-nuld fan, sorry man. But my God! The Terminator vs. Satan, who wouldn't want to see it right? Finally we'll get to see a vision of Satan at his best. I mean I think 'Devil's Advocate' was a good try, but he never threw a single punch. Then there's 'The Exorcist',(a movie I watch a least once a month) good try and all, but I never pictured the Devil looking like Linda Blair, ya know? Pacino sure! But now we have the fallen angel Gabriel Byrne in the role. At first when I heard this, I thought whatever, Arnie will pop him like a zit. But thanks again to your review you have restored my faith in this movie. I wanna see just how f'd up this movie is gonna get! I love that shit. Once again Harry, I thank the maker for your site, keep doing your thing man.
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Watch the cash flow $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$...
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Why would EOD be a surprise mega-hit. I'm expecting it to be huge. What would indicate this movie isn't gonna be a huge hit? It's Arnold in a hard-fuckin-core action flivk Vs. Satan himself. YA!
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What I ment when I said that was it will come out and be the BIG film that season. I know people are not expecting it to be a T2 size EVENT film. Therefore, it will be a surprise and fuck up the other films.
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Remeber him in T1, How good is he as a bad guy, he would be great, he was a pussy as Dr Freeze in B and R but he gave a convincing performance, but he needs to be bad bad evil bad.. ya know.
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Arnold will play both the good guy and bad guy in THE SIXTH DAY. Expect a bad ass Schwarzenegger as the bad guy. Think TOTAL RECALL when you think of THE SIXTH DAY.
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A little tidbit of news since I didn't see it mentioned on any of the posts... Gabriele Byrne plays Satan in EOD, but he's also playing a priest in the upcoming film STIGMATA soon to be released by MGM. I saw the trailer for this movie and it blew me away. If I had to guess now, I would say...END OF DAYS meets EXORCIST meets Carpenter's PRINCE OF DARKNESS. Let's get the buzz going this, Harry.
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JOIN THE BOYCOTT! DO 'NOT' WATCH THE NEW MOVIE "BROKEDOWN PALACE'S" STARRING THE "PERSONA NON GRATA" herself, "CLAIRE DANES" [Celebrities are saying they will 'not' go see the Claire Danes' new movie, Brokedown Palace's. Bruce Willis, Oprah, Denzel Washington, Rosie O'Donnel are just the few celebrities who publicly declared that they'll join the boycott. "I can only hope she chokes on it." said Oprah, talking about Ms. Claire Danes' acerbic tongue] --People's Magazine ["Claire Danes might want to take a few public speaking classes next semester at Yale." said Hollywood producer Glenn Klein. The 20-year-old actress turned freshman is being sharply criticized for comments she made about Manila, Philippines where she filmed her current movie Brokedown Palace.]--CNN Showbiz [The city council of Manila voted 3 weeks ago to ban all movies featuring Claire Danes because the actress dissed the Philippine city in the current issue of Premiere Magazine. "She is declared persona non grata," councilor Kim Atienza tells the Associated Press. At Magazine issue is Danes' public recollection of the months she spent in Manila earlier this year while shooting scenes for Brokedown Palace in a dilapidated mental hospital. The city "just f--king smelled of cockroaches," she told Premiere Magazine. "There's no sewage system in Manila, and people have nothing there. People with, like, no arms, no legs, no eyes, no teeth.. Rats were everywhere." This wasn't the first time Danes had spoken out against Manila; in the April issue of Vogue Magazine she described it as "a ghastly and weird city." But this time, Atienza and his colleagues had had enough.]--Newsweek Magazine [Philippine President Joseph Estrada, a former movie star, said he believes Hollywood actress Claire Danes should be banned from entering the Philippines for having disparaged the country's capital. "She should not be allowed to come here. She should not even be allowed to set foot here," Estrada said Thursday in reaction to a decision by Manila's city council Tuesday to declare Miss Danes "persona non-grata" and ban all her movies from being shown in the city.] --Manila Bulletin ["She deserved to be banned" said Tom Hanks "Those are irresponsible, bigoted and sweeping statements Claire Danes made."] on an interview in Entertainment Tonight [Claire Danes' reported comments have also been widely debated in newspaper columns and editorial pages, with some newspapers castigating the actress including New York Times and the Washington Post.] on CNN Showbiz show by reporter Shiela Schultz ["Her remarks were uncalled for." Lisa Kudrow said] MTV 1515 News [Claire Danes were known as an actress with a bad attitude. "She(Claire Danes) seems to be a very rude actress especially towards the movie set crew staff and her make-up artist"] explained "Romeo & Juliet" Assistant Director Richard Meyers In a statement released last week, the actress attempted to clarify her position. "Because of the subject matter of our film Brokedown Palace, the cast was exposed to the darker and more impoverished places of Manila. My comments in Premiere Magazine only reflect those locations, not my attitude towards the Filipino people. They were nothing but warm, friendly, and supportive." But nobody seems to be accepting Claire Danes' apology. Atienza dismissed the statement as an "excuse made by Danes' Hollywood agents and not a genuine apology."
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Quentin2, dear friend, please take your head out of your ass for ten seconds. I've only ever posted to this site once or twice but your statement provoked me to say something. How is "go see this movie" not selling the movie? The only difference between what Harry says and what a "real" critic says is that Harry is enthusiastic. I *want* enthusiasm when I hear about movies. I visit this site regularly because I get excited about movies like Harry does. Besides, who's opinion would you trust more: a friend who had seen the movie or some art school schmoe who starts talking abstract bullshit? So please pardon me if I'm too dumb to recognize the inherent flaws in Harry's reviews... or maybe I just don't have an axe to grind like you do. Just an observation.
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Arnold, (security expert), uses (weapons then smarts) to fight (the Devil) and save (mankind) Stupid formula picture from a soon to be has been. This Austrian musclemaniac is predictable, boring, and as limp as a Ritz after a shower.
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The best film with Schwarzenegger in it is TERMINATOR... however, the best Arnie performance has to be in TRUE LIES. He shows brilliant comic timing, and as for that knowing smile... What a guy, what a film.
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Arnold is one of the best actors out there. It's not only that he is a good actor, but he is great at choosing scripts that kick ass! He knows what his fans want and he delivers. His action movies just give you a great rush. I can't wait until 11/24/99. EOD mixes my 2 favorite genres horror and action, and on top of that, it has Arnold. It can't go wrong. although, It would have to go a long way to beat his film T2. T2 is best and will probably always be the best film ever made. There have been may T3 rumors, but with Arnold's schedule who knows when or if it's ever gonna happen. I heard last week that they were moving foward to True Lies 2 and that's great, but I wish they concentrate on T3. If your a big Arnold I strongly recommend you to take a trip to Orlando and check out the T2-3D ride at Universal Studios. That ride by itself is worth the price of admission.
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Does anyone know exactly what was reshot and included in the final cut of the 13th Warrior? And were all the re-shoots done by Crichton or by McTiernan?
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Watch the MTV awards on Thursday the 9th and you will see the new EOD commercials with the new Guns and Roses song. Sweet!
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The new tv spot on MTV looked bad ass and awesome like a TERMINATOR film on steroids. WOW!!!
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I saw a sneak preview of this film and it was totally cool! And if it's rated PG-13 then the ratings board is on vacation! There's a scene that could never make it into a PG-13 film. I hope that means they're not gonna edit the scene out. My fingers are crossed.
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Aug. 25, 2006, 7:35 p.m. CST
I am legend! No, I am legend! No, you're not! Yes I am!
by Wolfpack
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