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ROCKY BALBOA - Round #19 - Stallone charges out of the corner, knowing that there's just one more round to stay on his feet!

Thanks again Mr. Stallone! My dad says hi. by GibsonUSA Returns	Dec 19th, 2006 08:09:57 PM
Before you leave here, I told my dad about this thing, and he says hi. :) I thought he'd have some detailed question about some random movie of your from years ago, but he just wanted to say hi, that you and him are almost exactly the same age, and to take care of yourself physically. :)
Sly Rules!!!!!!!! by kurdt420	Dec 19th, 2006 08:10:39 PM
Thats all that needs to be said
Simply the best - MR. SLY STALLONE by Johnny Kovac	Dec 19th, 2006 08:13:39 PM
What you have my friends is an introduction to the classiest man in show business - You will never saw his greatness and grace again in this industry - i'm glad to call him ...Mr. Stallone
I've never seen Deathwish by DirkD13"	Dec 19th, 2006 08:14:54 PM
So i've no preconceptions, but the idea of a moral dilemma in how to carry out revenge is golden if properly explored. I mean if this guy just gets a gun and starts blasting his way to the perceived solutions to his emotional distress it would just be another generic revenge thriller. Sly I suggest watching King Of The Ants directed by Stuart Gordon for extra inspiration.
What different Rocky 6 plot would you have gone with ? by TJ50	Dec 19th, 2006 08:15:09 PM
I can't comment on the final Rocky film (as it doesn't open in my country until January, but going by most US film critic reviews, I'm definitely seeing it). For both Stallone and Rocky fans, irrespective of whether you greatly love, or are a bit disapointed with Rocky Balboa (when you see it), what ideal (or more preferred) Rocky 6 film plot would you like to have seen and please say why.
Just preordered my ticket by Bob of the Shire	Dec 19th, 2006 08:17:36 PM
Wasn't going to see this at all, but I'm going opening day after this Q&A. Awesome stuff and it works wonders as a promotional tool.
My respect for this guy grows and grows. by Dick Nicely	Dec 19th, 2006 08:18:00 PM
Good to see the Scots represented in these questions, too. The Rocky series is very popular there, probably because we're a nation of underdogs. But Sly, why tackle another remake? Especially a Charles Bronson one. If the story's good enough, just make an original film with an original title. Don't make me bring up Get Carter.
Death Wish Remake by GibsonUSA Returns	Dec 19th, 2006 08:18:56 PM
According to my dad, the original Death Wish was about a lack of physicality. If you notice, Bronson hardly ever gets physical with anyone....he just stands there motionless with a gun lol. His character is an architect, in other words, an artist. He draws pictures and plans, he doesn't fight. He doesn't know kung fu or anything like that. He's about THINKING and strategy. That's where the architect profession fits in. Bronson doesn't get physical, hand-to-hand, unless he is absolutely forced to. He just stands there with a gun...and THATS IT. So um, that's what my dad says.
And Assassins is a classy thriller by DirkD13"	Dec 19th, 2006 08:19:51 PM
That deserves a better rep. It would probably fare better now than it did in the glossier mid-90's. It's surprisingly sombre movie and touching in it's quieter scenes.
Remaking Deathwish would be easier than by slder78	Dec 19th, 2006 08:20:12 PM
back then. I remember that it was ravaged by critics b/c of its premise, but with "A History of Violence", "Sin City", not to mention some of the flicks from Hong Kong like "Infernal Affairs" or "Hard Boiled". As long as there's a good narrative then I'd watch, but if it's just mindless revenge killing then I'd have to wait for cable. Good luck though, I think after "Rocky Balboa", you'll have enough cache to get a greenlight on whatever you want to do. My prediction on Box Office $30 million for the weekend plus Wed - Thurs, but Night at the Museum will take Sat-Sun,not b/c it's better than Rocky, just kids movies usually do better - see Casino Royale vs. Happy Feet.
Well....GOODBYE MR.STALLONE.....Thanks for all of this! by GibsonUSA Returns	Dec 19th, 2006 08:21:56 PM
Since this is probably the last Talkback Mr. Stallone will read, I will summarize here my foolish comments and suggestions that I have said the last nineteen days :)....1.)You rule and are mine and my dad's favorite action star. 2.) Get Chow Yun Fat to be the bad guy in Rambo IV. 3.) I can't believe that "I can't win" sequence in Rocky was just one take and improv. 4.) Get G&R to do a Rambo IV soundtrack. 5.) How about a new Rambo videogame? 6.) AK-47 is a fool. 7.) I actually like Eye See You a lot! and 8) can i be in Rambo IV? :P But silliness aside, like the others, I am thankful for you doing this Q&A. It's funny that I spent December here at this computer working on a neverending paper for grad school due December 20, and exactly at that time you're here "with me" doing this thing for your fans. It's like it was meant to be that way. Thanks again and hope to see you again. P.S. You need to advertise your Rocky Balboa Myspace page better, it was kind of hard to find. :P
Avoid remakes! by theBigE	Dec 19th, 2006 08:22:06 PM
My advice - since I'm such a skilled, knowledgable movie person - is to avoid remakes! You'll draw unfair comparisons to the original no matter what fresh spin you put on it. But I understand if they need to name value to just get it made. Sounds like it could work. Good Luck, Mr. Stallone!
never fear, mr. stallone. by occula	Dec 19th, 2006 08:22:08 PM
i think i can safely say that all of us who have been avidly reading these TBs will be there to make rocky happen. we all look forward to a future here at AICN where you do more of these, and thanks for sending the rallying cry to your buds to get out there and do the same...the inter-nets, it's a powerful tool. ps: once JCVD came into the PR office where i was working (he was a client) for a photo shoot. he was in the back room going through wardrobe and the rumor got around he was back there, naked. so everyone crowded up to the door and peeked in. yes, he was naked. he knew all us girls were out there shoving each other out of the way to check out his ass so he pulled 2 chairs over and did that splits-on-the-chairbacks stunt for us, dick hanging down and everything, i shit you not.
In Your Corner by The Krypton Kid	Dec 19th, 2006 08:23:19 PM
You count on me and my family being in your corner tomorrow and Friday night, Mr. Stallone. And I will see it a couple of more times after that. Probably five times in all. Oh, and not to sound corny, but my Rocky T Shirt will be worn. I look forward to being knocked out by your final homage to the Italian Stallion.
Someone might actually read this . . . by i eat fish	Dec 19th, 2006 08:23:32 PM
I've never been this early in a talkback, so this is really cool for me. This Q & A is easily the coolest thing an actor has ever done in the internet age. Watch a lot of actors doing this on a regular basis, thanks to Sly, who was written off by many a short time ago. If AB King were to die tomorrow (after the final round of course), I'm sure he'd be alright. Way to go Sly!!!
Rocky Balboa released tomorrow. by C Legion	Dec 19th, 2006 08:25:24 PM
Good luck Mr. Stallone, I hope it's a smash. Just a shame I have to wait till Jan 19 to watch it.
STALLONE'S DEATH WISH by kidkosmic	Dec 19th, 2006 08:26:51 PM
Sounds good. I'm there as with BALBOA....
Bronson = hallowed, hallowed ground by Daddylonghead	Dec 19th, 2006 08:27:47 PM
Sly, you are at this point (after the 190 questions) the only actor I would trust to re-make or re-adapt a Bronson role, and that is HIGH PRAISE INDEED. For me, Bronson is the be-all and end-all. For all the nonsense written about DEATH WISH, its reputation, and the regrettable sequels (except part III) that followed it, it is a powerful, timeless plot... and I believe that Sly as an actor has the humanity and pathos to do justice to both the grieving and then the transformation into a vigilante. Although some elements of the film are obviously not what they could be-- Goldblum & the "punks" who rape & murder Kersey's family are retardedly corny, and then the fact his daughter goes into a coma from being raped... as if there can be no life for a "good girl" after surviving sexual assault?!?-- the movie itself is a brilliant meditation on the nature of revenge, what anger and grief do to an individual, with Kersey and his pacifistic son-in-law being the two contrasting extremes. It's not like Death Wish is a perfect movie; it's only a very, very good movie... I'm going to advise you to GO FOR IT, Mr. Stallone. Roles of this emotional complexity are exactly what you should be doing... leave the computer-animated attention-deficit-disorder alien-monster blow-'em-ups for the lesser actors.
Good luck revisiting Rambo. by yaz67	Dec 19th, 2006 08:29:37 PM
After the nice work on Rocky Balboa, I really looking forward to seeing your new take on Rambo. All the best.
Thanks for noticing that the audience is still here. by Jaka	Dec 19th, 2006 08:29:48 PM
I really mean that and I was hoping you would. The knowledgable film-loving fan still exists, we've just been crapped on by the studios so many times that we're starting to fight back. Which is to say, NOT go to the theater to get crapped on again. But it's been proven that when somebody actually pays attention and gives an audience something they really want, preferably in an intelligent way, we WILL show up. Glad to have you back Sly!:) And my nephew, who I believe has never seen a movie, listed Rocky Balboa as the movie he'd like to see on Christmas. After the vote was taken, it won, almost unanimously. Eleven of us will be going to see Rocky Balboa at 3:10 PM on Christmas day. Nana naaa, nananana naaaa, nana naaaaa :)
Cryin' out loud by ewokstew	Dec 19th, 2006 08:30:11 PM
I use to like Sly pretty well now I friggin' adore the man! Sly, you had me at "hello". My wife and I both will be there tomorrow for opening day, I told her she had no choice but to go. As far as Deathwish goes, funny, that's the first movie I ever saw at the theatre (a drive in theatre..I was a kid and was suppose to be watching some disney movie but watched this with pops instead) I think I like the idea of him beng a cop with a dilemna like that. Awesome. I'll be there opening day for that as well when it happens. Best wishes!
I'd love to support you this weekend Sly, by DirkD13"	Dec 19th, 2006 08:31:19 PM
but unfortunately in the UK we have to wait untill February!! The only solace in return is getting Hot Fuzz first.
DEATHWISH by fannyboots	Dec 19th, 2006 08:32:36 PM
Not sure what to say, Sly. The original, though held dear by a great deal of people, wasn't that great. Still, the Ocean's 11 remake was better than the original, so anything's possible. Plus, I like the moral dilemma your character would face - an interesting twist on the original. I'm also not sure what the reaction would be if the film was announced... again, with it being a remake. Some will surely roll their eyes, though some, like me, would be there opening weekend. Personally, I'd love to see you pull another 'Copland'. Your performance in that was wonderful; Gentle, nuanced, perfectly pitched. You're a legend, Sylvester. I can't fucking wait for Rocky Balboa to open here in the UK. I'll be there opening weekend. I've babbled .... apologies for that!
Mr. Stallone, my daughter and I have your back. by super Cucaracha	Dec 19th, 2006 08:33:06 PM
We will be at the movies watching your baby, munching on popcorn and rooting for Rocky.
Paul Kersey is the total & utter opposite of John Rambo by GibsonUSA Returns	Dec 19th, 2006 08:33:39 PM
Rambo (especially in the sequels) was all about physicality, muscles, and weaponry. Paul Kersey (from Death Wish) is essentially a skinny old man with a gun. John Rambo is about military training and survival. Kersey stands around an office looking at drawings and taking measurements. They are completely at OPPOSITE ends of the spectrum. For Kersey to be played ANYTHING like Rambo would be betraying the Kersey character. With that said, a DW remake is a GREAT idea in my opinion. Show a new generation this style of quiet, thinking, coolness.
Knowledgeable, yes. by Jaka	Dec 19th, 2006 08:34:12 PM
Good spellers, not so much. Woot! lol
and wearing my Rocky t-shirt of course! by super Cucaracha	Dec 19th, 2006 08:35:01 PM
HELL YESSSSSS!
Domestic BO predictions.. by DirkD13"	Dec 19th, 2006 08:36:01 PM
I'm saying $80 million, any other takers???
Plus by Daddylonghead	Dec 19th, 2006 08:37:16 PM
the protagonist being a cop will make the Police hunt for the vigilante, which was a weaker aspect of the original, much more exciting. I agree that Kersey is not (in Death Wish I) a physical grappler or anything like that... it is his defiance of the fearful social norms, his psychological refusal to be victimized & his obsession with dealing death that make him a "hero," it's not because he bench-presses villians through brick walls. 2 things I love about Death Wish are that the original baddies are never seen again... great realism, 'cause what are the odds that you would run across the perps in a city New York's size? Zero. I also love that when Kersey begins his vigilantism, he becomes empowered and happy in his daily life, as if the nightly hunt somehow fills the void left by his family's suffering. It suggests he is not a 100% healthy individual, however much we might approve of his killing would-be muggers... dark and interesting stuff!
Death Wish... by Judge Dredds Dirty Undies	Dec 19th, 2006 08:38:02 PM
Ive not seen the orginal but I think it was directed by Michael Winner so I'm sure its not a classic that should never be touched again. I think the revenge thing should be handled in a brutal way, show the consequences an example is irreversible another film that comes to mind is the original vanishing though its not really a revenge film it has interesting parallels. I'd really like to see Sly do something really challenging and dangerous. I have to say if you're reading this Sly you and Arnold have long been my greatest heroes along with Jerry Goldsmith. Demolition Man and Cliffhanger brightened may a bleak day in my teenage years. If you can, please get governor Schwarzenegger to do one of these Q/As, I can only hope he would live up to expectations as much as you have. Cheers!
My problem isn't with the movie Death Wish by Dick Nicely	Dec 19th, 2006 08:39:46 PM
But with putting out another remake when it's original enough to be a separate entity. Remakes can be good (Heat, Solaris) or bad (Psycho, Wicker Park) but there's no reason to cash in on an existing title when your idea is different enough to be a movie in its own right. I'd be interested in a Stallone movie like Death Wish, just more so if it wasn't called Death Wish.
You are the man! Once again! by SK909	Dec 19th, 2006 08:39:49 PM
I'm gonna be there tomorrow with as many people as I can get to go. Thanks so much for doing this, and you really are truly appreciated by everyone here. At the risk of sounding corny, we all love ya Sly. I wish you and the movie tons of success.
Box Office by theBigE	Dec 19th, 2006 08:40:52 PM
My heart and mind tell me 2 things. I first thought $50-60 million, but now I'm leaning toward Dirk's prediction of $80mill. It would be cool to see it top $100 mill in the US!
Best Sly moment ever... by Leadley	Dec 19th, 2006 08:41:29 PM
I'm a huge fan from the 80's. Saw Rambo II opening night. Went directly over to my buddy's house and stormed an abandoned silo with him. My favorite Sly moment? From Over the Top: "My hat is like a switch. I turn it around and, you know, it's like, uh, I'm like this truck." Well done sir!
Some feedback on Sly's Death Wish remake by Lago	Dec 19th, 2006 08:42:01 PM
Hey Sly, first, thanks so much for making yourself so available to your fans, it's a dream come true for a lot of us. Regarding your thoughts on a Death Wish remake, honestly, the idea of making the vigilante a cop - even a clean cop - is too cliche. Part of what made the original great was that it was so out of character for Bronson as an everyday guy. Talking about Bronson remakes - how about "The Mechanic"? Such a cool story and one of the best endings of an action film that I've ever seen. Another great remake idea (non-Bronson this time) would be "The Dirty Dozen". If done right, it could be classic, perhaps centered around the war in Iraq. Just my two cents. Thanks again Sly!
80 million is... by ewokstew	Dec 19th, 2006 08:42:06 PM
A very distinct probability as the majority of feedback by those who have seen it is pretty darn positive. I just wish to heck there was a soundtrack available.
The last question is very funny. by Cotton McKnight	Dec 19th, 2006 08:42:32 PM
I'm glad Harry picked that one because I loved the setup- "I'm going to ask you a tough question and I trust you'll be honest". I was like "oh geez this guy is really gonna start spouting off and make Stallone mad". But it was a great question and it got one of the best answers so far. Really good job, Craig Farkas.
In regards to a Death Wish re-make... by Leadley	Dec 19th, 2006 08:42:34 PM
...serve it up and we will dine!
DEATH WISH, etc. by ErnieAnderson	Dec 19th, 2006 08:43:04 PM
The conflict you're speaking of, the nonviolent man who's driven to violence, would definitely work if done right. However, why does the character have to be a cop? Just about anyone can be pushed too far. I thought that was why the character in the original was an architect. He was some schlub you didn't expect to go billy nuts and start capping gang members. If the violence was so shocking to the cop, wouldn't the violence of his vengeance be just as shocking? This could lead to some interesting psychological developments in the character, including a real desire to pay for his own crimes (a true Death Wish). Thanks so much for an entertaining and informative Q&A. (Though, I'd bet you have a few hundred stories you haven't even hinted at yet.) Once again...thanks.
Question for Farkas! by theBigE	Dec 19th, 2006 08:44:14 PM
hey, where are you going to see RockyB - Traverse, or down in Ludville? Do you ever get to the Vogue??
Dirk by Dick Nicely	Dec 19th, 2006 08:45:37 PM
I'm sure Rocky Balboa gets its UK release on January 19th. I have to wait till the 24th in France, by which time my brother in Scotland will have seen it five times, the bastard.
Regarding remakes... by Leadley	Dec 19th, 2006 08:46:06 PM
Sly, in all honesty, if you are going to do a re-make, go balls to the wall and give us the fans what we've been beggin' fer for years! You, Bruce, Jean Claude, Clint, Arnold, Chuck, Roundtree, etc. in 'The Dirty Dozen: Iraq Attack'
Deathwish by phaedrus007	Dec 19th, 2006 08:46:28 PM
Is he serious? If so, the problem with making the character into a cop is that it would diminish his dramatic transformation into a vigilante. We already know the cop (whether he uses his gun or not) has the skills he'll need to be a vigilante (not to mention we've already seen a billion movie cops who skirt the law to get the bad guys). The point of Death Wish is the transformation of a total civilian into an effective crimefighter/vigilante figure by means of his anger and anguish... giving him special skills mutes that point... it's not the worst idea i've ever heard, but it seems to make the character less unique and less dramatic.
Re: Death Wish by chrth	Dec 19th, 2006 08:50:22 PM
It's not a bad idea, but just don't call it Death Wish. There's no reason that you have to ape (even partially) the original. Focus on bringing life to the character, rather than worrying whether your plot is too far away from the original. Heck, you might find that by the end of the film you've taken it an entirely different direction. Good luck!
Deathwish sounds about right...but wait I have an idea! by dalbatron	Dec 19th, 2006 08:50:36 PM
As a 36 yr old Architect my opinion on movie making is worth about the price of my ticket and thats about it, but as you asked Sly then here goes.... Balboa seems to be a phenominal success. You are one again on the radar (not for the fans but for the bean counters in Hollywood) I can understand why a remake is a safe bet. You can put it under the nose of a 20 something exec and they will get it right away. The problem is your fans, the old and the many many new ones,you have made here over the past days. As you have said you are a cerebral creature. You have attained what most would consider impossible with Rocky Balboa. Do the same with Rambo and you will have carte blanche over many many movie options as both actor and director. The main theme about Deathwish is revenge. Right now does the world need more revenge. Balboa triumphed, it seems like Rambo will do the same. You cannot triumph with revenge. If you really must look at a remake then can i suggest 'The Taking of Palham 1 2 3'. You as Garber. come on... think about it. Who would play mr blue, mr brown, mr green and mr grey. Get Arnie to play the mayor though!!!
Remake the Cobra film instead,to counter The Punisher by BDuncan	Dec 19th, 2006 08:50:57 PM
I think a Death Wish remake would be a mistake, with Kill Bill raising the bar so extremely high on the revenge action genre, with a film version of the Hitman computer game in the works and the recent film The Punisher covering very similar ground and making only about $US 35 mill in North America, off of a low $US 15 mill budget (it must have had a good afterlife on DVD, where it's probably made twice that much, as a Punisher sequel is in the works for 2007). I was always disappointed Mr. Stallone's 1986 Cobra film didn't lead to an ongoing action franchise, so if the rights can be obtained from Golan-Globus Productions Ltd, remake that instead, with a younger male actor in the lead and have Mr. Stallone play his father, or maybe a bad guy in a smaller, supporting role.
My dad is against a DEATH WISH cop character...... by GibsonUSA Returns	Dec 19th, 2006 08:52:42 PM
To be honest, my dad is against Paul Kersey being a cop. He says it goes against everything Kersey is. Kersey is a thinking man....he's a business professional....not a physical man. One of the reasons why the bad guys came to bother him in the first place was because he was "only" an architect, a skinny old man. If he becomes a police officer, that aspect/detail of the story is gone. Paul Kersey has to be in a profession that is focused on thinking and analysis. A desk job. My dad suggests making him a University Professor. Maybe in Criminal Science where he HELPED officers catch some bad guys, but he shouldn't be the officer himself. He's a peaceful man.
If you're thinking of remakes, I have 5 words for you - by Leadley	Dec 19th, 2006 08:53:39 PM
"Tango and Cash in Space"
Deathwish by dregmobile	Dec 19th, 2006 08:53:45 PM
That's not so much of a dilemma since there are many ways to dispatch victims without resorting to handguns. I would consider making the lead a Buddhist (yay - like Richard Gere!) - they preach non-violence. And that would create a dilemma. But I guess it's Deathwish and not an episode of Kung Fu. I actually just wrote a screenplay that is very Deathwish and the lead never uses a gun on anyone, yet still manages to exact his revenge. Good luck with it, Sly. I'm in Oz, so can't get to the movie until January, but I will be there. Great set of Answers today. Thank you! And thank you, too, Harry! Yes - get Mr. Willis to reach out as well!
Question about Rocky Balboa for those who've seen it by chrth	Dec 19th, 2006 08:55:02 PM
Do I need to do a refresher with the earlier films first? I've recently watched the original, but I haven't gotten to 2-4 (not going to watch 5) and I don't know if I'll have time before I go to the theatres for Rocky Balboa. Will that hinder my enjoyment of the film in any way? Thanks
Dirty Dozen remake and Bronson by Lago	Dec 19th, 2006 08:56:34 PM
Forgot that Bronson was in that too! Damn he made some good flicks back then.
Reviews by Gigolo99	Dec 19th, 2006 08:57:08 PM
I was at another site that has every review for Rocky Balboa and I'm astounded by the overwhelmingly positive response the film has gotten from critics. Even the "bad" reviews pretty much gave it a C or 2/4 stars. Most of the big NY papers, USA Today, The Chicago tribune, Ebert and Roeper, Variety, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, and Premiere Magazine all gave it very good reviews. I really wanted to go into the movie with low expectations because I really want it to be good. Now I'm forced to expect it to be pretty damn good.
Regarding Death Wish Remake by Ghostwood	Dec 19th, 2006 08:59:29 PM
Hey Sly -- thanks for doing the talkbacks, etc. I worked on Detox when you were up here in Vancouver -- back in the day. I’ve got the Crew Photo to prove it. At any rate, regarding the Death Wish idea. I love that film a lot, and I think it all comes down to the title of the film itself. To me, the character himself has to go beyond grief and into a realm of desiring his own death. When he goes out on the streets night after night, he wants to find purpose for what’s going on inside of him, find some kind of empowerment in his actions. I think he knows he’s a normal, average guy -- opposed to violence in any form (remember he was a C.O. in Korea). I think he knows the odds are against him every time he goes out. That’s why he continues, even when he knows the cops are on to him. By making him a cop, even a thinking, crafty cop (crafty enough not to use his gun), he’s still part of that violent world. My view of the main character’s journey is an everyman who finds himself in a world he is completely foreign to. He’s all of us -- powerless and ignored (what a tale for our times now if you think about it), until he decides to take the power back. And in that desire to die, finds a will to live again. Just my thoughts; thanks for the time and look forward to reading tomorrow’s replies!
IMDB says Bronson's The Mechanic film is being remade by BDuncan	Dec 19th, 2006 08:59:43 PM
The IMDB website says that Michael Douglas is currently attached to a remake of Bronson's (now very dated) film The Mechanic, but that it'll be a remake in name only, as it'll be totally reimagined as a 'spy thriller in a post 9/11 world', probably to imitate the Jason Bourne action thriller franchise.
People who don't like the Kersey character being a cop: by Daddylonghead	Dec 19th, 2006 08:59:45 PM
There are plenty of police jobs that would create great suspense and conflict for the character... what if he was a "community liason" officer who dealt with kids and monitored school programs (and then ended up killing some sweet kid's bad-apple older brother!), or was in anti-gang education, or was a university/campus cop... or even a (much-maligned) desk jockey, or a forensic investigator... the possibilities are endless.
Review after review.... by fannyboots	Dec 19th, 2006 09:00:06 PM
..appears to be overwhelmingly positive for Rocky Balboa. I was reading them at rottentomatoes.com and, I have to be honest, I my eyes filled up a little. I'm just so happy for you. Well done, Sly. You deserve it. And so does Rocky.
A Man of the People You Are, Mr Stallone by Terence Koh	Dec 19th, 2006 09:00:56 PM
This is my first post ever here at AICN and it's all because of you Mr Stallone! Thank you so much for your honesty and wisdom and for living the dream for all of us normal folk. I had the pleasure of being at the Singapore Opening of Planet Hollywood and Mr Stallone, Bruce Willis, Wesley Snipes, Jackie Chan, Van Damme, Cindy Crawford were all there. Anyway, Bruce, Wesley and Van Damme acted like they were superstars, but when Sly and Jackie walked down the red carpet, they stretched out both their hands and allowed their fans to literally mob them. Though we were behind barricades, they were still being pulled from all sides. For me, that just tells you so much about the love and loyalty Mr Stallone and Jackie have for their fans. You'll always be number one for me, Mr Stallone! I'll definitely be watching Rocky Balboa when its out in Singapore!
You want a remake suggestion? by Alonzo Mosely	Dec 19th, 2006 09:00:58 PM
Remake Charley Varrick. Trust me on this...
To Sly : Death Wish Reply by Donnie_Drunko	Dec 19th, 2006 09:01:18 PM
Strange you should ask because I just saw Death Wish for the first time a few days ago. The Cop angle I think would be a big mistake. The thing that made the original Death Wish so cool was the idea that it was your average man taking the streets back. Having someone as a Cop and taking the law into his own hands wether he hasn’t fired his gun or not is not as interesting as your average Joe who happens to be a pacifist taking up arms out of the grief of lost loved ones. I don’t think this idea was carried out nearly as well as it could have been in the original Death Wish which means in the case of Death Wish a remake could easily be justified. Making the character a man of the cloth would be more interesting on a moral level. Here you have a guy who is turning to the one thing he never thought he would do but the death of his family cause that mental snap where he sees taking justice in his own hands. Or even a liberal local politician that is pro Gun control turning to the one thing he never thought imaginable. Or maybe even a defense lawyer who helps street trash stay on the street only to have his own family murdered and becomes overcome from guilt he takes things into his own hands. I think just about anything other than a cop (that sounds quite a bit like Andy Griffith) would work better. Here are the most important things to remember. Keep the fact that the main character never ever finds the ones responsible for his families murders. The fact that he doesn’t ever get a real resolution to his situation gives the main character a tragic arc. Also make sure to let there be some build up before the main character becomes so famous in the press. He started showing up in the magazines so quickly in the original. Add more character moments letting the slide into full blown vigilante/slight madness with a purpose shine through. Also the last moment of the movie where Bronson pretends his hand is a gun and shoots at the thugs in the airport is classic. So a scene similar to that to end the movie should be kept intact. The idea that this vigilante is still on the job but in another town not only leaves things open for a sequel but it actually made me clap when I saw it.
Wednesday, December 20th 2006 by Splinter76	Dec 19th, 2006 09:02:21 PM
Hello, Sly! You can bet on the fact that my wife and I will be in line at the theater tomorrow to make I little ripple of the Box Office ocean for one ROCKY BALBOA!!! I can't wait to see it!! Thank you SO much for this movie and ALL the movies. (Even for Oscar, of which I am a big fan!!) Merry Christmas! P.S. - I hope Rocky Balboa beats out Night at the Museum!
Charles Bronson A "Skinny Old Man"? by abcdefghijklmnop	Dec 19th, 2006 09:03:59 PM
Actually, Brian Garfield did not approve of Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey. He felt that Kersey basically had to be believable as both a wimp and pacifist. According to him, as soon as you see Bronson, "you know he's going to start killing people".
Deathwish remake premise=The Punisher by S-Mart shopper	Dec 19th, 2006 09:04:39 PM
How about a sequel to Assasins with your character as the target?
re: DEATHWISH. by Cotton McKnight	Dec 19th, 2006 09:05:19 PM
I have to count myself among those who haven't seen it, but I think it's a good idea if it's done right. I say "done right" because the setup kind of reminds me of Arnold's "Collateral Damage", which wasn't well recieved by the public (though timing played a huge part- it was supposed to come out around 9/11). Anyway, I just want to let you know that I will be seeing Rocky Balboa tomorrow by myself but I will try to bring as many people as I can to the theaters this weekend. I plan on seeing it at least a couple of times. Thank you so much for doing this.
Sly and DEATH WISH by thedrummeraric	Dec 19th, 2006 09:05:44 PM
First up, Sly, you've long been a hero of mine. More accurately, Rocky has long been a hero of mine. I will be at the new one despite hating the fact that Adrian is dead. After seeing the trailer, though, that decision makes more sense to me. As for Death Wish, you are listening to probably the biggest Bronson fan to ever live on this one. I even loved the man's crap, and will to this day, break them out for a watch. (Just watched DW 4 last weekend.) But as a Bronson fan, I gotta say, go for it. Just remember, you are dealing with the memory of one of the silver screen's original and baddest of all bad-asses in Bronson. Do him proud. And news of that MECHANIC remake with Michael Douglas makes me want to puke. One last question: Did you ever meet Charles Bronson? If so, any anecdotes you would mind sharing of the man? Thanks a ton!
"Skinny old man" compared to Rambo.... by GibsonUSA Returns	Dec 19th, 2006 09:07:17 PM
That's what I meant. Kersey was never about huge muscles and bench pressing people. He's not The Terminator. He's an old architect with a gun. And another important key to the Death Wish series is the support of Kersey by the people, even from the cops. That scene where Kersey saves an guy from being beaten by two thugs, then the guy refuses to identify Kersey to the cops, should be included.
DEATHWISH REMAKE!! by King Conan	Dec 19th, 2006 09:08:18 PM
Hey Sly, I think a DeathWish remake, starring YOU would definitely rock and it would be a way to get that vigilante story done right. It seems great to have him as an ex cop but how about something more, a cop who was like with SWAT, or a Counter Terrorism Task Force or ESU who had NEVER needed to use his prowess and was proud of that fact. Someone who just loved the job of law enforcement but never the prospect of having to hurt someone. I think it would make it all the more intriguing to show him slaughtering scumbags with the utmost proficiency for fucking with his family. To show that every man has his breaking point, wether he believe's it or not. It would also make the audience really root for him, and maybe it would be the one time you could die at the end of the film and studios wouldn't freak the fuck out. ALA Jean Reno in the movie "The Professional" by Luc Besson. Man, he killed a bunch of cops and a swat team in that movie but you never for once feel as though he's the bad guy and totally root for him in the end even though he cant escape. I think movies that people are really looking for nowawdays more than ever are ones that show the redemption of a soul and sever punishment inflicted on the villians who deserve it. P.S. Sly I SWORE I wouldn't go back to the movies until it was something worth my money like Spider-Man 3, I recently purchased the re-release of Rocky and their is a free ticket in there for the new movie. I think thats a great idea. I will pay for my wife to go with me, you got my money again curse you! Lol!
Death Wish... hm... by StrideX13	Dec 19th, 2006 09:08:26 PM
I dunno, Sly. If you're gonna do something like remaking DEATHWISH, you really have to take it somewhere NEW. From Sinatra to Clooney-- Ocean's 11 becomes different films. And while you're talking about adjusting the background, you need more than just that-- themes REALLY have to change and we've got to get that it's not the same ground re-tread. I'm gonna throw out a crazy suggestion here... and one you probably won't have the time or attention to check out, but if you CAN, check out "TRIGUN". Check out the anime (subtitled, only please) or the manga. Basic plot-- a wandering hero is one helluva gunman, but refuses to KILL with his guns. Over the course of the story (which lolly-gag's around in it's early phases) the hero's friends are beaten, and some are killed and he's forced to start looking at taking vengance. There are some similar things in the older anime/manga about a samurai called "Rurouni Kenshin" but it's way longer and I don't think nearly as effective. While "TRIGUN" is science fiction / western in it's execution, if you want to start thinking about new ways to tackle ideas of being PACIFIST versus VENGENCE and JUSTICE... well, you just can't do better! By the way, by the way... I'm going to see ROCKY BALBOA tonight with my buddies (I work at a theater, so I see everything the night before) and I've gotta say I'm PUMPED... just rewatched the original today so we could prep our MAN TEARS together... can't wait to see how awesome it's gonna be!
deathwish? by coppercrow	Dec 19th, 2006 09:12:43 PM
sly... thanks so much for answering all these questions. i've followed every day, and it's a wonderful opportunity to hear your thoughts on what your fans think... as for your deathwish comment, i'd have to say, please no. honestly, i am so tired of re-makes. i know a great story can be told over and over to each generation, but it seems half the stuff out of hollywood is a re-make. every year more come out. we get foreign films remade and released without the general public knowing it's already been done. sequels are great... and i'll be seeing balboa this weekend. copland was awesome... bring us more of that~
Thanks Sly! by Press Lenox	Dec 19th, 2006 09:17:26 PM
It's been great, I've looked forward to these questions every day since you started them. I can't wait for "Rocky Balboa" tomorrow!
Remake ideas... by Gigolo99	Dec 19th, 2006 09:19:25 PM
Since Sly is still physically formidable I think some sci-fi remakes may better suit him. I was thinking of the Connery movie, "Outland", "Soylent Green", or a tweaked "Logan's Run"
Just bought Rocky Collector's Edition... by colematthews	Dec 19th, 2006 09:19:37 PM
you know, the one with the ticket to Rocky Balboa inside? That is a damn good deal if you were gonna go anyway. Makes the DVD like 10 bucks. The end of that flick is great. Who won the fight isn't emphasized at all, and the music is just building as he's yelling for Adrian. I realize I'm not exactly the first person to say that, but still. I wouldn't have made my purchase, watched the flick again, or probably seen this new one in theaters if it wasn't for this Q&A. And, honestly, if this Q&A wasn't happening, and there was an announcement about Stallone re-making Death Wish, TalkBackers would have piled on his ass from day one. Now that we see where he's coming from, it's a whole different story. Good luck with everything, Sly, and thanks again!
Hey Sly I hope you read this... by nomihs	Dec 19th, 2006 09:21:00 PM
Okay, yeah we all love the Q and A rounds with the AICN crew, and loving public, and I don't want to sound like a broken record with the rest of the talkbackers but...you have surpassed yourself in my mind. To bring yourself a little bit closer to us all (the average paying moviegoer) and it has been a GREAT 20 ROUNDS with you. That said...If you do read this post, I was wondering if I was right about Johnny Kovac being an alias of yours, or someone in your camp? After reading Johnny Kovac's posts that was the first thing I thought of. Anyway, I doubt that you read this but IF you do, post up another Johnny Kovac, or drop me a line, (yeah right) at nomihs@aintitcool.com This way I can tell my fiance that I was right for once in my life. You got my contribution this weekend in Dubuque and for Rambo, and any other future installment. OH, and I also have my netflix queued up with some of your DTV releases that I missed.
Sly, Death Wish Is Already Being Remade by abcdefghijklmnop	Dec 19th, 2006 09:21:28 PM
Kevin Bacon recently filmed Brian Garfield's sequel to Death Wish- Death Sentence. But of course, the plot has been reworked so that it basically sounds just like Death Wish. (Or at least that's what people compare it to when they hear about it.) My advice would be to steer clear of a remake- or at least calling it a remake. BUT, the idea of "Stallone" + "Revenge" is always a welcome idea. I'm sure you can easily take the concept and deliver a kickass film. It's actually very exciting that you are thinking of following up Rambo with Death Wish! Damn. God bless you, sir! There is definitely an audience out there that is STARVING for some old-school action films. As for Rocky Balboa...one of the best opening night experiences I've ever had was seeing Rocky IV 21 years ago. I've actually organized the exact same group of family and frinds to go see RB tomorrow night. Can't wait.
DEATHWISH. by C Legion	Dec 19th, 2006 09:21:35 PM
Whilst the original had a decent premise, and an iconic tough guy actor as its lead, it was not particularly well executed. With a similar premise, and another iconic tough guy actor (wonder who that could be), but this time made by someone talented (not that food critic tosser Michael Winner) it could be very interesting. I say go for it Mr. Stallone, but only if you direct it yourself, and you approach it as a serious, small budget movie. Eschew the cliche action star stuff, as you did with Copland, and it may well work.
please don't remake death wish... by Flux_brown	Dec 19th, 2006 09:21:46 PM
sir, trust me, this won't be the right vehicle for you. Audiences will stay away from this movie in droves just coz the fact that its a death wish remake alone. Try something original that suits your writing talents, perhaps an hbo series? please think about it....
Sly talkback by ninjapurple	Dec 19th, 2006 09:22:05 PM
Hey Sly! Big fan from India! I read on IMDB that you love Bollywood movies..same here! What I'd like to know is which are your favourites? Any chances that one or more are likely to perhaps be remade in Hollywood?
Get the team from HBOs the wire.... by Judge Dredds Dirty Undies	Dec 19th, 2006 09:23:47 PM
Even if they made the tango and cash in space movie it would be fucking brilliant.
I'll be there! by FrixFrixFrix	Dec 19th, 2006 09:24:31 PM
I'm flying to Ohio from New York tomorrow morning to spend christmas with my family. The first thing I'm gonna do is watch 'Rocky' with my dad and brother, then catch the 9:30 screening of 'Rocky Balboa' with the two of them and my best friend. My girlfriend would be right there with us if she wasn't going to Colorado to spend christmas with her family. She and I watched 'Rocky' together this past saturday, it was the first time she'd seen it and she's hooked. She wants to see the rest of the series as soon as she can and you can bet we'll be seeing 'Rocky Balboa' together when we get back to Brooklyn. Thanks very much for all of your time and stories. It's given me something great to look forward to every day and I will miss it. Good luck with 'Rocky Balboa' and I hope this happens again in the future. Fritz Brooklyn, NY
how can you not get behind this guy? by chiahead	Dec 19th, 2006 09:28:17 PM
he's so freakin humble! thanks mr. stallone!
But First by raknade	Dec 19th, 2006 09:28:31 PM
we review an ageing Charles Bronson in "Death Wish 9" "I wish I was dead"
How about you doing a moive with you as a stoner? by S-Mart shopper	Dec 19th, 2006 09:28:43 PM
ala Brad Pitt in True Romance.
Make Death Wish an HBO mini series by Flux_brown	Dec 19th, 2006 09:30:29 PM
mark my word sir...if handled correctly, this could be a gem!
Re: I'll be there! by FrixFrixFrix	Dec 19th, 2006 09:31:39 PM
btw Sly, here's a picture of my girlfriend 10 minutes after we watched 'Rocky'. http://www.flickr.com/photos/l adygrift/327770510/
Deathwish Remake by konkrete590	Dec 19th, 2006 09:31:55 PM
Sounds pretty cool to me. I hope Mikey Rourk does this 200 questions when Sin City 2 opens, that would be great. Can't wait to see Rocky tomorrow!
The return to true grit by omega786	Dec 19th, 2006 09:33:42 PM
I am also a fan of the 1970's type of fims and think it would be cool to see a remake of Bronson's DEATH WISH. I miss these type of movies and would love to see you pick up the gauntlet. A shame that The Mechanic has gone to Douglas but there is plent of material out there. Funnily enough i think you have a niche for the gritty urban atmosphere which was picked up so well in the original Rocky and Nighthawks and so have been quite surprised you haven't capitalised on it (although Get Carter slightly touched it). My thoughts for DEATH WISH would be to go against the cop storyline and adopt Kersey as someone who can fit your personna. I couldn't accept you as an ex chief of emergency medical services in Daylight. You need to identify with the character (not with your perception but with the perception of the audience). Unfortunaltey it seems you will be unable to adopt Kersey's passive stance as the audience would expect some type of culmination of expression through violence ala Copland which worked. Therefore starting off with a character who is steeped in a non confrontational career/history would be unable to reach/deliver that climax (see Collateral Damage). Therefore i undersand why you have gone down the cop route but i think you need to go back to the drawing board and seek an alternative entry for the character. Personally i would go for a cross between Unforgiven/True Grit and set it in modern day and only keeping specific elements.
I will miss this when it's all over ... by Lou C.	Dec 19th, 2006 09:34:29 PM
... Mr. Stallone, you have no idea how much more excited you've made me about seeing this movie. And before the Q&A started, I couldn't imagine being interested in another Rambo movie. Now, I can see where you're coming from and would be there on opening day. This was a brilliant idea, but it only works because you've been so honest, charming and intelligent in your responses. Good luck to you, and thanks for all the great movies. You're a class act.
Stallone should send Harry and autographed picture.... by GibsonUSA Returns	Dec 19th, 2006 09:36:06 PM
....but on it, it should say "To GibsonUSA". Then it'll just be up to Harry what's the proper thing to do with it. :P (jk)
I'm starting to agree with folks here about deathwish by Cotton McKnight	Dec 19th, 2006 09:37:02 PM
I just don't know- first of all, how do you set up that the character is a good cop? In order for that to really work, the audience has to be familiar enough with the character to know that this goes against everything he believes in. I just see a lot of screentime being spent trying to him up as a "good guy", which sounds like it could put the audience to sleep. So in other words, a lot of the need for a setup is taken away simply by changing the guy's line of work. Another thing I am thinking of is Robert Duvall's character in "Falling Down". He was a good cop who never fired his gun, but he was seen by everyone in the department as a pushover and an outcast. In today's world, you would almost have to make your "good cop" the same way, because how else would you distinguish him from the "bad cops"? And if you start down that road, it becomes a slippery slope because by the end of the movie, he is doing what all the bad cops wanted him to do in the first place. So it's like he's become one of them. Does this make any sense?
Death Wish remake by King_Knut	Dec 19th, 2006 09:37:22 PM
I think that it sounds like a good concept, but one to be approached with great caution. If this gentleman is such a good cop as never to have needed to use his gun when his wits would do, why should he change now? I can't say I have a solution, but the transition has to be tremendously morally painful for it to work, for the audience to not only buy it, but agree with it and go along with him. See The Punisher (the recent one, not Dolph's version) for how not to do it. The only way I could see it washing is that the first person he tries to pull a gun on would be himself... or if he submits himself to one hell of a beating because he's lost the will to live. I don't know, it'd be bloody hard to pull off convincingly.
Stallone vs Mickey Rourke by Judge Dredds Dirty Undies	Dec 19th, 2006 09:37:52 PM
Their fight in the Get Carter remake fucking ruled, even if that film was a misjudged failure it still had some cool shit in. "Is this the part where I'm supposed to be scared?"
Deathwish by misterdug	Dec 19th, 2006 09:38:41 PM
First off, I am not a huge fan of remakes, though there have been some exceptions. A remake of Deathwish would have to be remarkably well done. More than a basic action flick, I think we would need to really feel for this character and what has been thrust upon him. If he was anti-gun or not prior to the attack on his family would be almost irrelevant if we feel strongly enough about what has happened to his family. A film like this should take some time to show the family, show the trust and love. For an additional gut twist, I would probably make the daughter younger, maybe a preteen or something in that neighborhood. This would also make her more likely to believe her daddy is her personal hero. I might even put in some dialoge or circumstance between the father and daughter that reflects that, he is her hero and he will always come to save her. Perhaps even show the daughter even in the midst of the attack calling out to her father 'Daddy! Daddy, please! Where are you? Why are they doing this?' (as you might imagine happening in your worst nightmares of something happening to your kids) expecting him to save her. Make the audience care about the family unit, care about the mother and daughter and the relationship that they all share. Sure you could make the father a cop, and that would add to the hero worship aspect from the daughter, but every cop has to draw his or her gun at some point even if they never fire it. Maybe that is the point Sly is getting at, that the cop, the daddy, has never had to fire his weapon on the job. That he has never met a situation he couldn't defuse or deal with without using violence. But I wouldn't want the cop coming off as too far-fetched. I think making him a by the book kind of cop might be better. Maybe a cop that has moved into Internal Affairs and goes after cops that cross the line, until he meets the line he himself must cross to avenge his family. It would be a painful journey from hero to anti-hero. And we should see the toll it takes on him as a man that is, deep down, still a good cop. Just my .02
Death Wish Remake - Honest Opinion by KryptonsLastSon	Dec 19th, 2006 09:39:48 PM
I have two responses to this. One is this, please put your effort and financial backing into doing something new and different with a film. Death Wish is a "classic", and doesn't need to be re-imagined. In fact a lot of what Hollywood pushes today with re-makes don't need to be made, the existing film is good enough. I am pissed every time I see a re-make and think of what movie I might not be seeing because of its existence. Second, if you want to do something like this don't call it Death Wish. Pursue the basic story and develop something beyond the ideas of Death Wish, you are certainly capable of it. The basic premise sounds intriguing, but I see absolutely no reason it would have to be a Death Wish remake. My two cents.
Thank You by clinton branum	Dec 19th, 2006 09:40:52 PM
I truly thank you for the time that you have taken to answer questions for all of us fans out here.
Thoughts on Death Wish Remake by Alice Cooper Stalker	Dec 19th, 2006 09:43:10 PM
It's been a long time since I've seen Death Wish. Not exactly sure what you meant by the line "a very good cop who had incredible success without ever using his gun." I'm guessing that either he's used his physical strength to handle resistance in the line of duty or that he's just been fortunate to not have to use his gun. Regardless, I think that one of the central themes of Death Wish is the empowerment and strength of a man who was victimized, standing up and fighting back after the trauma and pain his family suffered. You read headlines every day about people being killed, raped, assaulted, children being kidnapped, etc... So many victims...so many people feeling powerless. Charles Bronson's character allowed an outlet for victims to see justice served and delivered. Given the violent nature of our society and the seemingly rampant lack of justice in our court systems...this could be a good remake to pursue. I agree with many of the talkbakers that I don't like the idea of him being a cop. Maybe he could be an architecht or computer programmer or project manager that used to be in the military and therefore had some experience with firearms in his past that he could reenlist. That way, he would have both the thinking/strategy talents to draw on as well as the firearms experience. One piecee of advice that I would give is to get whoever did the special effects on 'A History Of Violence' involved. I've never seen an actual homicide, but the gun shot injuries and killings in that movie just seemed really damn realistic to me on a level that other movies haven't been able to duplicate. Also get other great talent. Maybe get Quentin Tarantion to help write it? Good luck to you on this and all of your future projects. Spread the word to your buddies that we are golden to talk to and consult. Thanks for this unique opportunity.
Respect. by Tunza	Dec 19th, 2006 09:44:56 PM
My respect for Sly has risen every fresh Q+A I read. Sir, you definitely have my cash when Rocky Balboa arrives in New Zealand. Unless I get to review it for the paper. In which case, I'll get to encourage even more people to see it. Everybody wins.
Respectfully, the best 'Death Wish' is MS. 45 by CarmillaVonDoom	Dec 19th, 2006 09:48:45 PM
That is all. :^)
Can't wait to see it tomorrow... by TELF	Dec 19th, 2006 09:53:28 PM
My girlfriend is pretty excited too. This'll be her first Rocky in a cinema. ON DEATH WISH: Where the hell is Vern??? Seagal afraid of JC!?! Will Seagalogy survive? well, in the mean time. Don't do a remake. Someone above had a great suggestion about making the lead a college prof. who works with the police, an advocate non-violent/fatal law-enforcement. That seems like a stronger premise. Is it for you to star? Because, again, someone above noted that you know all along that Bronson is going to start killing the bastards at some point. And the same could be said of your good self. I read a novel ages ago whose premise I thought would make a good vehicle for you. It was called Wet Work, and was about a rich arms dealer whose daughter dies of a spiked drug OD and he proceeds to murder his way all the way through the drug chain of command-right the way to the heads of the cartel, using all the weapons/resouces avaiable. The book was nowhere near as smart as the premise (there were so many ironies missed, like dubious moral superiority of the arms trade to the drug trade amongst others), but I always thought that there was massive potential for a great satirical action movie. Regardless, I honestly think even the best intentioned remake of Death Wish would be a mistake. Take the revenge theme and do your own thing with it.
Wishing for Death and so on by Dick Nicely	Dec 19th, 2006 10:01:06 PM
I'm sure Sly has a reason for wanting to make the character a cop; it seems too arbitrary a thing for him to mention otherwise. So he probably has good reason; maybe he's actually written a script or something already. It could be an interesting story. Just don't call it Death Wish! I think these days we have the same desire for justice to be served in a non-PC way, by those who are victimised (I'm replying particularly to Alice Cooper's Stalker here) but I also think we need to see the flip side of this, the dangers inherent in combatting violence with violence. In terms of realistic bloodletting, I worked on a film where the special effects department were told off by the set's security guard for making the gunshots too flamboyant and "Hollywood". He described what it was like when somebody gets shot, and it's not something I've seen in any films. But it's also pretty morbid to recreate, and would pretty much take the fun out of shoot-'em-up movies as we know them. The effects department, by the way, carried on as they had done for this reason.
"Guns dont make me nervus.Idiots w/guns make me nervus" by GibsonUSA Returns	Dec 19th, 2006 10:01:07 PM
That line should be in the Death Wish remake. :) And how about making the bad guy(s) a kidnapper/pedophile? What's the one type of criminal that everyone in the world (even other criminals) absolutely hate? Those who prey on our little kids. Have Paul Kersey's little daughter kidnapped (like Mel Gibson's Ransom) and his wife killed....but the little daughter is never recovered alive. That would drive any father insane.
just thought of another remake for Sly... by Gigolo99	Dec 19th, 2006 10:02:22 PM
"Fort Apache, The Bronx"-originally starring Paul Newman. I hate to talk up another site but you guys have to check out the reviews on Rottentomatoes.com-they keep putting more up and it's a landslide of positive write ups. I'm really happy for Sly.
Saw Rocky Balboa at an advanced screening last night... by Kirk's Toupee	Dec 19th, 2006 10:03:28 PM
And I was blown away. I haven't felt that good coming out of a movie in a long time. And I'm not just blowing smoke up your ass Mr. Stallone. If I thought it was shit I would say so. But you hit one out of the park and all us kids from the 80's thank you for it. I also would like to thank you for keeping it PG. There were a few kids in the crowd and they really seemed to like it. I will be taking my father to see it this weekend. He took my brother and I to see III and IV. I would suggest to all you AINcers to take your dads. It's a great Father/Son film as well.
Death Wish remake by MattFini	Dec 19th, 2006 10:06:37 PM
First off...thank you for your time and honesty, Sly. I've already got my ticket to ROCKY BALBOA tomorrow and I'm going again with my girlfreind on Friday. I plan on doing a lot of promotion for this one for the family over the holidays...I will get people behind it. But people WANT to see it anyway so I know it won't be too hard. As far as the "Death Wish" idea...I love the concept of the original film too much. Seeing Bronson's everyday man gradually introduced to the gritty violent of the urban city was a big part of the film's success...at least for me. The idea of him being a cop doesn't click for me right now but it would really depend on the story. Death Wish is about the characters and not the action. Thanks again Sly, this has been great!
Sly Moves by Kirk's Toupee	Dec 19th, 2006 10:06:39 PM
Since you're reading these things I also wanted to let you know that I introduced my parents to Sly Moves. My father is 62 and my mom is 60. They both now do a weight routine 3 times a week. And the motivating factor was your book.
Oh yeah and one more thing.... by Kirk's Toupee	Dec 19th, 2006 10:09:46 PM
Ah man I'm sick of remakes. You're a talented writer why not come up with something fresh? How about a gritty period western? Now that's something I'd like to see you tackle.
It's been said before, but.... by SJBKAT	Dec 19th, 2006 10:10:42 PM
Stallone is a class act, and other celebs should take note that this is truly a remarkable thing he has done. I have always been a Stallone fan, but this has sent it through the roof. I am eagerly awaiting "Rocky Balboa," and now even more so I am looking forward to "Rambo IV." In regards to a "Deathwish" remake, I don't know. I like the premise Stallone has given, but I worry that the film may be just a shoot em up come revenge time. I trust Stallone and his judgment, and think that if the action is downplayed and the drama and characterization is in the forefront, we will have another winner on our hands.
RE-MAKE DEATHWISH! by Mister Sean	Dec 19th, 2006 10:14:40 PM
The big trick is to make it about more than the plot...there's your great monologue to your son in Rocky Balboa where the movie suddenly stops being about just boxing and about life altogether. If you could grant that kind of depth and pathos to the Death Wish remake, you'll have another hit. It's not enough to be just vengeful victim wish fulfillment, but the character must recognize and deal with the moral dilemma in way that's real and right.
Thank you by tiredpm	Dec 19th, 2006 10:15:44 PM
I'm still gobsmacked by this series. Harry, and all at AintItCool who were involved, you deserve much praise. Mr. Stallone, all the people on your side who helped with this deserve a very nice Christmas present. And, Sly, you've blown me away with your honesty, humor and insight. This has been a real treat, something that you just don't see ANY stars do. I wish a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family, all the best with your future projects (more on that in a separate post) and I'll be there watching your film this weekend -- I'm flying to California with the family tomorrow, so I can't go opening day, but I'll be there Saturday or Sunday, full price show, and I'm going to talk as many of my in-laws into coming as I can. Again, thank you for this and I hope the film is the success that you deserve.
Regarding "Death Wish"... by Uga	Dec 19th, 2006 10:16:36 PM
Be true, that's all I ask. What I mean by that is keep the character real - if somebody guns down your family, you aren't going to have a huge moral dilemma as to whether or not to hurt them. You're going to, plain and simple. You can't have your character have the bad guys looking down the barrel, only to say something like, "You're under arrest." If somebody hurt my family, an I eventually had them in my sights, there would be carnage (remember the story you told about the guy who hit your car and then insulted your kids - multiply the rage you felt then by a million).
You hear that ...? by Lando Griffin	Dec 19th, 2006 10:21:33 PM
It's Vern weeping because Sly hath spoken - Van Damne would've made Seagal his bitch
Death Wish? by dead000	Dec 19th, 2006 10:24:38 PM
Death Wish? Hmmm, get James Mangold and surrender the action to the dramatic side of things it could work. Making him a cop though, I don't know. Someone mentioned a western above and that is a feasible option. Mangold is doing 3:10 to Yuma. So many great suggestions in this forum. So many remakes nowadays. Everyone loves a great revenge flick though. What about a remake of The Killers? I'd love to see you as Charlie Strom.
Thank you Sly. by bluetoast	Dec 19th, 2006 10:25:59 PM
Registered on the talkback just for this. Always looked forward to seeing the new Q+A posted, will go into withdrawal like everyone else after tomorrow. This made me want to see Rocky the other day for the first time, which I now realize I should have done much earlier. Your stories were great, and your insight about reserving trust was excellent. I will be looking forward to the Q+As when Rambo comes out. Now it's time to round up a crowd and go see Rocky Balboa tomorrow.
I have an idea for your death wish remake by slappy jones	Dec 19th, 2006 10:26:38 PM
If you really want to put a twist on it why don't you begin with Kersey already being a vigilante who winds up becoming an architect?? a whole new spin on it...
Death Wish remake by joeyducci	Dec 19th, 2006 10:27:25 PM
Could be good....but needs to be dark, gritty...Joe Carnahan seems a good candidate for director. No jokey one liners, no cute kids/nieces/nephews/orphans/re belious teenagers to try to lighten up the mood. Get Carter had the potential to be good...but made every one of the above mistakes. If you learned from the mistakes of Get Carter, a new Death Wish could be great.
LANDAAA!!! by FreeFingers	Dec 19th, 2006 10:30:49 PM
I DO HEAR IT LANDA!
the best death wish is death wish 3 by troutpencil	Dec 19th, 2006 10:35:51 PM
And anyone whose seen it (other than mothers against videogames types) agrees with me. Man, that van damme and seagal story is kickass and will be a big fucking deal among a select bracket of society's most disreputable fellows. I am a fan of both Seagal and Van Damme but Van Damme is the greatest, fuckign Street Fighter and Double Team, absolute miracles of cinema.
Not a Death Wish Remake, But a Departure by MrStinger	Dec 19th, 2006 10:37:12 PM
There aren't enough cops on the streets in post-Katrina New Orleans, a city increasingly under siege as elements return to the city "we'd be better off without." So the NOPD is putting detectives, investigators--anyone who can hold a nightstick--onto the streets. Certainly not the situation Paul Kersey expected to find himself in, a former seminary student who left just before becoming a priest, a nonviolent man with a strong sense of justice who has spent his career putting criminals behind bars without ever firing a gun. But one night, while he's keeping the streets safe, his family is brutally attacked by the same vermin destroying the city he's loved and lived all his life. And now, in the face of every looter, every mugger, every drug dealer preying on the innocent, he sees the face of the scum who killed his wife and daughter. He's being led in a direction he never intended his life to take, a path that may ultimately lead to his own destruction.
Deathwish by Doctor_Sin	Dec 19th, 2006 10:39:32 PM
I think DW succeeds because the main character isn't involved in law enforcement at all - it is sort of like Dustin Hoffman in Straw Dogs. How far will any of us normal people go? What will it take to push us over the edge? What are we capable of when pushed? If you remake it, keep these ideas first and foremost. Focus on the moral dilemma and how the audience can be effected by it - how the average joe will feel. I'd rather not see a cop as the lead role, but regardless - it must be brutal, violent, and vengeful. No punches pulled - it must be an all-out criticism of our society in some way. It must be big that way. My 2 centavos.
Okay, Death Wish thoughts by tiredpm	Dec 19th, 2006 10:39:54 PM
God, I'm torn. There are artistic and commercial considerations. From an artistic point of view, I would hate to see you torn to shreds by critics after generating buzz for your work on Rocky Balboa -- critics don't usually like remakes, especially ones that can't bring anything new to the table, and a change of lead character isn't enough to deflect attacks or a worthy reason to remake the original. Plus, as someone said above, where's the shock value in seeing a trained police officer having the ability to hunt down a bunch of bad guys? Which brings me to this question: would you be looking to star? Because I think that would be problematic. You're Sylvester Stallone! Sly! Rambo, Rocky, Cobra, the Demolition Man! We all know you could kick the ass of a bunch of street thugs! There's no transformation there. From a commercial point of view, yes, you can trade on the recognized name of the movie, but if the critics savage the film the box office drops like a stone, unless you're Sandler -- do you have a pact with the devil akin to his? :-) Damn, Sly, you couldn't have made Man On Fire? THAT I would have loved to see, even though I think Denzel was great in that flick -- the broken gunfighter on one last stand. Okay, wrap up. If you can bring something TRULY fresh to the concept, and I don't mean a different lead character or a topical setting (hunting your family's murderers in a post Katrina New Orleans as an icky example), then I say go for it. However, if it is just something that's on the table somewhere, or you're being courted for the idea by some young film-maker or, worse, a suit, PLEASE DON'T. Take a break, enjoy riding the success of Rocky Balboa, and then look at some of the options out there. Direct another movie, outside of the action genre; direct a few episodes of a TV show; hell, lobby for the villain role in the 24 movie and play it straight up evil... actually, that would be sweet. Jack Bauer versus Stallone. I just drooled at the thought. :-)
Deathwish by bioforge	Dec 19th, 2006 10:43:19 PM
I don't believe a good cop would entertain revenge period. The only way that can work if he goes mental and goes on a revenge mission ,in which case he is not a good cop anymore(not in that mental state) so there is no moral dilemma. Btw well done revenge movies kick ass!
It's harder to think of Stallone as an "everyman." by GibsonUSA Returns	Dec 19th, 2006 10:56:35 PM
One of the appeals to the original Rocky was that Stallone was an underdog himself in getting the movie made the way he wanted. Stallone was battling the odds like Rocky was. But now as a worldwide superstar, it's gonna be harder to buy into him as a struggling "everyman". Rambo clipping coupons? No way! In fact, as far as the first Rocky goes, Mr.Stallone is in more of an Apollo Creed position than a Rocky position. He's the one who decides what's going to happen. That's why I think his version of Paul Kersey cannot be dirt poor...people recognize superstar Stallone as an authority figure. That's why I mentioned maybe having Kersey as a University Professor. Professors are intellectuals in positions of authority and make good money, but can still be bought as "everyman".
mr. stallone by jedimindflayer	Dec 19th, 2006 11:01:36 PM
thanks again for the great opportunity; it's safe to say you've pretty much endeared yourself to this fan base, and you'll alqays be our first. i can say honestly that i'll be putting my money where your mouth is this weekend- good luck at the box office!!!
I don't believe in remakes, they're like set-ups. by CherryValance	Dec 19th, 2006 11:03:50 PM
And you've proven to us over these 19 great days that you are definitely not a paper champion. You've got all the experience and wisdom to do truly great original work. I mean, if Death Wish is what you really want to do, we'll be there. But I just think you're better than that. I've always liked your non-action movies and even preferred them in most instances. If more of that requires you going a more independent route, even better. When I see a movie like Apocalypto get made or David Lynch sitting on the corner with a cow, that's when I see men killing lions. They might seem wacky to everyone else but they're going their own way to bring art to us. And I sincerely appreciate them for it. I think it would be great if after Rambo IV, you went forward into completely new territory. And I'm not just being contrary. I wore my Rocky III pendant everyday to the 4th grade so I'm on your side. I just think you could be at the beginning of a new chapter in your legacy as a filmmaker. So remakes seem too much like going backward. Me and my mom, who never wavered in her worship of you, will be at the first showing tomorrow. Thanks for doing this Q&A. And I hope you and yours have a great Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year. big hug
Just for you Sly! by Michael Corleone	Dec 19th, 2006 11:04:06 PM
I have been a daily reader of this site for years now but i have never felt compelled to register to be a real life talkbacker until now. When this opens in ireland in feb i will be there. These Q&A's have been the best thing on the web for a long, LONG time. Thank you Sly.
I plan to see Rocky not once, not twice, but...... by drago99	Dec 19th, 2006 11:07:15 PM
I plan to see Rocky Balboa in the theater SIX times to pay tribute to you, Mr. Stallone, for releasing my favorite movies of all-time. I will also spread the word and try to get as many people as possible to see this movie. You are THE BEST!!!!!!
maybe you could do a remake of Maniac Cop instead by troutpencil	Dec 19th, 2006 11:08:10 PM
And make the maniac cop sympathetic. Because a cop doing that would be a real asshole. I imagine some patrol officer pulling two guys over and pretending to do searches and things, handcuffing them, then killing them. That would be a police officer taking advantage of his position to do awful stuff, while in the Death Wish movies he has no control over the people he is killing. They always are raping someone, have just raped someone and are now menacing someone else, or attacking him. He is like a chivalrous savior who murders purse snatchers. But a cop who did it would be a much bigger prick. I think a lot of the potency of the original death wish movies is that he is a civilian taking action, like Bernard Goetz. Though honestly, Charles Bronson easily could have made a movie where he wrote popup books for retarded children and in his spare time killed punks with a rocket launchers and everyone would have believed it. People won't believe that it would be a challenge for Sly to kill street punks, but it's the same with the original. Only fools would think that it would be tough for Bronson. He was grissled.
deathwish by jedimindflayer	Dec 19th, 2006 11:09:26 PM
Go ahead with the Death Wish remake; I was never a huge fan to begin with, but tweaked-out remakes seem to be the norm, and can (sometimes) set itself away from the original without totally dishonoring it (see 'Dawn of the Dead')
A note on Death Wish by shmuckybucky	Dec 19th, 2006 11:13:19 PM
Sly, you've read it several times over, but thank you very much for this opportunity to gain some insight into your career and a wonderful hero in Rocky Balboa. I will be at a screening on Christmas day with all of my Rocky die hard buds...no 80's comparisons meant. Anyway, as for Death Wish, I agree with some of the posters, a straight on remake, even with the main character transformed into a cop, seems irrelevant. This is not to say that I wouldn’t like to see a “Death Wish” film, as I love the original. It’s a classic. In that era, it was brutal, and it quite frankly scared the crap out of me as a kid, yes, because of the violence, but it made me think, “oh my god, what would I do in that position if someone had done that to my family.” I would lose control. That in essence is what a film like this would be about. Revenge and the loss of control in that heightened emotional state. I don’t see this as an action picture at all. It has to hit you hard, the violence tight, brutal. In fact, one of the films that I could certainly compare Death Wish to would be First Blood, an honest film, with no cheap shots or music video director style. There is one thing that I think is great about the cop angle, and that could move the story along in a suspenseful way, is that it gives the character an edge to be one step ahead of his/her pursuers. The protagonist knows the steps/manner in which he/she would be hunted down and use that to their advantage, something you couldn’t do with a character that didn’t have any insight into law enforcement methods. Whether you keep the title or not won’t make the difference between a successful movie or a disaster. If you’re honest to the story, and stick with the brutality of the crime and what it does to your character, then you will most certainly have made a worthy successor to the original Death Wish films.
Casting decisions, remakes, Q&A's by Cold Winter Wind	Dec 19th, 2006 11:19:57 PM
My personal litmus test for a casting decision is "Can I imagine any other actor doing a better job in this role?" Think 'Picard', think 'Jason Bourne', think 'Rocky', and (yes, I know, even so...) think 'Lara Croft'... The unfortunate downside to this is an actor being too closely identified with a character they've portrayed. The actor's eternal lament "I'm not that character!" As much as I've loved me numerous helpings of some Rocky, I truly can't envision anyone bringing more to the character than Bronson. Maybe it's a failing on my part. (Maybe I'm just a Boomer with a long memory!) What I CAN envision is a different character going thru that arc. Excellent idea of "200 Questions With..." - I've found Mr. Stallone to be witty, articulate, erudite, incredibly well-read, and just plain fun to hang out with. Whomever you have up next will have an extremely high standard to meet.
SLY, A DIFFERENT TAKE on your Death Wish remake... by moto	Dec 19th, 2006 11:24:52 PM
Granted, I haven't read all of the talkbacks above, but fuck it. You don't even need the Death Wish title in there, thus this isn't a remake. That concept was excellent. Here's my angle, which may or may not have been what you were thinking about. *Yes, you have a cop that is essentially a pacifist. Better yet, make him a man that at one time was brutal, but is now haunted by it. Kind of like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven. Maybe it's a dark secret or something. But he's now lead a pacifist life. All those cops around him (have to be set it in NY or Los Angeles) are so burnt out by the streets and have lost all of their morals. They are either thrill seekers, looking for the easiest way to get into a shootout, or are corrupt. Main Character(we'll call him Sly... lol) sees all this. But he's not a rat. He's just going to do things his way, using communication and a helping hand rather than beating the shit out of someone, shooting someone when not needed, etc. He's taking the high road but he's getting shit for it. He's basically boxed out from all of the veterans. He's on the outside. But he's gotta feed his family. So, yeah, a terrible thing happens to his family. Wife and kids are murdered. So you have the heartfelt scene where he's in tears, fucked up in the head, etc. Then he thinks of something. His face changes from grief to revenge/brutal. He goes through his old boxes and maybe finds his old firearms. Badass ones or something. Then the hunt for the killers begins and while this is happening, his department is investigating all of these strange murders (Sly's rampage). So during the day he's part of the investigation, and during the night he's killing these lowlifes. If you really want to amp it up, have Sly discover that the man who ordered the murder of his family was a cop in his department. Maybe Sly new something. Whatever. Anyway, that's my thought on the matter. ****** Best of luck to you Sly! Brilliant idea to do these Q/As.
You know what? This is my first Rocky in the theaters.. by Cotton McKnight	Dec 19th, 2006 11:25:08 PM
I'm not exactly young (31), but it just occured to me that I have never seen a Rocky movie in the theater. Don't get me wrong, I have seen the first four a million times over (saw Rocky 5 over a couple of nights on cable once), but it's weird because it's so much a part of my childhood, you think I would have. Ah well, when you're a kid you can't really pick the movies you get to see. Anyway, i'm so there tomorrow.
Future Q&A prospects by Binkysguy	Dec 19th, 2006 11:31:10 PM
Well, Mr. Stallone, I know Bruce is a bud of yours and having him do a Q&A would be great! I don't know how well you know the following guys but if you have any pull with them please encourage them to come do one of these with us: Brad Pitt Kurt Russell Billy Bob Thornton and of course...Richard Gere. ;)
maybe seagal chose not to fight van damme by troutpencil	Dec 19th, 2006 11:31:45 PM
Because he's a Buddhist. He practices the martial arts for spiritual renewal; the same with snapping wrists and killing oil company assholes. He didn't want to get into an altercation as it went against his religion and chose the peaceful way.
Jeez! Almost forgot! by Binkysguy	Dec 19th, 2006 11:34:14 PM
Thank you, THANK you, THANK YOU from the bottom of my wannabe-actor heart for talking with us so candidly. I really liked you before but it's full blown love now. Me and my best friend are going to be there at the first showing of Rocky Balboa tomorrow. Keep on doing it, man!
Jackie Chan would probably be the next best choice..... by GibsonUSA Returns	Dec 19th, 2006 11:36:37 PM
...if we are doing another whopping 200 questions. People like Brad Pitt, he's cool, but could you really ask him 200 interesting and unique questions? You'd have to trim it to 100 or something. Jackie Chan, on the other hand, has been in an estimated 5,000,000 movies, a worldwide fanbase, and probably a billion stories to tell.
Sly - Not the untouchable superstar as we thought.... by ronniepooch	Dec 19th, 2006 11:42:04 PM
More like Sly - the honest Human being. I've never seen, read or heard of ANYTHING being done like this before with an actor who seems so unattainable as Sly. I think Sly just killed the idea of what "celebrity" means to most people, and I'm damn fucking glad he did. I see him as not only a great actor and childhood hero, but suddenly this accessible guy with whom you can sit back and have a beer with, and bullshit about pretty much anything. Sly, you fucking rule and thanks so much for doing this. In regards to a Death Wish remake, I love the idea that his struggle would be to fight against using what he’s practiced his whole career not to, a gun. And now that he’s a changed man since the death of his loved one… will he resort to using it? I think the question you would need to ask yourself would be… that if it’s supposed to be a revenge movie, what clever ways are there can the main character seek revenge against the killer without ever having to use his gun? I think what could be really interesting is seeing the killer take his own life at the end of the film due to methods the Charles Bronson character has masterfully used throughout his entire career as a top police officer. Mr. Stallone, Best of luck tomorrow with Rocky Balboa. I’ll be cheering with all my buddies from work at the theater tomorrow night. I seriously can’t wait!
Jackie Chan by Binkysguy	Dec 19th, 2006 11:43:09 PM
Well, yeah...but I didn't think Sly would know him to ask him. Chan is a good choice, though.
My DEATHWISH response by aknasas	Dec 19th, 2006 11:47:47 PM
Mr. Stallone, Again, thank you so much for donating your time & experience & great stories to this site. In response to the Deathwish idea, here are my thoughts- The idea of a basic revenge story feels dated. That whole idea of 'eye for an eye' and killing someone who killed someone you loved and saving the main villain for last in some violently creative way... is old. It's been done a thousand times from the 80s generation to most mel gibson movies. But I love your angle on the hero's no gun record as a cop. Guns in action movies are old. What I mean is the idea of shooting another person and expecting the audience to react to that in a meaningful way is old and boring in action cinema. I prefer violence to be creatively executed (lousy pun) in films. It's always better when there is emotion behind it. REAL emotion, not anger. Basically, use something else besides a friggin gun. If you remade DEATHWISH with no one getting shot that would be a step in the right direction. Make the story as deep and psychological as possible. Make it so emotional that all the critics write how much of a surprise it is. Isn't that the best feeling? To surprise everyone? People will think the deathwish remake is just another B movie revenge flick, so why not make it INSANELY original, hire some creative writers from television (LOST, 24 or Deadwood) to help you with it. I'm rambling but tv is so much more creative STORYWISE than film is these days. To get that creative talent behind a deathwish remake would be unprecedented. So at the end of the day, DONT make it a revenge structure we've seen before. Make it original, something we REALLY have not seen before, storywise. You do that people will write about how surprised they were by it and that draws the crowds and acclaim. Reinvent the revenge tale Mr. Stallone. Don't have the 3rd act be creative ways for the villians to die. Do something different that will emotionally impact the audience. I'm seeing Rocky Balboa opening night with my buddies. I think the box office will be most special for sure. Oh and I was wondering, any cool stories from the CAROLCO days with Mario Kassar & Andy vajna? Thanks again.
Closing shots by BillEmic	Dec 19th, 2006 11:57:16 PM
I'm going to sad when this whole Q&A is over, but before the curtain drops I want to add my voice to the choir and say: thank you, Stallone, for your honesty, humor, and insight. This means the world to us fanboys, and it's really unprecedented that a big film star would do this sort of thing. Beyond your hilarious anecdotes about the movie biz, I have to say that much of your discussion on existence and loneliness struck a chord as well. Thank you for revealing this side of yourself; it's amazing to know that even someone as successful and talented as yourself struggles with feelings of isolation and self-doubt. Lastly, I look forward to seeing Rocky Balboa in theatres tomorrow!
DEATHWISH - talkback for Stallone by salamimansam	Dec 19th, 2006 11:57:59 PM
Thanks for this. It has been a wonderful journey. You know, I always wanted Deathwish to be something more. It just seemed kind of perfunctory, his revenge. I love the twistyou are suggesting. I always wondered about the bobbies in London, and how they did it for so long without guns. Thought it was inspiring. It would be awesome if he starts his revenge without resorting to guns, and then it ramps up to him finally repaying his enemies in lead. Thank you. I can't wait for tomorrow.
Respectfully, please don't do "Deathwish." by Ray D	Dec 20th, 2006 12:04:02 AM
I'm another in the camp that abhors most remakes. They rarely bring anything new to the movie and usually desecrate what made the movie loved to begin with. There are always exceptions, of course, so if you feel in your heart you must do it, then by all means do it. But I feel it would be a mistake. I'm sure you'd do a masterful job of it, but I don't see the need for a remake. Anyway, I just registered to tell you, Mr. Stallone, that you've brightened many of my days for most of my 37 years, and for that, I thank you. I'll be first in line on Friday night for Rocky Balboa. I've been looking forward to this since the day I heard it was going to be made. And thanks so much for doing these Q&As. That's just so cool.
DEATHWISH reboot by TheOriginalBubblehead	Dec 20th, 2006 12:07:34 AM
Wow, what a fantastic idea. I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Stallone, the "good cop" who gets tweaked, by circumstance, into something... ELSE, is a fantastic angle and a fresh take on the character. In my mind's eye, this film needs to be about a journey the character takes -- perhaps from a risk-averse, to-this-point-in-his-career relatively rational, stoic, even somewhat aloof individual, who has always been able to keep from "getting dirty" on the job, towards being a somewhat reckless, devil-may-care, unpredictable beserker. Remember that wild-eyed look in Mel Gibson's eyes, in the first "Lethal Weapon," when he was practially BEGGING Murtaugh to end his suffering? THAT's what I'm talking about, tho Riggs was inarguably a more cartoonish version of what I hope Mr. Stallone would bring to the screen. I wonder, has Mr. Stallone seen Michael Ealy's performance in the second season of "Sleeper Cell"? Not to give too much away, but in the last episode of "American Terror," Darwyn, brought low by his trials and his enemies, experiences a "Fuck it" epiphany, and in that moment, he becomes the most dangerous weapon of all. The primary character in "DEATHWISH" should exemplify that state of mind, in a gritty and realistic fashion. Personally, I've been wanting to see a big-budget, ensemble re-make of "The Dirty Dozen" for a number of years, and I've always thought that Mr. Stallone, now that he's older and more world-worn, might just have the chops to protray Maj. Reisman. (He can do it if he's directed well, and if he UNDERACTS, like he did in "(Escape to) Victory," the first two "Rocky" films and "CopLand.") Anyone else want to see this?
There's gonna be a helluva void... by Brody77	Dec 20th, 2006 12:08:28 AM
after the last round tomorrow! This site has never been so good. Jan 19th can't come quick enough - stupid release dates. Nice to see, even though my question wasn't picked, Sly still gave a little mention to WWE. Dunno about JCVD kicking Seagal's ass - though he couldn't really miss, it's gotten that big! Still, great story! PS - Your deathwish idea sounds very interesting, especially seeing as the original was a pile of balls (sorry to Charles Bronson, but it was, and so were the sequels.) A fresh slant with a decent director could do it justice - but if it turns out like Get Carter, you're in trouble!!
My Death Wish feedback by Binkysguy	Dec 20th, 2006 12:08:42 AM
Cop is too pedestrian and not as remarkable as a 'civilian' going apeshit on the criminals. How about this...my wife is in the army and she does computers and communication. A lot of the people she works with are civilians who set up and maintain the systems alongside her (organization, intelligence, attention to detail). If one of the civilian contractors really wanted to he could swipe some weapons from the unit (explaining how the guy could procure some good weaponry) and being a computer geek type would definitely be more in keepimg with the original architecht idea and not quite as banal as a cop. A cop has too many advantages...training, years of dealing with violence. I think it would be more interesting to see a guy unaccustomed to violence try to rain it down on the evildoers. Just my opinion...
Deathwish and Thank You by Joshua Pantalleresco	Dec 20th, 2006 12:09:02 AM
Sly, No one is really crazy about remakes, but if you have to do one, this isn't a bad way to go. The psychology behind it would be key. His family's deaths would have to be pretty traumatic in order to make the guy really consider going to the gun. I don't know if it could be a straight up action flick for the first part of it. But once you get him to the breaking point it'd be very intense. It could be done. Thank you very much for your anecdotes and inspiration. It's nice to hear someone actually talk to us dreamers and give some sage advice and humor. I'd love to have a beer with you someday. Thank you very much. Looking forward to Rocky Balboa. I have to admit I haven't been this excited about a movie for a long time. It looks great. JP
Sly's "Death Wish" and RB by WatchtheWatcher	Dec 20th, 2006 12:10:21 AM
Sly, I plan to see "Rocky Balboa" at least three times this week. "And it better not leak, shakes fist er else." :) I tell ya, I'm gonna miss Adrian's expert ringside advice. Who can forget such gems as: "Hit him!" and the immortal: "Hit him back!" Remaking "Death Wish"? with the idea you have, I say do it, but don't call it "Death Wish". We don't need anymore remakes. If you'll recall in the original, Chuck Bronson didn't even start out blowing lowlifes away. He beat them like a Navaho rug with a sack of quarters (or was it oranges?). As Rocky would say: "Go for it." Oh and one last thing, you people need to lay off and get some actual perspective on "Rocky V". V is a fine movie. Now whether you have petty grievances like "he doesn't fight in a ring, boo-hoo" is up to you, but there is nothing wrong with V as a film. In fact, V is an actual film, whereas IV was an anthology of music videos with some dialogue thrown in between. And III was a (thoroughly entertaining) comic book.
WatchtheWatcher by Brody77	Dec 20th, 2006 12:10:58 AM
The only good thing about 'V' was the end fight - some very cool moves by Stallone there. Still, you're entitled to your opinion & I won't grudge you it. (oh, Tommy Gunn was a cockend)
sly does know jackie chan by troutpencil	Dec 20th, 2006 12:11:13 AM
Whatever the press says he has to, and they have to be friends, because in Tango & Cash Sly used the Chan scene from Police Story, facing off against a bus with a revolver. That was borrowed rather than stolen, I remember reading that.
Deathwish is a perfect Stallone vehicle. by darthbinks1220	Dec 20th, 2006 12:15:45 AM
I loved the original with Charles Bronson. The sequel were ghastly, but there's something to be taken from them........ Eric Clapton's guitar rift from Deathwish 2 & 3. Also, everyone is boo-hooing remakes. True, most are god-awful. As Sly said here, though, it removes some uncertainty in the filmmaking process. Can Mr. Stallone pull off this remake? He just knocked Rocky SIX out of the park. So my answer is, well, yes! I would anticipate this new version of Death Wish as much as Rob Zombie's upcoming "Halloween" reimaging. Both stories are timeline, imho.
Hope ya read this Sly by snomusic	Dec 20th, 2006 12:19:37 AM
My tech support job was outsourced to India 5 months ago (2nd time in a row) and unemployment barely covers the bills - especially now that Winter has hit ($200 bucks for

Talkbacks

ROCKY BALBOA - Round #19 - Stallone charges out of the corner, knowing that there's just one more round to stay on his feet!