Tagarchief: Billy Drago

Frank Nitti: The Enforcer (1988)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘Every great men needs an enforcer’

Directed by:
Michael Switzer

Written by:
Lee David Zlotoff

Cast:
Anthony LaPaglia (Frank Nitti), Vincent Guastaferro (Al Capone), Trini Alvarado (Anna), Michael Moriarty (Hugh Kelly), Michael Russo (Paul Ricca), Clayton Landey (Ted Newberry), Bruce Kirby (Anton Cermak), Mike Starr (Sergeant Harry Lang)

The real life prohibition era gangster Frank Nitti is mostly known as the psychopathic killer played by Billy Drago in Brian de Palma’s The Untouchables (1987). One year later, Nitti would get his own (TV) movie. This is a more biographical approach to telling the gangster’s life story, who was – as it turns out – much more than merely an enforcer.

When his friend and boss Al Capone went to prison, he took over as boss of the Chicago outfit. Nitti was very clever. Even during the time when street fighter Capone was running things, he would often come up with the best strategies for maintaining power in Chicago. But things turned sour when the police attempted to kill him and other (business) problems arose when the Mafia’s big cash cow – the prohibition – came to an end.

Anthony LaPaglia plays a solid lead role, but unfortunately Vincent Guastaferro is less convincing in the crucial role of Al Capone. Another weak point of the movie is the screenplay. Often, it is hard to see what goes on in the character’s mind and what drives his actions. Especially at the end when he makes the dramatic decision of ending his own life, which was indeed how Nitti died (rather than being thrown off a building by Elliot Ness). On the flip side, the movie looks pretty good. And Trini Alvarado plays a small, but disarming role as Nitti’s wife Anna who tragically dies towards the end.

Rating:

Quote:
FRANK NITTI: “If somebody big wants to fall, then the world would have to fear and respect the man who brought him down. But not if it’s done in the dark.”

Trivia:
Anthony LaPaglia would later play Al Capone in Road To Perdition although his scenes would be deleted.

Heerlijk nostalgisch: Actiefilms uit de jaren 80/90

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Toen ik opgroeide in de jaren 80’ en 90’, de tijd dat we films nog huurden op VHS-tapes bij videotheken, was ik verslaafd aan hersenloze actiefilms. Schwarzenegger, Willis, Stallone, Van Damme en Seagal waren mijn voornaamste helden toen.

Dan was er ook nog de B-klasse waar oa. Dolph Lundgren en Chuck Norris deel van uitmaakte. Of C-klassers zoals Michael Dudikoff (je weet wel. die dude van ‘American Ninja‘). En dan waren er nog Bruce Lee, zijn zoon Brandon Lee, Wesley Snipes, Keanu Reeves, Mel Gibson, Kurt Russell en nog een paar die ik nu vergeet.


Maria Shriver kan hem wel schieten.

De films waren meestal slecht, maar als ze een aantal ingrediënten bevatte was ik blij, namelijk;
1. Een vermakelijke schurk;
2. Minstens om het kwartier een actiescène of moord;
3. Lijken bij bosjes;
4. Humor (eventueel).

Van de week werd mijn lust voor dit genre weer opgewekt door een artikel dat ik las op filmwebsite Empire. Hier worden veel van mijn favoriete actiefilms besproken, zoals ‘Predator’ en ‘Commando’. De meeste hiervan heb ik sinds mijn jeugd nog minstens één keer gezien, maar eentje was ik bijna compleet vergeten. Ik heb het over één van mijn favoriete films uit die tijd. Een film die uitblinkt in stompzinnige actiescènes en explosies, geen verhaal bevat, maar wel enorm slecht acteerwerk. Ik heb het over ‘Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection‘.

Ik kreeg zo’n verschrikkelijke zin om deze film weer te zien, dat ik direct het winkelcentrum ben in gerend om hem aan te schaffen. Bij Intertoys had ik geluk en voor drie miezerige euro’s was ik eigenaar van Delta Force 2, die ook nog eens geleverd werd in een fantastische box, waar ook de toppers ‘Delta Force 1’ en ‘Logan’s War’ bij zaten.

Die tagline! Dat doet gewoon iets met je.

Zo geschiedde. Afgelopen weekend keek ik naar fucking ‘Delta Force 2’. In de eerste ‘Delta Force’ namen Scott McCoy en zijn collega ijzervreters het op tegen Libanese terroristen. In deel 2 zijn de drugskartels in Zuid Amerika aan de beurt. Aan het hoofd hiervan staat de ultieme smeerlap Ramon Cota, die zelfs baby’s laat vermoorden. McCoy weet hem te arresteren, maar hij komt weer vrij en ontvoerd wat DEA collega’s van hem. Tijd voor McCoy’s team om met grof geweld het hele kartel om zeep te helpen. Oh yeah.

Hoe voldoet de film aan de criteria?
1. Goed! Billy Drago (wie? Zie IMDb) speelt een gluiperige drugsbaas, een rol die hem op zijn lijf is geschreven. Veel beter kun je het niet krijgen.
2. De actie zit vooral in de tweede helft, waarin de missie ‘vernietig alles’ plaatsvindt. Zodra de actie arriveert, is het het wachten meer dan waard geweest.
3. Circa 75 lijken. Lang niet slecht dus.
4. Humor zit er ook nog in. Het overdreven Amerikaanse militaire machogedoe lijkt bijna een parodie op zichzelf. Een soort ‘Team America: World Police‘. Vrij hilarisch.

Vrijetijdskleding is niet echt zijn ding.

Tijdens de opname zijn trouwens vijf cast & crewmembers om het leven gekomen bij een helikopterongeluk. GESTORVEN-VOOR-FUCKING-DELTA-FORCE-2!! Maar, het is het zeker waard geweest, mannen. Ik had deze film voor geen goud willen missen. Het gevoel van nostalgie heeft me erg goed gedaan.


And remember kids: Don’t fuck with Chuck!

Zie ook mijn IMDb-lijst: 50 Nostalgic Action Movies From My Childhood – 1980-1993

The Untouchables (1987)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘AL CAPONE. He rules Chicago with absolute power. No one could touch him. No one could stop him. Until Eliot Ness and a small force of men swore they’d bring him down.’

Directed by:
Brian De Palma

Written by:
Oscar Fraley (book)
Eliot Ness (book)
David Mamet (screenplay)

Cast:
Kevin Costner (Eliot Ness), Sean Connery (Jim Malone), Charles Martin Smith (Oscar Wallace), Andy Garcia (George Stone), Robert De Niro (Al Capone), Richard Bradford (Police Chief Mike Dorsett), Jack Kehoe (Walter Payne), Brad Sullivan (George), Billy Drago (Frank Nitti), Patricia Clarkson (Catherine Ness)

Chicago in the 1930’s was a very dangerous place. This was mainly the result of the Volstead Act that reinforced the prohibition of alcohol and allowed such gang lords as Al Capone to literally make a killing. The story of treasury officer Eliot Ness and his squad of untouchables had already been told in the classic television show from the sixties, but director Brian De Palma figured it was time for a movie update. And boy was he right…

The Untouchables just radiates class throughout its running time. The first masterful scene occurs when a newspaper gets delivered in Al Capone’s hotel bedroom. The camera sways from the street, through the hotel and into Capone’s bedroom where the larger-than-life gangster is smoking a massive cigar in bed and laughs at the newspaper’s headline: ‘Crusader cop busts out’. Ennio Morricone composed a very cool piece of music for this scene.

The newspaper is referring to Eliot Ness’ first failure to confiscate Capone’s booze. Ness (Kevin Costner) is determined to bring Capone down, but he doesn’t know how to do it. Irish street cop Jim Malone (Sean Connery) suggests a more unorthodox approach to get it done.

Malone is hesitant at first to join Ness’ team, but gradually evolves into a true fighter. A very impressive and Oscar winning performance by Sean Connery. Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith are in equally fine shape. They portray the other members of Ness’ squad. Garcia as the hot-headed, but talented rookie cop George Stone and Smith as a public accountant, whose ideas about income tax evasion would eventually lead to Capone’s downfall.

Costner as the leading man was also the perfect choice. Although he can’t get rid of his goodie goodie two shoes image, despite the violent acts he eventually commits in the film, he is still an inspiring person to watch. He even managed to touch me in the heart one or two times.

Of course, De Niro is once again the show stealer. His method acting really works at its best in The Untouchables. In fact, it works so well that I totally forgot I was watching De Niro: I was watching Al Capone. His character is what he’s supposed to be: an extremely dominant and intimidating personality. In a famous scene based on a true incident, Capone demonstrates his powers. During a black tie dinner with all his cronies, he shockingly beats one of them to death with a baseball bat.

The violence described above is characterising for De Palma’s approach in making this film. Brains are painting the ceiling on more than one occasion. The brutality is justified though as it really helps to better understand Ness’ determination to get the job done. Drinking may be innocent, but when you touch a man’s family, his friends and innocents in general, it is very understandable that he is driven to despair and acts of brutal violence.

De Palma’s direction on this movie is flawless. His trademark suspense is evident from the credit sequence on, up until the amazing train station shoot-out at the end. Every scene in The Untouchables is just perfect in setting, rhythm, composition and acting. He has made a timeless film that deserves to be celebrated a lot more than it currently is.

Rating:

Quote:
AL CAPONE: “I want this man DEAD! I want his family DEAD! I want his house burnt to the ground. I wanna go there in the middle of the night and I wanna piss on his ashes!”

Trivia:
Robert De Niro tracked down Al Capone’s original tailors and had them make him some identical clothing for the movie. He also insisted on wearing the same style of silk underwear that the real Capone wore.