Tagarchief: Michael Madsen

5 marketinggeheimen van Grand Theft Auto

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

GTA V
Afgelopen week ging GTA V in première, een gegarandeerde miljoenenhit. Op de eerste verkoopdag, woensdag 18 september, bracht het spel al 800 miljoen dollar op. Niet slecht voor een spel met een budget van ‘slechts’ zo’n 165 miljoen dollar.

Voor wie het nog niet kent, Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is een interactieve misdaadgame. In een open stedelijke omgeving heb je als speler de vrijheid om allerlei activiteiten te ontplooien. Daarnaast kun je missies voltooien, waardoor je geleidelijk een groot misdaadimperium opbouwt.

De lancering van een GTA-spel heeft veel weg van de première van een James Bond film. De entertainmentbladen schrijven over niets anders, hongerige fans speuren het internet af naar nieuwe informatie en winkels blijven op premièredag langer open om de duizenden gamers te bedienen die het spel direct willen hebben. Wat verklaart het succes van deze misdaadserie?

GTA biedt spelers:

1. Product leiderschap
Een nieuwe GTA-game staat garant voor het beste wat je kunt krijgen op gaming-gebied. De makers bij Rockstar North melken geen voorgangers uit, maar benaderen ieder deel alsof het de eerste is. De gebruikte technieken zijn altijd state-of-the-art zodat ook verwende gamers nog verast worden op het gebied van gameplay en graphics. Ook op het gebied van scripts en stemacteurs nemen de makers alleen genoegen met ware excellentie. Een GTA-game spelen staat garant voor een unieke interactieve spelervaring. Er is geen spel dat zoveel vrijheid en mogelijkheden biedt.

2. Waar voor je geld
Behalve de technische en verhaalsaspecten, zitten er zoveel activiteiten in een GTA-game, dat spelers er gemakkelijk 100 uur aan kunnen besteden zonder dat het saai wordt. Auto’s stelen, helikopters vliegen, motorracen, daten met mooie vrouwen, overvallen plegen, ingame games spelen, pizza’s bezorgen, base jumpen, een bendeoorlog beginnen…. Het houdt niet op.
Daarnaast is de stad helemaal volgestouwd met verassingen voor spelers die alle hoeken en gaten willen verkennen. In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – het op Scarface gebaseerde deel – is bijvoorbeeld in een huis de douche te vinden waar de beruchte kettingzaag scene van Scarface zich afspeelde. Gamers die het spel kopen, worden dus meer dan voldoende beloond voor hun aankoop.

3. Een cult sausje
De misdaadwerelden van GTA waarin je je als speler bevindt, zijn doordrenkt van popcultuur. De muziek, de kleding, de fictieve merken… het zou allemaal uit een Tarantino-film kunnen komen. De fans van GTA, houden doorgaans van de misdaadfilms die aan de basis staan van deze games. Zo is GTA: Vice City gebaseerd op Scarface, één van de populairste cult films aller tijden. De acteurs die in de spellen de stemmen verzorgen, zijn ook vaak afkomstig uit gangster klassiekers. Denk aan Ray Liotta, Samuel L. Jackson en Michael Madsen. Hiermee heeft Rockstar North een grote groep fans weten te binden.

Het succes van GTA wordt verder vergroot door:

4. Verhalen delen
Zodra je klanten verhalen gaan uitwisselen over je producten, heb je het beste marketinginstrument ter wereld in handen. De interactieve wereld van GTA, maar ook de missies die je als speler uitvoert, bieden hier alle mogelijkheden toe. ‘Er stond een mannetje te pissen bij die ene missie, en toen heb ik met een machete zijn hoofd afgehakt’. Gamers delen graag hun gewelddadige prestaties met elkaar, en de nieuwste GTA-spellen bieden hier ook nog eens vele online opties voor, zoals het filmen van je gruwelijkste misdaden en waanzinnigste stunts.

5. Anticipatie creëren
Een uitgekiende marketing campagne, zorgt er steeds voor dat gamers al lang van te voren lekker worden gemaakt. In korte trailers worden hints gegeven voor karakters en verhaallijnen, terwijl de fans zien wat voor prachtige en realistische omgevingen de makers nu weer hebben samengesteld. De trailers gaan uiteraard direct viral. Hoe dichter bij de release datum, hoe meer er wordt weggegeven. Gevolg: liefhebbers kunnen niet meer wachten het spel te kunnen spelen en de nieuwe mogelijkheden te verkennen.

En dat kan nu! Maar alleen op de Playstation 3 en X-Box 360. PC-gamers (zoals ik, snik) moeten nog een tijdje wachten.

Icon 4 - V

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘Let’s go to work’

Directed by:
Quentin Tarantino

Written by:
Quentin Tarantino

Cast:
Harvey Keitel (Mr. White / Larry Dimmick), Tim Roth (Mr. Orange / Freddy Newandyke), Michael Madsen (Mr. Blonde / Vic Vega), Steve Buscemi (Mr. Pink), Lawrence Tierney (Joe Cabot), Chris Penn (Nice Guy Eddie Cabot), Eddie Bunker (Mr. Blue), Quentin Tarantino (Mr. Brown), Randy Brooks (Holdaway), Kirk Baltz (Marvin Nash)

‘Mr. Brown, Mr. White, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Blue, Mr. Orange, and Mr. Pink.’
‘Why am I Mr. Pink?’
‘Because you’re a faggot, all right!’

Meet the Reservoir Dogs. It’s 1992, and cinema firebrand Quentin Tarantino has just exploded onto the scene. Reservoir Dogs is easily the most impressive directorial debut of the 1990s – arguably of all time.

Joe Cabot and his son, Nice Guy Eddie, assemble a six-man crew for a daring diamond heist. None of the men have met before. To maintain anonymity and protect against betrayal, each is given an alias. Despite meticulous planning, the robbery goes catastrophically wrong. Someone talked. At the rendezvous point – an abandoned warehouse – the crew turns on each other in a deadly showdown.

This relatively simple premise is executed with striking ingenuity. Tarantino crafts a masterful nonlinear narrative, shifting back and forth in time between the heist’s setup and its bloody aftermath – yet never showing the actual robbery. Background details are revealed with precision, each revelation tightening the suspense until the traitor is unmasked and tensions reach a violent climax. It’s absolutely riveting cinema.

Since its release, Reservoir Dogs has inspired countless indie filmmakers hoping to capture the same low-budget brilliance, but few have come close. Why? Because they can’t write a screenplay this sharp, that’s why. Tarantino delivers more than just clever structure – he populates his film with complex, vividly drawn characters. And then there’s the dialogue: razor-sharp, darkly funny, and endlessly quotable.

At times, the film plays like a black comedy of the highest order. Yet it never loses its edge as a hyper-tense thriller. “My heart is beating so fast I’m about to have a heart attack”, Mr. Blonde says at one point and the same could be said for the audience. Whether it’s Mr. Pink’s frantic getaway, the desperate escape attempts, or the slow-burn mystery of the undercover cop, the tension never lets up.

The atmosphere swings from effortlessly cool – see the iconic opening credits—to grim and downright brutal. The casual banter gives way to explosive violence with little warning. The warehouse itself becomes a chamber of horrors: Mr. Orange bleeding out for most of the film, the infamous torture scene – it’s disturbing and hard to watch, and that’s exactly the point.

The cast seals the deal. With actors like Harvey Keitel and Steve Buscemi delivering Tarantino’s dialogue with perfect rhythm, even conversations about Madonna or tipping become electric. Chris Penn gives what might be his best performance, and Lawrence Tierney is unforgettable in his final tough-guy role.

Tarantino’s debut might still be his finest work. Pulp Fiction may be equally brilliant, but it occasionally meanders. Reservoir Dogs, in contrast, never loses momentum. It’s lean, vicious, and near-perfect – a film so good it’s almost a curse. Tarantino didn’t just enter the scene with a bang; he set the bar impossibly high from the very start.

Rating:

Quote:

MR. WHITE: “What you’re supposed to do is act like a fucking professional. A psychopath ain’t a professional. You can’t work with a psychopath. You don’t know what these sick assholes are gonna do next.”

Trivia:

Michael Madsen auditioned for the part of Mr. Pink. But Tarantino told him: “Here’s the thing: you’re not Mr. Pink, you’re Mr. Blonde. And if you’re not Mr. Blonde, then you’re not in the fucking movie.”

Cult Radar: Part 7

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

FilmDungeon is glad to explore the video trenches to find that oddball treasure between the piles of crap out there. Of Course, a treasure in this context can also be a film that’s so shockingly bad it’s worth a look, or something so bizarre that cult fans just have to see it. Join us on our quest and learn what we learn. Hopefully we’ll uncover some well-hidden cult gems.

Researched by: Jeppe Kleijngeld

Hell Ride (USA, 2008)

Directed by: Larry Bishop
Written by: Larry Bishop
Cast: Larry Bishop, Michael Madsen, Eric Balfour

Larry Bishop, who played in trashy biker films in the sixties and seventies such as The Savage Seven, Angel Unchained and Chrome and Hot Leather writes, directs and stars in a Tarantinoesque homage to the biker film. In it, a decade long battle between two biker gangs takes place; the Victors, lead by Pistolero (Bishop) Vs. the 666ers, lead by Billy Wings (Vinnie Jones). The concept and promising cast (Michael Madsen, Dennis Hopper, David Carradine) raises expectations, but the execution is far below par. Tarantino should have rewritten the script apart from producing. The dialogues appear to have been written by a 14 year old. There is some humor to be found, but it can hardly make up for the terrible script. Also Bishop is unfit to play the lead role. Interesting trivia: Madsen and Bishop share a scene in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004). Madsen plays Budd and Bishop plays his boss in the strip club scene.

The Host (South Korea, 2006)
OT: Gwoemul

Directed by: Bong Joon-ho
Written by: Baek Chul-hyun, Bong Joon-ho, Ha Jun-won
Cast: Song Kang-ho, Byeon Hie-bong, Ko Ah-sung

On orders of a US doctor, a toxic substance is dumped in the Han River. Four years later in Seoul, ordinary Korean folk are enjoying a leisurely day along the river when the final result reveals itself. In 2006, this entertaining monster movie made a successful journey along the important international film festivals and the tentacles of the host soon attained a large cult following. The Host effectively balances between comedy and campy horror. Only with nearly two hours running time and a main character who screams too much the fun is somewhat lessened. Also a monster that looks like sewer calamari can be hardly called scary. Still, a couple of really good jokes and scenes and its undeniable cult appeal make The Host a worthy contender for the Mega Monster Mash.

Bronson (UK, 2008)

Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn
Written by: Brock Norman Brock, Nicolas Winding Refn
Cast: Tom Hardy, James Lance, Matt King, Amanda Burton

The wacky British indie flick Bronson gives you the life story of Charles Bronson. No not the movie star YOU CUNT! We’re talking about Britain’s most violent prisoner. Since it is directed by Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn from the violent and brilliant Pusher trilogy, I was kind of expecting a gut-wrenching gorefest. It is not that bad, in fact this is more like a comedy. Crucial to the film is the central character who wants to become famous. He can’t sing and he can’t fucking act. So what does he do? This original idea is brought to the screen with Winding Refn’s usual sense of style. Tom Hardy delivers a knock-out performance as the protagonist. Don’t expect a cliché prison drama and you might find a place in your heart for Bronson. Special mention goes to the soundtrack which includes gems such as ‘It’s a sin’ by Pet Shop Boys.

Zombie Self-Defense Force (Japan, 2006)

Directed by: Naoyuki Tomomatsu
Written by: Chisato Oogawara, Naoyuki Tomomatsu
Cast: Kenji Arai, Norman England, Masayuki Hase, Yû Machimura

On the cover of Zombie Self-Defense Force, this movie is compared to Peter Jackson’s Bad Taste. Although the extreme gore is sometimes similar – though far less creative – this is nothing like Jackson’s first movie. It totally misses a master’s touch – this is amateur night and they know it. Poor acting, horrible no budget FX and very little to enjoy overall. During the first half hour, a few nice character touches promise some cult delight, but as soon as a zombie baby appears (a homage to another Jackson classic), things start to look really bad. Pretty much a disgrace anyway you look at it.

Black Devil Doll (USA, 2007)

Directed by: Jonathan Lewis
Written by: Shawn Lewis, Mitch Mayes
Cast: Heather Murphy, Natasha Talonz, Christine Svendsen

He’s a lover! He’s a killer! He’s a muthafu**in’ puppet! ‘A Lewis Brothers fiasco’, credits state after Mubia, a member of the black power movement, is executed. His last words: ‘I like to eat white butt’. We’re up for something special that is for sure. Mubia is brought back to life by big boob teenager Heather while she is messing around with a Ouija Board. Guess what? The dangerous rapist and murderer returns in puppet form! So, the sexploitation version of Child’s Play begins. Not subtle, but sleazy, nasty and offensive. Black Devil Doll does exactly what it promises to do on the cover. At times it is too dirty, but quite often it is pretty hilarious.


Tom Hardy as Charles Bronson in Bronson

The Last Days of Frankie the Fly (1997)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Directed by:
Peter Markle

Written by:
Dayton Callie

Cast:
Dennis Hopper (Frankie the Fly), Daryl Hannah (Margaret), Michael Madsen (Sal), Kiefer Sutherland (Joey), Dayton Callie (Vic), Jack McGee (Jack), Karen Roe (Sal’s Girl), Bert Rosario (Miguel), David ‘Shark’ Fralick (Porn Actor), Nicholas Mele (Race Track Man)

Frankie the Fly (Hopper) is part of a mob crew. He’s the guy who always gets bullied. Hence his nickname ‘the Fly’. He eats shit from everybody. Especially from his boss Sal (Madsen), a psychotic who likes to collect his enemies testicles in jars.

There is one person who treats Frankie with respect, the porn actress Margaret (Hannah). She has occasional artistic differences with her sleazy director Joey (Sutherland), who makes porno films because he’s in debt with Sal.

Behind Sal’s back, Frankie makes a dangerous horse track bet on Joey’s behalf. In return, he wants to direct a movie with Margaret in the lead. But the paranoid Sal finds out which creates a serious problem for both Frankie, Joey and Margaret. The question is now if Frankie will stay a loser forever or finally stands up against his boss and the other bullies.

Sometimes you like a film without really knowing why. For me this is one of them. In essence it’s an ordinary story about mobsters and the underground L.A. porn movie industry. However the makers have managed to include some subtle twists and details as well as a dose of black humour. They also gave the film a fitting, colourful look.

The message seems to be that with the right motivation one can turn the cards for the better. No matter if that someone’s a douchebag mobster or a heroin addicted porn actress. Therefore ‘the last days’ from the title do not necessarily substitute ‘the death of’.

Rating:

Quote:
JOEY: “Fly, keeping your enemies nuts in a jar on the shelf is not an expression of power. It is a sick and demented act, created by a sick and demented person.”

Trivia:
Screenwriter Dayton Callie also plays Sal’s henchman Vic.