Chris Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "action-thrillers"
MY TOP ACTION MOVIES OF ALL TIME
(Read the full blog and watch the accompanying movie clips at http://www.intrepidallen.com/blog/201....)
Being in the line of fire certainly helps a scene to come alive, but it isn’t the only thing. If the dreaded writer’s block ever pops up, I know I can always trust the big screen to throw me some great ideas.
Here’s my list of the Top Classic Action Films that I turn to when the ol’ memory needs reviving.
Where Eagles Dare (1968) with Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood
This was the type of film guys my age sat down to watch with their dad's, it was a natural part of growing up. The Alistair Maclean classic Where Eagles Dare is not your stock standard war film: it’s full of double-agents, behind the lines missions and really powerful characters pitted against each other. I loved it as a boy and I still do. It highlighted conflicts and betrayals on both sides of the war rather than the standard ‘us against them’. Real life is much more complex and they nailed that well in the context of an action movie. The cable car scenes are legendary and the ending is just brilliant, but I won’t give it away. The character that I most identify with is Major Smith, played by Burton: a cold, hard and relentless professional – that’s how I see him.
Taken (2008) with Liam Neeson
This film copped a bit of flak over stereotyping certain people and groups, but I’ll leave it there. The real strength of the film’s premise is in displaying a father’s commitment to the protection of his child and the inherent instinct to protect them no matter the cost. I love the way that they convey the normal dad behaviour, with all the normal insecurities and sometimes overbearing characteristics, pitted against the man as a professional spy. They do that really well. For me, it reinforces that no matter how specialist and dangerous people may be due to their career choices, at the end of the day they’re just people. Neeson looks like he would comfortably sit down and have a beer at the bar with you, just as easily as loppin’ your head off.
The Eagle has Landed (1976) with Michael Caine
This is a favourite among ex-Paratroopers. Michael Caine plays the German Paratrooper (Fallschirmjäger) Commander perfectly. Once again, it’s the character interplay and people not necessarily being who they seem to be that keeps this movie current, despite its WWII setting - especially the scene where a young German soldier dies in the process of saving a little English girl from drowning. It’s written by another of my favourite authors, Jack Higgins. As an aside, I remember one of the guys in the regiment years ago loved this film so much that he changed his name by deed poll to Kurt Steiner (the name of Caine’s character). That’s dedication!
Bad Boys I (1995) with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence
A little out of left field for me, I know, but I love the way that they nailed the banter between two really tight friends in a very contemporary way. It’s over the top and out of control but funny, and the things that make it funny are all the normal human elements of the characters, not the gun ho, macho, shoot ‘em up stuff that, as you may know, the movie is full of.
Iron Man Series (2008-10)
My favourite superhero movie series of recent times is the Iron Man series (with another set for release in April 2013). The reason it's my favourite is simple: Robert Downey Jr. RDJ has made an unbelievable character somehow believable. He’s cocky, self-assured, fearless, and funny at the same time. The combo of him and the director, Favreau, who also appears in the movie as Happy Hogan, is fantastic. They just understood what they wanted to achieve when they set out to do the movie and they delivered it. It’s a fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining blockbuster. Hand in hand with that is another Marvel, The Avengers (2012) with Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner. Absolutely fantastic movie and anything with Scar-Jo has to be tops (fortunately, my Sar agrees).
The Peacemaker (1997), with George Clooney and Nicole Kidman
When this came out in the late nineties, I liked it because it was a contemporary action thriller that focused on relevant and current issues at the time. The lone radical individual carrying a nuclear weapon in a backpack around a major city is now almost a clichéd scenario but back then I think they forecast pretty well the fears of a major incident in just about any city of the world - sadly, all too familiar now. I like the two lead characters a lot. Clooney’s military officer character was understated and mission focused; a ‘get the job done’ kind of guy. Kidman’s nuclear specialist was a great model for strong, independent and intelligent female leads, equally adept at saving the day as her male counterpart, far removed from the clichéd window-dressing of old. They make a great partnership.
Finally, I’d say Skyfall (2012) with Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem
Skyfall has the essential ingredients of the Bond franchise: glamour, humour and charm. It took Bond back to basics. It humanised him, pushed him back into his family history and brought out his loyalty and sense of duty to his country that is a really important part of that character’s background and the original premise that Fleming created him on. Without being a Fleming story, they got as close as they ever have in bringing Fleming’s Bond back to life, even more so than in Casino Royale (2006). You can read my Skyfall review on the Momentum blog here.
Skyfall is the perfect dose of realism and escapism that might be found in my favourite action flick of all time (to come), and that would be any featuring Alex Morgan and Intrepid!
These are the films that are kept right at the ready by my desk when I need some inspiration. They capture all of the elements that I try to include and emulate in my own stories: the human elements behind the action heroes; the interactions, betrayals and insecurities that are so familiar to everybody; and, from an action point-of-view, the characters are relentless, cold, hard-hitting professionals that no matter what, get the job done.
Chris
Being in the line of fire certainly helps a scene to come alive, but it isn’t the only thing. If the dreaded writer’s block ever pops up, I know I can always trust the big screen to throw me some great ideas.
Here’s my list of the Top Classic Action Films that I turn to when the ol’ memory needs reviving.
Where Eagles Dare (1968) with Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood
This was the type of film guys my age sat down to watch with their dad's, it was a natural part of growing up. The Alistair Maclean classic Where Eagles Dare is not your stock standard war film: it’s full of double-agents, behind the lines missions and really powerful characters pitted against each other. I loved it as a boy and I still do. It highlighted conflicts and betrayals on both sides of the war rather than the standard ‘us against them’. Real life is much more complex and they nailed that well in the context of an action movie. The cable car scenes are legendary and the ending is just brilliant, but I won’t give it away. The character that I most identify with is Major Smith, played by Burton: a cold, hard and relentless professional – that’s how I see him.
Taken (2008) with Liam Neeson
This film copped a bit of flak over stereotyping certain people and groups, but I’ll leave it there. The real strength of the film’s premise is in displaying a father’s commitment to the protection of his child and the inherent instinct to protect them no matter the cost. I love the way that they convey the normal dad behaviour, with all the normal insecurities and sometimes overbearing characteristics, pitted against the man as a professional spy. They do that really well. For me, it reinforces that no matter how specialist and dangerous people may be due to their career choices, at the end of the day they’re just people. Neeson looks like he would comfortably sit down and have a beer at the bar with you, just as easily as loppin’ your head off.
The Eagle has Landed (1976) with Michael Caine
This is a favourite among ex-Paratroopers. Michael Caine plays the German Paratrooper (Fallschirmjäger) Commander perfectly. Once again, it’s the character interplay and people not necessarily being who they seem to be that keeps this movie current, despite its WWII setting - especially the scene where a young German soldier dies in the process of saving a little English girl from drowning. It’s written by another of my favourite authors, Jack Higgins. As an aside, I remember one of the guys in the regiment years ago loved this film so much that he changed his name by deed poll to Kurt Steiner (the name of Caine’s character). That’s dedication!
Bad Boys I (1995) with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence
A little out of left field for me, I know, but I love the way that they nailed the banter between two really tight friends in a very contemporary way. It’s over the top and out of control but funny, and the things that make it funny are all the normal human elements of the characters, not the gun ho, macho, shoot ‘em up stuff that, as you may know, the movie is full of.
Iron Man Series (2008-10)
My favourite superhero movie series of recent times is the Iron Man series (with another set for release in April 2013). The reason it's my favourite is simple: Robert Downey Jr. RDJ has made an unbelievable character somehow believable. He’s cocky, self-assured, fearless, and funny at the same time. The combo of him and the director, Favreau, who also appears in the movie as Happy Hogan, is fantastic. They just understood what they wanted to achieve when they set out to do the movie and they delivered it. It’s a fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining blockbuster. Hand in hand with that is another Marvel, The Avengers (2012) with Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner. Absolutely fantastic movie and anything with Scar-Jo has to be tops (fortunately, my Sar agrees).
The Peacemaker (1997), with George Clooney and Nicole Kidman
When this came out in the late nineties, I liked it because it was a contemporary action thriller that focused on relevant and current issues at the time. The lone radical individual carrying a nuclear weapon in a backpack around a major city is now almost a clichéd scenario but back then I think they forecast pretty well the fears of a major incident in just about any city of the world - sadly, all too familiar now. I like the two lead characters a lot. Clooney’s military officer character was understated and mission focused; a ‘get the job done’ kind of guy. Kidman’s nuclear specialist was a great model for strong, independent and intelligent female leads, equally adept at saving the day as her male counterpart, far removed from the clichéd window-dressing of old. They make a great partnership.
Finally, I’d say Skyfall (2012) with Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem
Skyfall has the essential ingredients of the Bond franchise: glamour, humour and charm. It took Bond back to basics. It humanised him, pushed him back into his family history and brought out his loyalty and sense of duty to his country that is a really important part of that character’s background and the original premise that Fleming created him on. Without being a Fleming story, they got as close as they ever have in bringing Fleming’s Bond back to life, even more so than in Casino Royale (2006). You can read my Skyfall review on the Momentum blog here.
Skyfall is the perfect dose of realism and escapism that might be found in my favourite action flick of all time (to come), and that would be any featuring Alex Morgan and Intrepid!
These are the films that are kept right at the ready by my desk when I need some inspiration. They capture all of the elements that I try to include and emulate in my own stories: the human elements behind the action heroes; the interactions, betrayals and insecurities that are so familiar to everybody; and, from an action point-of-view, the characters are relentless, cold, hard-hitting professionals that no matter what, get the job done.
Chris
CONAN DOYLE, HOLMES & WATSON
AN ENDURING FRIENDSHIP
This post first appeared on Buddy to Blogger. Read it at http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/3/....
One of the great pleasures in my life to date has been in watching directors, producers and screenwriters re-interpret the great writing of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as new productions are brought to the big and small screens. I literally count the days until the next Robert Downey/Jude Law collaboration hits the box office, and I always attempt to create a quiet environment at home when it's time to take in the BBC Sherlock series and the new US take on Holmes, Elementary. I collect the DVDs (special edition if possible) and watch them at my leisure, all the while re-reading at least one of Conan Doyle’s stories each week. Such is my obsession enjoyment of these stories and the literary inspiration I derive from them. It is indeed a pleasure to see them out again in the mainstream media for our general consumption.
One of the things I like to reflect upon when I’m viewing one or other of the latest iterations is the variety of ways in which the main characters, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson have been presented to us over the years.
Before the recent adaptations, many people only knew of Holmes through the old black & white movies of the late 30's/early 40's, featuring Basil Rathbone. Fans of those movies will kill me for saying this, but I feel they were clichés. Rathbone's Holmes was too perfect, the ultimate version, I suppose, rather than the complex, flawed, sometimes opiated, routinely depressed yet highly intelligent character we see on Conan Doyle’s pages.
That said, my greatest bugbear with the older versions was the reduction of Dr. John Watson, as portrayed by Nigel Bruce, to little more than a bumbling oafish sidekick. I appreciate that the 'straight man & comic relief' pairing probably reflected the times, especially considering audience familiarity with the Crosby & Hope, Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis partnerships. In the books however, John Watson is nothing like that at all. Conan Doyle had put so much of himself into Watson’s history and character that you can’t help but admire them – they were incredible men, one real, the other fictional but steeped in reality. Note: In fairness to Rathbone & Bruce, both men saw action during World War 1. Rathbone was awarded the Military Cross for bravery and Bruce was shot and severely wounded.
Probably my favourite element of the original stories was that they were all written from Watson’s perspective, which was very effectively captured - in a contemporary sense - in BBC's Sherlock via Watson's blog, something that viewers of the US Elementary series may not realise.
Holmes is so reliant on his partnership with Watson. In fact, in the books Holmes often states that he is so much better off when he has his trusted friend and ally at his side. If it wasn’t Holmes saving the day with some well-paced judo moves, then it would be Watson with his revolver. I love the duo. They are much more like Bodie and Doyle from The Professionals than Batman and Robin, if you know what I mean: a much more equal pairing than the old movies ever gave them credit for.
Although the stories have been done many times over, the real resurgence of interest in Sherlock Holmes in recent years has been due to, I think, directors and producers of my age who loved the books throughout their lives and imagined them as similarly vividly as I always have. I really got into the Sherlock Holmes (2009) movie with Robert Downey Jnr. and Jude Law. While they gave the camaraderie between the two characters a great treatment, they also gave the story more of a modern edge, particularly in terms of the banter between them. It’s perhaps not as gentlemanly, but still in the same vein as Conan Doyle’s original. Then the movie sequel to the 2009 hit became more slapstick again, and took it a bit far from Conan Doyle’s books for my personal preference, but I still enjoyed the interplay between Downey Jnr and Law across both films.
Since then, obviously, we've had two equally interesting but vastly different treatments of Sherlock Holmes: BBC’s dark but modern-day Sherlock (2010) and CBS’s quirky and equally contemporary Elementary (2012). BBC’s Sherlock, with Benedict Cumberbatch (Holmes) and Martin Freeman (Watson) came pretty close to the originals of Holmes and Watson and stayed true to the stories. They established a great equal relationship between the two men.
Next to Sherlock, I’m equally enamoured with CBS’s Elementary, featuring Johnny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Joan Watson. It’s a great take on the complexity and eccentricity of Holmes counterbalanced by the thorough, no-nonsense medical professionalism that is Watson. It’s such a thought-provoking angle with a man and a woman, and it really breathed new life into this incredibly enduring story.
In terms of my own writing, I also enjoyed the camaraderie inherent to military life, just as Conan Doyle obviously did. I've tried to replicate that in my stories, with regard to the banter and conversational exchanges between my protagonist Alex Morgan and his colleagues, the way they are and the way they interact with each other. It reflects my view that no one is an island; we are all reliant on each other in some way and there are people you must and can trust during times of adversity. I guess that’s what I love most in Conan Doyle’s stories and probably the reason I try to bring it out in my own humble offerings.
In this day and age, I don’t want to have just male agents in my thriller novels; Alex Morgan and his compadres are great, but they need some female energy in the mix. Just as we’ve seen Lucy Liu acting as Joan Watson in Elementary, I’m writing a new key character in the latest book, Avenger. She’ll be the first female Intrepid agent to be introduced to the legions of Intrepid and Alex Morgan fans currently amassing across the globe! She sure knows her stuff, but I can’t tell you her name or anything else just yet.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on your preferred adaptation of Sherlock – or maybe you can’t beat the books? We know, for example, that our good friend Buddy 2 Blogger, where this blog post first appeared, is a fan of Basil Rathborne and doesn’t believe that Elementary will hit cult status. Leave a comment below!
This post first appeared on Buddy to Blogger. Read it at http://intrepidallen.com/blog/2013/3/....
One of the great pleasures in my life to date has been in watching directors, producers and screenwriters re-interpret the great writing of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as new productions are brought to the big and small screens. I literally count the days until the next Robert Downey/Jude Law collaboration hits the box office, and I always attempt to create a quiet environment at home when it's time to take in the BBC Sherlock series and the new US take on Holmes, Elementary. I collect the DVDs (special edition if possible) and watch them at my leisure, all the while re-reading at least one of Conan Doyle’s stories each week. Such is my obsession enjoyment of these stories and the literary inspiration I derive from them. It is indeed a pleasure to see them out again in the mainstream media for our general consumption.
One of the things I like to reflect upon when I’m viewing one or other of the latest iterations is the variety of ways in which the main characters, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson have been presented to us over the years.
Before the recent adaptations, many people only knew of Holmes through the old black & white movies of the late 30's/early 40's, featuring Basil Rathbone. Fans of those movies will kill me for saying this, but I feel they were clichés. Rathbone's Holmes was too perfect, the ultimate version, I suppose, rather than the complex, flawed, sometimes opiated, routinely depressed yet highly intelligent character we see on Conan Doyle’s pages.
That said, my greatest bugbear with the older versions was the reduction of Dr. John Watson, as portrayed by Nigel Bruce, to little more than a bumbling oafish sidekick. I appreciate that the 'straight man & comic relief' pairing probably reflected the times, especially considering audience familiarity with the Crosby & Hope, Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis partnerships. In the books however, John Watson is nothing like that at all. Conan Doyle had put so much of himself into Watson’s history and character that you can’t help but admire them – they were incredible men, one real, the other fictional but steeped in reality. Note: In fairness to Rathbone & Bruce, both men saw action during World War 1. Rathbone was awarded the Military Cross for bravery and Bruce was shot and severely wounded.
Probably my favourite element of the original stories was that they were all written from Watson’s perspective, which was very effectively captured - in a contemporary sense - in BBC's Sherlock via Watson's blog, something that viewers of the US Elementary series may not realise.
Holmes is so reliant on his partnership with Watson. In fact, in the books Holmes often states that he is so much better off when he has his trusted friend and ally at his side. If it wasn’t Holmes saving the day with some well-paced judo moves, then it would be Watson with his revolver. I love the duo. They are much more like Bodie and Doyle from The Professionals than Batman and Robin, if you know what I mean: a much more equal pairing than the old movies ever gave them credit for.
Although the stories have been done many times over, the real resurgence of interest in Sherlock Holmes in recent years has been due to, I think, directors and producers of my age who loved the books throughout their lives and imagined them as similarly vividly as I always have. I really got into the Sherlock Holmes (2009) movie with Robert Downey Jnr. and Jude Law. While they gave the camaraderie between the two characters a great treatment, they also gave the story more of a modern edge, particularly in terms of the banter between them. It’s perhaps not as gentlemanly, but still in the same vein as Conan Doyle’s original. Then the movie sequel to the 2009 hit became more slapstick again, and took it a bit far from Conan Doyle’s books for my personal preference, but I still enjoyed the interplay between Downey Jnr and Law across both films.
Since then, obviously, we've had two equally interesting but vastly different treatments of Sherlock Holmes: BBC’s dark but modern-day Sherlock (2010) and CBS’s quirky and equally contemporary Elementary (2012). BBC’s Sherlock, with Benedict Cumberbatch (Holmes) and Martin Freeman (Watson) came pretty close to the originals of Holmes and Watson and stayed true to the stories. They established a great equal relationship between the two men.
Next to Sherlock, I’m equally enamoured with CBS’s Elementary, featuring Johnny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Joan Watson. It’s a great take on the complexity and eccentricity of Holmes counterbalanced by the thorough, no-nonsense medical professionalism that is Watson. It’s such a thought-provoking angle with a man and a woman, and it really breathed new life into this incredibly enduring story.
In terms of my own writing, I also enjoyed the camaraderie inherent to military life, just as Conan Doyle obviously did. I've tried to replicate that in my stories, with regard to the banter and conversational exchanges between my protagonist Alex Morgan and his colleagues, the way they are and the way they interact with each other. It reflects my view that no one is an island; we are all reliant on each other in some way and there are people you must and can trust during times of adversity. I guess that’s what I love most in Conan Doyle’s stories and probably the reason I try to bring it out in my own humble offerings.
In this day and age, I don’t want to have just male agents in my thriller novels; Alex Morgan and his compadres are great, but they need some female energy in the mix. Just as we’ve seen Lucy Liu acting as Joan Watson in Elementary, I’m writing a new key character in the latest book, Avenger. She’ll be the first female Intrepid agent to be introduced to the legions of Intrepid and Alex Morgan fans currently amassing across the globe! She sure knows her stuff, but I can’t tell you her name or anything else just yet.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on your preferred adaptation of Sherlock – or maybe you can’t beat the books? We know, for example, that our good friend Buddy 2 Blogger, where this blog post first appeared, is a fan of Basil Rathborne and doesn’t believe that Elementary will hit cult status. Leave a comment below!
