WHY WHY WHY? 'CLIFFHANGER TO BE REMADE

Cover of Cliffhanger (Collector's Edition)

Proving yet again that Hollywood has all the creativity of a brain dead knat, Variety reports that StudioCanal and Original Films are planning a remake of the Sylvester Stallone-led 1993 mountain climbing action thriller "Cliffhanger."

We ask again? WHY???

In the Renny Harlin-directed original, Stallone played a park ranger who is forced help a group of terrorits recover three suitcases containing $100 million lost in the Rocky Mountains.

A huge hit for Sly, it grossed $255 million worldwide and scored generally positive reviews for its impressive action including a mid-air hijack sequence and the famous opening suspense set piece involving a woman whose equipment fails during a perilous climb across a deep chasm.

According to the trade, the new version will center on a group of young climbers and will "feature multiple cliff-face locations". A screenwriter is being sought with production aiming to kick off next year.

Neal Moritz, who is also producing the upcoming "Escape from New York" remake for Warners, will produce.

Enjot the kick ass trailer...



To watch the full movie, click HERE.

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ROCKY BALBOA ON PREMIERE'S GREATEST CHARACTER LIST

When I saw that Premiere was going to list what they believed to be the 100 greatest characters of all time, I was excited to see where they would place Rocky Balboa, one of my favorite - IF NOT FAVORITE -- screen characters of all time. Lo and behold, he was number 64.

64. Rocky Balboa Played by Sylvester Stallone in Rocky (1976, dir. John G. Avildsen) and five later films

The year was 1976, and after so much cynical, Watergate-era fare at the cinema, bicentennial America craved something exhilarating. That jolt came in the form of a streetwise southpaw boxer named Rocky Balboa. When the reigning champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), plucks the sometimes painfully slow and raw Rocky from bad-side-of-Philly obscurity by challenging him to a world-class fight, it’s time for our hero to step up—and prove once and for all that he’s not “just another bum from the neighborhood.” His triumph comes from going the distance—and getting the (unlikely) girl, a super-shy librarian whose name makes up half of the movie’s most repeated mantra: “Yo, Adrian.”

Defining Moment: Rocky runs through the streets in the early morning. As the energetic theme song climaxes, he races up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and turns around to face the city, fists high in the air, victorious. (MGM DVD)

To see the list in it's entirety, click HERE

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'BARACKY' - THE MILLION TO ONE SHOT

This is hilarious. What do you get when you take B-roll of Barack Obama, John McCain and Hilary Clinton and splice it with one of the best "Rocky" films of all time? An awesome parady called "BARACKY"

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NO! NO! NOOOO! MGM TO MAKE MORE ROCKYs??

Highly unnecessary! That's all I can say.

This lil' bit of news is all over the interwebs today. During a recent presentation at the Cannes Film Festival, MGM chairperson Mary Parent said that that the company is toying around with the possibility of making more Rocky films. WTF???

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm a HUGE Sly Stallone fan and an even bigger Rocky Balboa fan. There's no way I can endorse another Rocky film after last year's "Rocky Balboa" beautifully ended the character's 30 year saga.

Parent’s big buzzword of the Cannes presentation was “franchise." She's not off her rocker when it comes to that notion, however. After all, let's not forget that after Bond, MGM's biggest franchise is the Rocky series. She contends The Rock just might have some more fight in him before he calls it quits for good. C'mon...

It's more than apparent that MGM doesn't give a hoot that "Rocky Balboa," the sixth film in the series, was the perfect conclusion and the utmost penance for the atrocious "Rocky V."

Even more, I can't imagine Stallone will want to throw Rock back into the ring. I wouldn't even expect his kid to hit the canvas. Many will remember that Robert, Jr. (played in "Rocky Balboa" by Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia), resembled bookish Adrian more than his beefy dad.

A spinoff -- that's what MGM should be concentrating on. A spinoff with perhaps a cameo by Sly. That might be doable. I could see a "Steps" story - 'Lil Marie's teenage son who entered Rocky's circle. But please, MGM, NO MORE ROCKY FILMS!!

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'JOHN RAMBO' SCRIPT REVIEWED

Last December's "Rocky Balboa" sucker-punched those who thought it would be another typical entry into the MGM boxing franchise. You know what I mean, a 90-minute man-against machine fable that is so ridiculous, that it takes away from its potential enjoyment. "Rocky V" anyone??

Yet the humble, quiet pic was an ode to the dramatic 1976 original, winner of the Oscar for Best Picture.

Critics loved "Rocky Balboa" and lauded it as a fitting farewell to Sly's beloved pop culture icon.

That said, some bodybuilder-actor-trainer-whatever, got his hands on what's believed to be the next and final installment of the "Rambo" franchise, currently shooting abroad.

Aptly titled "John Rambo" ala "Rocky Balboa," is should be another fitting tribute to the '80s Stallone Reagan-era icon.

Click below to read this fellow blogger's take/script review.

Rambo 4 - John Rambo - Script Here

HEMINGWAY NOTE: His server may be having problems. As of 1 p.m. this afternoon, it seemed down. Perhaps from all the Rambo traffic? Maybe the movie mafia went after him. Keep trying, however.

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