With the world in near total lockdown, the wanna be tough guy quartet known universally as The Video Store Action Heroes, have been binge watching movies in their respective man caves around the globe. From Arizona to Canada to New York and across the pond to the land of the Royals where it’s rumored Frank Drebin once remarked, “No matter how silly the idea of having a queen might be to us, as Americans, we must be gracious and considerate hosts.” we foursome are back with a vengeance as we select a film directed by one of the supreme action directors of the seventies, eighties and beyond. The great Walter Hill. The man who practically invented the buddy buddy genre going as far back as writing the underrated Hickey & Boggs which was brought to the screen in 1972.
The foursome? Todd at the Cinema Monolith, Greg at Destroy All Fanboys and Mikey the Wolfman alongside yours truly. Each of us has selected their own Walter Hill film to feature for this tip of the hat to a man who not only directed some TNT loaded action films but also wrote scripts including The Getaway that Peckinpah helmed back in 1972 and The Mackintosh Man brought to the screen by John Huston in 1973.
Hill kick started his directing career in 1975 with the gritty Hard Times and from then on became a favorite of this writer growing up during the VHS era. Which brings me to my selection, Red Heat, a buddy/buddy action flick that surely resembles a 1982 box office smash that Hill directed. Not hard to see that the producers and all those working on this project were looking to repeat the success of 48HRS.
Safe to say that Arnold Schwarzenegger was just hitting his peak as one of the biggest box office draws in the world who is teamed here with a loud mouthed Chicago cop played by James Belushi. Arnie is portraying a Russian police officer who puts the action into overdrive as the film begins with a jaw busting fight. In little more than custom made Tarzan briefs at a populated sauna, Arnie, takes on a pair of heavies who are holding out vital information on him. End result? Smashing through the window and pummeling these two on a hillside in a foot of snow. Barely a stitch of clothing between the three of them. It wouldn’t be for another 19 years until Viggo Mortensen gave new meaning to the sauna brawl in Eastern Promises.
Yeah there’s no doubting Arnold was indeed better known as Mr. Universe to the world at large.
This battle leads Arnie to his prey, Ed O’Ross, who is running drugs into Russia and is pretty much involved in all aspects of organized crime earning him a Public Enemy #1 ranking in the Kremlin. Violence quickly ensues. Arnie kills the brother of his target and O’Ross kills Arnie’s partner, thus evening the score, before escaping and SURPRISE resurfacing in Chicago. Next thing we know, Arnie, is on a plane and will soon be meeting his assigned baby sitter, Belushi.
While O’Ross is in Chicago organizing a major drug purchase, he’d been arrested in a chance encounter with local police over a driving infraction. It’s this lucky break that has sent Arnie on his way for a straight forward pick up overseen by Belushi and local Police Chief, Peter Boyle. Let’s fast forward a bit, local drug lords bust O’Ross out just as Arnie is taking the exchange and Belushi’s own partner, Richard Bright, takes a bullet.
Stone cold Arnie, a man of few words, makes it cleat he isn’t leaving Chicago anytime soon and Boyle with little choice in the matter assigns Belushi to stick to the big guy like glue and keep him the hell out of trouble. Not likely.
“Who is Dirty Harry?”
Might be the best line in the movie coming from a straight faced Arnie when Belushi offers his new partner his very own Magnum.44, the most powerful handgun in the world. The same one Dirty Harry uses. More bloodshed follows and we get sexy gymnast Gina Gershon in on the action as a convenient bride for hire of our villain who got him into the country. Another face one and all are sure to know is that of Laurence Fishburne as a senior officer to Belushi who wants nothing better than to bust our funny man back to a patrolman handing out parking tickets.
It’s a rollercoaster ride in the windy city that is going to culminate with one hell of a duel between our two Russian warriors riding Greyhound busses. I couldn’t help but notice the destinations on the front of each bus making it a battle between St. Louis and Montreal. I’ll always be cheering for the Les Canadiens in that match up.
Truly I hadn’t seen this film since the VHS rental days which is why I chose to feature it here amongst my fellow Action Heroes. Not recalling the finer details there were a number of things that stood out to me when recalling 48HRS and a few other Hill films/scripts. Cheap, seedy hotels so prevalent in The Getaway and 48HRS are again used here as a means of laying low and ultimately a bloody shootout. I half expected Sally Struthers to turn up in the hotel shoot out screaming at the top of her lungs and maybe Dub Taylor manning the till. A locker containing a prized possession. Same with both The Getaway and 48HRS one again. The music from James Horner recalls 48HRS with many of it’s notes and why not, he scored both films. And even the grand finale recalls the fog shrouded Nick Nolte-James Remar showdown in 48HRS.
Let’s not forget the always entertaining Brion James who appears in Red Heat as a lowlife with some details that are sure to assist Arnie and Belushi from catching up with their man. Problem is he’s not talking which gives us another good cop / bad cop scenario resulting in a few busted fingers on our scenery chewing specialist. James was a regular in Hill’s films appearing in Hard Times, Southern Comfort, 48HRS, Red Heat and Another 48HRS not to mention countless other memorable roles in other projects before his career was cut short at just 54 years of age in 1999.
While this may not be the best of Hill’s output during his run of superior action flicks, it’s still a perfect 80’s popcorn shoot’em up with Arnie hitting his stride and noticeably not giving in to the one liners that he had already become known for with Commando and so on. Here he’s a man of very few words with a terminator like determination to get his man. I’d always liked James Belushi who by this time was far removed from his late brother John’s shadow. Also need to hand out an A+ to Ed O’Ross who nails his role as a cold blooded killer with an icy glare that is enough to stop anyone this side of big Arnie in their tracks.
Since the Video Store Action heroes resign themselves to films of the 70’s and 80’s, here are the films released during that time period directed by Hill. Hard Times (1975), The Driver (1978), The Warriors (1979), The Long Riders (1980), Southern Comfort (1981), 48HRS (1982), Streets of Fire (1984), Brewster’s Millions (1985), Crossroads (1986), Extreme Prejudice (1987), Red Heat and Johnny Handsome (1989). An impressive list with some iconic titles among them. Especially if you grew up when the VHS machines hit the market and you couldn’t wait to get your hands on that movie with the baseball bat wielding street gang with the painted faces.
Filmed in Chicago, Budapest and Moscow, Red Heat was dedicated in the closing credits to the 2nd unit director Bennie Dobkins who died during the production. Lastly, be sure to visit my fellow Action Heroes of the video age to see which Walter Hill film they decided to feature in our latest attempt to bring the VHS tape back on the market. Hey, the LP’s are back in store so who knows?
Mike's Take On the Movies 
(Blanket message to all three reviews.) Can’t wait to read and comment but it will have to be tomorrow. Burnt me self out and gonna see the sun for a bit. Great to see a unision on 4 x VSAH all on top of each other in the feed. See you tomorrow guys.
Very cool, Mike…I tried to find this one to watch last night to watch before reading your review, but was unsuccessful…but now, after reading your post, I seriously really want to see it! Way back in ’88, I thought it was strange to see Arnold paired up with Belushi, and if I remember right, for some reason I thought this was a comedy, which it appears not to be. I must say, I’m not too keen on seeing Arnold damn-near stripped naked, but I AM looking forward to watching his character in-action. And it sounds like there is lots of action in this one.
And Brion James…yep, he was in ‘Southern Comfort’ as well, and I had no idea he was a Walter Hill regular. And this film also has Peter Boyle AND Gina Gershon going for it? Count me in! So as soon as my library re-opens (or my nearby Zia Records has a DVD copy for a buck or two), I’ll be giving this a look.
There’s obvious humor with Belushi involved but they’re mostly throwaway lines unlike Nolte and Murphy chirping away at each other. Boyle fits the role and I’ve always had a “thing” for Gina and wish she had become a much bigger star during her heyday. Good luck locating a copy and reliving your younger days. Grab some popcorn for this one. It suits.
Great to read about this; stood up better than expected when the bluray came out last year. Humor, action and politics; what’s not to like in an 80’s movie?
Each decade has a certain feel and the 80’s were no different. Especially in the action genre.
Gotta revisit this, as its been decades since I last saw it. I always wondered how it would have been with the late John Belushi in his brother’s role, heh.
John’s early death created a lot of the “what if” scenarios and by default gave rise to his brothers career though that isn’t necessarily fair to him. He has his moments where he’s quite good in this and other films.
Oh, I liked James in most of his work, so I’m with you there. I always do that bit of “What If” recasting as John’s persona and acting style was different and it was always interesting to see how his bouncing off other actors in scenes would work with assorted people. i think he and Arnold would have been a fun team for a few flicks (I can see TWINS with John as even funnier and weirder, for example).
Mike, I too had a ‘thing’ for Gina. Happy Easter to you and your guests. Cheers!
That’s two votes for Gena. Cheers back at you.
The Ultimate Odd Couple in Schwarzenegger and Belushi, though Schwarzenegger and DeVito is pretty Odd too.
I think DeVito is the most obvious choice and whatever happened to the long rumored Twins sequel, Triplets with Eddie Murphy stepping in to the role?
I watched this last night as a refresher as I hadn’t seen it since it was released on VHS. Not as good as I remembered but still lots of fun. That Russian bathhouse LOL Boobs central but filled with way too much beef and sweaty muscle! That fight so funny.
Funniest bit hehe Arnie introduces himself at the hotel desk.. “DANKO” …. “You’re welcome!” LOL so silly but made me chuckle.
Gina Gershon so hot. Damn she still smoking hot now.
I too noticed the score and was racking my brains to were it came from.
Walter Hill loves to wet down a set! Starting to notice it a lot in his films.
Brion James always shines when he comes on screen.
Yes Ed O’Ross baddie was most excellent.
Star of the show has to go to Peter Boyle. He was great every time he popped up.
Top review bro. I need to re-visit The Driver, The Long Riders and Southern Comfort again now.
Oh before I forget the Royal bit and the Frank Drebin line big belly laugh bro LOL
Yeah that’s a great opening in the co-ed sauna. Never had the pleasure. And yet another vote for Gena. I’ll assume you’ve seen Bound? If not drop everything and thank me later. Love O’Ross in this and watching him in The Hidden you just knew he was gonna become a host for that alien force. I almost went with the Long Riders for this, Really one of the last great westerns ever made before the genre pretty much disappeared in general. And I thought you’d like that Frank Drebin bit. LOL.
1) I always thought this was one of the Governator’s better efforts.
2) Peter Boyle is great as always, and this movie had Lawrence Fishburne before he really hits it big.
3) I’m still waiting for anybody to give me an explanation as to why Jim Belushi had a career which does not include the phrase “because of his brother.”
Yeah Belushi was in a no-win situation for my generation though he did have some decent films. In the end he wound up doing a lot of that straight to video stuff that turned up weekly in the video stores.
Aw man I gotta go rewatch this one! It’s been since I was a kid and my Dad picked it up at the video store around the corner…not nearly old enough to clock the likes of Gershon and Fishburne!
Have fun. Walter Hill was the perfect guy to direct this one having more or less created the sub genre of mismatched action heroes.
I might just do a Walter Hill retrospective. I’ve never seen Southern Comfort, for starters.
If you haven’t seen it, start where it all began, Hard Times (1975) First film he directed and arguably the best film of Charles Bronson’s career. Cheers’.
Thanks!!