I've seen 187 twice now. Seen what? What the hell is a 187? No, no it taint no steamed duck with noodles, though that does sound good, especially after catching a late showing of Howard the Duck on TNT (hey they showed me on their network, they must be cool). Oh wait I'll tell ya about the day I saw it first.
I woke up this particular morning to a phone call from Robert Rodriguez, yes that one. We had been trying to hook up for weeks, but due to his schedule and mine, it was a no go. Today, however, was going to be different. We had both cleaned our slates and were rearing to meet. The phone call ended with, "I'll be there in 30 minutes" So I began rushing around making everything messy. (Man my place is so far gone, that if you mess it up just a little more, it looks arty.)
Then Dad has a coronary about not having no damn money, and sends me to the bank. I don't want to go, because Robert is on the way. Dad has that look though, so I go. The bank closes soon as I get there. DAMMIT. So I run to one of them sleazy Check Cashing places. They won't take my check on account my bank is closed. It's hot, and as I look at my watch I see that 30 minutes has passed. I hit the accelerator and rush back home. I get there and there was no car there, but the crappy death van and the death boat. I rush into the house, telling Dad the problems, then I arrange for some cash to be delivered to father dear. (via Roland the horror film wuss)
I'm on the phone when I hear a familiar voice in the hallway of videos. He ducks his head in my room and it's Robert Rodriguez. Hmmmm, seems like a normal guy. His eyes immediately began scanning the room. Then he hands me the KALI model kit. Cool as hell, on my ceiling there is a Golden Voyage of Sinbad poster, so this is very appropriate for me.
(NOTE: ROBERT JUST TOLD ME THAT CARMEGEDDON IS A RIVAL COMPANIES GAME, BUT THAT IT IS VERY COOL SO THEY PLAY IT ALOT. SO IN THE BELOW PARAGRAPH, KNOW THAT I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHO DID THAT GAME, BUT IT IS ROCKING AS HELL!!!)
Robert and I leave the house to go to his digtal company called DIGITAL ANVIL. The have this game he wants to show me that they are finishing up called CARMEGEDDON! Hmm a video game eh? Well we get to the building and on the outside I think, hmmm a 1930's building, on the inside it's like James Cameron science fiction crossed with that sliding door in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He takes me down this neat hallway, I see this mainframe computer thingee with hundreds of glowing green LED lights. Coolness. Then I see the first Digital Anvil employee, who is just waking up. The thought "slave driver" crosses my mind, but then I remember that computer junkees often get carried away and work late into the night. ummmm Like me.
Robert takes me into his little office. And we sit down to play Carmegeddon! Robert takes the controls and begins wrecking into other cars and through, over and into people. The coolest is this old lady with a walker that you can run over. Then with this gleam of excitement he shows me that you can stop and rewind the game and view the carnage from a variety of angles and perspectives. Hmmmm, sounds like a filmmaker had a hand in this game. If you love Death Race 2000, and always wished the law did not apply to you, then this game is your thing. He let me play, and while I was HORRIBLE at the controls, I did eat up the game. I love hitting that old lady with the walker. You can also hit stationary objects into people. Cooooool. They scream and make squishy sounds heheheheheheheee. Fun Fun kill kill. hahahahahaah.
Next we head through the building. Man these Japanese "From Dusk Till Dawn": posters rock. They form the inside of the laser disc fold out thingee. Then there is the theater room, wowza, then the meeting room with an awesome desk. About this point I'm thinking, "God, it would be cool as hell to have my own office building to rule. The Ain't It Cool Office Building. Have a great big King Kong on the top of the building with a skeleton army scaling him. An Earth Vs The Flying Saucers saucers embedded into the side of the building. Hahahahaa" Back to reality.
We left the Digital Anvil facilities and went to eat at a place called Gueros. Real good mexican food. We just sit down and chow down. No, I don't order the most expensive thing on the menu! The whole time we are eating we are talking about how we grew up, the biz, etc. When all of a sudden these two guys sit in a booth across from us. Robert gets this huge damn grin on his face, leans over to whisper at me (just loud enough for these guys to hear him) you see that guy, he was my bad guy in El Mariachi. I look over and damn, it's Moco. At this point Moco turns to look at us, and gets a huge smile upon his face. Apparently these two hadn't bumped into one another in quite some time. In my head I'm thinking, this dude's gonna blow a hole in my hand any second. But soon I learn his name is Peter Marquardt and that he is just a cool guy. Robert and him do some small talk and we leave.
Robert takes me back to the house and comes in, we sit in the living room, and Robert is soon flipping through scripts. Some he hadn't seen, some he had. Then my dad shows up. A little later Robert takes off, telling me to prime the kit and let's get to painting. I agree, and he's gone.
Pretty damn cool day, really. Then Dad suggests we go see 187 because the house is 99 degrees with a ton of humidity. This sucks. But I agree on seeing 187. I've wanted to see this film since I first heard Samuel Jackson was going to be in it. And since I had that little 20 question thing with the screenwriter Scott Yagemann.
We go into the movie expecting a depressing downer flick. Boy what a wrong attitude. First of all if you are thinking that Samuel Jackson is just playing Travis Bickle with a diploma you are waaaaaaaay wrong. I won't spoil the film at all, but this is far far more complicated than you can possibly imagine.
Variety knocked it for adding nothing to the conversation of trouble in our schools. And answering no questions. WRONG. What do you have to do in a message flick, put a great big neon sign on the messages? By showing the problem in an unflinching manner, it brings light to the problem. It allows those not in the urban nightmare school districts to think. Films like this bring new sets of eyes and minds to a problem that is too often neglected, as is shown in the film.
GREAT A MESSAGE FILM, WHY ON EARTH WOULD I WANNA SEE THAT?
Because Samuel Jackson is unbelievably good. The advance word on this one was DEAD ON. After you see the film, and you will see the film, read the interview I did with Scott Yagemann and you will marvel at one scene in particular. Samuel brings soooo much to this character and film.
The cinematography was lovely, the editing was sharp. The other characters were are much better than you would think when on screen with a god like Samuel, who I feel has become the Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman of the 70's. An actor in his absolute prime. Turning in real live characters, not playing themselves in every role. Sam is simply the best actor working in film today in my opinion. Not because of Pulp Fiction, but because of films like Great White Hype that have nothing going for them, but Samuel L Jackson. I get the idea that this year has his name all over it. 187 is fantastic, he has the best role in my opinion in Sphere, and the best role in Jackie Brown. Those three films will be such joyfull celebrations of the coolman's talents that by the time this year comes to a close, we will be screaming out Samuel Jackson for every role. Wow.
Is this a great film? Well that's what I went to find out the other day when I went to see it the second time. No. It is a very very good movie. Much better than Spawn, Conspiracy Theory and Air Force One. It is not for all tastes. The film does get pretty damn intense. And there are some major shocks to the system. This is probably your last week to see this film before it disappears, not to return till Dollar Cinema time. Why? Why does a good film die?
Well, I place the blame on the studio. Warner Brothers. Here Kevin Reynolds goes and turns in an excellent film, and they advertise it with three numbers 187. That's it. Most people in this world think that is a number that comes after 186 and before 188. They don't have ads showcasing the tour de force acting prowess of Samuel Jackson. And last they just don't seem to care about this film.
So if you are reading this, and haven't seen 187, go pick up your local paper and find a time and location for the film. This isn't a whiz bang film, but it is a film you won't forget soon. It will provide hours of talking subjects, and you will have been somewhere very dark, but deposited safely back in your theater seat by the end of the film.
Great work guys, shame on you Warners, see ya in line...
