What is there to say at this point about Cannon Films that hasn't been said already, by some of our greatest thinkers? It is what it is. What it was. What it shall always be remembered as. The great Israeli cousin visionaries Golan-Globus inherited the then floundering studio back in the late 70s. What they did with it from there, well, if you're taking the time to read this, you already know: a kick-ass decade-plus of cinema that made no apologies, pulled no punches, left no 'fuck it!' stone unturned. Alas, amidst my list of favorites you will see no Charles Bronson entries. Confession time: I was never a big fan of the Bronz. I know...blasphemy. But, hey, I gotta be honest. I gotta be me. What so many got from his continuing Death Wish persona, I got from the other Charles -- Norris. There are some other great contributions as well from Franco, Sly, Van Damage ...Hooper, Frankenheimer, Pyun, some anime and even one or two prestigious "arty" films. Thank you, Cannon (from Cannon), for the memories.
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Extended List:
52 Pick-Up
House of the Long Shadows
Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection
Street Smart
Revenge of the Ninja
Over the Top
Firewalker
Cobra
Ninja III: The Domination
Invasion U.S.A.
Bolero
Dangerously Close
I loved reading this post, and the idea of Cannon the blogger remembering Cannon Studios.
ReplyDeleteThrilled to see that two Tobe Hooper favorites -- Invaders from Mars and Lifeforce -- made the cut.
But what about TCM 2? :)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 is such an anomaly to me. Others have made the case for its brilliance; the prospect is interesting, no doubt. Still, I personally cant bring myself to love the film. It even makes me a bit uncomfortable, like watching someone's mentally handicapped kid-brother flailing about with power tools, or happening upon an old porn stash in the woods.
DeleteMaybe it's supposed to. Maybe such is part of its brilliance, I don't know. I will say this: if Hooper's Spontaneous Combustion was a Cannon film, it would have made my extended list.