Top five Kurt Russell films
Kurt Russell is a cool guy, he’s been in some pretty cool films and seems to have cool outlook on life. I remember reading an article on him where he spoke very intelligently on hunting and why how he partakes in it. Now I’m not a fan of hunting, I’ve gone hunting myself so don’t tell me I don’t know what I’m missing out on, but I did enjoy reading his take on the whole thing, he only shoots what he eats sums it up quickly.
So random fact out of the way, time for my top five Kurt Russell films. Obviously this is done very scientifically and is thoroughly tested.
- Big Trouble in Little China (1986) - This is the ultimate Kurt Russell film, the ultimate John Carpenter film and generally an ultimate film all round. Wire fighting before it was all cool in Hollywood and one of the most delightfully delivered “shut up Mr Burton” ever to be shot on film (as I understand it there are very few films that this line appears in that even comes close - remember this is very scientific). Russell’s Jack Burton is so cool that even when he gets the girl at the end he doesn’t even have to kiss her goodbye!
- Stargate (1994) - Say hello to King Tut asshole. This makes it onto this list if only for that line. Of course it doesn’t hurt that this is Kurt at his military best, all hurt from his son’s death, stuck on an alien planet with order to blow it all up! I still like this more than the series, which is pretty high praise I guess.
- Escape from New York (1981) - This was hard to choose as I felt I should only include either this one or the sequel but not both. I like them for different reasons but I had to go with the classic (probably because I was banging on about it the other day). Snake is such an icon, such a brilliant film - why don’t Carpenter and Russell team up more often!!
- Tombstone (1993) - Possibly known also as the watchable Wyatt Earp film. You see if you haven’t seen this film then you probably haven’t been told: “you tell ‘em I’m coming … and Hell’s coming with me!” I love this film and wikipedia have an interesting entry about the interpretation behind the film’s themes.
- Soldier (1998) - Probably not going to be on everyone’s list but it is firmly on mine, again it’s Russell in military mayhem and is best described as Universal Soldier if that film was actually enjoyable or done well (burn baby). Suggested by the writer as a spiritual successor to Blade Runner, it has tonnes of insider references to Blade Runner and Russell’s other films.
There are other films that were very close to this list and some that didn’t make it simply because I haven’t seen them, I knew he does an awesome Elvis for example and I’m sure Deathproof is excellent. Vanilla Sky missed out by a narrow margin as I love his character in that film. His hockey film is quite good too I’m told by sources I trust.
What would have been on your list? Or you can just tell me how awesome my list is.
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I can’t believe you missed out The Thing. That’d be my top KW movie ever. He is pretty cool in Death Proof too.
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Mmmmm The Thing is pretty damn good, and you are right I can’t believe I didn’t even at least mention it. In fairness though Captain Ron and Overboard are not mentioned either
Well, I haven’t seen “Soldier,” so it’s hard for me to place, but I’d probably put “Overboard” on there. That’s a fun movie.
And of course, no Russell list would be complete without “Tango and Cash” at least getting a mention…
“Big Trouble…” definitely deserves #1 slot.
BUT… you left off “Backdraft” which is a huge oversight in my book. I’d bump any of the others off the list for that one. I don’t know how he got his cheek to pulse like that. “Cheek acting” at it’s finest.
Seriously, though, I absolutely love that movie.
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“I’ve gone hunting myself so don’t tell me I don’t know what I’m missing out on”
Well there is your problem, you are suppose to go hunting other things, not yourself. Usually hunting yourself is called attempted suicide.
never hunted myself, but the hunting season on geese is open because there are just too many. That’s one hunting reason I got nothing against and if you hunt on animals that aren’t endangered and you eat them, that’s ok by me. If you do it júst for fun/kicks..I’m against it.
on to KW (the réal topic).
- BTLC: just one of those movies that make you watch it till the end even if you réally need to go to sleep ánd have a vcr.
- Stargate: you know how much of a SG junky I am
- Escape from NY: see comment on the other post, love these kind of 80s movies.
- Tombstone: ..probably gotta put this one on the long list of ‘to watch’
- Soldier..this is a different film than Universal Soldier isn’t it? I think I saw them both and liked em both.
As to actors…there are only very very few names of actors I remember (and actually can sum up a list of films they played in).
Don’t know if you saw it already, but go see Hot Fuzz. Really bizar British humor.
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In fact, The Thing is probably significant in that it’s another Russell/Carpenter collaboration, as well as being a remake of what I believe was a favourite movie for Carpenter - Howard Hawks’s “The Thing From Another World”…
It’s playing on the TV that the kids are watching in “Halloween”, and is also referenced in “The Fog” - the warning at the close of the film, for the ships at sea to look out across the water for the fog, is a variation on the classic “Keep watching the skies” line.
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Okay, not an action film, but I still love The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and always will.
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Jeff - “If you fall - we fall!” or words to those effects - Backdraft did get a lot of consideration and could easily have made the list and you are right, cheek acting is not recognised enough, I hope the Academy Awards are paying attention!
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Arjan - I love Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead and I am going to watch Spaced one of these days thanks to Dan, what do these all have in common? Simon Pegg who is the new Scotty on Star Trek… nice.
John I bought “The Thing From Another World” just the other day, it is a wonderful staple of late night television here and I’m a huge fan of such an influential film.
“You go, we go” would be the actual line.
I was going to say something funny here, but it appears I’m all burnt out.
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Golfwidow - That one falls under the ‘I haven’t seen it’ category which I’ll give you is a bloody outrage. I’ve seen the DVD so many times at the video store so one day I should just watch it - I like old Disney films!
You’re just all choked up remembering that scene Jeff :p
Kurt Russell is the bomb! I do think that Escape from New York should be higher on the list…those leather pants are pretty amazing!!
PS. You’ve been tagged on my site!!
Interesting side fact about the Snake Plisken leather pants is that they are in the sequel and not the New York one - it’s some tight cammo pants or something which still fit when Russell was filming LA. Maybe you shouldn’t really concern yourself so much with his leather pants, I mean I’m sitting right here!?!
I will also do your meme but only because you are pretty.
Yeah, I’m all about the Thing too, and I would have replaced Stargate with it if it was my list, mainly because I am not a big fan of that one.
And I think Silkwood was an underrated gem too.
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I’d put Tombstone at the top myself, if only because I’ve always been interested in the whole Earp-Clanton episode.
And I liked Overboard - mostly because of Goldie Hawn, it has to be said, but Kurt didn’t do too bad at the ol’ comedy…
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Gosh, it’s hard to narrow it down to a top five, really. Not impossible, but hard, Kurt Russell’s been in so many good movies. Just for the heck of it, I’d like to share mine:
5. Escape from New York
4. The Thing
3. Big Trouble in Little China
2. Death Proof
1. Tombstone
One of the few actors I’ve never not liked. I have to give it up for his portrayal of the King in John Carpenter’s Elvis, also.
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MC - I must admit I thought about Silkwood myself as it was a film I watched when much younger and I remember it being quite dramatic at the time.
Cap - Overboard is getting some high praise I think I may have judged it too harshly!
Samurai Frog - Good show! Thanks for sharing the list, I have to sit down and watch Deathproof, I know I’m going to enjoy it but I keep putting it off for some reason. I may have to revisit the list in a couple of months.
I’m impressed by his portrayal of Elvis (what I’ve seen) and was surprised by his ties to the King.
Now you’ve really put me in the mood to watch Big Trouble in Little China. That’s a great movie.
I wonder what I’ll think of it now that I’ve actually lived here in China. It will probably seem very stereotyped… but I’m sure I’ll enjoy it because it’s such a fun movie.
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Stephen - yeah I wonder how it holds up - I guess you have to remember that it is probably based more on American Chinese but it would still be an interesting perspective - I often wonder how Japanese feel whilst watching The Last Samurai.
I hate to be the one to say “nay”, but I’d avoid DEATH PROOF if you can. KR’s great with what he has to work with, but the movie itself is just a damn shame for being a waste of time. A misery.
FYI, there’s rampant speculation that KR was the true director of TOMBSTONE, pulling the strings and calling the shots. Jeff Wells wrote about a book a while back that had some insight.
For me with regard to KR, THE THING’s the thing.
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Burbanked - I’ve heard mixed reviews for Death Proof - people either really love it or really don’t there doesn’t seem to be a middle ground - often in those cases I fall on the ‘like’ side so I’ll save up a little time to see it.
Yeah I’ve read that about Tombstone and I’m fairly certain that it’s confirmed that Russell - I think the all knowing wikipedia backs it up
Gotta give you props for adding escape from new york. Did you know they are talking about a remake?
Rostyslav - Arrgggg don’t even mention THAT around here!! No need to remake perfection! Butler is no Snake! Ok I could go on but I won’t as this is your first comment and I don’t want to scare you off. Actually I have written about that if you do a search for Escape from New York remake (I’m way to lazy to bring up the posts for you).
Big trouble in little China has to be one of the most entertaining movies for it’s time that I’ve ever seen. I agree that should be way up there!