Actor James Caan almost got into a smackdown with director Sam Peckinpah during the making of The Killer Elite.
Peckinpah allowed for an explosion to be detonated near Caan’s face, which amped up the actor’s anger. “I said to Sam, ‘I’ll beat you like a redheaded stepchild,'” Caan told Bright Lights Film Journal in 2022.
“He was great, though, just insane,” he recalled. “As a matter of fact, when someone wrote a book about him, I was asked to give a quote for the cover. They had four quotes on the back. He called and said mine was the best. I had written, ‘Two more signatures and I’ll have him committed.'”
During the interview, Caan recalled how Peckinpah seemingly met his match on set. “He was like a great intimidator, but he found out really quick – I told him I would kick his f***ing ass.
Peckinpah allowed for an explosion to be detonated near Caan’s face, which amped up the actor’s anger. “I said to Sam, ‘I’ll beat you like a redheaded stepchild,'” Caan told Bright Lights Film Journal in 2022.
“He was great, though, just insane,” he recalled. “As a matter of fact, when someone wrote a book about him, I was asked to give a quote for the cover. They had four quotes on the back. He called and said mine was the best. I had written, ‘Two more signatures and I’ll have him committed.'”
During the interview, Caan recalled how Peckinpah seemingly met his match on set. “He was like a great intimidator, but he found out really quick – I told him I would kick his f***ing ass.
- 9/4/2023
- by Gina Ragusa
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Fifteen years after “The Sopranos” concluded its run on HBO, a new gangster series has arrived on the scene. It’s called “Tulsa King.”
Helmed by “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan, the new series marks Sylvester Stallone’s first foray into the world of television.
“It’s very hard to find something original,” Stallone said on Wednesday night at the “Tusla King” New York premiere. “And when it comes knocking on your door, you have to be a fool to say no.”
How will “Tulsa King” stand apart from other gangster series? For one, it’s a Western that takes place outside the big city. Stallone’s character, antiquated mafia capo Dwight Manfredi, is tasked with establishing a criminal organization in Tulsa, Okla. after serving a 25-year prison sentence.
“The idea of taking him out of New York, so he’s not like a Tony Soprano, he’s completely in an alien world,...
Helmed by “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan, the new series marks Sylvester Stallone’s first foray into the world of television.
“It’s very hard to find something original,” Stallone said on Wednesday night at the “Tusla King” New York premiere. “And when it comes knocking on your door, you have to be a fool to say no.”
How will “Tulsa King” stand apart from other gangster series? For one, it’s a Western that takes place outside the big city. Stallone’s character, antiquated mafia capo Dwight Manfredi, is tasked with establishing a criminal organization in Tulsa, Okla. after serving a 25-year prison sentence.
“The idea of taking him out of New York, so he’s not like a Tony Soprano, he’s completely in an alien world,...
- 11/11/2022
- by Antonio Ferme
- Variety Film + TV
The Godfather, currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, is a perfect film. Every scene is an individual work of art. Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Mario Puzo’s novel is never sloppy, but part of its olive oil charm lies in its blemishes. Some of the featured players were not professional actors, and uncomfortable scenes play out in lingering real time.
The Godfather has been criticized for glorifying violence, and it certainly has its share. From the barrage of bullets at a toll booth to the brains all over Michael’s Ivy League suit, plus waking up with the severed head of a beloved horse, the range of brutality is vast. There are scenes of domestic abuse which lead to street beatings. Car bombings vie with bar stabbings.
The reason the violence works so well, however, is because so much time is allowed to pass in between these scenes. The...
The Godfather has been criticized for glorifying violence, and it certainly has its share. From the barrage of bullets at a toll booth to the brains all over Michael’s Ivy League suit, plus waking up with the severed head of a beloved horse, the range of brutality is vast. There are scenes of domestic abuse which lead to street beatings. Car bombings vie with bar stabbings.
The reason the violence works so well, however, is because so much time is allowed to pass in between these scenes. The...
- 4/3/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Gianni Russo wasn't just in "The Godfather," he claims to have deep mob ties -- and tells TMZ there's No Way the hit on Gambino crime boss Frank Cali was carried out by the Italian mafia. And why? Because Russo says the killer broke a Sacred mafia rule that no Italian mobster would dare to violate. "I don't think it was an Italian hit or a Family hit because they shot [Cali] in front of his family's house.
- 3/15/2019
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Some moviegoing experiences change your life: “2001: A Space Odyssey” at Hollywood’s Cinerama Dome; “The Tree of Life” accompanied by a 100-piece symphony orchestra; “The Shining” restored and retrofitted for IMAX. And for the more than 1,000 people at Radio City Music Hall yesterday, it was watching “The Godfather” and “The Godfather Part II.”
Read More: ‘The Godfather’ Reunion: Robert Duvall Imitates Marlon Brando’s Laugh and Other Highlights From Closing Night at Tribeca
Francis Ford Coppola’s crime saga closed out the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival with a 45th anniversary celebration that included restoration screenings of the first two parts and a conversation with Coppola and the cast, including Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Diane Keaton. While the chance to see the cast reunited was a once-in-a-lifetime event, so was the opportunity to experience the full power of “The Godfather” surrounded by cinephiles. And after 45 years, a few things have become abundantly clear.
Read More: ‘The Godfather’ Reunion: Robert Duvall Imitates Marlon Brando’s Laugh and Other Highlights From Closing Night at Tribeca
Francis Ford Coppola’s crime saga closed out the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival with a 45th anniversary celebration that included restoration screenings of the first two parts and a conversation with Coppola and the cast, including Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Diane Keaton. While the chance to see the cast reunited was a once-in-a-lifetime event, so was the opportunity to experience the full power of “The Godfather” surrounded by cinephiles. And after 45 years, a few things have become abundantly clear.
- 4/30/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Here's an interesting piece of trivia. Way back in the day, Sylvester Stallone auditioned for the roles of Paulie Gatto and Carlo Rizzi in "The Godfather." He didn't get either part, and four years after Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece was released, Stallone would swing into stardom with "Rocky." But it's funny how life works because four decades later, the actor is getting another shot at material from Mario Puzo. Read More: HBO Now Airing 7.5-Hour 'The Godfather Epic' Featuring Unseen Footage, Cut Together Chronologically Stallone has signed up to star in a TV event series adaptation of "Omerta," based on Puzo's posthumously published book. Antoine Fuqua will direct the tale that centers on Don Raymonde Aprile (played by Stallone), who decides to go legit and retire, only to wind up getting whacked, leaving his adopted son to avenge his death. Here's the book synopsis: To Don Raymonde Aprile's children...
- 4/28/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
One reason for the longevity of "The Godfather" over the past 40 years is that, behind its gangster plot, is a classic story of an American family, tracing its journey from immigration and poverty toward assimilation and success. In fact, it's not just the story of the Corleone family, but of the Coppola family as well. The movie feels like a personal glimpse into a family album, but it's director/co-screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola's family album as much as it is the fictional Michael Corleone's. True, the characters came from Mario Puzo's novel. But, on screen, Coppola not only invested them with details from his own family history, he even cast several members of his own family in the three movies, often in roles corresponding to their real-life relationships to him. Playing Michael's sister Connie was Francis' sister, Talia Shire. The director's father and mother, Carmine and Italia Coppola,...
- 3/23/2012
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
They were smug, evil, or maybe just plain stupid. Here’s our list of the top ten ‘They had it coming’ movie deaths…
"They had it coming. They had it coming. They had it coming all along."
So sang the hosiery-clad vixens of smash hit musical Chicago. Of course, they were referring to the many men they had brutally murdered, whereas I'm responsible for the deaths of no one on this list. But it's an appropriate introduction to a run-down of movie characters who, for one reason or another, really did bring their own cinematic demise on themselves.
Undoubtedly some of the 10 deserved their deaths more than the others. But as I've watched each of them shuffle off this mortal coil, either shaking my head in sorrow or slapping my thigh in triumph, I've been compelled to declare on each occasion, "Well, they asked for that."
Here then (in no...
"They had it coming. They had it coming. They had it coming all along."
So sang the hosiery-clad vixens of smash hit musical Chicago. Of course, they were referring to the many men they had brutally murdered, whereas I'm responsible for the deaths of no one on this list. But it's an appropriate introduction to a run-down of movie characters who, for one reason or another, really did bring their own cinematic demise on themselves.
Undoubtedly some of the 10 deserved their deaths more than the others. But as I've watched each of them shuffle off this mortal coil, either shaking my head in sorrow or slapping my thigh in triumph, I've been compelled to declare on each occasion, "Well, they asked for that."
Here then (in no...
- 11/30/2010
- Den of Geek
"Bachelor Pad" beauty Gia Allemand has been cast as legendary screen siren Ava Gardner in a biopic about 'The Godfather' star and reported Mafia connection Gianni Russo. Russo calls Gia's (who was part of Jake Pavelka's "Bachelor" season) casting in the small role a "Cinderella story," and says he is happy to pay it forward since he was afforded a similar career opportunity years ago. "It's a small role. Gia looks a lot like Ava, but it's really the passion that she had that convinced me to cast her," Russo tells Zap2it.com. "Forty years ago someone did this for me. They stuck their neck out." "I was pursuing him to cast me as Ava," says Allemand. "After I heard about Mr. Russo signing on a napkin for 'The Godfather' (at The Palm in Manhattan in 1969), I recited Ava's whole life to him...
- 10/7/2010
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
Hold on to your hats, "Bachelor" franchise fans -- Gia Allemand (of Jake's season and "Bachelor Pad") has been cast as legendary screen beauty Ava Gardner in a new film about the life of actor Gianni Russo, who got his break as Carlo Rizzi in "The Godfather," a role he would reprise in "The Godfather II" flashback.
Russo personally cast Gia Allemand for the film. "It's a small role. Gia looks a lot like Ava, but it's really the passion that she had that convinced me to cast her," says Russo, "Forty years ago someone did this for me. They stuck their neck out."
Allemand admits, "I was pursuing him to cast me as Ava. After I heard about Mr. Russo signing on a napkin for 'The Godfather' (at The Palm in Manhattan in 1969), I recited Ava's whole life to him until he agreed to cast me...
Russo personally cast Gia Allemand for the film. "It's a small role. Gia looks a lot like Ava, but it's really the passion that she had that convinced me to cast her," says Russo, "Forty years ago someone did this for me. They stuck their neck out."
Allemand admits, "I was pursuing him to cast me as Ava. After I heard about Mr. Russo signing on a napkin for 'The Godfather' (at The Palm in Manhattan in 1969), I recited Ava's whole life to him until he agreed to cast me...
- 10/5/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Hold on to your hats, "Bachelor" franchise fans -- Gia Allemand (of Jake's season and "Bachelor Pad") has been cast as legendary screen beauty Ava Gardner in a new film about the life of actor Gianni Russo, who got his break as Carlo Rizzi in "The Godfather," a role he would reprise in "The Godfather II" flashback.
Russo personally cast Gia Allemand for the film. "It's a small role. Gia looks a lot like Ava, but it's really the passion that she had that convinced me to cast her," says Russo, "Forty years ago someone did this for me. They stuck their neck out."
Allemand admits, "I was pursuing him to cast me as Ava. After I heard about Mr. Russo signing on a napkin for 'The Godfather' (at The Palm in Manhattan in 1969), I recited Ava's whole life to him until he agreed to cast me...
Russo personally cast Gia Allemand for the film. "It's a small role. Gia looks a lot like Ava, but it's really the passion that she had that convinced me to cast her," says Russo, "Forty years ago someone did this for me. They stuck their neck out."
Allemand admits, "I was pursuing him to cast me as Ava. After I heard about Mr. Russo signing on a napkin for 'The Godfather' (at The Palm in Manhattan in 1969), I recited Ava's whole life to him until he agreed to cast me...
- 10/5/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
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