My favorite friend of the man of bronze, MONK, climbed around the Doc's ol polar retreat searching. And he did find what he was looking for. You see it was those Rules of Engagement. Hopefully he'll be digging up some other coolness with pontificating pig of his.
One film that wasn't on your list of films you'll be "following over the course of 1998" but definiely should be is "Rules of Engagement." This is a screenplay that was writen by a guy named Jim Webb who was a big military honcho for Reagan. Recently, Sly Stallone was attached to star with William Freidkin directing, but each were requesting script changes that were at odds with one another. Not sure who said what to whom, but aparently Stallone is off the project. So taking over for Sly is...(drumroll please)... the hands-down best action star-slash-genuine actor in the bizniss, Tommy Lee Jones. Word I've heard is he's on, and it should shoot early this year for possible Christmas 98 or early 1999 release.
Tommy Lee will play a military officer in an overseas peacekeeping force where an unruly, anti-American mob begins assaulting the American soldiers. The soldiers respond with deadly force and wind up killing a bunch of local civilians, but apparently violated some technicality in the "rules of engagement," setting off a political hornet's nest and resulting ina highly publicized court martial.
No word if Huricane Billy is still on the job, but this is the kind of stuff that Freidkin accels at: big action scenes in stories where the ethics of violence are played out (French Connection, To Live and Die in L.A., -- and if anybody saw it -- his "12 Angry Men" for cable). Tommy Lee could handle this kind of role better than anybody. I for one am looking forward to it big time. Only problem is, Freidkin and Rudin are both known as screamers and uncompromising filmmakers -- could be a rocky production.
