Geezer Action Pron – A Saturday Silly
Preface: I’m older than most here, less sane than most here, and certainly less physically able than some here to be grabbing a gun and chasing down bad guys. However, if said bad guys are foolish enough to offer a target that don’t require me to be chasing anyone – I’m game.
While I was once (I think) tough enough to bear hunt with a willow switch I’ve come to enjoy a more vicarious life.
That said: I do get a kick out of some of the comic book actions movies, I’ll admit, but there’s another sub-genre I call Geezer Action Pron that simply tickles me.
Take a marginally improbable plot, toss in some elder hero types – add guns, knives, and things that go BOOM, and Viola!
The first that comes to mind might be “Under Siege”, and/or even “Heartbreak Ridge” . Neither quite fits the spec, but… with lines like “He’s just a cook” and “you’re an anachronism” they do set a tone that jibes to me?
Then came “Red“! This one defined the genre quite nicely.
Then along came “The Expendables” to further refine the definition.
And now in less than a week we have “The Expendables – 2” coming to a nearby theater. Okay so this really doesn’t need a preview OR a trailer. It ain’t “Stars Wars” or LOTR, but I’m looking forward to it!
You folks got any suggestions I’ve missed that fit the genre?
ETA: I was so excited I left out “Second Hand Lions“.
Category: Geezer Alert!, Pointless blather
Geezer my ass, Zero! lol!
These don’t quite fit the spec, but do have the “old age and treachery beat youth and inexperience” thing going for them:
Taken (Liam Neeson, 2008)
Gran Torino (Clint, also 2008)
Spy Game (Redford, 2001)
(Hope the links work… alas, no “preview” button)
“Hopscotch” with Walter Matthau…..
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080889/
It has some cool dudes it…Did I mention it has Terry Crews in it!
http://youtu.be/TXK3Z4JC8S8
Any Charles Bronson movie. Particularly the “Death Wish” series.
The Brits made a “Death Wish” equivalent in 2009 (starring Michael Caine, for christsakes) called “Harry Brown”. It’s the story of an award-winning, overtalented actor attempting to dumb-down his chops and trying his best not to throw away his entire career to fit into Bronson’s shoes. It’s not a bad flick, surprisingly. Decent ass-kicking, and plenty of criticism aimed at their government. It’s worth a view.
“Tough Guys” with Douglas and Lancaster..
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092105/
#4 – that was hilarious!
Just about any Steven Seagal movie since the turn of the century.
Ronin!
“Open Range” with Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0316356/
@9 Ronin is an awesome movie. 😀
What the hell is “Pron”?
“Pron” is a universally accepted way of spelling the word you’re thinking of while avoiding the workplace filters that look for those words. Some of us use Pr0n instead.
In regards to the movie discussion, after you mention “Red” there is no longer a discussion. It is truly the best movie ever made of any genre. To mention “The Expendables” in the same breath borders on blasphemy.
The Transporter series.
Teddy996 #5: Re: Harry Brown. Got it, seen it and forgot it.
Gonna give it another look, thanks.
@15: Yeah!
Oh, and; Moldova sucks!!!
concur with #10 – Open Range. Great film
“The Sea Wolves”
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081470/
George
The original Lonesome Dove mini-series
Okay, I’ll bite:
Rough Night in Jericho
Any episode of “Breaking Bad” or “Hell on Wheels”
Any episode of “Burn Notice” (What? I have a ‘thing’ for Bruce Campbell. Bite me.)
The original version of “The Great Escape”
RED rocks regardless of genre, but I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned The Equalizer, yet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&v=uB1NiNKwueE Robert McCall: If you piss him off, you’re about to have a very bad day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z_nA-F1mro His specialty? Turning the bad-guys’ lives completely inside out before bringing them to justice.
Almost left out this one, and it’s only because it’s a geezer pron:
Stripes, because I miss Warren Oates. He worked extensively with Sam Peckinpah and Monte Hellman. His best roles were probably Bennie in “Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia”, and GTO in “Two Lane Blacktop.” However, SGT Hulka (Stripes) is the one I won’t ever forget, hanging desperately to the top of an EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle, muttering “I’m too old for this shit.” Ain’t we all, sarge? Ain’t we all?
I like “Open Range” as well, but “Unforgiven” is pretty good at giving that sublime ultra violent payoff, and “Silverado” is good clean cowboy fun, for me any movie that kills Gene Hackman or Brian Dennehy has to be good…
“The Postman” is good for some post apocalyptic craziness even if it does overmoralize a little bit…
At least you didn’t ask us which movies make us cry like little girls….
Over The Hill Badasses?
The Wild Bunch
Space Cowboys
“Big Jake”, and “The Cowboys”. I have never really liked “The Shootist”, but it may just be that I had trouble with Richy Cunningham in a John Wayne movie. A lot of the Duke’s later movies stressed the “don’t underestimate the old guy” theme.
A little known movie called “Stand Alone” starring Charles Durning. It’s about a WWII vet who used to be a real badass Ranger type, now gone to seed, who takes on a street gang. I liked it because Durning was awarded the Silver Star in WWII and really WAS a badass in his youth. It’s not very slick, but you should check it out. “I am death… Come to me”.
What, no mention of Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry” movies? Or his later movies, where his character is getting old rather than merely nearing the end of a long career? Am I missing a subtle distinction?
Pretty much anything Clint Eastwood (post-spaghetti western movies), and even though both are liberal I liked Al Pachino & Robert Deniro in “Heat”(1995)& actually acting together in another movie “Rightous Kill”(2008).
Hackman in French Connection.
@ #20: Lonesome Dove was what came to mind here as well!
@ #22: Oh, yeah, had forgotten about the Equalizer. That fits, for sure.
Might add Paladin to the list as well.
Speaking of Bronson who could forget The Mechanic? Talk about passing the torch!
And speaking of old guys bettering and outlasting their youngers you have to mention The Dirty Dozen. Lee Marvin was one mean SOB God love him!
How John Wayne in McQ where he introduced the Mac-10 to American audiences.
@25 Red Ghost The Wild Bunch definitely sets the standard for gross carnage. Another “wild” movie featuring old farts was Wild Geese with Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris and Hardy Kruger.
You want a movie of murder and mayhem with great dialogue? How about Ian McKellen’s “Richard the Third”? He was so EVIL in that one.
lot of the movies above seem to define “geezers” as anyone over 35….. damn it, WholeI resent that and will kick someone’s ass when I find my damn cane.
If you are going to define ‘geezer’ as ‘mature’ – Lee Marvin in “The Professionals”, Mel Gibson in “Payback”, most anything Eastwood has done in 30 years….
OK, how about Sharon Gless in “Burn Notice”? She can smack everyone one of you silly. Ditto Betty White and Doris Roberts.
“Live Free or Die Hard,” with Bruce Willis.
ANYTHING with Bruce Willis! 🙂