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Old 09-21-2011, 03:12 AM   #35
mrbanana
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There are two movie versions of The Hunter by Donald Westlake AKA Richard Stark. Point Blank starring Lee Marvin, and Payback starring Mel Gibson. Payback was butchered by the studios when it came out, and they insisted on a new third act, which didn't make much sense. A year or two ago Brian Helgeland released a director's cut, restoring the original downbeat ending. It's a much better film.

Many actors have played Parker over the years, all with different names because Westlake wanted to retain copyright of the character, which is why the new Jason Stratham movie is unusual in that regard.

Of the top of my head, the official Parker movies include The Outfit with Robert Duval, The Split with Jim Brown, Slayground with Peter Coyote, a couple of French movies, one by Jean-Luc Godard called Made in the USA which bares almost no resemblance to The Jugger at all, and I think Christopher Lambert played him too. Out of these the only decent movie is The Outfit.

Parker has been ripped off many times in the movies, with Harvey Keitel playing a character based on him at least twice, in Reservoir Dogs, and City of Industry. Then there's Terrance Stamp as The Limey, Ryan O'Neil in The Driver, and maybe even Sean Bean in Cash, and Dwayne Johnson in Faster. They are all something of a stretch, but the influence is definitely there.

Keeping this on topic, I wonder who they will get to play Joe Reacher, Jack Reacher's giant of a brother? Scott Caan, or Warwick Davis, who is about to star in Ricky Gervais' new show Life's too Short.
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