(C) 2013 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may
be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from
Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.
Jason Statham - Movie
By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist
Jason Statham
Packs A Wallop As
Parker!
Photos
Courtesy of Film District
Being an action movie star is a peculiar
idiom to navigate because it is a very deceptive art form. The moves, kicks,
punches and body slams mixed with the tough, threatening dialogue are thrilling
and exciting when flawlessly executed on the big screen but what the viewer
doesn’t see is the countless, years, weeks and hours that go into the training
for the actors to obtain and polish their fighting skills and the hours of
fight choreography and rehearsals it talks to film it; not to mention that those
fight scenes are really dangerous if a mistake is made.
 |
| Jason Statham as Parker |
Jason Statham has had
his share of action movies and the former world-class diver for the British
national team has a new one out now titled “Parker.”
The Parker character debuted in 1962 from novelist and screenwriter Donald
E. Westlake’s best-selling crime thriller “The
Hunter.” Parker then became a world-wide, cult anti-hero via a series of
two dozen books written with him as the central figure.
 |
| Jennifer Lopez (Leslie) & Jason Statham (Parker) |
Statham has had major success as an action
hero with films such as “The Transporter” and “Crank” series as well as “The
Expendables” series to name some. Which films stick out in his mind when he
reflects on them? He goes back to his debut film “Lock Stock and Two Smoking
Barres” (1998) and “Snatch” (2000). Both films were directed by Guy Ritchie.
Statham says, “The Guy Ritchie stuff gave me a career. I was selling perfume
and jewelry before that. The fact that, that kind of thing is something I’d
like to go see myself. The comedy, the writing, the characters, I just love
those films. I suppose they are the two I always look back at and I get more
compliments on those than any others.”
What was it like to book a film with
Taylor Hackford an Oscar Award winning director? Statham lights up, “It’s amazing!
We had a cup of coffee in over in Hollywood and you are aware of all the great
films he’s done. It’s a meeting to see if he wants to work with you or not so
the pressure is there. You just have to try and be yourself and not think about
the things he has done and are you good enough to work with him. The great
thing about Taylor is that he wouldn’t work anyone that he didn’t want to work
with and he doesn’t compromise. As a film maker, if you get the part and you
end up working together, you’re going to get something authentic and good.
You’re in the best hands. Anyone who reaches that standard, they get there for
the right reasons.”
When asked about his career taking off and
what it took to make that possible Statham explains, “Its things happening for
the right reasons. You’re given an opportunity, you have a ton of luck and then
the rest you got to do. So it’s a combination of a lot of things and having my
first film be a good film. I mean a lot of people get an opportunity and they
star in a film and no one sees it and it goes away and that’s the end of their
career. So I was lucky to do two good films at the beginning to at least give
me a chance to do another one or two and hopefully that would be good. But
there are a lot of elements to it. You never lose sight of that. What goes up
comes down as well. As easily as it came to you, it can go away that quick.”
© 2013 Rych McCain
Media/Syndication tm
(You DID
Hear It From Me!)
Twitter@rychmccain
