think it's impossible to create a strict definition of a B movie. It's a little like deciding what a character actor is. Most people would hear that term and immediately think Michael Rooker, Joe Pantoliano, and William H. Macy. But then Johnny Depp always plays a wide assortment of different roles and he's a huge star. Is he a character actor? I'd say yes but there are probably a lot of people who wouldn't think of him in connection to that term.
For example, when you hear the concept of CON AIR you think B movie all the way. But then it has an Oscar winning lead in Cage and a villain who has been nominated for a few Oscars in Malkovich. Plus, it was a gigantic summer blockbuster. I would say it is a B movie but the studio that released it certainly wasn't looking for it to make B movie money.
I'll say one thing though, the flick I just watched is most definitely a B movie and one of my personal favorites. It was Fred Dryer's one shot at the big screen in DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR.
I cannot imagine a movie like this ever being released in a theater today. I know some folks have a problem with how terrorists are portrayed in TRUE LIES. TRUE LIES might as well be MUNICH compared to DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR. Watching it was a little bit like seeing those old WW2 era Bugs Bunny cartoons. With DISHONOR I was equal parts entertained and ashamed while watching. Okay, maybe I was more entertained than ashamed but you get the idea.
I never actually saw "Hunter" when it was on back in the day, but I'm going to go on record and say that Dryer kills more dudes in DISHONOR than he did during his entire run on that series. I'm sure most people have seen that cool moment in RONIN where DeNiro fires a rocket launcher from a moving car. Well Dryer goes DeNiro one better (there's something you won't hear often) and fires a bazooka from a jeep, a jeep that he is driving.
I also love the secondary tagline that appears on the film's poster. "In a world pf compromise, he wouldn't." If you're into these films then DISHONOR should be up your alley. The DVD can be had for very cheap in the Amazon Marketplace listings.
John Wayne's racist quote of the day:
"I've directed two pictures and I gave the blacks their proper position. I had a black slave in The Alamo, and I had a correct number of blacks in The Green Berets."
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