Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this site before but it's well worth a look if you're a fan of the company and it's films. The guy who runs it is very nice too :cool:

Check it out - there's a very comprehensive listing of the films Cannon made, and a nice section dedicated to those films which were planned but where aborted. One of the tantaslising offerings that wasn't to be was an English language remake of one of my favourite films, Elio Petri's INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION - the ramake was based on a Paul Schrader screenplay and was to be directed by Andrey Konchalovskiy (RUNAWAY TRAIN) and star Al Pacino in the role made famous by Gian Maria Volonte. After the project folded Konchalovskiy went directly into production on TANGO AND CASH - so all was not lost!

Looks cracking! :cool:


The original owners of Cannon apparently had a hand in Haggard's BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW and Reeve's THE SORCERERS!

Any fan NEEDS to look at those video galleries on there!:nod:

Is thatt right? I had no idea.

I forgot to mention in my last post that I recently bought a book about Cannon (Golan and Globus, specifically) called Hollywood a Go Go - it's out of print but can be had really cheap on Amazon Marketplace - should be an interesting read.

I'm just about to finish this (which comes highly recommended) and plan to read the Cannon book next.

Yeah,mental innit?


The Cannon Group - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've been meaning to give 'Death Wish II' another watch. I'll have to get on that very soon it's my favorite of the series after the first. I'm not too keen on the rest of them anyway.

The book is an interesting read but the author puts the boot into Cannon at every twist and turn which becomes very wearing. As a result of that book when I talked to some former Cannon Execs about writing a book about the company back in the early 2000s they really didn't want to know - they hated that book and didn't want to risk more of the same.

A bit like my Cannon Cinema vouchers - no one is interested in redeeming them for me ;)

You remember the Cannon cinema at the top end of Sauchiehall Street Almar?

They used to screen films the Odeon down the road wouldn't screen.
I saw GRAVEYARD SHIFT,and thinking Liebestraum was some sort of horror movie endured that as well!
The bird I was with wasn't impressed as she also liked her shlock!

I'm now a big apprehensive about reading it. I know that the cousins were supposed to be a bit of a nightmare but Cannon did make some good films and deserve a more balanced account of what went on, IMO - like it or hate it, the company was a very big part of the eighties film scene.

I think it's better to know otherwise its a bit of a shock - its years since I read it but he's highly critical of how they pre sold rights to fund the films that then often didn't make the money intended but of course the wider point now is they set a new way of funding and as a video company they could knock out the hits - but what I loved was no film was boring, they took risks and for a little while they scared the shit out of the majors.

I'm pretty sure that they were (at least partly) responsible for hiking up star salaries for films too. I have s somewhat vague recollection of reading about Stallone getting a record-breaking salary for aptly-titled Over the Top.

Business model you mention is one that Carolco seemed to run with too. I guess it was a different time back then and big star action vehicles always made money somehow. It's so much more of a riskier proposition now.

Thanks for the warning about the book. Shame it wasn't written by someone with more affection for the type of films Cannon was famous for. Maybe you can still write yours one day?

there's a documentary comming out soon about Cannon...

Cannon Films Doc ELECTRIC BOOGALOO Picked Up by Drafthouse

Can't click through that link on my phone as its an age restricted site!

Pretty sure that it's directed by the guy who made the excellent Ozploitation doco Not Quite Hollywood.

Should be great.

That's the one Paul! I've been harping on about this for ages. I can't wait for the Sho Kosugi chapter!

I think it'll be ace. The fella also made a doco about Indonesian cinema (Machete Maidens) but I've not seen that. Will probably check it out sometime as I know little-nothing about films from that part of the world.

Why are Cannon held in such affection and interest? They only did a handful of decent films, surely?

Most of the Cannon films I remember were godawful 80s action rubbish.

:confused:


Edit: Ah. I just noticed that this thread is in the Action section of the board!

Mindless entertainment mate-can't beat it! :)

......In fact,last night I watched 10 to Midnight and Kinjite back to back.


Anyone know if these are slightly cut in the UK?

There was a couple of moments in 10 to Midnight I thought was a bit iffy.....

Nope apparently passed with no cuts made.....

2 of my favourite Bronson films (although I say that about all his films:lol:)! That bit in Kinjite where he makes the pimp swallow his watch whole is one of most satisfying scenes in cinematic history :p

Here's the trailer Paul. It looks as good as Not Quite Hollywood.:cool:


Machete Maidens Unleashed! trailer.

Machete Maidens Unleashed! (Mark Hartley) - YouTube

10 to Midnight possibly received MPAA cuts.The old precert video was uncut but the 18 classified video cuts can be found on the Worldwidedvdforums.The dvd restores all the BBFC cuts.
Information • Worldwide DVD Forums
Surprisingly the butterfly knife scenes were left alone.I love the part in Kinjite where Bronson & his partner accidently drop a suspect from a building when his boot/shoe comes off & they look around to see if anyone saw them.:lol:

Thanks Mark! :)

Never seen the latter but i've always enjoyed the former and the film's final reel is superb with Bronson on top maverick cop form.:)

'Forget what's legal....do what's right.'

A load of Cannon films coming our way,including the long awaited dvd of EXTERMINATOR 2! :woot:

Our correspondent Stephen is live at the scene.

What else they got Stephen? :happy:

Exactly what it said on the list my good man. :)

What's this, an Archive title from MGM US?

Deserves a decent proper pressing so I hope not.Not on the list I looked through though the underrated MALONE starring Burt Reynolds is.Been waiting ages for that.

No, it's a proper dvd. It's the German branch of MGM releasing it, and others, such as Platoon Leader, Enter The Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja and Ninja III: The Domination. :)

Enter the Ninja? Excellent, will be nice to have that uncut. Cheers, Stephen. Where's the best place to buy them, mate? Amazon.de?

Yeah, I'd say so. Don't think they're up for pre-order yet, but I'll be keeping an eye out for them.

Brilliant, thanks for the info.

I use Grooves Inc for most of my German releases.Picked up all the superb Koch Media Hammer releases cheap there among other things.
Buy cheap CDs, DVDs & cassette tapes online with free delivery GROOVES-INC.

You've made my year Stephen with the news especially about Exterminator 2 & Ninja III:woot:.I may hold off buying Malone on dvd-r in case that's a forthcoming release

Cheers, Mark.

Two of the Cannon Classics are already up for pre-order at Amazon.de.... Unfortunately it's Salsa and Lambada. :lol:

Putting the word "classics" in the same sentence as Salsa and Lamada is surely enough evidence to get someone sectioned :D

You mean you won't be buying those two Paul? :lol:

I should, mate, I've worn out my tapes.