Begosh and begora!
I've lost all me' lucky charms!
Your right I should have at least said British not English. (I really do know better)
I would correct it but then these entries would seem senseless....? So rather than correct it, I will stand corrected.
I do think that I heard Taken was a mostly French made movie. Reviewers were complaining that the dialogue was a bit "translated French" in parts and they, like the Transporter" had "French Connections" in the story line. I see now one of the main writers and the director, and backers were French. (Don't the kids go to Paris in the movie? Lots of scenes there.)
I didn't like the movie Colateral for several reasons and one was the action. As stated here before I thought the alleyway shootout was target-range-fantasy that I often reproduce in seminars with sims to show how easily Cruise could have been shot down, and what he could have done to prevent that. But as you read later down here, Mann wanted a quick draw finish. Imperative to the plot and character. Gould must do what he must do. And, once Cruise was shot square in the head in the end, I didn't expect to see him run several 100 yard dashes through train stations. I recall not thinking much of that bar scene action either.
But Heat? Heat was tight and breathtaking and the bank robbery shoot-out, (more like fire and maneuver SAS) was an amazing movie segment. And a classic, clean, perfect gangbusters movie from start to finsh. American police were also on scene to to consult the action on that also.
Most times the on-scene experts' advice are ignored by the movie people for the "sake of the art" and these scenes are constructed virtually by committee. I know ex-cops who hang around sets all day to tell an actor how to hold a pistol when they walk through a doorway and when the scene is shot? the director tells them to change the grip anyway because the unsafe way looks cooler. I have seen this myself on Walker, Texas Ranger shoots. ( we see this all the time, don't we?) So its hard to BLAME a consultant for a weird thing in a film he knew looked dumb.
Gould was really credited for taken Cruise and Nielson aside for "a time" and teaching them combatives. Did he shut down the movie set and take complete contol of all the action scenes? Unlikely. Possible? Well, but, unlikely. These things are done by commitee. If you read below, Mick has a long history with Mann and Mann probably trusts him.
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From a USA gun magazine:
Cruise Learns to Shoot
In Paramount’s film Collateral, an otherwise ordinary film was made extraordinary with the use of advanced firearms training and proper gun handling. In this film, “Vincent,” played by actor Tom Cruise, is a calculating hit-man that uses a cabbie, played by actor Jamie Foxx, to carry him on a job; one night, five stops, five hits.
Blockbuster Director Michael Mann designed much of the film around certain shooting scenes. He started by sending Cruise to the L.A. County Sherriff’s firing range for technical instruction by Mick Gould, retired British SAS.
“Is that my briefcase?” asks Vincent of two thugs that stole his list. “What are you going to do about it?” one of the thugs asks. Vincent then draws and shoots his nearest assailant from the hip. In one fluid motion, Vincent quickly addresses his second threat, extending his arms for a two-handed double tap. The whole clip lasted 1.3 seconds, but it set the tone for the rest of the movie.
“He’s a quick-draw,” stated another actor. Cruise learned advanced techniques such as point shooting, shooting from the hip, shooting from the ground and speed reloads. Cruise noted that for many movies they only get to shoot blanks. Having the opportunity to shoot at the L.A. Sherriff’s Office firing range, training became more realistic for the actor with the use of live ammo.
“It was great and it definitely adds a dimension,” said Cruise.
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Wikipedia on Mick Gould (taken done now, but this was once up in September 2006)
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"Michael Mick Gould served 10 years in the British Special Air Service. He retired then later became a technical advisor on many films involving weapons and fight sequences, including Miami Vice, Collateral, The Score, Ronin, The Replacement Killers, The Long Kiss Goodnight and Heat. He often works alongside Michael Mann and Robert De Niro. He is also trained in several martial arts including Goshinkwai Yawara Renmei fighting discipline.
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Fun photos and observations on Heat shoot-outs from a gun guy forum.
http://www.ar15.com/lite/topic.html?b=1&f=136&t=375742In one or two photos, I note the actors closing one eye to shoot the big guns, a no-no in today's expertise world. Okay by me, but some modern, anal retentists complain about that. Also the subject of suppressive fire comes up in the banter.
Hock
