…or as my Dad calls him, Steven Seagull!
This interesting article from Kung Fu Cinema says that perhaps Seagal is set for a comeback, and not just in the movies. Another Hasslehoff?
Hollywood star Steven Seagal (55) is in town promoting not only his latest movie but also a new CD. The actor appeared on the Tokudane wide show this morning, speaking fluent Japanese and doing a pretty good PR job…
…His latest action film, Into the Sun was filmed entirely in Tokyo and Seagal’s dialog is almost all in Japanese, and Kansai-ben no less! He is married to a Japanese and has two children working in the entertainment business here as well as his own aikido dojo.
When I think of Seagal I always think of three things.
- Frowning face, gruff voice and build that could have made an action star
- ex-CIA comments
- Overweight actor trying to do action sequences
It’s a shame because to begin with some of his movies had some promise that he could be a bit of an action star…not to be here though, however the stills for his Japanese movie over at KFC do look like he’s in pretty good shape, and doing well. Still he finds time to blast someone who’s had a far better career.
Asked during the Tokudane show for a comment on Sylvester Stallone’s new Rocky 6 project, Seagal grinned as he said that Sly obviously didn’t get much work these days.
Into The Sun ,directed by some dude named ‘mink’, was one of Seagal’s better efforts in direct to DVD land, and he didn’t have all of his dialog in Japanese. If Segal really wanted to make a comeback as an action star, he either has to take on supporting roles like he did in Executive Decision, or shave his head and wear a beard or goatee, (I think he wears a toupee, how ’bout you?) if he can keep in shape, at least how he looked in ‘Exit Wounds’ anyway.
Or give Andrew Davis a call.
What it most important, however, is that he throws his ego out of the door, stop with the nonsense like the reincarnation of a Buddhist Monk and the court cases.
Don’t harp on Sly: Seagal’s last two DVD efforts, “Submerged” and “Today You Die” were more of a letdown, because eagle eyed B movie action fans can spot B martial arts star Gary Daniels in ‘Submerged; which was a brief but effective fight scene with Seagal, even if it looked like Gary did all the work – and it happens in the middle f the film, so, if it wasn’t for co-star Vinnie Jones, “Submerged” would be a total waste of time.
The real sin was in “Die” for stuntman/occasional fight cheographer/actor James Lew shows up along with B martial arts actor ‘Golden Boy’ Jerry Trimble ,whose biggest film was a non martial arts pic-you might remember him as being one of Al Pacino’s MCU cops in ‘Heat’- Trimble’s character was the one who got shot in the shoulder by the bus. Why is this disappointing? Because Lew and Trimble have a shootout scene, but Seagal isn’t in between them, nor has a fight scene with either.
I brung up Seagal’s court and legal issues due to not showing up on various movie sets, forcing the filmmakers to shoot around him or use poorly lit stunt doubles.
Another huge difference between Sly and Seagal? Well, we know Sly is capable of acting. I think Seagal is bummed out because Sly chose Rocky over Rambo; consider the fun to be had if Rambo had differences with a Seagal like CIA spook…
Finally, some action stars of the late 80’s and 90’s like Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren act thier age and with some dignity. Even Sly’s Rocky 6 premise will have age as a factor.
well seeing as all he does is action films, i’d be inclined to call him an action star. where to place him in the “league” is another question…
Geez! Well if you think he is…
I’m confused here. You mean Seagal ISN’T an action star?
he still runs like a girl.