Not a good movie but it brought attention to the plight of POWs and a key image of the 1980s. R.I.P.
Posted on 04/24/2005 2:36:21 PM PDT by Borges
Director of 'Rambo' and 'Tombstone' was recently diagnosed with lung cancer
VICTORIA, British Columbia -- Director George P. Cosmatos, best known for box-office hits "Rambo" and "Tombstone," has died. He was 64.
Cosmatos, who had recently been diagnosed with lung cancer, died earlier this week, his friend and fellow director Richard Donner said Saturday.
"George was just a wonderful, bigger-than-life character," said Donner. "You never forgot his entrance and hoped there would never be an exit."
Known for an ability to fix troubled projects and create blockbuster films, he delivered what many consider his finest achievement in 1993, "Tombstone," the film about legendary American lawman Wyatt Earp starring Val Kilmer and Kurt Russell.
It was a rough ride for Cosmatos, who was brought in by executive producer Andrew G. Vajna to replace director Kevin Jarre on the film's set in Arizona. The development stirred feelings of resentment among some cast and crew.
"No matter where I go or what I do, I'll be admitted to heaven for rewriting Tombstone with George," joked John Fasano, the film's associate producer. "He did everything that was expected of him and he did it well."
Known for his gruff demeanor as much as his keen intellect, he dismissed criticism of violence in "Rambo," the 1985 film about a U.S. combat veteran who returns to Vietnam on a one-man mission to rescue soldiers missing-in-action.
"What's with these prejudiced people? They're for censorship, not a free society," Cosmatos said with characteristic bluntness. "It's a psychological release for people to have a hero who can do the fighting and dirty work while we eat our popcorn."
Born in Florence, Italy and raised in Egypt and Cyprus, Cosmatos spoke six languages and was an avid bibliophile with a passion for cigars and film restoration.
He got his start as assistant director on Otto Preminger's "Exodus" (1960), played a small role in "Zorba the Greek" (1964) and wrote for the film journal "Sight and Sound." His other credits include "The Beloved" (1970), "Cobra" (1986), his second collaboration with "Rambo" star Sylvester Stallone, and the underwater thriller "Leviathan" (1989).
The writer-director moved to Victoria, Canada, 24 years ago after living in London, Sweden, Mexico and briefly in Los Angeles. His wife, Swedish sculptress Birgitta Ljungberg Cosmatos, died in 1997.
Cosmatos is survived by his son, Panos; his brother, Memos, of Cyprus; a nephew, Roccos, of Romania; and several nieces and nephews of his late wife in Sweden.
"Tombstone" is one of my all time favorites! Great score. Great acting. And still reasonably historically accurate.
I think Tombstone is Cosmatos' best film, much better than anything else he did, in fact, although Rambo is reasonably entertaining. I see that film as being a more commerically- and action-oriented version of Taxi Driver, as it makes more sense if you view it as being the dream of the lead character instead of the depiction of actual events.
Shadow Conspiracy (1997)
Tombstone (1993)
Leviathan (1989)
Cobra (1986)
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
Of Unknown Origin (1983)
Escape to Athena (1979)
The Cassandra Crossing (1976) (as George Pan Cosmatos)
... aka Cassandra Crossing (Italy) (West Germany)
... aka Treffpunkt Todesbrücke (West Germany)
Rappresaglia (1973)
... aka Massacre in Rome (USA)
The Beloved (1970)
"Rambo," the 1985 film about a U.S. combat veteran who returns to Vietnam on a one-man mission to rescue soldiers missing-in-action.
Isn't that II. or III.?
Man, comparing Rambo to Taxi Driver is some aesthetic warp! I can see what you're saying though. The original film, 'First Blood', made by a different director, was very good actually. The sequel lost any sense of time, place and character that the original film had.
Rambo III was about Rambo going to Afghanistan to help the Mujahadeen fight the Soviets!
You are right squire. The '85 flick was about Rambo passing through a town and getting into a tussle with local and state law enforcemnet in the surrouding hills.
Maybe they have him confused with Chuck Norris.
All that and no Irving G. Thalburg award?
[snicker]
I always thought Rambo, in every incarnation was dreadful. It wasn't until many years after it was released that I discovered that it was thoroughly bogus, in addition to being an artistic nightmare. Like so many Vietnam veteran movies, it brought attention (or reinforced attention) to an omnipresent condition that simply doesn't exist, now or ever, except in extremely rare cases. I'm willing to wager the (PTSD) condition is 100% nonexistent among Special Forces veterans (Seals, Green Berets etc.).
That's Rambo II.
First Blood was the 82 flick when he got in trouble with the local sheriff and ran for the woods. It was the only serviceable film in the series, and was NOT directed by this guy.
Leaving aside the question of the veracity of PTSD, 'First Blood' was a good action film with a great feeling for small town America and the tension between Vietnam Vets and the general public at the time. By the way, didn't they used to call PTSD, Shell Shock? That was WW1. In WW2 they called it Battle Fatigue. In Vietnam, PTSD... Language gets more and more distended...
Uncommon Valor was pretty good for a b-movie.
Like said, Rambo only works if you see it as pure fantasy, something going on in the head of the lead character. It would explain why they have the bad guys dressed in Japanese army uniforms, and why at the end, instead of shooting Charlie Napier, he blows away the computer (symbolic of the individual's resistance against the impersonal, mechanized military-industrial complex, blah blah, blah, blablah, blah). If Paul Verhoeven made the exact same film, people might recognize it as being a satirical (or something close to it) fantasy.
They called it soldiers something or other in the Civil War. Who knows what they called it in the Revolutionary War? It's a condition that likely goes back as far as prolonged conflict. I read about the condition in the Battle of the Bulge. It was widespread in that engagement. I think most people have a limit or breaking point when there is danger to life and limb.
There was a movie about Anzio (WWII) that had a segment that dealt with it. The movie was called A Walk in the Sun. Early in the movie there was a seargent or lieutenant that cracked under the pressure. I thought that was tastefully done. My main problem with Vietnam movies is PTSD seems to be the rule rather than the exception, as were atrocities committed by American servicemen. I think in real life both are (were) few and far between.
I loved Tombstone. Doc Holliday was one of Val Kilmer's best roles.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.