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- Arnold Schwarzenegger Brought McTiernan Onto Predator, and He Didn’t Disappoint
- McTiernan Proved His Genius for Action Films with Die Hard
- The 13th Warrior Began a Career Avalanche for McTiernan
- McTiernan’s Association with Anthony Pellicano Landed Him in Prison
As a seasoned movie buff with a soft spot for directors who have seen their fair share of trials and tribulations, I find myself deeply moved by the tale of John McTiernan. A man whose career once shimmered like a golden sun in Hollywood’s firmament, only to be eclipsed by a series of unfortunate events that would make even the most stoic among us shed a tear.
John McTiernan found prison to be less harsh than he had anticipated. He described it as a former college campus located in the Upper Midwest, without any bars or barbed wire. The odd part was that if locals saw him on a crosswalk, they would speed up and try to hit him. McTiernan spent 10 months at the Federal Prison Camp in Yankton, South Dakota, following his conviction for lying to FBI agents about his connections with Anthony Pellicano, who served as the basis for the TV show “Ray Donovan.” At that time, McTiernan’s successful career as an action director was declining due to a series of major flops. His most recent project, a remake of the ’70s film “Rollerball” starring James Caan, was also at risk of experiencing the same failures.
McTiernan, driven by his own suspicions, engaged the services of a well-known ‘fixer’ in Hollywood, who was later discovered to be a crooked private investigator, to tap a producer during the filming of Rollerball. Before we condemn McTiernan for this hire, it’s worth noting that other big names like Tom Cruise, Chris Rock, Kevin Costner, and even Bill Clinton – who would later become President of the United States – had also employed Anthony Pellicano. McTiernan’s mistake was his arrogance in lying to federal investigators about his relationship with Pellicano, an act that is indeed a federal offense and led to federal prosecutors pursuing charges, eventually resulting in the imprisonment of this renowned director. The fact that the mastermind behind iconic franchises like Predator and Die Hard could experience such a dramatic downfall remains puzzling.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Brought McTiernan Onto Predator, and He Didn’t Disappoint
In Hollywood, McTiernan’s debut directorial work left a significant mark with the movie ‘Nomads’. This film, featuring Pierce Brosnan, was made on a modest budget of $3 million, before his days as James Bond and a widely recognized star. Brosnan was previously known for the TV series ‘Remington Steele’, and he took an unexpected turn with this gritty action film. McTiernan’s skillful camerawork and portrayal of brutal violence left an impression on Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was astounded by McTiernan’s ability to craft a convincing world on such a tight budget. Impressed, Schwarzenegger, who was in the process of developing ‘Predator’, invited McTiernan to direct the $15 million action movie.
In this sci-fi action film, McTiernan’s directing style was spot-on, and he effectively handled the larger-than-life personalities brought by Arnold Schwarzenegger on their Mexican jungle sets. With two future Governors (Arnold and Jesse Ventura) alongside a cast of eccentric actors like Sonny Landham, McTiernan skillfully kept them under control during an arduous shoot. Although there were initial challenges in designing the alien hunter, a revamp by Stan Winston resulted in the ‘Rastafarian Warrior’, which played a significant role in launching a massive franchise with multiple sequels. However, it was McTiernan’s work that truly made one of the most enjoyable action films of the ’80s. It was his next film, though, that would significantly reshape the concept of an action movie.
McTiernan Proved His Genius for Action Films with Die Hard
For years, the script for the movie “Die Hard” circulated in Hollywood, but it finally got going when action producer Joel Silver was assigned to the project by Fox. Silver had recently collaborated with McTiernan on the film “Predator,” and after multiple directors declined to direct “Die Hard,” Silver knew he needed to bring “McT.” on board. McTiernan agreed to direct the movie, provided that he could add humorous elements and a Christmas theme to contrast the ruthless terrorists. Despite Bruce Willis being more known for his work in “Moonlighting” rather than action films, McTiernan tailored the film to showcase Willis’ anti-hero abilities. The outcome was an iconic action movie that generated $140 million and served as a model for almost every subsequent action film.
Following the success of “The Hunt for Red October,” which introduced the Jack Ryan character, McTiernan struck gold once more by blending his signature gritty action with a captivating geopolitical narrative. As a result, he gained prominence as Hollywood’s leading action director, but this status brought immense pressure for his future projects to meet high expectations. Unfortunately, his satirical action film “Last Action Hero” was considered a disappointment despite earning a decent profit. Concerned about another failure, McTiernan took a break, then returned to familiar territory by collaborating with Bruce Willis again on “Die Hard with a Vengeance.” The movie grossed $366 million and appeared to reaffirm McTiernan’s talent and financial viability. However, the following decade proved less favorable.
The 13th Warrior Began a Career Avalanche for McTiernan
In 1997, Ridley Scott started working on a movie called “Eaters of the Dead,” which was based on a novel by Michael Crichton. The initial budget was estimated to be around $85 million, but it eventually exceeded $100 million before filming began. Scott had disagreements with the producers and Disney’s Buena Vista Pictures, leading to the author, Michael Crichton, taking over directorial duties for reshoots, increasing the budget by an additional $50 million. Despite being effectively replaced, Scott ended up taking the blame when the film featuring Antonio Banderas, titled “The 13th Warrior,” became a massive flop, once again tarnishing his reputation as a director.
Although the impact McTiernan had on the success of “The 13th Warrior” may be open to interpretation, there’s no denying that his actions in the movie “Rollerball” contributed significantly to a subpar film and disastrous consequences for the director himself. In 2002, McTiernan decided to work on this project, which wasn’t exactly promising from the start. McTiernan envisioned “Rollerball” as a gritty, violent, and explicit remake of the original James Caan version. He filmed the movie under the assumption that MGM would approve an R rating for release. However, due to concerns about a possible flop, the studio demanded reshoots and settled for a PG-13 rating. This demand sparked a confrontation, leading McTiernan to engage the services of private investigator Anthony Pellicano, who allegedly wiretapped both the producer of “Rollerball” and his then-wife Donna Dubrow.
McTiernan’s Association with Anthony Pellicano Landed Him in Prison
In 2006, Anthony Pellicano faced more than 100 charges by the FBI, some of which connected him to prominent figures in Hollywood. Unlike these other high-profile individuals who utilized Pellicano’s services, John McTiernan was found to have lied about his connection with Pellicano to federal investigators. Lying to federal officials is illegal, and as a result, McTiernan also faced charges in 2006. At first, McTiernan admitted guilt through his legal team, which could have helped him avoid prison. However, pride took over. McTiernan hired new lawyers and attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, but it was too late. The judge sentenced McTiernan to federal prison and fined him $100,000, stating that McTiernan thought he was above the law.
As McTiernan appealed his sentence, the situation worsened for him as federal authorities added more charges against the director. His initial four-month prison term was lengthened to a year, and when his appeals were exhausted, he had no choice but to put on a prison jumpsuit and never directed another film again. On the other hand, Pellicano served a longer sentence, spending time in prisons across Texas until his release in 2019. Despite still having connections in Hollywood and being the inspiration for the show “Ray Donovan,” McTiernan’s fortunes seem to have taken a downturn, with numerous bankruptcies, foreclosures, and no immediate prospects of returning to directing. By the way, you can watch “Rollerball” for free on Tubi.
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2024-09-29 01:02