Clive Rosengren's Blog

The Brits have a term that best describes how I felt when I learned of the Shamus nomination: gobsmacked. In Hollywood, it’s a cliche to say that “it’s an honor to be nominated.” However, in this case after having read the other four nominees, I feel honored to be on the short list.

I recently saw Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and must admit that Tom Cruise is capable of inflicting considerable mayhem. Despite the height disparity between him and Jack Reacher, I am beginning to be convinced that Cruise will do a good job in bringing Lee Child’s iconic character to the screen in One Shot. It appears as though the actor is maturing and displaying signs of vulnerability. He gets beat up, shows the effects of such, and even admits that he needs medical attention. Those are qualities we haven’t seen in previous outings of the IM crew.

Cruise’s production company will be behind the film, and consequently will spare no expense in gathering together solid professionals. He himself is listed as producer, and Christopher McQuarrie [writer of The Usual Suspects and Valkyrie, director of The Way of the Gun] is onboard to helm the film. Josh Olson [writer of The History of Violence] has co-written it. The film is due to be released in February of 2013, a far too long wait, it seems to me.

When preparations commenced for the movie version of Margaret Mitchell’s hugely popular Civil War epic Gone With the Wind, practically everyone in the country had already read the book. When it came to casting the role of Rhett Butler, everyone’s consensus seemed to be Clark Gable. The King. While a flurry of screen tests had every leading lady in Hollywood vying for the role of Scarlett O’Hara, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind as to who should fill the shoes of Rhett Butler. Mr. Gable and Mr. Butler were a match made for the ages.

The Jack Reacher novels of Lee Child certainly don’t have the broad readership of a Gone With the Wind, but for the legion of fans who relish every Reacher adventure, casting has been vigorously debated over cocktails and water coolers. I’ve heard the names of Liam Neeson, Tom Selleck and Tim Robbins bandied about. Worthy choices all.

Well, the time has come. One Shot is headed for the silver screen. Internet chat rooms exploded a few weeks ago when it was announced that Jack Reacher would be played by none other than Tom Cruise. Perhaps the chatter has something to do with height. Jack Reacher is described as being well over six foot tall. Mr. Cruise is somewhere in the neighborhood of 5’7”. Some disparity there.

What Mr. Cruise may lack in height, he makes up for in star appeal. Apparently he bought the rights to the book, so he has the option of casting whomever he chooses. Reacher nation will have to deal with a shorter here, that’s all. And I’m sure Mr. Cruise will acquit himself admirably. Let’s not forget the mayhem he caused in both Knight and Day and Collateral.

Eddie Collins here. I’m not sure I know what this whole “blog” business is about. Sounds like a component of one of my hangovers. However, this “friend” of mine says I should jump on the bandwagon, so here goes.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, aka the Oscars, seem to have finally come to their senses. Wherever one turns, the discourse prattles on and on about youth, 18-34 demographics, blah, blah, blah. What the Academy doesn’t realize is that the majority of its members have wrinkles, know how to use the business end of a tube of Ben-Gay and could care less who the Kardashians are.
Let’s face it: last year’s Oscar telecast was dismal. No offense intended with regard to Anne Hathaway and James Franco, but the former tried too hard and the latter tried too little. In fact, Mr. Franco looked like the whole affair was interrupting his nap.
But now Billy Crystal is back! It’s about time! No one has been a better host for this colossal event. Of course, if you’re hooked on the Republican debates, I suppose you could care less about the Oscars.
As Mr. T from the “The A-Team said: “I pity the fool.”

Eddie Collins, the protagonist of Murder Unscripted, wears a porkpie hat. As such, he joins the likes of Buster Keaton, Dean Martin, Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear and Fozzie Bear from the Muppets. Bryan Cranston’s character Walter White wears a porkpie in the AMC television series “Breaking Bad.” Clete Purcel, a recurring character in James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux series also sports a porkpie.

So Eddie is in good company. As to why he likes this particular type of chapeau, being a movie junkie, he perhaps emulates Gene Hackman’s portrayal of Popeye Doyle in THE FRENCH CONNECTION.