Pulp Fiction discussion

Book 1 see Parker's been betrayed, shot, and left for dead by his partner and wife. This sets Parker off, he is on the hunt to seek revenge. Originally The Hunter was meant to be a one off book, but Richard Stark's editor asked for the ending to be changed and now there is 24 books in the series.

The Hunter was the basis for three feature films, John Boorman's Point Blank (1967), Ringo Lam's Full Contact (1993), which starred Chow Yun-fat, and Payback (1999) which starred Mel Gibson.

Didn't know about Full Contact. I just watched Payback a couple days ago. It wasn't terrible as longa as you didn't compare it to the Hunter.

Alberto wrote: "There's a new Parker movie in the works, with Jason Stratham as your favorite anti-hero."

Statham doesn't fit my image of Parker at all. I like him in other things, though.

Payback: The Directors Cut, is WAY better than the version released in the theaters. Much closer in tone to The Hunter.

Has anyone checked out the two Parker Graphic Novels by Darwyn Cooke?

Not yet but trying to track them down

I love the idea of this group just because there are many people who know Parker. He is one of my fav literary characters.

He is a ice cold, not right correct emotion wise but he is the best in his field. Mean,lean heist stories.

Im a huge fan, since 2008 i have read 15 Parker books. I never get tired of the lean prose and Parker.

Always good to meet a fellow Parker fan, Mohammed.

I've read all the Parker books. The University of Chicago reprints were a godsend.

The Dan Simmons books starring Joe Kurtz are an homage to Parker and are pretty good.

http://www.goodreads.com/series/53690...

Adam wrote: "Always good to meet a fellow Parker fan, Mohammed."

Adam wrote: "Payback: The Directors Cut, is WAY better than the version released in the theaters. Much closer in tone to The Hunter.

Has anyone checked out the two Parker Graphic Novels by Darwyn Cooke?"

Nice to meed fellow Parker fan for me too. I know Dan, Alberto before this group.

You asked about Parker GNs by Cooke, i have read both. They are great noir art that do credit, make Parker look as mean,cool as the books. Cooke is a big Stark,Parker fan. He uses Richard Stark words,prose from the books. He just edited few descriptions the art took care of. Easily the best adaptation of Parker, better the films.

I agree Mohammed, they're the best Parker adaptations out there.

Sounds good, although I'm not too sure about Jennifer Lopez.

Michael wrote: "Sounds good, although I'm not too sure about Jennifer Lopez."

I was just going to say the same thing. Hopefully her part is small.

Recently saw Point Blank with Lee Marvin. Very cool movie, almost psychedelic in parts. Angie Dickenson was good in it as well.

Statham is good in brit crime,noir films or as martial artist action star but if Lee Marvin couldnt capture Parker i dont see how he has a chance ;)


Jennifer Lopes hahahaha!

Did you ever see Daniel Craig in "Layer Cake"? That was a wicked good movie.

Trailer is up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GMBXS...

Looks like a pretty entertaining movie, but it ain't Parker by a long shot. Too bad.

Yeah, Layer Cake was damn good.

Supposed to be based on Flashfire I believe.

Alberto, what is "Give Me My Money Back"?

OMG. The opposite of Parker. Don't steal from people who can't afford it and don't hurt people who don't deserve it? Add that British accent and his new found morality and I can tell you that Westlake is screaming in his grave.

No, I was just trying to figure out if that was a Westlake title I hadn't heard of, or maybe a translation title of something. It sounds sort of like "Somebody Owes Me Money," which I haven't read.

Somenody Owes Me Money is one of weakest efforts by Westlake. Its isnt fun as comic crime capers and its isnt as hardboiled as his good stand alone hardboiled novels like 361,The Cutie.

No hurry to read imo Adam. I didnt even finish which annoyed me as big Westlake fan :P

Jim wrote: "Did you ever see Daniel Craig in "Layer Cake"? That was a wicked good movie."

Layer Cake was the film that showed Daniel Craig would become big in badass roles. Shame he is Bond fame, him i can believe as hardcore Parker more than Staham.

I like Statham. I think he's good at what he does and most of his movies are pretty entertaining. But he doesn't have a big range as an actor, and I get the feeling the Parker movie will be fitting the character into the Statham mold and not the other way around. My prediction is that it will probably annoy fans of Richard Stark but please Statham fans. Who knows, though? I could be pleasantly surprised.

Why is it a shame that Craig is doing Bond? I think he's a pretty good Bond, the best since Connery.

Adam wrote: "I like Statham. I think he's good at what he does and most of his movies are pretty entertaining. But he doesn't have a big range as an actor, and I get the feeling the Parker movie will be fitting..."

I think Statham's best roles - in "Lock, Stock..." and "The Bank Job" - are the ones where he hasn't thrown a punch. He'll have to 'turn off' some of that natural charisma for the role of Parker, of course, but I'd like to see what he does with it.
I thought Mel Gibson was great as Parker (Porter) in "Payback", but I know that's a minority opinion in this group.

I thought Gibson was good also. I liked the movie, had the old 1970's feel to it after it got going.

Didn't Statham throw a few punches in The Bank Job? I thought it was a great heist flick and I'm picky about heist flicks. But didn't he beat that dude up and smash his glasses underfoot? Am I remembering that right?

Adam wrote: "Didn't Statham throw a few punches in The Bank Job? I thought it was a great heist flick and I'm picky about heist flicks. But didn't he beat that dude up and smash his glasses underfoot? Am I reme..."

You're probably right. It's been a few years since I've seen it, so I'm due for a re-watch.

Joe wrote: "I think Statham's best roles - in "Lock, Stock..." and "The Bank Job" - are the ones where he hasn't thrown a punch."

Don't forget about "Snatch".

Joe, I agree with you about Mel Gibson in "Payback". I've never read the book or watched the other film, but thoroughly enjoyed it. There was an edge of humor to it that was excellent. It didn't take itself too seriously.

Jim wrote: "Joe, I agree with you about Mel Gibson in "Payback". I've never read the book or watched the other film, but thoroughly enjoyed it. There was an edge of humor to it that was excellent. It didn't..."

I have to say, I liked Payback. First saw it when my brother taped it for me and mailed it to me in Eritrea. There weren't many cinemas there. Maybe that's why I liked it. But my favorite part was the cameo by James Coburn.

Adam wrote: "I like Statham. I think he's good at what he does and most of his movies are pretty entertaining. But he doesn't have a big range as an actor, and I get the feeling the Parker movie will be fitting..."

I like Statham and his action flicks where he kicks people to death. I enjoyed The Bank Job, fun,good heist film but that was a rare effort for him. Nothing wrong with what he does, but he doesnt have the range like Craig i meant.

Jim wrote: "Why is it a shame that Craig is doing Bond? I think he's a pretty good Bond, the best since Connery."

He is a great Bond and my fav of them all since he is as hardcore, more human as the literary Bond. I meant its a shame Bond series is his because he is a very good actor that can make hardcore roles like Parker easy.

Mohammed, now I understand what you meant. Yes, Craig could be doing a lot of other excellent work.

David, Coburn was also one of my favorite pieces of Payback. As a kid, I loved him in "The Magnificent Seven" & as "Our Man Flint". I tried watching the latter a few years ago. It was terrible, but kind of fun anyway. I didn't make it all the way though.

Jim wrote: "Mohammed, now I understand what you meant. Yes, Craig could be doing a lot of other excellent work.

David, Coburn was also one of my favorite pieces of Payback. As a kid, I loved him in "The Mag..."

Yes, Flint hasn't aged well, but it's still fun. The same is true of The President's Analyst, but it's still one of my favorite movies and I drag it out and watch it still every so often. And then there's Duck, You Sucker...

Coburn was also one of my favorite pieces of Payback.

He's just killing my alligator bags and shooting holes in my suits. Man, that's just MEAN.

Since you guys are discussing Payback, I must ask which version.

There is a "comedic" theater version which frankly made me want to throw up. Then, there is a directors cut which follows the book very closely and which I actually own a copy of (I own only 20 videos). So, can we clarify?

I recently began re-reading the whole series and realized that The Hunter was not that great of a book. Stark improves with the following books and now I remember why I loved them so much.

I always dismiss The directors cut myself and dont plan to see because they both have a Mel Gibson being witty hero that he re-wrote Parker for himself as.

I can respect fans who find it fun but i despise Payback just because it will be much more famous than this new Parker will ever because of Mel Gibson.

LOL! That's the same line that went through my head, Ed.

Mohammed, you can't talk about the director's cut unless you've seen it.

It is not true that Mel Gibson is a witty hero in both. His performance in the director's cut is impassive, vicious, and cold.

Adam wrote: "Mohammed, you can't talk about the director's cut unless you've seen it.

It is not true that Mel Gibson is a witty hero in both. His performance in the director's cut is impassive, vicious, and cold."

No im not talking about the director cut itself but that i wont see it because Mel Gibson is the lame version called Porter.

The whole idea of director cuts is for fans who enjoyed the regular release to me. I enjoyed Aliens directors cut because its longer version over 2 hours. No interest in directors cut of a lame adaptation.

Mohammed wrote "The whole idea of director cuts is for fans who enjoyed the regular release to me. I enjoyed Aliens directors cut because its longer version over 2 hours. No interest in directors cut of a lame adaptation"

Normally I wold agree, however in this case the director's cut is like a different movie. Much superior to the theatrical release with a different main boss and a completely different ending. The tone was much less comedic. It's still not Stark's Parker, but much closer. If I was going to recommend one to a Parker fan it would be the DC. The theatrical release is much more a mainstream action film.

On the other hand, I liked the theatrical release, just not as a Parker film.

Ed wrote: "Mohammed wrote "The whole idea of director cuts is for fans who enjoyed the regular release to me. I enjoyed Aliens directors cut because its longer version over 2 hours. No interest in directors c..."

I've seen both. The director's cut is quite different including just the overall look. I liked it better than the original release, but I liked the original release, too. Again, probably a function of being in Eritrea and being pretty desperate for cinematic entertainment.

That Coburn line, "just MEAN," is the highlight of the film no doubt!

Mohammed, I don't think there's any chance you'd like the director's cut because you hate the idea of Mel Gibson as Parker and you've convinced yourself it stinks, but the director's cut is actually shorter than the theatrical release. The editing is different and different takes are used, as well as many lines being cut out, so Gibson's performance is completely different.

Adam wrote: "Mohammed, I don't think there's any chance you'd like the director's cut because you hate the idea of Mel Gibson as Parker and you've convinced yourself it stinks, but the director's cut is actuall..."

I dislike Mel Gibson like i wont bother seeing this new film. Thats not the only problem i have no intrest in à Parker film that isnt Close to Stark. I dont need to know Ed saying that about directors cut to know that.


There are many non Parker films better noir than Payback out There. I like My noir to be More hardcore than fun looking Payback. Resevoir Dogs now that is Stark like.

Mohammed, you dislike Mel Gibson the person so you won't see a movie he's in?

I try to remain completely ignorant of actor's personal lives. They're actors, a sock puppet for the writer, director, producers, & entire crew. IOW, their actual life has nothing to do with their job, but it is all about our perception & the media often taints that.

The media blasts anything any semi-famous figure does around until even intentional ignorance is hard to maintain. Worse, they go for the sound byte, so I doubt the veracity of their claims in most cases. They make mountains out of mole hills because bad news sells.

Even I know that Gibson has gotten drunk & stupid a couple of times. He's said some nasty stuff during those moments. He's also takes Christianity very seriously. I don't hold any of it against his movies, though. I love him & Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapons & have enjoyed most of his movies. I've gotten drunk & stupid on occasion. I've certainly said things under such circumstances that I'm really glad wasn't documented, too.
;-)

I'm glad I don't live in CA as I wouldn't have liked hearing about Arnie in politics & I don't plan on reading his autobiography. Bruce Campbell is one of the few that I pay any attention to all the way around.

Mohammed, you have an opinion on a film you haven't seen, and make statements about it as though you've seen it.

I'm done with this discussion. I look forward to talking with you in the future about a book you have actually read or a movie you have actually seen. Cheers.

Jim wrote: "Mohammed, you dislike Mel Gibson the person so you won't see a movie he's in?

I try to remain completely ignorant of actor's personal lives. They're actors, a sock puppet for the writer, direct..."

No i like Mel Gibson in Braveheart and many others film. I just dont like him in Payback.

I dont care how he is personally, good or bad.

Adam wrote: "Mohammed, you have an opinion on a film you haven't seen, and make statements about it as though you've seen it.

I'm done with this discussion. I look forward to talking with you in the future abo..."

I wanted to talk about Payback the different views on it and its you who wanted to talk the directors cut as defence of that film. I have no interest in talking about films i havent seen or plan to. Im done with the discussion too. Payback isnt worth that time.

Has anyone here other than Adam read The Score comic adaptation? Always great feel to read cool,original art with mean as usual Parker.