|
Fred Williamson, Quentin Tarantino & Legendary Italian Director Team for DVD
'The Hammer' & Tarantino Join Enzo Castellari For Severin Films' INGLORIOUS BASTARDS DVD Release on July 29, 2008
Fred Williamson |
Williamson in The Inglorious Bastards |
Los Angeles, CA (BlackNews.com) - Action movie icon Fred 'The Hammer' Williamson joins Quentin Tarantino and celebrated Italian action director Enzo G. Castellari for exclusive Bonus Features on the special 3-disc DVD of Castellari's THE INGLORIOUS BASTARDS to be released July 29th by Severin Films. Williamson starred in the 1978 World War II adventure that has been called "the biggest and most badass war movie in EuroCult history." Tarantino, a longtime fan of Williamson's, has announced that his next project will be a remake of Castellari's original film.
A former star Defensive Back with the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs (where he earned the nickname 'The Hammer' and played in SuperBowl I), Williamson made his movie debut in Robert Altman's 1970 Oscar-winning classic M*A*S*H. Within two years, Williamson had become one of the biggest box office stars in America as the king of the 'Blaxploitation' genre. Williamson broke further new ground in the mid-70s when he became writer, producer and director of several of his own urban action hits. Today, Williamson continues to produce, direct and star in his own international hit films, as well as co-starring in such Hollywood blockbusters as STARSKY & HUTCH. "In America, I'm just a Black actor," says Williamson, "but in Europe, I'm an action star. INGLORIOUS BASTARDS was a great example of that. It was a physically demanding and fun movie to make, and I'm proud of my work in it. Most of all, I'm glad that this special edition DVD will introduce it to a whole new audience."
THE INGLORIOUS BASTARDS (aka: DEADLY MISSION and G.I. BRO) stars Williamson and Bo (WALKING TALL, KILL BILL) Svenson as the leaders of a gang of condemned criminals who escape from an Allied prison convoy with a plan to blast their way to the Swiss border, only to find themselves 'volunteering' for a suicide mission deep inside Nazi occupied France. Through it all, 'The Hammer' battles racist officers, vicious Nazis and naked fräuleins amidst some of the most explosive action and stunt work of the decade. "Fred brought a one-of-a-kind combination of fearless athlete and movie star charisma to the production," says director Enzo Castellari. "Plus he's a terrific, committed actor. Even when I insisted he use a stunt double for the most dangerous scenes -- especially his jump from a bridge onto a moving train -- Fred insisted on doing the stunts himself. He made those scenes spectacular." Castellari, who has been called "The Italian Drive-In God" by L.A. Weekly, has been one of international cinema's most celebrated writer/directors for more than 4 decades, specializing in all-star action hits that include STREET LAW, HIGH CRIME, 1990: THE BRONX WARRIORS and GREAT WHITE.
"I've been a huge Fred Williamson fan my whole life," says Quentin Tarantino, who would cast Williamson in his and Robert Rodriguez' FROM DUSK TIL DAWN. "He is always just so cool. I didn't see INGLORIOUS BASTARDS until it aired on television in the late '80s, but my friends and I loved it so much that it became 'our' movie. For the next 20 years, I showed it to everyone I knew. About seven years ago, I finally sat down and started writing my own version of it." Tarantino has announced that his INGLORIOUS BASTARDS is already in pre-production and will premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
Severin Films was formed in May 2006 with offices in Los Angeles and London, and is dedicated to releasing the most provocative and controversial features from around the world. The company's previous successes include the Unrated Director's Cut of GWENDOLINE starring Tawny Kitaen, Italian shock-maestro Lucio Fulci's THE PSYCHIC and THE EROTICIST, and the two-volume limited-edition collections BLACK EMANUELLES BOX. www.severin-films.com
For interviews with Fred, DVD screeners, EPKs or video trailer, please contact:
Danielle Garnier, Garnier Public Relations 773-276-0232 danielle@garnierpr.com
SHARE THIS PAGE:
|
