61 replies to this topic

[Loomis]

Well, folks, this doesn't look exactly nailed down to me - I suspect that there may be a spot of fanboy rumour-mongering going on that's taking advantage of the new, shrouded-in-secrecy Eastwood project - but it seems as though Clint may have a new Dirty Harry outing in the offing, inspired, no doubt, by the recent action comebacks of what in his eyes are presumably acne-ridden teenagers like Bruce Willis and spring chickens like Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36068

If this news is true, is it good? I've never been much of a Callahan man - only saw the first one and MAGNUM FORCE, and while I thought they were watchable enough neither particularly made my day (ho ho). Then again, the character is undoubtedly an icon, and David Fincher's referencing of DIRTY HARRY in last year's (excellent) ZODIAC made me for some reason come over all falsely nostalgic and hankering for some kind of further development of the Har-meister.

Also, Eastwood has turned into one heck of a director in recent years. If he gets an old buddy like, well, who other than Paul Haggis, involved, DIRTY HARRY 6 might be pretty good.

What d'yer think? Also, which of the Harry flicks are worth watching?

[Tarl_Cabot]

Sudden Impact was the first I saw in theaters and it was a damn good DH flick. I didn't like the follow up,The Dead Pool.

I'm not sold on this story just yet but Clint is a huge star now (as a director) so this could be interesting...I'd see it.

I really want another Mad Max over any 70s/80s series revivals.

[dinovelvet]

Also, Eastwood has turned into one heck of a director in recent years. If he gets an old buddy like, well, who other than Paul Haggis, involved, DIRTY HARRY 6 might be pretty good.

What d'yer think? Also, which of the Harry flicks are worth watching?

Any of 'em really, except for THE DEAD POOL, which is the typical Rocky V/Rambo III/AVTAK out-of-inspiration-in-the-late-80s flick of the Dirty Harry series.

I hope this rumour is true, I'll definitely be there. Good call on the Paul Haggis possibility too, Loomis, Clint doesn't seem to make a move without him, lately. Though I'm not sure how Harry's "politically incorrect" persona will work in 2008/9. Will he randomly refer to someone as a "spic", and everyone's jaw will hit the floor?

[MarcAngeDraco]

Octogenarian Dirty Harry? No thanks...

[MicroGlobeOne]

Octogenarian Dirty Harry? No thanks...

Octogenarian Dirty Harry? Yes, please!

I'd certainly take one last outing for Eastwood as Callahan, particularly as it would replace The Dead Pool as a cap to the series.

[Professor Dent]

As much as I would love to see another Dirty Harry movie, I'm more inclined to say "leave it be."

[Scrambled Eggs]

If Clint wants to trade on old glories, it'd be infinitely cooler if he made a Leone-esque western. I'm sure Haggis could pen a fantastic Western and I can see "The man With No Name Is Back!" on a poster. The more I think of it the more I'd like to see that.

Octogenarian Dirty Harry? Can't see it bein any good and I can't see why he'd want to do it.

[Bondian]

Maybe it'll be another re-boot with our man Clint playing Harry when he's 12. Or maybe he's brought out of retirement to solve a case that nobody else can manage because he's played the part before.

I'd rather see him in one more "Spaghetti Western" before it gets too cheesy.

[jaguar007]

Unlike Stallone and Ford, Eastwood has recently had great success with his directing. He does not need to revive old characters in order to have a hit film.

[Righty007]

OH MY GOD!

This is the best news I've heard since Quantum of Solace was announced as the title of Bond 22!

I wish there was a new actor playing Callahan but it's still DIRTY HARRY!

I own the whole Dirty Harry series on DVD. Dirty Harry and Magnum Force are the best. The Enforcer is okay and I'm not a big fan of the other two. I've only seen The Dead Pool once because it sucks!

EDIT: Righty007.com is now reporting this glorious rumor.

[Harmsway]

I love Dirty Harry.

I don't know about this, though. It's one thing to see Stallone and Ford back in action. It's an entirely different thing to see Clint, who is ancient enough that he's been gathering cobwebs, come back into action.

Interestingly enough, when Eastwood starred in BLOOD WORK back in '02, I remember some people commenting that it easily could have been a final Dirty Harry entry. I haven't seen it, though.

[Tarl_Cabot]

I can see him turn it into an artsy movie ah la Unforgiven...about a really old guy who can still add value to society...make it a human drama about age and purpose...is retirement about playing golf only? Can a man with Harry's life's pursuits still be relevant? or should he just sit back and 'enjoy life' ie wait to die? This could be interesting and if anyone could pull it off it's Clint. But he is frickin OLD! I mean, the 65 year old Clint of Bridges of Madison county could be Harry Callahan in his sleep but this is a 78 year old.... Anyway, I'd love to see it.

[Harmsway]

I can see him turn it into an artsy movie ah la Unforgiven...

If Clint can make this the UNFORGIVEN of Dirty Harry flicks, I'm sold. But I didn't think it was a given that he'd direct.

One thing that has me curious about this rumor is that Eastwood has said in the past that he didn't want to take the part up again because he feared it would turn Callahan into a parody. If this is happening, he's convinced that there's a different way to go about it.

[Righty007]

Interestingly enough, when Eastwood starred in BLOOD WORK back in '02, I remember some people commenting that it easily could have been a final Dirty Harry entry. I haven't seen it, though.

Go rent it! I own it and it indeed could have easily been the last Dirty Harry with a few tweaks.

[Tarl_Cabot]

I trust his judgment. He's Clint ******* Eastwood. He can do no wrong.Besides, there are 75 year olds who participate in Iron Man competitions...Harry was never a Kung Fu guy or a swashbuckler. He shoots a .44 at bad people. He can still do that.

[sharpshooter]

Nope, not sure about this. Let it be.

[marktmurphy]

No; Harrison and Stallone are in their sixties and can just about make it work; a man in his late seventies is just too old. And he's got better films to make.

[Safari Suit]

Am I the only one who liked The Dead Pool at all? I liked it more than Sudden Impact(despite the classic coffee house scene) which I found protracted and inconsistant.

[Simon]

Isn't the Gran Torino the Starsky and Hutch car?

[stamper]

This seems like a fake alert, whatever, people who disliked the Dead Pool back then (ie any time between 1988 and 2007) should propably get a new look back at it, it's not half bad, and get old better than most Moore Bond movies.

[Loomis]

I love Dirty Harry.

Just the first film? Are the others worth watching? I gather that SUDDEN IMPACT is dire and THE DEAD POOL pretty boring.

[Loomis]

No; Harrison and Stallone are in their sixties and can just about make it work; a man in his late seventies is just too old.

Hey, eighty's the new sixty.

Seriously, though, Eastwood's too old for punchups and bedding babes (unless, of course, the other people in the scene are also codgers - not that anyone would want to see that, though), but not for shootouts and car chases. If they had a good, character-driven script incorporating a couple of classic Bourne-/BULLITT-/FRENCH CONNECTION, etc.-style auto pursuits and some suspensful scenes of stalking and gunplay, it might easily still be a decent thriller.

However, I recall William Goldman, in one of his books (might have been WHICH LIE DID I TELL?) relating his difficulty in writing a 1990s Eastwood vehicle in which the man was going to play a legendary bank robber persuaded to come out of retirement for one final big heist. It's a pretty funny section of the book, with Goldman pointing out that everything he considered for the script would always be defeated by one nagging little believability problem that just wouldn't go away, namely Eastwood's age (and this was at least a decade ago). For instance, our hero must break into the bank vault, but wait - can he still climb stairs? And he's hiding out from the cops somewhere - but how often does he have to get up for a pee in the middle of the night? And there's a car chase - but how's his vision these days? In the end, Goldman simply gave up and the screenplay was probably rejigged for Keanu Reeves or someone. So you may be right, MTM.

Anyway, here's a plausible debunking of the DIRTY HARRY 6 rumour:

http://www.filmjerk.....php?id_new=545

However, it's curious, is it not, that there's been no move from Eastwood/the studio to deny the rumour. My suspicion is that it isn't true, but, still, you'd have thought that there'd have been an official denial by now.

[IndyB007]

Could the Dirty Harry video game be back on perhaps?

[00Twelve]

A Dirty Harry swan song? That's not The Dead Pool?!?


Pleasebetruepleasebetruepleasebetrue...

[stamper]

Come on, if Sean could bag E-Zeta Jones in that movie I FORGOT the title about, Clint can do it.
Enough of oscar winning wannabe movies, let's get some magnum 44 out and blow away bad guys !

[Safari Suit]

However, I recall William Goldman, in one of his books (might have been WHICH LIE DID I TELL?) relating his difficulty in writing a 1990s Eastwood vehicle in which the man was going to play a legendary bank robber persuaded to come out of retirement for one final big heist. It's a pretty funny section of the book, with Goldman pointing out that everything he considered for the script would always be defeated by one nagging little believability problem that just wouldn't go away, namely Eastwood's age (and this was at least a decade ago). For instance, our hero must break into the bank vault, but wait - can he still climb stairs? And he's hiding out from the cops somewhere - but how often does he have to get up for a pee in the middle of the night? And there's a car chase - but how's his vision these days? In the end, Goldman simply gave up and the screenplay was probably rejigged for Keanu Reeves or someone.

It actually sounds a lot like 1997's Absolute Power.

Edited by Safari Suit, 21 March 2008 - 01:57 PM.

[Harmsway]

I love Dirty Harry.

Just the first film?

More the character than the films, necessarily. But I find myself really liking DIRTY HARRY and MAGNUM FORCE.

I gather that SUDDEN IMPACT is dire and THE DEAD POOL pretty boring.

Depends who you talk to. THE DEAD POOL is pretty much regarded as a failure, and for good reason. I would say it's worse than SUDDEN IMPACT (I don't think SUDDEN IMPACT is all that bad). As a fan of Dirty Harry, I find plenty of moments to like in the finale three films. I don't know if they'd carry any value for someone who's not a big fan.

[Bryce (003)]

Well, while I'd of course love to see Harry one more time, I think he'd almost have to be a secondary character. Maybe being a mentor to a new generation/version of his young self.

I remember watching him on the tonight show a few years back and Leno asked about Harry coming back. He said something to the effect of Harry has to be retired fishing or golfing somewhere (kind of like Clint), BUT he didn't rule it out either.

I had an idea somewhere that I put down for a last Dirty Harry. I'll have to dig it up. A few people told me it had potential and liked it. If I find it, I may post it here.

Then again, if it reads that good, maybe I won't.

EDIT: Just read the AICN article. Only a minor detail. Harry was INSPECTOR Callahan. Not a Lt. Granted, since it's been 20 years since we last saw him, he may have been promoted - possibly upon either his retirement or (likely in Harry's case) resignation.

[Tarl_Cabot]

I love Dirty Harry.

Just the first film?

More the character than the films, necessarily. But I find myself really liking DIRTY HARRY and MAGNUM FORCE.

I gather that SUDDEN IMPACT is dire and THE DEAD POOL pretty boring.

Depends who you talk to. THE DEAD POOL is pretty much regarded as a failure, and for good reason. I would say it's worse than SUDDEN IMPACT (I don't think SUDDEN IMPACT is all that bad). As a fan of Dirty Harry, I find plenty of moments to like in the finale three films. I don't know if they'd carry any value for someone who's not a big fan.

After Thunderball, Sudden Impact may be the first great 4th installment of a series.What makes the film work is the film is a-political. The revenge story would appeal to feminists and gun toting conservatives...Anyway, I loved Sudden Impact when I saw it. The Dead Pool was a huge dissapointment; it felt like a TV movie.

[marktmurphy]

This seems like a fake alert, whatever, people who disliked the Dead Pool back then (ie any time between 1988 and 2007) should propably get a new look back at it, it's not half bad, and get old better than most Moore Bond movies.

It's pretty dull. Feels like a TV movie, as Tarl says. Plus it's hugely tasteless- Harry kills several bad guys in extremely cold blood with that horrible cannon he carries around. Including the main bad guy- Harry knows he doesn't have any bullets left and harpoons him to death anyway. Then comes a hideous one-liner. It's not big or clever or cool- just adolescent and nasty.