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8 Million Ways To Die
''8 Million Ways to Die'' is a 1986 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Hal Ashby and starring Jeff Bridges, Rosanna Arquette, and Andy Garcia. It was Ashby's final film, and the first attempt to adapt the Matthew Scudder detective stories of Lawrence Block for the screen. The screenplay was written by Oliver Stone, an uncredited Robert Towne and David Lee Henry (R. Lance Hill using a pseudonym). Plot An alcoholic Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputy, Matt Scudder (Jeff Bridges), takes part in a drug bust that results in his fatal shooting of a small-time dealer in front of the man's wife and kids. Scudder ends up in a drunk ward, suffering from booze and blackouts, ending his career, his marriage, and jeopardizing his relationship with his daughter. After an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, a woman hands Scudder a note, which invites him to a private gambling club on a hill, accessible only by a funicular, owned by Chance Walker ( Randy Brooks). At the club, Scudder is greet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hal Ashby
William Hal Ashby (September 2, 1929 – December 27, 1988) was an American film director and editor associated with the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking. Before his career as a director Ashby edited films for Norman Jewison, notably ''The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming'' (1966), which earned Ashby an Oscar nomination for Best Editing, and '' In the Heat of the Night'' (1967), which earned him his only Oscar for the same category. Ashby received a third Oscar nomination, this time for Best Director for '' Coming Home'' (1978). Other films directed by Ashby include ''The Landlord'' (1970), ''Harold and Maude'' (1971), ''The Last Detail'' (1973), ''Shampoo'' (1975), '' Bound for Glory'' (1976), and ''Being There'' (1979). Early life Ashby was born September 2, 1929, in Ogden, Utah, the youngest of four siblings born to Mormon parents Eileen Ireta (née Hetzler) and James Thomas Ashby, a dairy farm owner. Ashby's parents divorced in 1936, after which his father rem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Action Thriller Film
Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life-threatening situations, a dangerous villain, or a pursuit which usually concludes in victory for the hero. Advancements in computer-generated imagery (CGI) have made it cheaper and easier to create action sequences and other visual effects that required the efforts of professional stunt crews in the past. However, reactions to action films containing significant amounts of CGI have been mixed, as some films use CGI to create unrealistic, highly unbelievable events. While action has long been a recurring component in films, the "action film" genre began to develop in the 1970s along with the increase of stunts and special effects. This genre is closely associated with the thriller and adventure genres and may also contain elements of dr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Avery
James La Rue Avery (November 27, 1945 – December 31, 2013) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Philip Banks in ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', Shredder in ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', Judge Michael Conover on ''L.A. Law'', Steve Yeager in ''The Brady Bunch Movie'', Haroud Hazi Bin in ''Aladdin'', and Dr. Crippen on ''The Closer'' (2005–2007). Early life Avery was born on November 27, 1945, in Pughsville, Virginia, to mother Florence J. Avery. His father denied paternity and was not listed on his birth certificate. Florence would eventually move James to Atlantic City, New Jersey. He served in the U.S. Navy in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1969, and eventually moved to San Diego, California, where he began to write poetry and TV scripts for PBS. He won an Emmy for production during his tenure there, and then received a scholarship to UC San Diego, where he attended Thurgood Marshall College (then Third College), earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vyto Ruginis
Vyto Ruginis (born Vytautas Ruginis; April 17, 1956) is an English-American actor and producer. He is best known for playing vampire Russell Winters in the cult TV series ''Angel'' in its first episode, "City Of", as well as for his appearances in '' CSI'', '' House MD'', ''The X-Files'', '' ER'', '' Law & Order'', '' NCIS: Los Angeles'' and other television programs. Ruginis was born on April 17, 1956, in Wolverhampton, England to Lithuanian parents and later moved to Chicago, Illinois. On September 12, 2015, Ruginis was inducted into the National Lithuanian American Hall of Fame. Ruginis has appeared in such films as '' The Devil's Advocate'' with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves, ''Cliffhanger'' with Sylvester Stallone, '' Broken Arrow'' with John Travolta and Christian Slater, ''Jumpin' Jack Flash'' with Whoopi Goldberg, ''The Fast and The Furious'', ''Auto Focus'', and many more. Filmography * 1986 ''8 Million Ways to Die'' as Joe Durkin * 1986 ''Jumpin' Jack Flash'' as Car ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Luisa Leschin
Luisa Leschin (born Louisa Josefina Gomez, July 13, 1953) is an American television producer, actress, and voice-over artist. She currently serves as co-executive producer for the Amazon Studios TV series '' Just Add Magic''. In 2019, she won a Norman Lear Writer's Award at the 34th annual Imagen Awards. Early life Leschin was born in Hollywood and grew up in Guatemala, where Spanish was her native tongue. Leschin's mother was a concert pianist and her father was a former President of El Salvador. At age five, she made her debut as a dancer, and at the age of eight, she left Guatemala to spend her teenage years in Europe, where she learned to speak French and Italian. After her return to America, she studied at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City, where she majored in ballet. At age 19, she went to Geneva, Switzerland, to participate in the Grand Théâtre de Genève ballet company. Career Leschin returned to America and began acting in television films and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wilfredo Hernández
Wilfredo Hernández (25 May 1950 - 19 February 1990) was a Puerto Rican actor. Filmography Films *'' The French Connection'' (1971) - (uncredited) *'' Marathon Man'' (1976) - Street Gang #5 *'' Short Eyes'' (1977) - Cha Cha *''Oliver's Story'' (1978) - Community Activist *''Deal of the Century'' (1983) - Rojas *''8 Million Ways to Die'' (1986) - Hector Lopez Television *''Voyagers!'' (1982) - Manuel *''Tales of the Gold Monkey'' (1982) - Moro Aid *''Hill Street Blues'' (1985) - Santiago's Buddy *''Stingray'' (1985, TV Movie) - Purser *'' Matlock'' (1988-1989) *''Falcon Crest'' (1989) - Francisco *''El Diablo'' (1990, TV Movie) - El Matador *''Adam 12 ''Adam-12'' is an American television police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed as they patrol the stre ...'' (1990, TV Series) - Gunman (final appearance) References External links ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tommy Lister
Tommy Deebo "Tiny" Lister Jr. (born Thomas Duane Lister Jr.; June 24, 1958 – December 10, 2020) was an American character actor and occasional professional wrestler known for his roles as the neighborhood bully Deebo in the 1995 film ''Friday'', its 2000 sequel and as President Lindberg in ''The Fifth Element''. He had two short professional wrestling stints, with Hulk Hogan in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) after appearing as Zeus in the 1989 film '' No Holds Barred'' and resuming the feud as Z-Gangsta in 1996 for World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He was born with a detached and deformed retina and was blind in his right eye, which drooped, a unique look that he turned to his advantage in film. He played in both comedies and dramas, usually cast as 'the heavy/big bully'. Early life Lister was born on June 24, 1958, in Compton, California, to Thomas Duane Lister and Mildred (Edwards) Lister. Since his birth, he had a deformed and detached retina in his right eye, ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalan architect from Spain known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works have a highly individualized, ''sui generis'' style. Most are located in Barcelona, including his main work, the church of the Sagrada Família. Gaudí's work was influenced by his passions in life: architecture, nature, and religion. He considered every detail of his creations and integrated into his architecture such crafts as ceramics, stained glass, wrought ironwork forging and carpentry. He also introduced new techniques in the treatment of materials, such as ''trencadís'' which used waste ceramic pieces. Under the influence of neo-Gothic art and Oriental techniques, Gaudí became part of the ''Modernista'' movement which was reaching its peak in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work transcended mainstream ''Modernisme'', culminating in an organic style inspired by natural forms. Gaudí rarely dre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Randy Brooks (actor)
Frederick Randolph Brooks (born January 30, 1950) is an American television and film actor known for his role as L.A.P.D. Detective Holdaway in the 1992 hit cult film ''Reservoir Dogs''. Brooks also starred in the 1988 hit drama film ''Colors''. Brooks is also well known in the soap opera community; he starred on ''Generations'' in 1990 as Eric Royal, on ''The Young and the Restless'' as Nathan Hastings from 1992–95, on '' Another World'' as Marshall Lincoln Kramer from 1994–95, and on ''All My Children'' as Hayes Grady in 1996. He has starred in a couple of short-lived television series, including '' Brothers and Sisters'' in 1979, ''The Renegades'' in 1983, and ''Emerald Point N.A.S.'' in 1983. Brooks has made many guest appearances on many television shows, including '' One Day at a Time'', ''The Fall Guy'', '' In the Heat of the Night'', '' The White Shadow'', ''Hill Street Blues'', ''Hunter'', ''21 Jump Street'', ''Murder, She Wrote'', ''Family Law'', and ''J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Funicular
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, which is looped over a pulley at the upper end of the track. The result of such a configuration is that the two carriages move synchronously: as one ascends, the other descends at an equal speed. This feature distinguishes funiculars from inclined elevators, which have a single car that is hauled uphill. The term ''funicular'' derives from the Latin word , the diminutive of , meaning 'rope'. Operation In a funicular, both cars are permanently connected to the opposite ends of the same cable, known as a ''haul rope''; this haul rope runs through a system of pulleys at the upper end of the line. If the railway track is not perfectly straight, the cable is guided along the track using sheaves – unpowered pulleys tha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international mutual aid fellowship of alcoholics dedicated to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through its spiritually-inclined Twelve Step program. Following its Twelve Traditions, AA is non-professional, non-denominational, as well as apolitical and unaffiliated. In 2020 AA estimated its worldwide membership to be over two million with 75% of those in the U.S. and Canada. Despite viewing the disease model of alcoholism as an outside issue on which it has no opinion, AA is commonly associated with its popularity since many of its members took a large role in spreading it. Regarding its effectiveness, a 2020 scientific review saw clinical interventions encouraging increased AA participation resulting in higher abstinence rates over other clinical interventions while probably reducing health costs. AA marks 1935 for its start when Bill Wilson (Bill W.) first commiserated alcoholic to alcoholic with Bob Smith (Dr. Bob) who, along wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matthew Scudder
Matthew (Matt) Scudder is a fictional character who appears in novels by American crime writer Lawrence Block. Fictional biography Scudder debuted in 1976's ''The Sins of the Fathers'' as an alcoholic ex-cop who had recently quit the NYPD and left his family after accidentally causing the death of a young girl. Living in a rent-controlled hotel room in Hell's Kitchen, he earns his living as an unlicensed private investigator—or, as he puts it, "doing favors for friends." The fifth entry, 1982's ''Eight Million Ways to Die'' concludes with Scudder introducing himself at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Block planned to end the series there, but a promise he'd made to supply an editor friend with an original short story resulted in "By the Dawn's Early Light," a story set during Scudder's drinking days in the 1970s (Abe Beame is mentioned as New York mayor) but told from the perspective of a recovering addict. The story won a Shamus Award for best short story of 1985. Block ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
