Caffeinated Clint
If the potential casting of Russell Crowe as Richard Burton (in Ron Howard’s “Rush””) isn’t enough to erect a smile, this bit of actor signage might be :
Werner Herzog, the big-time filmmaker whose spent many-a-year trying to get as far away as he can from the big studio fare, has enlisted to ‘play’ the villain in the new Tom Cruise movie “One Shot”.
The “Rescue Dawn” and “Bad Lieutenant : Port of Call New Orleans” director will play The Zec, described as an “ageless and shadowy figure”, in the Christopher McQuarrie written-directed film.
The Hollywood Reporter says :
The project, an adaptation of a 2005 Lee Child novel, centers on Jack Reacher (Cruise), an ex-Army cop who gets sucked into the mystery surrounding the arrest of a sniper accused of killing five people in a shooting.
Herzog will play The Zec, a character described as an “ageless and shadowy figure,” according to sources. It is the German director’s first major onscreen role.
Of course Herzog isn’t the only filmmaker to come out from behind the camera to play a major role in a movie. Quentin Tarantino reguarly appears in his own movies (“Pulp Fiction”, “Reservoir Dogs”), as well as other peoples movies (“Destiny Turns on the Radio”); Roman Polanski is remembered for the role he played in the film “Chinatown”; Martin Scorsese appeared in his own “Taxi Driver”; David Cronenberg was a part of Clive Barker’s “Nightbreed” movie, among others; and of course M.Night Shyamalan barely makes a movie unless he feels there’s an acting part in it for him too.
Still, Herzog’s casting in “One Shot” has spurred my interest in this flick even more… it’s just a marvellous bit of casting.
