Monte Hellman dead

[zomgmouse]

Huge name in 60s/70s American independent filmmaking. Made a couple of early films with Jack Nicholson - Ride in the Whirlwind and The Shooting. Also made the classic existentialist road movie Two-Lane Blacktop. Been meaning to see more of his stuff.

[Keebleman]

Credited as an executive producer on Reservoir Dogs too.  I wonder if he was originally slated to direct?

[sevendaughters]

Cockfighter and Two-Lane Blacktop are outstanding. Not seen anything else, really should remedy that.

[chveik]

his last one was dogshit but i love Two-Lane Blacktop to bits and The Shooting isn't bad either

RIP

[Ant Farm Keyboard]

Credited as an executive producer on Reservoir Dogs too.  I wonder if he was originally slated to direct?

He was interested. Tarantino was a huge fan, sent him a copy of the script, while he was completely unknown, and Hellman offered to direct, but Tarantino wanted to do it himself. As Hillman had shown the script to his producer on Silent Night, Deadly Night 3, Richard Gladstein, he was instrumental into getting funds for the project. Gladstein has since been involved with a few other Tarantino films, lately on The Hateful Eight, and with Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.

Hellman staged the first production in California (or Los Angeles) of Waiting for Godot.
He was also in negotiations to direct Robocop, but he was turned down, as he was regarded as too contemplative for the action scenes (or that's what he said). He ended up being called back when the production went behind schedule... to be the uncredited second unit director on action scenes.

[Ignatius_S]

Cockfighter and Two-Lane Blacktop are outstanding. Not seen anything else, really should remedy that.

The Shooting is a very, interesting Western - I saw first part of it very late night/ early morning on TV and it took me quite a while to work out what it was called and longer to track it down; it's one that I really rate. Slightly earlier, he did another Western that featured Jack Nicholson, Ride in the Whirlwind (which the actor also wrote) and one that I liked.

A little while ago, I caught Beast from Haunted Cave on TV; I think on Talking Pictures. Hellman's first film - it's a very low-budget, quickly shot horror/gangster film. Not a great work, but I rather enjoyed it and now and then, thought there were some nice touches, IIRC.

[Ignatius_S]

He was interested. Tarantino was a huge fan, sent him a copy of the script, while he was completely unknown, and Hellman offered to direct, but Tarantino wanted to do it himself. As Hillman had shown the script to his producer on Silent Night, Deadly Night 3, Richard Gladstein, he was instrumental into getting funds for the project. Gladstein has since been involved with a few other Tarantino films, lately on The Hateful Eight, and with Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.

Hellman staged the first production in California (or Los Angeles) of Waiting for Godot.
He was also in negotiations to direct Robocop, but he was turned down, as he was regarded as too contemplative for the action scenes (or that's what he said). He ended up being called back when the production went behind schedule... to be the uncredited second unit director on action scenes.

Didn't know that!