No one should ever attempt to play any of the roles of Charles Bronson, because no one can stand up to that level of comparison. But if any man can, it would be Cuneyt Arkin, the dizzying battling star of many a Yesilcam film, playing in everything from movies influenced by Star Wars (Dunyayi Kurtaran Adam), Rambo (Vahsi Kan), ninja movies (Olum Savassisi AKA Death Warrior), Mad Max (Olume Son Adim) and the magic that is Kilic Aslan AKA The Sword and The Claw and Lionman.
Here, he's making Death Wish 2 and if it were anyone else, I would be enraged.
Instead, I'm overwhelmed by just how right this is.
Co-directed and co-written by Arkin, who worked with Remzi Jonturk on the filming and Mehmet Aydin on the writing, this is a down and dirty shot on video remake remix rip-off of one of Michael Winner's most nihilistic and mean-spirited movies. It has all the beats - yes, the assault scene; yes, the daughter jumps out the window although we don't see the gory result - and ends with Arkin using a blackjack and a knife to get the revenge that must be his.
The three punks that ruin Arkin's life in this are the weirdest movie punks you've ever seen. They sport strange bushy hair, nonsensical jewelry and hang out in clubs that look like an abandoned Chess King. This movie also has some of the oddest soundtrack picks this side of Godfrey Ho with just as much concern for copyright and by that I mean absolutely zero.
From Arkin's daughter dancing to a synth version of "Memory" from Cats and an appearance of the theme from Chariots of Fire to Michael Sambello's "Maniac," Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger," Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill," Michael Cretu's "Samurai," the bad guys using "Go Home" by Stevie Wonder for their theme and, perhaps most wonderfully, a long disco bar scene set to Chrissie Hynde and UB40's "I Got You Babe," this movie reminds me of one of Negativland's best lessons: Copyright infringement is your best entertainment value.
Here, he's making Death Wish 2 and if it were anyone else, I would be enraged.
Instead, I'm overwhelmed by just how right this is.
Co-directed and co-written by Arkin, who worked with Remzi Jonturk on the filming and Mehmet Aydin on the writing, this is a down and dirty shot on video remake remix rip-off of one of Michael Winner's most nihilistic and mean-spirited movies. It has all the beats - yes, the assault scene; yes, the daughter jumps out the window although we don't see the gory result - and ends with Arkin using a blackjack and a knife to get the revenge that must be his.
The three punks that ruin Arkin's life in this are the weirdest movie punks you've ever seen. They sport strange bushy hair, nonsensical jewelry and hang out in clubs that look like an abandoned Chess King. This movie also has some of the oddest soundtrack picks this side of Godfrey Ho with just as much concern for copyright and by that I mean absolutely zero.
From Arkin's daughter dancing to a synth version of "Memory" from Cats and an appearance of the theme from Chariots of Fire to Michael Sambello's "Maniac," Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger," Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill," Michael Cretu's "Samurai," the bad guys using "Go Home" by Stevie Wonder for their theme and, perhaps most wonderfully, a long disco bar scene set to Chrissie Hynde and UB40's "I Got You Babe," this movie reminds me of one of Negativland's best lessons: Copyright infringement is your best entertainment value.
