Here is a great new movie to share: two incredible actors working for one of the most eclectic Writer/Directors in film…and of course, it comes with a bit of controversy!
Talk About “Dog Eat Dog!”
Nicolas Cage and Willem Dafoe star in “Dog Eat Dog” for Director Paul Schrader.
Schrader is no stranger to controversy in his career, but here is a social media post he shared discussing what happened with his 2014 collaboration with Nicolas Cage:
“The Angel Dust Of Crime Fiction!”
Talk about saying it like it is! It’s well known that the film was taken away from Schrader, and he disavowed the final release. He also reached out to Nicolas Cage to ask him for another collaboration, this time to “get it right!”
The result of that call is “Dog Eat Dog”, based on the 1995 novel of same name by Edward Bunker, the late great Writer – and “Mr. Blue” in Quentin Tarantino’s classic crime drama “Reservoir Dogs!”
So Schrader had great material to work with, and two great Actors that he’s collaborated with before. Here is the trailer….
The plot is simple: A crew of ex-cons are hired by a Cleveland mafioso to kidnap the baby of a rival mobster. From there, things spin quickly out of control.
This is Schrader’s third collaboration with Nicolas Cage – Schrader previously wrote Scorsese’s “Bringing Out the Dead” as well as the controversial “Dying of the Light”.
This is the 7th collaboration between Paul Schrader and Willem Dafoe!
Schrader’s Movie Debut!
Here is great trivia from IMDB:
“Paul Schrader said he approached Michael Wincott, Michael Douglas, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Nick Nolte, Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum and Rupert Everett for the role of Greco the Greek, but it didn’t work out with any of them. In the end, to avoid going over budget, he played the role himself in what will be his acting debut!”
Director Paul Schrader has an incredible career: getting off to an iconic start when he wrote this screenplay:
Taxi Driver!
One of the greatest films ever was full of great dialogue and powerfully violent scenes…see how they celebrated the 40th anniversary of Travis Bickle here:
Of course, Schrader directed one of the most controversial films of the 70’s as well:
Hardcore
This movie was filmed in actual XXX-rated shops in LA and San Francisco, as a midwest Businessman goes looking for his missing daughter…see the powerful trailer here:
Schrader also directed “American Gigolo” with Richard Here, and the intense “Cat People” remake in the mid-80’s…he also directed one of the first stars I ever worked with:
“Auto Focus”
Paul Schrader told the sordid story of Actor Bob Crane, whose obsession with porn – and women – was his downfall. Willem Dafoe is amazing in this film, as is Greg Kinnear, who I worked with when he hosted “Talk Soup” on E!
Here is a look at this great film, one of three neglected movies you should check out:
Schrader never shied away from controversial subject matter, which is why this film got so much attention upon release a few years ago:
“The Canyons” was Lindsay Lohan’s comeback attempt, and another controversial film from Schrader. See the trailer and find out why the casting of this film was so controversial:
Looks great. Dafoe seems to be on fire in that clip, and I always like him anyway.
This is one of my favourites, and the same collaboration of Schrader and Dafoe. You probably know it, but I think it is greatly underrated. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102307/
Best wishes, Pete.
“slow and atmospheric” are missing from a lot of films today, they never take a beat to let this important cinematic elements sink in….I can’t wait to see it!
You can't take the Scotland out of a girl... Reel entertainment reviews and more from that Darlin Husband’s Scottish, square-eyed and film-mad wife living in Finland.
johnrieber 
Looks great. Dafoe seems to be on fire in that clip, and I always like him anyway.
This is one of my favourites, and the same collaboration of Schrader and Dafoe. You probably know it, but I think it is greatly underrated.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102307/
Best wishes, Pete.
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Pete, I know OF it, but haven’t seen it! This will prompt me to correct that cinematic error! Thanks for you comment!
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It’s a slow, atmospheric piece, very much of its time. Sarandon is very good too.
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“slow and atmospheric” are missing from a lot of films today, they never take a beat to let this important cinematic elements sink in….I can’t wait to see it!
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