It seems like all of my movies are popping up on TV in the UK. A strange second life for them, a decade after they were made.
Latest is HARD EVIDENCE, which ends up being my favorite of all the things that got slapped on film by default. It's poorly directed, the director also added a bunch of sex scenes (which may or may not be in the UK TV print) and shooting in Vancouver kind of screwed up the hell-hole Mexican prison angle in the script (being thrown in a Canadian prison doesn't sound nearly as bad), but they filmed what I wrote. When the characters open their mouths, my words come out. Though it's filmed in the least exciting way possible, the actors do what the characters did in the script. The twists are all there. Though nobody ever got any of the film refs - they are in the movie! The mistress lives at #17... the title of a Hitchcock film!
This film is from Warner Bros, but *not* available on DVD in the USA. I have no idea why. It was a huge rental hit on VHS, #7 in the USA when it was released.
Anyway - here's when to see it if you like in the UK. Any questions about the film will be gladly answered.
Hard Evidence (Film)
Starting: 18:30 on Wednesday 26th September. Duration: 2 hours
Showing on True Movies.
Hard Evidence (Film)
Starting: 12:30 on Friday 28th September. Duration: 2 hours
Showing on True Movies.
Hard Evidence (Film)
Starting: 12:00 on Saturday 29th September. Duration: 2 hours
Showing on True Movies 2.
Hard Evidence (Film)
Starting: 16:00 on Sunday 30th September. Duration: 2 hours
Showing on True Movies 2.
By the way, the film is not based on a true story, so I have no idea why it's on True Movies. Maybe it was part of some package of TV movies sold to them?
- Bill
8 comments:
Hey Bill,
I had a couple of questions for you. First, do you get residuals when your movies are played in foreign markets and secondly, were you ever on the set during the shooting of the movie? Judging from your critical comments, it sounds as if your opinion wasn't solicited!
True movies is 323 or thereabouts on Sky. My son is putting it in my personal planner for me.
Thanks for the heads up Bill. That's a definitive watch.
Oooh! That's Colin Cunningham! I love him.
Answers:
1) Foreign resids are a flate rate, based on either the amount paid by distrib, I think. So a few years ago many of my films were resold and I got a chunk of cash.
2) Um, no one ever asks the screenwriter anything. Until a couple of contracts ago, we weren't even allowed on the set! Even today, when we are allowed on set, they basically want us to keep our mouths shut and stay out of their way. Once you sell the script, it's theirs... not yours. Though I've been on set for many of my films (staying out of the way), this one was shot in Vancouver... and they weren't paying to fly me there.
3) C.C. is great. You may know him from STARGATE, but he was unknown when they made this... and totally stole this film. He nailed the part - a giggling villian - and was *really* frightening. It's strange - you write a role and see it in your mind, but it almost never ends up that way on screen. In this case, he became the guy I created *exactly*. There's this scene where he's joking with the lead, then suddenly slaps him *hard* on the face. Written that way in the script, but I was afraid an actor wouldn't be able to figure out there was no segue between joking and anger and would drop the joking. Nope. He just snaps - suddenly becoming a monster. Great stuff...
Not on DVD.
- Bill
I hate to say this but there is another 'Hard Evidence' flick out there. Well, another two if you include the porn flick mentioned on IMDB. The one showing on True Movies in the UK isn't your film. This one is truly terrible in so many ways but if you’re interested please follow the link below to look it up. Mind you, I really wouldn’t bother; the film is such a waste of videotape.
http://www.cduniverse.com/
images.asp?pid=7326274&cart
=603549268&style=movie&image=
front&title=Hard+Evidence+DVD
I would advise not watching it as it is more predictable than me, a packet of cigarettes and a lighter.
What a shame, I was looking forward to seeing one of your films being a constant visitor to your site, which is wonderful. Thanks for all the help anyway, it's very inspiring!
That sucks!
- Bill
That does suck...I'd much rather watch Bill's film.
I wish I'd read these comments before sitting down to watch 'Hard Evidence' on Friday afternoon! I was thinking 'this is Georgia, not Vancouver', 'where's the hell-hole prison?'.
Bummer.
Glad that the piece of cr*p they showed wasn't your work; I would've been very upset.
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