Runtime: 92 glorious minutes
Directed by: Craig R. Baxley
Starring: Brian Bosworth, Lance Henriksen, William Forsythe, Arabella Holzbog, Sam McMurray
From: Stone Group Pictures/Vision International
So, do people know that MICHAEL DOUGLAS was one of the producers of Stone Cold?!
Yesterday, discussion on a messageboard informed me that there was briefly a Starman TV show based on the film; there was no memory of that. While I was 5 and 6 when it was on, the show was one I’ve never seen discussed. I learned that Douglas was an executive producer; I went to the IMDb and discovered that he was also a producer for the Starman movie, which made me look at his other producer credits.
Of course I knew of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and how his dad wanted to make it for years. I did not know that he produced this AND Double Impact… yes, the Van Damme movie! According to the database, he was credited on Impact but not on this. Who knew? No better time to finally discuss Stone Cold, I say. I rate it highly only because it’s a hysterical movie that’s technically bad yet has legit talent involved along w/ an amazing-looking former football player who became famous in college for his great look & personality… despite flaming out in the NFL, Brian “The Boz” Bosworth and his mullet appeared in a few 90’s movies.
Stone Cold gives the impression of a parody of a loud, stupid period B-action film, except that the constantly loud, absurd, aggro nonsense was entirely sincere. The Boz played Joe Huff, a loose cannon cop who is forced by the FBI to go undercover in an Aryan Brotherhood biker gang; he has many arrests of bikers, you see. Those bikers not only work with the Mafia, they want to assassinate the judges at the Supreme Court of Mississippi to save one of their members.
Everything about the film is absurd, including our hero and his spectacular head of hair; that’s why Douglas producing something so loud & filled w/ gratuitous nudity is incredible. Those that enjoy period B-action films, however… this is a must. It delivers on the entertainment, whether due to absurdity, the oversized personalities, the macho attitude, the scenarios, the action. No wonder the film is still a cult favorite in those circles. The talents of both Lance Henriksen and William Forsythe as the biker leader and his main henchmen-what a homoerotic relationship they have!-were key assets, especially with the inexperience of Bosworth.
There were some other faces I recognized, from “that guy” actors to Tom Magee, a powerlifter/strongman who had a great look/athleticism and tried pro wrestling but didn’t have the mind for it. He’s the guy who looks like Kenny Omega!
No matter what you think of the rest, action fans need to see the climax; the conclusion delivers in spades. That is OOT in the best ways. Amazing to think that The Boz later went into the world of religious film (it’s a world I probably should avoid; it might be like kicking a hornet’s nest!) and also appearing in Dr. Pepper ads themed around college football that I think are brutally unfunny & stupid yet many seem to love.
For a film that had to replace its director Bruce Malmuth due to allegedly him “being in no condition to direct” (yet his son is still in Stone Cold) and stuntman/director Craig R. Baxley serving as the replacement, I’m glad this was finally discussed by me. I’m also glad that sometime in the future, Stone Cold will be released in 4K.
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