Cliffhanger
Summary
With just over three decades since the picture first shoot theaters , Renny Harlin reflects on how David Bowie was almost cast as the villain of Sylvester Stallone’sCliffhanger . The 1993 movie sawStallone starring as Gabe Walker , a former mountain climbing iron and rescue ranger who must overcome his preceding injury of losing his girl during a rescue attempt when a group of thief undertake to rob a U.S. Treasury plane flee through the Rocky Mountains . Also starring John Lithgow and Michael Rooker , the movie saw in general favourable review , but was a box seat office belt , gross over $ 255 million against its $ 70 million budget .
During a recent interview withSlashFilmforThe alien : Chapter 1 ’s firing , Harlin was asked about the casting operation forCliffhanger ’s villain . With Lithgow having noted in a anterior interview that Christopher Walken was antecedently attached before he come onboard , the managing director depart on to reflect on his nigh - molding of David Bowie for the role of Eric Qualen , namely that it " was very close " to happening , only for his hope of down Bowie to fall through . Check out what Harlin share below :
[ Y]our protagonist is only as stiff as the antagonist , the bad guy . If the speculative guy is a unsuccessful person , then there ’s nothing heroic for the hero to do . And I always look for something special , something to make [ … ] the bad cat [ not just a ] moustache - twirling guy cable who is just get going to blow up the whole macrocosm with a nuclear arm — and loves doing it — but to find something special .
My ambition frame to play the bad guy in Cliffhanger was David Bowie . And I follow him intemperately . I recollect going to New York to take on with him and blab about the movie unceasingly , [ and ] it was very skinny , but I think maybe he had a tour or something happen that the agenda did n’t work out . So David Bowie did n’t bet the spoilt cat .
Why Lithgow Was Ultimately The Perfect Choice For Cliffhanger
At the meter of the picture ’s maturation , Bowie had found himself primarily focalize on his music after the ' 80s saw him branch out into the humanity of represent in a major way , namely with his iconic turn ofJareth the Goblin King inLabyrinth . When also factoring in his turns in Tony Scott’sThe Hungerand John Landis’Into the Night , there was clearly plenty of chance for the tardy Golden Globe nominee and Emmy winner to make for a compelling adversary to Stallone ’s submarine sandwich .
On the other side of the coin is the fact thatLithgow ’s performance as QualeninCliffhangerultimately remains one of the better - received elements of the movie . The two - time Oscar campaigner direct the opportunity to manducate up every scrap of scenery he was given as the psychopathological drawing card of the group of thieves , keeping interview both dependent and exhilarate as he ofttimes proved to be both an healthy and bestial adversary to the central character reference .
1993 ’s Cliffhanger is an frequently - forgotten Sylvester Stallone activity pic , and that ’s tragical . Here are 10 fascinating fact that may not have make out .
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The physicality ask for a Stallone - head picture also made Lithgow the more viable pick forCliffhanger ’s baddie . While one could argue that Bowie ’s more slender frame would have try out a more unparalleled subversion of this chemical formula , it did come during the superlative of Stallone ’s blockbuster stardom , when audience both anticipate and wanted to see him go up against the next big , impose activity villain . As such , while Bowie would likely have made for one of Stallone ’s more fascinating antagonists , Lithgow was ultimately the practiced selection .
germ : SlashFilm
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Cast
Cliffhanger , directed by Renny Harlin , trace former ranger Gabe Walker as he confronts his past on a treacherous peak . ab initio returning to aid stranded climbers , Walker discovers they are hijacker searching for confused money , complicating an already perilous rescue mission .
Cliffhanger, directed by Renny Harlin, follows former ranger Gabe Walker as he confronts his past on a treacherous peak. Initially returning to aid stranded climbers, Walker discovers they are hijackers searching for lost money, complicating an already perilous rescue mission.
