Not Always a Paycheck - 3/29/2014

Sometimes I wonder how certain actors get involved in certain projects. Max von Sydow, for instance. In 1980, he appeared as Ming the Merciless in the camp classic Flash Gordon. A horrible, awful, wonderful movie that shouldn't have been able to get an actor of his caliber. Max also played the villain (Brewmeister Smith) in The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew. Also a wonderfully fun movie, but not something you would usually associate with a serious actor like von Sydow. He obviously enjoyed both roles enormously, though.

Of course, a lot of the time, the answer to the question is 'paycheck'. Even the mightiest actors need them, and will sometimes take roles that make no sense or are in truly worthless movies for that very reason. But not always.

The best example of that side of things that I know is Raúl Juliá. Somewhere back in the mists of video game history (I'm talking arcade games here, standup machines) there began a series known as Street Fighter. It was a fun series of games, involving unique characters battling each other one-on-one for points and glory. While just as iconic as Mortal Kombat, it is not quite as well known, but still has a large popularity.

And they turned it into a movie. A poorly-written, poorly produced, directed, shot, edited movie that failed to capture any of the fun of the game and makes the Mortal Kombat movie look like a tour-de-force. Except for the villain.

Raúl Juliá knew this was a bad movie when he signed up. But his kids were fans of the games, and he knew it was likely to be his last or near-to-last movie. So he goes into that horrible movie to play the villain M. Bison. And. Hams. It. Up. Chews scenery, goes over the top so far he goes over it a second time and basically is the only good thing about the movie.

He is obviously having fun, lots of it. And his kids get to go to school and say their dad is M. Bison. Don't believe me? Here's the movie.

That is how to be a dad, and to say goodbye. A salute to you, Raúl, that's the way it should be done.

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