John Wayne

How John Carpenter’s Assault On Precinct 13 Remade John Wayne’s Rio Bravo

Here’s how John Carpenter’s Assault On Precinct 13 remade John Wayne Western classic Rio Bravo. Carpenter grew up during the ’50s and came to fall in love with both Westerns and horror movies. In fact, he stated his urge to become a filmmaker largely stemmed from wanting to direct Westerns.
Unfortunately, the genre had declined to the point where few Westerns were being produced by major studios by the time his career began. His breakthrough Halloween – which he co-wrote, scored and helmed – was a landmark that also somewhat left him typecast in horror. While he branched out with the occasional comedy (Memoirs Of An Invisible Man) or love story (Starman), even they contained some sci-fi or horror elements to them.

John Carpenter’s movies always managed to sneak his love for Westerns into them. Vampires is arguably the closest he came to the genre, with its amoral anti-heroes and dusty desert locales, while They Live begins with Roddy Piper’s nameless drifter wandering into L.A. to clean it up. One of Carpenter’s personal favorites is Rio Bravo, a 1959 Western starring John Wayne, Dean Martin and Angie Dickinson. The story sees Wayne’s sheriff holding onto a dangerous prisoner, with the latter’s rich brother Burdette paying gunmen to try and break him out of an isolated jail and kill whoever gets in their way. Wayne made Rio Bravo as a rebuke to 1952 classic High Noon, and with 1976’s Assault On Precinct 13, Carpenter sought to tell a similiar story his own way.
Carpenter’s Assault On Precinct 13 & Ghosts Of Mars Riff On Rio Bravo

The film sees a near-supernatural street gang lay siege to an isolated, nearly closed down police station. Of course, on the surface Rio Bravo and Assault On Precinct 13 don’t share much in common. The latter is set in the ’70s and is much darker and grittier than Wayne’s film. Instead of being a straight siege movie, Rio Bravo is oddly leisurely in its pacing. Much of the story is Wayne’s sheriff hanging out with his oddball assortment of allies or awkwardly romancing Dickinson’s Feathers, with the occasional action scene thrown in. One of the most important elements of Assault On Precinct 13 – where the cops and criminals are forced to work together – is completely absent from Rio Bravo (a favorite of Quentin Tarantino too).
That said, the two films share DNA. Assault On Precinct 13 took its central conceit of protecting a jail from Rio Bravo, with Carpenter using the pseudonym “John T. Chance” – the name of Wayne’s sheriff – for his editing credit. Laurie Zimmer’s Leigh is named after Rio Bravo screenwriter Leigh Brackett, who also fits into the strong “Hawksian” woman archetype of director Howard Hawks. The scene where blood drips on a police car is another Rio Bravo nod, where a wounded killer accidentally reveals his position to Dean Martin’s deputy when his blood drips down from the ceiling.
Even the finale where Wayne’s sheriff uses some dynamite to root out the rest of the outlaws is remixed in Assault On Precinct 13, where an oxygen tank is used during a desperate last stand. Rio Bravo got a trilogy of sorts, as it was essentially remade twice with El Dorado and Rio Lobo, which offered slight variations on the same story beats. Carpenter did the same with Ghosts Of Mars, which could be dubbed “Assault On Precinct 13 In Space!” It sees a remote outpost under siege by Martian-possessed miners, with a cop and criminal having to work together to survive the night. The latter also offered Jason Statham his first action role, but despite rumors, it was never supposed to be a third Snake Plissken movie.

John Wayne

The Legend Lives On: John Wayne is Still Alive!

In a world where legends never fade, we can’t help but wonder: what if John Wayne, the iconic figure of American cinema, is still with us in spirit? The Duke, known for his larger-than-life roles and undeniable charisma, continues to inspire generations.

From his unforgettable performances in classics like “True Grit” and “The Searchers” to his indomitable spirit, Wayne’s essence is woven into the fabric of Hollywood and American culture. His rugged persona, moral fortitude, and unwavering courage resonate deeply, reminding us of the values he embodied.

While we may not see him on the silver screen today, Wayne’s legacy lives on through the countless actors he inspired and the stories he helped tell. His films are timeless, bringing joy and adventure to audiences around the world.

So, as we celebrate the enduring impact of John Wayne, let’s keep his spirit alive in our hearts. Whether you’re watching one of his classics or sharing a favorite quote, remember that the legend of John Wayne will never truly die. Here’s to the Duke—forever a part of our cinematic history!

John Wayne

Why John Wayne Turned Down the Chance to Work With Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood and John Wayne are the two biggest legends in the history of Western movies, however, they never worked together. The duo did have the opportunity to work together once in the 1970s. Here’s why the film never came to fruition.

How John Wayne responded when Clint Eastwood tried to work with him

Firstly, a little background. According to the book John Wayne: The Life and Legend, it all starts with Larry Cohen. Though Cohen is not a widely known director like Steven Spielberg or Quentin Tarantino, he’s a huge name to fans of B movies. He directed famous B movies like The Stuff, Q: The Winged Serpent, It’s Alive, and God Told Me To. He also wrote a script called The Hostiles shortly after Eastwood released his classic High Plains Drifter.

The Hostiles was about a gambler who wins half of an estate of an older man. The gambler and the older man have to work together despite the fact that they don’t like each other. Eastwood optioned the screenplay with the intent of playing the gambler alongside Wayne as the older man.

Eastwood sent a copy of the script of The Hostiles to Wayne. Although Eastwood felt the script was imperfect, he saw its potential. However, Wayne was not interested. Eastwood pitched the film to Wayne a second time and Wayne responded with a letter. Wayne’s letter complained about High Plains Drifter. Wayne was offended by the film and its portrayal of the Old West as a cruel, violent place.

John Wayne

Ann-Margret Refused to Call John Wayne ‘Duke’ While Introducing 1 of His Movies

Ann-Margret once starred in one of John Wayne’s lesser-known movies. However, she refused to call him by his popular moniker Duke. Here’s a look at the film they made together — and why she declined to call him by a nickname.

The one time Ann-Margret and John Wayne made a movie together

Ann-Margret is probably most known for her work in musicals, specifically Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, and The Who’s Tommy. However, she also dabbled in the Western genre. She starred alongside Wayne in the mostly forgotten movie The Train Robbers.

Wayne was also known as The Duke or just Duke. According to USA Today, the nickname was derived from his childhood dog. It stuck with him for many years. It continues to be used today — even on the box covers of the DVDs for his movies.

John Wayne | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

During an interview with Interview Magazine, Ann-Margret explained why she didn’t refer to the Rio Bravo star by this famous name. “When I came to this country, first of all, mother and I didn’t know English,” she said. “I would curtsey, then say, ‘Thank you,’ and then when I was leaving, curtsey. For example, we went to Dallas to introduce a film I did with John Wayne. And I never called him Duke. I just couldn’t. That’s the way I was raised. When you meet someone, you say either Mr. or Mrs. or Miss. You stand up.”

Ann-Margret revealed she treated other famous people in much the same way. For example, she worked with director George Sidney on Bye Bye Birdie and Viva Las Vegas. She always called him Mr. Sidney.

What Ann-Margret thought about John Wayne

Ann-Margret refused to use Wayne’s most famous moniker. However, she had a positive view of the actor. During an interview with Fox News, she was asked what she expected when she met Wayne. “Oh, I didn’t know what to expect,” she revealed. “But when he hugged me, it’s like the world was hugging me. He was so big and wide with that booming voice.

“We were shooting in Durango, Mexico and my parents came down to visit me,” she added. “He was so great with my parents. So absolutely welcoming and gentle with them. And anybody who was great to my parents was on a throne in my eyes.”

How the world reacted to ‘The Train Robbers’

Wayne starred in many classic Westerns, including The Searchers, Stagecoach, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. However, The Train Robbers is mostly forgotten. It didn’t gain a cult following like Once Upon a Time in the West or Dead Man. It wasn’t a critical success either, garnering a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, Ann-Margret had some fond memories of making the film — even if she refused to call Wayne by his famous nickname.