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Doc Savage - Man of Bronze. Look who they've cast!

Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
in General Movies & TV Posts: 1,874
Back when I were a lad on Saturday afternoon TV was Tarzan played by Ron Ely, who became very famous in the role and then went on to star in Doc Savage: Man of Bronze, a worthy attempt at bringing DC to the big screen. For years now I've been thinking it is ripe for remake, and now it appears to be happening…but Dwayne Johnson has been cast!
Not the first person I'd think of casting in the role. Who do you think would have made a good Doc Savage?
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Comments

  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    edited May 2016 Posts: 6,432
    Funny I almost bought Doc Savage at the weekend though was not prepared to pay high price for a DVD, I saw the Rock news yesterday should be fun. I can't believe how many films the Rock is in, Doc Savage is near perfect for the Rock and with Shane Black will be great for sure.

    doc1.jpg

    ...vs Captain Seas
  • CraterGunsCraterGuns
    Posts: 618
    I've been a Doc Savage fan since, oh, about 1972 or so, when I was 10 years old.

    The 1975 film is absolutely terrible, true... but I'm not all that keen on Johnson's casting. I don't think Doc's stoic, Vulcan-like demeanor -- he keeps his emotions rigidly in check -- fit with Johnson's typical onscreen persona.

    However, I'd bet that the film would not have been given the green-light by Sony if not for Johnson's official casting in the role, since he's an internationally bankable star.

    We'll just have to wait and see.

    In the meantime, just two days ago Altus Press released the latest new book in their Wild Adventures of Doc Savage series, Glare of the Gorgon:
    https://amazon.com/Doc-Savage-Glare-Gorgon-Adventures-ebook/dp/B01FYL5554/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464704744&sr=1-1&keywords=doc+savage+glare+of+the+gorgon

    The majority of these new books -- written by Will Murray as "Kenneth Robeson" -- have been outstanding. As a lifelong Doc fan I have really enjoyed the hell out them! (Well, perhaps The Miracle Menace and Flight Into Fear not so much...)

    The great thing? Murray is the executor of the notes, outlines & unpublished manuscripts left behind by the original "Kenneth Robeson" (the late Lester Dent) as well as some of the other men who wrote the Doc Savage novels in the 1930s and '40s. In style and tone, they are virtually indistinguishable from the Doc stories published when FDR and Truman were in office -- except for being a tad longer.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I vaguely remember seeing one of the Tarzan episodes starring Ron Ely (I recognize him from that screen shot above) when I was a kid at a friend's house on VHS. It was an episode with Robert Loggia. I remember really enjoying it.
  • CraterGunsCraterGuns
    Posts: 618
    I should add that Ron Ely's portrayal of Doc Savage is definitely not the problem with the 1975 movie... In fact, he's probably the best thing about it.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited May 2016 Posts: 15,723
    Dwayne Johnson is going to be a busy man, as there are also growing rumours his Fast & Furious character will be getting a spinoff film in the near future.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Wow, so Ron Ely was the go-to guy in the 70s for playing famous pulp adventure heroes? Cool.

    I don't know much about Doc, but want to get into the books and films, eventually. I think The Rock is an interesting choice though, and one I can definitely see. The guy's a walking charm volcano that spews his charisma lava everywhere. It's hard to root against the guy, and with Shane Black on board, I think this project will impress people once a trailer is released. I think The Rock can play charming and light-hearted as well as hardened and stoic very well, so I think many will be pleasantly surprised going forward at how well he captures Doc's character. Just a glare from The Rock would intimidate me.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited May 2016 Posts: 15,723
    @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 judging from your avatar, it's more likely The Rock would be the one intimidated by a glare from you. ;)
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited May 2016 Posts: 28,694
    @DaltonCraig007, yeah, Sean is mighty intimidating there as well. Funnily enough, he looks Savage-ish with the filter I put on the photo that makes him look like he has the same bronze-toned skin as Doc. I think in his bodybuilding days with a little more meat on his bones, Sean couldn't played the character and done him justice, especially with how much raw intensity he was able to display to the camera. Many of his bodybuilding colleagues back in those days where the spitting image of Doc; men the size of brick houses with biceps the sizes of human heads that dwarfed most men they'd ever meet in their lives.

    If the casting of Johnson has one thing going for it is that he doesn't need any help looking imposing. He's a mountain of a man and truly intimidating. Here he is from the movie The Rundown, shown in a torn up and battle-worn shirt like the ones Doc is always drawn wearing:

    Beck-The-Rundown-The-Rock-Dwayne-Johnson-c.jpg

    I think he's got "it."

    All this Doc Savage talk is making me want to go draw him. I love sketching exaggerated, larger than life figures like him.
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited May 2016 Posts: 4,537
    The idea i get is that look like some mix of The Incredible Hulk and Roger Moore his Bond.

    If Robert Redford or Bruce Willis be younger, wil say there should get the part. Mabey Scott Eastwood have been better option then The Rock.
  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    edited May 2016 Posts: 6,432
    ron-ely-superman-superboy-series.jpg

    Ron Ely also played Superman, an older version of Superman from a parallel universe in the under rated Superboy
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,830
    The Rock is PERFECT for Savage! This is gonna be GOOD!
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Could any Savage fans here give me a bit of insight into his character, and what his stories usually involve? I really want to see if I'd be interested in the character and search out some books (he seems pretty interesting), but I don't really know what to expect from such adventures, beyond the obvious fact that they're in the pulp genre.
  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    Posts: 6,432
    Doc: Before we go... let us remember our code. Let us strive every moment of our lives to make ourselves better and better to the best of our ability so that all may profit by it. Let us think of the right and lend our assistance to all who may need it, with no regard for anything but justice. Let us take what comes with a smile, without loss of courage. Let us be considerate of our country, our fellow citizens, and our associates in everything we say and do. Let us do right to all - and wrong no man.

    This sums up Doc!
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,830
    The Rock is PERFECT for Savage! This is gonna be GOOD!
    fire_and_ice wrote: »
    Doc: Before we go... let us remember our code. Let us strive every moment of our lives to make ourselves better and better to the best of our ability so that all may profit by it. Let us think of the right and lend our assistance to all who may need it, with no regard for anything but justice. Let us take what comes with a smile, without loss of courage. Let us be considerate of our country, our fellow citizens, and our associates in everything we say and do. Let us do right to all - and wrong no man.
    "You'll be fighting every elected official in this country-!"
  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    edited June 2016 Posts: 6,432
    Superman and Batman took some inspiration from Doc, in Supermans case certainly the Incorruptible nobility.

    @chrisisall this is IMO the perfect role for The Rock, this could be a defining role for him.
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,022
    And the Fortress of Solitude.
  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    edited June 2016 Posts: 6,432
    23-5.jpg

    Edited: Been checking Doc Savage on Amazon Kindle, they are very cheap in comparison to paperback editions. Just bought Man of Bronze on Kindle for £1.79 good price, good place to start right at the beginning.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,830
    Okay, I'm psyched! New series to read!
  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    Posts: 6,432
    My thoughts exactly I know a bit about Doc though never read the comics, he is such a great character beauty of modern technology you can buy things that were difficult to get hold of back in the day.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,830

    fire_and_ice wrote: »
    My thoughts exactly I know a bit about Doc though never read the comics, he is such a great character beauty of modern technology you can buy things that were difficult to get hold of back in the day.

    I'm on a quest now.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doc_Savage
  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    edited June 2016 Posts: 6,432
    The period in which these comics were written and set certainly lends a great deal to the Adventures, looking forward to reading these comics the artwork on the first issue is good. I bookmarked that wiki page ;))
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I'm looking forward to this, My only knowledge of Doc, is from the old film, but
    This time hopefully they get it right :)
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    I'm hoping that it will be a 'period' piece and not updated. Am I going to be disappointed?
  • ColonelSunColonelSun
    Posts: 1,499
    Lancaster007 wrote: »
    I'm hoping that it will be a 'period' piece and not updated. Am I going to be disappointed?

    Black has insisted, against some studio pressure, not to update and keep Doc in the period he belongs. I've always loved Doc Savage. Read many of the books, "The Man with a Thousand Heads" and "Meteor Menace" are two of my favs. And, even though it's too spoofy, I still love the George Pal produced movie with Ron Ely. Have an original quad framed and hanging in my study.
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    Lancaster007 wrote: »
    I'm hoping that it will be a 'period' piece and not updated. Am I going to be disappointed?

    Black has insisted, against some studio pressure, not to update and keep Doc in the period he belongs. I've always loved Doc Savage. Read many of the books, "The Man with a Thousand Heads" and "Meteor Menace" are two of my favs. And, even though it's too spoofy, I still love the George Pal produced movie with Ron Ely. Have an original quad framed and hanging in my study.

    Ah, that is good news.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I agree, sounds good.
  • CraterGunsCraterGuns
    Posts: 618
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote: »
    Could any Savage fans here give me a bit of insight into his character, and what his stories usually involve?
    For five years (2007-2012), I blogged about Doc Savage and his pulp adventures at The Groovy Age of Horror -- a blog originally celebrating horror/sci-fi film and paperback books of the 1960s-'70s.

    I was just a contributor, not the controller of the blog... Gradually it transitioned into a blog dedicated to Italian "fumetti" porno comics. I didn't think Doc Savage and Italian porn were a good mix, so I stopped. The entries are still there, though, which include descriptions of the characters and reviews of some 30 or so of the novels.

    Here's a link to the Doc Savage stuff (only):
    groovyageofhorror.blogspot.com/search/label/SERIES%20Doc%20Savage?updated-max=2007-10-10T09:15:00-04:00&max-results=20&start=60&by-date=false

    NOTE: If you stay on the Doc pages you won't be subjected to any of the porn.

    Alternatively, you could check out a Bloody Pit podcast in which I participated in 2014, dedicated exclusively to the Doc Savage books and the 1975 movie:
    pitofrod.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-bloody-pit-17-doc-savage-man-of.html

    The page linked to above should have both an iTunes link (the podcast is free) and a direct-download MP3 link (also free).

    I hope these suggestions can assist you in discovering the kickass adventures of Doc Savage, Man of Bronze!
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited June 2016 Posts: 28,694
    Wow, @CraterGuns, many thanks for the links and info! I'll be sure to check it all out! One of my friends who I'll be seeing this coming week has spoken of Doc passionately before, so I'll rely on his expertise as well.

    What do you think of The Rock's casting, by the way? I'm interested in hearing the reactions of superfans.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,252
    While I like Dwayne Johnson a lot, I was hoping for this to be a post-Wolverine franchise for Jackman.
  • CraterGunsCraterGuns
    Posts: 618
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    What do you think of The Rock's casting, by the way?
    They certainly could have done worse, but I suppose I'll remain on the fence until I actually see the new movie... Nothing against Johnson, really, I just don't know if he can pull it off. Am willing to give him a chance, though -- that worked out pretty well with a guy named Daniel Craig when cast as James Bond in 2006.

    Over the past year or so I've come to think that British actor Tom Hopper would have been the ideal candidate for Doc Savage. (provided he could do an American accent).

    I watch the pirate show BLACK SAILS on Starz, in which Hopper plays Billy Bones. This is him -- and he is 6'5" tall:
    imdb.com/media/rm3140411392/nm2584392?ref_=nmmi_mi_all_sf_5

    He looks like Doc as described in the books, is very physically fit (without being a steroid-induced freak), and on BLACK SAILS he towers over everyone else in the cast (except Ray Stevenson).

    Oh, well... Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson it is. Still hoping for the best!
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