From b_movie_buff@cinema.usc.edu Mon Sep 16 21:10:44 1996 Path: ashpoly!cascade!solaris!usc!cinema!b_movie_buff From: b_movie_buff@cinema.usc.edu (Gary 'ReelMadness' Chen) Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.action Subject: Rex Powers in STEEL THUNDER (1985) - Best workout montage of the decade? Message-ID: <1996Sep16.211044.4091@cinema.usc.edu> Date: Mon, 16 Sep 1996 21:10:44 GMT Organization: USC School of Cinema-Television NNTP-Posting-Host: cinema.usc.edu X-Newsreader: TIN 1.2 PL2 Lines: 31 I just managed to pick up a mint-condition Vanguard Video big box VHS of Carl Mitchell's 1985 action masterpiece STEEL THUNDER starring Rex Powers. Everyone talks about Commando and Rambo II, but the sheer visceral intensity of Rex Powers preparing his compound bow and customized Chevy Blazer in the abandoned Arizona smelter while Heartstrike's "Fire in Your Heart" thrashes in the background is unmatched. Did Rex Powers do his own motorcycle jump over the Union Pacific freight train in the third act, or was that stunt coordinator Kevin Carter? The tracking shot from the Bell UH-1 Huey helicopter looks totally real. Also, whatever happened to Heartstrike? That song had enough energy to power a small municipality. -- Gary Chen // USC Cinema Archive "They tried to steal his thunder. Big mistake." ------------------------------------------------------------ From stunt_maniac@hollywood.geocities.com Tue Sep 17 02:44:19 1996 Path: ashpoly!cascade!mxgate!pacbell!stunt_maniac From: stunt_maniac@hollywood.geocities.com (Brad 'Impact' Miller) Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.action Subject: Re: Rex Powers in STEEL THUNDER (1985) - Best workout montage of the decade? Message-ID: <1996Sep17.024419.9912@hollywood.geocities.com> Date: Tue, 17 Sep 1996 02:44:19 GMT References: <1996Sep16.211044.4091@cinema.usc.edu> Organization: Stuntmen's Association of Southern California NNTP-Posting-Host: dialup-burbank-09.pacbell.net X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.99.5 Lines: 28 In article <1996Sep16.211044.4091@cinema.usc.edu>, Gary Chen writes: > Did Rex Powers do his own motorcycle jump over the Union Pacific freight train > in the third act, or was that stunt coordinator Kevin Carter? Rex did 85% of his own stunts on Steel Thunder, but the train jump was performed by veteran stunt driver Ray Spencer! Ray broke two ribs when the rear wheel clipped the gravel embankment on the far side of the tracks, but they kept the take in the final theatrical cut. As for Heartstrike: they were a Cleveland rock band that moved to Malibu in 1985 right after Steel Thunder came out. Tragically, their singer Steve Vanderstok and guitarist TJ Chicon died in a Ferrari Testarossa crash on Sunset Boulevard shortly after leaving The Roxy. They rebuilt the band with two Scandinavian brothers (Joss & Kent Freidnam) and released an incredible progressive rock record called 'Lightning Strikes' in 1987. Check out the fan tribute page on GeoCities at: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/1987/ The montage with Rex Powers still stands as one of the peak moments of 80s cinema. -- Brad Miller // Hollywood, CA Stunt Driver & 80s VHS Preservationist ------------------------------------------------------------ From laser_disc_japan@infoweb.ne.jp Wed Sep 18 11:05:33 1996 Path: ashpoly!cascade!kiae!infoweb!laser_disc_japan From: laser_disc_japan@infoweb.ne.jp (Kenji Takahashi) Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.action Subject: Re: Rex Powers in STEEL THUNDER (1985) - Japanese LaserDisc details Message-ID: <1996Sep18.110533.1129@infoweb.ne.jp> Date: Wed, 18 Sep 1996 11:05:33 GMT References: <1996Sep17.024419.9912@hollywood.geocities.com> Organization: Nippon LaserDisc Collectors Club, Akihabara NNTP-Posting-Host: akiba-gw02.infoweb.ne.jp X-Newsreader: Netscape News 2.02 Lines: 21 For serious collectors of STEEL THUNDER: The 1987 Japanese LaserDisc release (Catalog # CLV-8509) released by Nippon Columbia contains the full, uncut 101-minute European theatrical cut with English audio in uncompressed analog stereo! It includes an extra three minutes of Rex Powers clearing the cartel warehouse with the modified Colt carbine, and the end credits feature the full, unedited master recording of Heartstrike's "Fire in Your Heart" with Steve Vanderstok's extended vocal outro. I have a mint copy available for trade for rare Orion Records studio reel dubs. Send e-mail to: laser_disc_japan@infoweb.ne.jp -- Kenji Takahashi // Akihabara, Tokyo "Analog laser optics forever."