Bear Mann's video: TunePlay - LETHAL WEAPON 1987 - Michael Kamen Eric Clapton and David Sanborn

The early 80s was a dry time for action aficionados. Today every week ushers in a new BOURNE or Jason Statham adventure. But "back in the day" die hards (and even THAT series had yet to be born) had to content themselves with a new Bond every two years, or make do with the latest chees-i-ly enjoyable grindhouse-er from director James Glickenhaus (THE EXTERMINATOR, THE SOLDIER) or wanna-be butt-kicker Michael Dudikoff (AMERICAN NINJA). Even Indiana Jones (RAIDERS debuted in '81) had yet to become a bonafied franchise. But that all changed in March '87. Traditionally the season when studios dumped second tier product on the market (between winter "Oscar bait" and hopeful summer "tentpoles"), Warners gambled on a lower budget actioner from acclaimed director Richard Donner. Recently off SUPERMAN and THE OMEN, Donner surprised everyone by taking on what seemed a run-of-the-mill pulp exploitation entry called LETHAL WEAPON. Penned by an unknown Shane Black (who'd script THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT then later direct KISS KISS BANG BANG and IRON MAN 3), LETHAL told the story of ex Spec. Forces Vietnam vet turned LA narc detective Sgt. Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) - anti social and suicidal after the death of his wife; and ex Spec. Forces Vietnam vet turned LA homicide detective Sgt. Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) - family man and facing retirement; the two of whom are forced to team up to combat ex Spec. Forces and CIA using Vietnam drug connections to import heroin into the U.S. As the mismatched cops run head-on into the drug op, LA becomes a battlefield - bullets (along with martial arts fists and feet) flying in what would emerge as not only the most raucously entertaining film of the year, but the "ground zero" for a new breed of actioner, many (incl. the PREDATOR and DIE HARD films) produced by LETHAL's Joel Silver: co-producing vet of that earlier "buddy cop" classic 48 HRS. At the time of LETHAL's release an over zealous critic inaccurately called it "the best police thriller since THE FRENCH CONNECTION". But LETHAL never took itself that seriously. Falling between "urban realism" and pulpy "run and gun" fun, the glue holding it together is an unexpected (genuinely touching) humanity between Riggs and Murtaugh. Both at first resigned to their individual fates (suicide and retirement respectively) they're emotionally resurrected by one another. Riggs becomes the newest member of Murtaugh's loving family, and when that family is threatened, the 1987 film audience found themselves every bit as eager to see justice done (and the villains punished) as Riggs himself. LETHAL WEAPON would emerge as the first genuine "four quadrant" film: cross-culturally appealing to various demographics (male, female, under and over 30) all at once . A fan of non-obvious music, Donner commissioned Michael Kamen to give LETHAL it's now classic (and much copied) tonal identity. Seeking a (then) rare blend of orchestra, funk, blues and gutsy solos (certain instruments representing particular characters), Donner asked for something a step beyond what Kamen had given Martin Campbell on the acclaimed 1985 BBC mini-series EDGE OF DARKNESS. On DARKNESS, Kamen (in collusion with guitarist Eric Clapton) fashioned an "opera of slide guitar blues". WEAPON expanded upon this with Clapton's guitar representing Gibson/Riggs melancholy, and jazz legend David Sanborn's saxophone the "voice" of Glover's hip but aged Murtaugh. The Kamen / Clapton / Sanborn collaboration would continue on 3 more LETHAL WEAPON installments; on Clapton's score to the Mickey Rourke boxing drama HOMEBOY ('88), and most notably on Kamen's acclaimed 1990 "Concerto For Saxophone". LETHAL WEAPON would emerge as Kamen's most recognizable work. And that's saying something in a career which, in addition to films such as THE DEAD ZONE, ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES, THE IRON GIANT, MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS, HIGHLANDER and X-MEN, also includes producing, arranging, orchestration and conducting on the albums of Pink Floyd, Annie Lennox and the Eurythmics, David Bowie, Coldplay, Metallica, Bon Jovi and more. Kamen passed away in November 2003 at the age of 55 after a lengthy battle with multiple sclerosis, but not before establishing the Mister Holland's Opus Foundation - dedicated to getting musical instruments into the hands of underprivileged children. Our TunePlay suite is taken from an analog source. CEJ 1) Meet Martin Riggs (0:00 of 14:30) 2) Mr. Joshua (5:20 of 14:30) 3) They've Got My Daughter (9:24 of 14:30) 4) The Weapon (not contained in film / 10:27 of 14:30) For more "TunePlay" mini movie music suites go to http://www.gullcottageonline.com/TunePlay-ClarkeApril_12.html "Bear Mann" is a YouTube channel of The GullCottage/Sandlot, a film blog and growing reference library "Celebrating The Art of Cinema, ... And Cinema As Art" Visit us at: http://www.gullcottageonline.com All rights held by copyright owner. Presented here for educational and criticism purposes only.