But was he offered a part in 'Backdraft: The Musical'?
Since we'll be inundated with TV ads for 'Miracle' until its Feb. 6 debut, I thought I'd take this time to air out something I noticed about Kurt Russell a few months ago.
Here's the thing: Russell enjoys all the trappings of being an A-list movie star ... but has he ever starred in an A-list movie?
I'm looking though his imdb.com particulars ... and I'm going to have to say no. He's done action flicks ('Stargate,' 'Executive Decision'), he's done semi-respectable dramas ('Tombstone,' 'Backdraft'), but he's been in way too many outright bombs ('3000 Miles to Graceland,' 'Soldier'). Here's the bottom line: he was in 'Captain Ron' for cryin' out loud. I guess we should be impressed that his career survived stuff like that and 'Tango & Cash.'
I guess the highest profile thing he's done was his supporting turn as a psychoanalyst in 'Vanilla Sky,' but I've always thought he was slightly miscast in that. Kurt Russell is a guy who'll kick your ass, not help you get in touch with your feelings.
Lest you think I'm picking on him, let me say that there is a film he did in the 1980s that will always be near and dear to my heart. No, it's not 'Escape from New York' (I never really got into that). And his work in 'The Thing' was pretty cool. No, I'm talking about 'Big Trouble in Little China.' I taped that off cable once, and I must have watched in 30 or 40 times growing up. I liked the pre-'Matrix' era chop-sockey, and it has a great comic book energy. It also has Kim Cattrall as the love interest, and Kim Cattrall in the 1980s was a very exciting thing.
I guess Russell's claim to fame is that even when he's in bad movies (and he has been in far more than his share) he's never bad in them. And I guess being married to Goldie Hawn for so long gives him a certain cache. Let's just say that even if we're not comfortable in calling Kurt Russell an A-list celebrity, we can confirm that he qualifies as Hollywood royalty.
Not that any of that is going to make me want to see 'Miracle.' Hey, I already know how the movie ends.
"You know what ol' Jack Burton says at a time like this?"
"Who??"
"Jack Burton...ME!!"
Here's the thing: Russell enjoys all the trappings of being an A-list movie star ... but has he ever starred in an A-list movie?
I'm looking though his imdb.com particulars ... and I'm going to have to say no. He's done action flicks ('Stargate,' 'Executive Decision'), he's done semi-respectable dramas ('Tombstone,' 'Backdraft'), but he's been in way too many outright bombs ('3000 Miles to Graceland,' 'Soldier'). Here's the bottom line: he was in 'Captain Ron' for cryin' out loud. I guess we should be impressed that his career survived stuff like that and 'Tango & Cash.'
I guess the highest profile thing he's done was his supporting turn as a psychoanalyst in 'Vanilla Sky,' but I've always thought he was slightly miscast in that. Kurt Russell is a guy who'll kick your ass, not help you get in touch with your feelings.
Lest you think I'm picking on him, let me say that there is a film he did in the 1980s that will always be near and dear to my heart. No, it's not 'Escape from New York' (I never really got into that). And his work in 'The Thing' was pretty cool. No, I'm talking about 'Big Trouble in Little China.' I taped that off cable once, and I must have watched in 30 or 40 times growing up. I liked the pre-'Matrix' era chop-sockey, and it has a great comic book energy. It also has Kim Cattrall as the love interest, and Kim Cattrall in the 1980s was a very exciting thing.
I guess Russell's claim to fame is that even when he's in bad movies (and he has been in far more than his share) he's never bad in them. And I guess being married to Goldie Hawn for so long gives him a certain cache. Let's just say that even if we're not comfortable in calling Kurt Russell an A-list celebrity, we can confirm that he qualifies as Hollywood royalty.
Not that any of that is going to make me want to see 'Miracle.' Hey, I already know how the movie ends.
"You know what ol' Jack Burton says at a time like this?"
"Who??"
"Jack Burton...ME!!"