# Tom Cruise involved in John Woo's "Flying Tiger's" movie...maybe



## proton45 (Oct 27, 2009)

I found this story about John Woo's involvement in the "Flying Tiger's" movie...some of his comments seem a "bit general" to me, like the bit about the Tiger's winning the war.

Anyway, read about it here....Tom Cruise May Fly In World War II For John Woo


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## B-17engineer (Oct 27, 2009)

NO! Please anyone but Tom Cruise!


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## wheelsup_cavu (Oct 27, 2009)

B-17engineer said:


> NO! Please anyone but Tom Cruise!


Maybe Katie Holmes then. 


Wheels


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## Trebor (Oct 27, 2009)

what the HELL is wrong with Tom cruise? I think he's an awesome actor! especially after Top Gun!


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## vikingBerserker (Oct 27, 2009)

Oh God................


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## B-17engineer (Oct 27, 2009)

I just don't like him at all. He's really, really annoying as an actor. Bottom left corner of the last pic..


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## Trebor (Oct 27, 2009)

wtf? why do people hate him?


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## vikingBerserker (Oct 27, 2009)

LMAO Nice!


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## B-17engineer (Oct 27, 2009)

I don't like him because he has no common sense.


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## RabidAlien (Oct 27, 2009)

Trebor said:


> wtf? why do people hate him?



I think its a matter of personal taste. Personally, I don't care much for him as an actor, and his outspoken views on politics (both US and world) as well as his Scientology garbage, drove the final nail in the coffin. Heck, it wasn't until someone on here mentioned "Valkyrie" was a good movie in spite of him being in it, that I finally broke down and rented it. If Tom Cruise is in this one, it'll probably be the same. There are countless others who could play whatever part it is without the smug arrogance he can't help but project.


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## Thorlifter (Oct 27, 2009)

No....no...no...no...no...no....NO...NO!!!!!!

This SUCKS. I didn't see Pearl Harbor (Ben Alfick may be worse than Tom Cruise), I didn't see Valkarie (Tom Cruise is a tool), I didn't see Inglorious Bastards (We are in the Nazi hunting business, and business is booming.......give me a break), and now I won't see Flying Tigers (see note on Valkarie) Tom Cruise is a self centered jackass and I wish someone would tell him we dont care what his political and religious views are.

Maybe Hollywood can f*** up another WW2 movie


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## proton45 (Oct 28, 2009)

I just knew that this news would make people happy...my job is done.


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## Bug_racer (Oct 28, 2009)

I thought actors were paid to do what they are told


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## jamierd (Oct 28, 2009)

replace tom cruise with nicholas cage and i would watch it


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## B-17engineer (Oct 28, 2009)

jamierd said:


> replace tom cruise with nicholas cage and i would watch it



AMEN. 

Not that I think Nicholas Cage is the BEST actor but better than as Thor stated "A tool"


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## Colin1 (Oct 28, 2009)

I don't get it
Tom Cruise? Flying Tigers?

Where's Goose going to sit?


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## 109ROAMING (Oct 28, 2009)

Thorlifter said:


> No....no...no...no...no...no....NO...NO!!!!!!
> 
> This SUCKS. I didn't see Pearl Harbor (Ben Alfick may be worse than Tom Cruise), I didn't see Valkarie (Tom Cruise is a tool), I didn't see Inglorious Bastards (We are in the Nazi hunting business, and business is booming.......give me a break), and now I won't see Flying Tigers (see note on Valkarie) Tom Cruise is a self centered jackass and I wish someone would tell him we dont care what his political and religious views are.
> 
> Maybe Hollywood can f*** up another WW2 movie



You took the words out of my throat


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## 109ROAMING (Oct 28, 2009)

Colin1 said:


> I don't get it
> Tom Cruise? Flying Tigers?
> 
> Where's Goose going to sit?


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## FLYBOYJ (Oct 28, 2009)

Just hearing that this little twirp is being considered sickens me. As bad as Alex Baldwin playing Jimmy Doolittle.


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## mudpuppy (Oct 28, 2009)

From the article originally posted; they seem pretty sure of the insider gossip on Cruise playing Claire Chennault. This would be another case of Hollywood screwing up a piece a history to make a buck. 
My daughter was telling me and the wife about a movie she saw the other night; "Paranormal Activity" or something like that. Low budget thriller with some unknown actors and it was made for like $17 (okay, maybe more like $15,000)....but she said it was one of the better movies she's seen in a long time. Hollywood just has to hedge their bets with star-power.

It is supremely ironic that a story of men with exceptional courage will be brought to the screen by a movie industry with no real backbone or conviction. On second thought, that is really quite sad as well.

Derek


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## ToughOmbre (Oct 28, 2009)

FLYBOYJ said:


> Just hearing that this little twirp is being considered sickens me. As bad as Alex Baldwin playing Jimmy Doolittle.



Joe, you took the words right out of my mouth, uhh keyboard!

TO


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## Messy1 (Oct 28, 2009)

I am pissed just from his comment about the Flying Tigers "winning" the war. Go read your hitory Tom! Not taking anything away from the AVG, just thinking about all the other veterans who did their part too! He obviously is not a student of history. I envision a typcial Woo film, everything overdone with little concern about historical accuracy.
Great, another great WW2 story that could be turned into a another epic with the right man and director at the helm, another guy named Tom comes to mind! And a guy named Steven too! Cruise is mediocre at best. He's a tool! at least he finally got the hint no one wants to hear him preaching about his "religious" and political views!
Disappointed to read this.


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## Thorlifter (Oct 28, 2009)

Ok, I'm going to send this to John Woo.

Claire Chennault - Tom Hanks
"Tex" Hill - Tobey Maguire
Pappy Boyington - Joaquin Phoenix
FDR - John Voit
Charles Older - Jake Gyllenhaal
Other pilots - fill with up and coming young actors

Ok, maybe too much star power, but in the 50's - 70's, they made GREAT war epic movies with a good number of stars.


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## gepp (Oct 28, 2009)

Tom Cruise in Flying Tigers thats wrong on so many levels
surely they can do better than that? what about cool actors like Edward norton ,Mark Wahlberg ,russel crowe or even eric Banna.8)


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## Messy1 (Oct 28, 2009)

Thorlifter said:


> Ok, I'm going to send this to John Woo.
> 
> Claire Chennault - Tom Hanks
> "Tex" Hill - Tobey Maguire
> ...



Agree Thor! Almost anyone but Cruise. And for Chennault? Cruise is short and evenly proportioned. Chennault I always thought was tall and skinny. You wouldn't pick Danny Devito to play Abraham Lincoln.


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## Colin1 (Oct 28, 2009)

Messy1 said:


> ...for Chennault? Cruise is short and evenly proportioned. Chennault I always thought was tall and skinny...


Robert Ryan (deceased)
would have made a very plausible Chennault. He did get close, playing the part of a USMC aviator in Flying Leathernecks.


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## pbfoot (Oct 28, 2009)

I wouldn't go see the movie period its IMHO an overblown story there are far better topics on the airwar to consider . Ploesti , the guys flying from Wake Island , the real story of the Cactus AF not the crap that was Baa Baa Blacksheep


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## Messy1 (Oct 28, 2009)

I would welcome any quality, accurate, realistic WW2 movie, no matter the topic.


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## Coors9 (Oct 28, 2009)

Only way to pull this off is to use no name actors and make it about the movie and not the "TopGun's" of the world. So wanted to see the Spruce Goose with todays comp animation but "Leo" prevented that. What's next, Him playing "Sgt. Rock". Can't understand why that hasn't been made!!!!!!!! Or a "GI Combat" Movie. What the hell is wrong with this world!!!!


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## B-17engineer (Oct 28, 2009)

Tom Hanks is my all time favorite actor...

Forest Gump
Saving Private Ryan 

you get the paint 8)


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## ToughOmbre (Oct 28, 2009)

How about Sean Penn in the title role in a remake of "Patton"?  

TO


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## proton45 (Oct 28, 2009)

Messy1 said:


> I am pissed just from his comment about the Flying Tigers "winning" the war. Go read your hitory Tom! Not taking anything away from the AVG, just thinking about all the other veterans who did their part too! He obviously is not a student of history. I envision a typcial Woo film, everything overdone with little concern about historical accuracy.
> Great, another great WW2 story that could be turned into a another epic with the right man and director at the helm, another guy named Tom comes to mind! And a guy named Steven too! Cruise is mediocre at best. He's a tool! at least he finally got the hint no one wants to hear him preaching about his "religious" and political views!
> Disappointed to read this.




I actually think it was John Woo, who made the comment about the Tigers winning the war...He is a Chinese, who now lives in the USA, and I can see why this might be an interesting topic for him. The AVG was one of the few successful co-operational projects between the Chinese and the Americans, and Woo is a displaced Christian Chinese of Hong Kong. I'm sure that the story of the AVG is one he thinks is important, and maybe less known in "Red China".

Its unfortunate that John Woo's fabulously dramatic film style doesn't really sit well with contemporary "war buff's", who crave reality in a war film...because he apparently enjoys making "big budget war films". If you have ever seen any of his "Hong Kong era" crime story movies you would know what I mean...he makes an art of poetically filmed scenes of overblown ridiculous action...he is truly a master.

I'll bet that Mr Cruise wants to be a part of this story (unfortunately)...because he is a pilot and a war buff.


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## proton45 (Oct 28, 2009)

ToughOmbre said:


> How about Sean Penn in the title role in a remake of "Patton"?
> 
> TO



It is really odd that so many "left wing" actors want to (in fact crave) these heroic WW2 roles...I hear that Mr Baldwin really, really wanted the role of Doolittle in "P.H."...its like they are looking for a legitimate outlet for the warrior that rests in all men (WW2 being the last good war_lol).


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## Messy1 (Oct 28, 2009)

I don't know Proton. To me, it is a injustice to all those who fought in WW2 if the movie is not portrayed as accurately as possible. I think there is a place for Woo's style, many like it. But not when you are retelling a story or period that changed the entire world. Now a fictional event in WW2? That would be fine IMO.


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## proton45 (Oct 28, 2009)

Messy1 said:


> I don't know Proton. To me, it is a injustice to all those who fought in WW2 if the movie is not portrayed as accurately as possible. I think there is a place for Woo's style, many like it. But not when you are retelling a story or period that changed the entire world. Now a fictional event in WW2? That would be fine IMO.



Oh, don't get me wrong...I agree with you, on the whole. I'm just saying that its "too bad", because I feel that John Woo's motivations are "pure". I don't think he is setting out to "just make a buck" or to "ruin the story"...I feel that he really admires the "Tigers".


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## Messy1 (Oct 28, 2009)

You could be right.


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## RabidAlien (Oct 29, 2009)

Get Hanks/Speilberg/Eastwood to act/direct this one, and I'll be first in line to see it.


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## Messy1 (Oct 29, 2009)

ToughOmbre said:


> How about Sean Penn in the title role in a remake of "Patton"?
> 
> TO



I may have to boycott that one!


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## proton45 (Oct 29, 2009)

Messy1 said:


> You could be right.



To some extent I think its an issue of culture...I believe the Chinese culture still enjoys telling "big tails of heroic giants", as apposed to making a "historic-drama" that attempts to record what these people probably experienced and felt. Its a different perspective on how to honor a hero...'they' believe in making them a "larger then life" character (as was the fashion here too, at one time), and we recognize the human/everyman aspect of their experiences. It may also be a matter of experience...by this i mean that the US Army viewed the average soldier as an "everyman" and the training was thus oriented.

Also, i would add that here in the "western world"...we view WW2 as a resent event that is slowly slipping into history. We watch as our own family's slip into the great unknown, and we seek some way of preserving their actions in life. To honor them by remembering what they went through as an "everyman" (by that I mean someone we can empathize with). We somehow view the telling of 'traditional' larger then life hero tails (like Homer) as a ridiculous convention that doesn't honor the 'real life' (humble) hero's we know...

Bottom line...what they went through in the war was heroic interesting enough, without having to 'jazz-up' the story. But then again we are history junkies...

Rant over (sorry)...


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## Messy1 (Oct 29, 2009)

Good post proton.


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## Bucksnort101 (Oct 29, 2009)

TO, never, ever mention the names James DooLittle and Alec Baldwin (dang you made me do it) in the same snetence again. Blasphemy!!!!

I don't think I could stomach watching Tom Cruise in this movie either. Smug, arrogant, condescending, are a few "nice" words I can come up with to describe what I think of him. It comes across in his acting as well.
Seen him interviewed not too long ago and just wanted to reach out a punch him through the TV screen. Had the "Holier than thou" attitute and that only his opinion and position on things mattered.
I'd love to see a accurate Flying Tigers movie made, the story needs no Hollywood embellishment, but if Tommy Boy plays Claire Chennault I will probably pass.


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## vikingBerserker (Oct 29, 2009)

I think I'd actually get sick.


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## Pong (Oct 30, 2009)

Three words: Pearl Harbor Two.


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## proton45 (Oct 31, 2009)

some of you might find this little tid-bit about Cruise funny (interesting)....

Tom Cruise Inspired Christian Bale's American Psycho


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## vikingBerserker (Oct 31, 2009)

The title alone is pretty dam funny.


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## cptsmith (Aug 27, 2010)

Sam Shepard would be a good Claire Chennault. He does have the Right Stuff


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## Thorlifter (Aug 27, 2010)

I'm sure hollywood has already done the script.

Scene 1

Camera fly over a rice paddy, a straw village, two sanpan's, and a Uncle Chan's Chinese Food Emporium. (Fade to black)

(Fade in) Gen. Chennault (Tom Cruise) is seen standing with one foot hiked up on an oil drum, eating a sandwich in one hand, while weilding a sword in the other fighting off the horde of Japanese invaders. (Note: have Mr. Cruise wear his green Days of Thunder jacket)

Off camera, walking in through the grenade and bomb smoke is Chennault's love interest approaching him with a 70's porn star walk and lust in her eyes. (Note: Love interest to be played by Jane Fonda)

Japanese see her and fall to their knees in worship. Tom grabs her up, looks deep in her eyes and says, "You and me, baby, can save this country. Now, if we only had some heroes and some planes."

(Queue the P-40 flyover)

You get the point from here.........


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## Messy1 (Aug 27, 2010)

I just think Tom Cruise is a joke as a actor. The only movie of his I can sit through anymore is The Last Samurai.


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## mikewint (Aug 27, 2010)

give anyone (pretty much) a soapbox and they will use it, and the bigger the soapbox the more they spew from it. eventually they begin to believe their own words. if they are rich enough they can hire cheerleaders to tell them constantly how correct and special they are. other people then inflate the soapbox even bigger, no matter whether they react positively or negatively. it is difficult but the only way anoying people go away is if they are ignored


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Aug 27, 2010)

Thorlifter said:


> I'm sure hollywood has already done the script.
> 
> Scene 1
> 
> ...





Thanks that was great! And so true as well...


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## renrich (Aug 27, 2010)

I get the impression many on this forum don't like Tom Cruise. I have seen "Top Gun" at least a dozen times and always enjoy it but having Tom Cruise playing Claire Chennault sounds ridiculous. Sam Sheppard would be perfect for that role. A movie about the AVG, done correctly, would be fun to see but I feel sure that the movie will abound in inaccuracies, including dogfights with Zeros, which never happened and the AVG always triumphing over overwhelming odds which I find highly suspect.


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## N4521U (Aug 27, 2010)

Trebor said:


> wtf? why do people hate him?



It couldn't have been the way he went about filing for a divorce from Nichole Kidman could it!!
He's just a dirty rat!


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## vikingBerserker (Aug 27, 2010)

He's fricked in the brains and the cult he's in has scrambled them more


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## Col. Douglas P. King (Jan 25, 2011)

Sam Sheppard seems a very good choice to play the role of Claire Lee Chennault..

But IMHO, and only for the look, maybe Clint Eastwood would be a better choice?
Eastwood is tall, slim, and his face look like sculptured with an axe, exactly as Chennault was. 

What do you think?


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## muscogeemike (Jan 26, 2011)

I nominate Sam Elliott to play Chennault.
The AVG record speaks for itself - but unfortunately far too many people base their knowledge of these guys on the John Wayne Movie.
pbfoot - I agree about a Ploesti Movie, especially if it about the first mission in 1942.
proton45 - I have read that the AVG is still remembered in W. China.

“When in doubt, empty the magazine.” Murphy’s Law of Combat #5


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## T Bolt (Jan 26, 2011)

I was curious about this Flying Tigers movie, did some searches and came up with this:
Tom Cruise Developing A Seperate FLYING TIGERS Movie | Rama's Screen

There are two movies:

Movie #1) John Woo's FLYING TIGERS. He wants to cast Liam Neeson as Clair Chennault, and it will be filmed in China with a budget of 90 Mil.

Movie #2) Tom Cruise‘s FLYING TIGERS. It sounds like Cruise wants to be one of the pilots. Isn't he a tad bit to old to play a fighter jock? The script is a rewritten version of one by Christopher McQuarrie who wrote the script for Valkyrie.. THAT went real well didn't it. 

Given a choice, I'll go with John Woo


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## Loiner (Jan 27, 2011)

I agree with most above about Tom Cruise's limited range of acting ability, but putting him in this role would give the film and the story of the Flying Tigers a real boost onto the world stage.


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## N4521U (Jan 27, 2011)

Trebor said:


> wtf? why do people hate him?



It's not a hate thing. Perhaps Dismayed is more like it. Someone correct me. Here in Oz he made a remark to a casual TV interview about the soldiers in the Far East wars. Something like, "I can feel for them. I did movies about officers in war and can sympathise with them". He is just a blithering idiot, and one who should never open his mouth in public. his best role would be as a corpse! House of Wax remake would be good......


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## BikerBabe (Jan 27, 2011)

What?
More Tom Cruise???
*breaks out in a highly allergic rash* ARGH!
Will someone please kick him out of whatever plane they're going to use in this movie?
Preferrably at _high _altitude and _without _a parachute!!!


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## T Bolt (Jan 27, 2011)

N4521U said:


> It's not a hate thing. Perhaps Dismayed is more like it. Someone correct me. Here in Oz he made a remark to a casual TV interview about the soldiers in the Far East wars. Something like, "I can feel for them. I did movies about officers in war and can sympathise with them". He is just a blithering idiot, and one who should never open his mouth in public. his best role would be as a corpse! House of Wax remake would be good......



He would be great playing the Kevin Costner part in "The Big Chill"


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Jan 27, 2011)

Why do we even pay attention to him?


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## N4521U (Jan 28, 2011)

T Bolt said:


> He would be great playing the Kevin Costner part in "The Big Chill"



Amen bruddah!


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## BikerBabe (Jan 29, 2011)

Aaron Brooks Wolters said:


> Why do we even pay attention to him?



Because it's always nice to have someone to hate?


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## aircro (Jan 31, 2011)

But, Holy Freakin’ Maverick! TOP GUN 2, Everyone! | Rama's Screen??. And with Bruckheimer as producer You know what usual trivial S..T will be resulted.


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## javlin (Feb 1, 2011)

Movie #1) John Woo's FLYING TIGERS. He wants to cast Liam Neeson as Clair Chennault, and it will be filmed in China with a budget of 90 Mil.

Mr Woo must of done a search also and saw how beloved Cruise is.LM as Cnennault works for me.I really got turn off byTC after "eyes wide shut" and Kidmans movie something about sex with a kid .My wife and I use to rent and watch movies every Saturday night and after watching these two looked at each other"WTK ".Now we do not for HW produces mostly BS these days all 3D and Vgraphics no story.I think I will curl up with a book now.

Affleck is not the worst to me.PH was okay I thought at least it had a story of friendship/love(some hated the love part) in the beginning and a story after PH (Baldwin sucked).Now on the love part it sucked when she ended up with the other guy BS.


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## Bucksnort101 (Feb 2, 2011)

PH was a terrible movie from the opening credit to the closing one IMHO! Now, no one is to ever mention it again!!!

I agree with BikerBabe, some people were just born to be disliked and Tom Cruise fits the bill. I hope he falls from Oprah's couch the next time he's is on her show, Idiot.


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## futuredogfight (Jun 18, 2012)

John Woo is terrible. Watch Wind Talkers and you'll se what I mean!


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## meatloaf109 (Jun 21, 2012)

I would like to nominate Charlie Sheen for the Pappy Boyington role.
And Nichole Kiddman as Olga Greenlaw.
Anybody but Tom as Chennault, even Alec "I played a pilot once" Baldwin would be more believable.
(Not really) But still...
ANYBODY but Tom!


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## Njaco (Jun 21, 2012)

I would like to see William Dafoe as Chennault


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## meatloaf109 (Jun 22, 2012)

Wow! Good call, I second that!


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## Messy1 (Jun 22, 2012)

Cruise is too short to play Chennault! He'd have to wear platform shoes!


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## Crimea_River (Jun 22, 2012)

Or build an 80% scale P-40.


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## Messy1 (Jun 22, 2012)

Damn funny Crimea!
How about Liam Neeson?


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## Thorlifter (Jun 22, 2012)

Crimea_River said:


> Or build an 80% scale P-40.


 

I like the William Defoe or Liam Neison nominations. Good call.

Charlie Sheen as Pappy......Hmmmmmm......


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## FLYBOYJ (Jun 22, 2012)

Speaking of Pappy...

The TV show "Baa Baa Blacksheep, you had Pappy's right hand man Jim Gutterman played by James Whitmore Jr. I always thought he looked like Marine ace Bob Hanson.


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## Thorlifter (Jun 22, 2012)

He also had a famous father whom you would probably recognize. His dad served as a 2nd Lt during WWII in panama.


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## vikingBerserker (Jun 22, 2012)

Whoa, I had no idea!


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## Messy1 (Jun 22, 2012)

Cruise could have a small part playing Hitler. Cruise wouldn't even have to inflate his ego to be a believable Hitler!


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## Thorlifter (Jun 22, 2012)




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## Njaco (Jun 22, 2012)

I love James Whitmore! From "Them" to "Battleground" to "Midway" to "Shawkshank Redemption". Great actor!


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## Messy1 (Jun 22, 2012)

That's where I remember him from. Knew I had just watched a movie with him in it. What was his characters name in Shawshank? He scratched his name above a doorway in the hotel he hung himself in.


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## Njaco (Jun 22, 2012)

Brooks


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