After I get requested to make suggestions or toss out my favourite horror administrators, I normally kick issues off with John Carpenter and his litany of hits. However the dialog all the time drifts to Wes Craven with stuff like The Individuals Below the Stairs or The Serpent and the Rainbow. You’ve seen these, proper? Then I’ll throw out Martin or The Crazies from George Romero, and even Lifeforce and The Funhouse from Tobe Hooper. These are the plain heavy hitters, the Mount Rushmore names everybody already is aware of. Stuart Gordon could also be most recognized for his tour-de-force H.P. Lovecraft diversifications Re-Animator and From Past, however the man was a hell of a expertise with a filmography that sits comfortably subsequent to these large names within the “eminently watchable” class. We’ve already given him love for Fort Freak, The Pit and the Pendulum, and Dolls, however at this time I need to shout out certainly one of his sci-fi excursions. House Truckers and Robotic Jox are enjoyable, however Fortress sits in that bizarre zone of being actually profitable but barely talked about.
So let’s have a look at an under-discussed film from an under-discussed director: 1992’s Fortress.
The film’s manufacturing historical past is nearly as attention-grabbing because the movie itself. It survived two main issues that normally spell doom: a ton of writers and the lack of an enormous star. And I don’t imply “big star,” I imply one of many largest of all time, particularly for the period.
All of it begins again in 1985 with Re-Animator. The primary unfortunate stiff who assessments out that neon-green reanimation serum is a mountain of a person named Peter Kent. The identify may not ring a bell, however you’ve completely seen him earlier than: he was the primary physique double for the Austrian Oak himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Kent confirmed Arnold Re-Animator, and Arnold preferred it a lot he screened it at dwelling for a gaggle that included producer John Davis, who had the rights and script for Fortress. Arnold was initially speculated to star… after which he dropped out. Christopher Lambert stepped in, and due to that change, the funds plummeted from $70 million to $15 million. Fortunately, with the proper director in place (Stuart Gordon) that wasn’t a demise blow. Enjoyable reality: Gordon was initially speculated to direct the ’93 Physique Snatchers earlier than Abel Ferrara took over, and that was as a result of Arnold picked Gordon… for a film he didn’t even find yourself doing. Thanks, Arnold.
The script was credited to 4 individuals – Troy Neighbors, Stephen Feinberg, David Venable, and Terry Curtis – none of whom ended up with a lot else on their résumés. However what they created is a enjoyable mixture of dystopian sci-fi, commentary on the jail system, and the most effective bits of basic jail movies like Stalag 17, Lock Up, and The Longest Yard.
Within the far-off way forward for 2017 (look, it was 1992), America is a dictatorship with strict one-child legal guidelines. John Brennick and his spouse Karen attempt to flee to Canada, a free state with out procreation legal guidelines, after shedding their first little one and now anticipating a second. They try to cover the being pregnant with a magnet vest, however they’re caught on the border and despatched to a privately run, “inescapable” jail known as The Fortress, which additionally runs experiments on inmates. The remainder of the story is John’s mission to outlive, discover his spouse, and escape.
Changing Arnold Schwarzenegger with Christopher Lambert appears like a demise sentence to your field workplace, however actually? Not within the early 90s. Lambert was nonetheless using excessive from worldwide stardom and, in fact, his iconic function as Connor MacLeod in Highlander (1986). He adopted that with sequels in 1991, 1994, and 2000, plus enjoyable style movies like The Sicilian (1987) and Gunmen (1993). And for a youthful technology, he was our Raiden within the Mortal Kombat film (and continues to be unbeaten in that function, for my part). Lambert delivers his usually nice efficiency right here. He wasn’t a martial arts star, however I lump him proper alongside Van Damme and Seagal. He’s the most effective actor of the three, frankly.
The supporting solid is stuffed with gems: Kurtwood Smith, Clifton Collins, Tom Towles, Vernon Wells, and the always-fantastic Jeffrey Combs. Carolyn Purdy (Gordon’s frequent collaborator and spouse) exhibits up as the pc voice, and Loryn Locklin performs Karen Brennick, simply a few years after she labored with Wes Craven on Evening Visions. Kurtwood Smith stepped in for Richard E. Grant and performs the villainous jail director Poe. He’s not fairly as iconic as his RoboCop baddie, however he’s enjoyable, particularly as soon as you discover out he’s a cyborg and creepily in love with Brennick’s spouse. (Shout-out additionally to his function in Star Trek VI with the heavy make-up.) Tom Towles nonetheless chills from Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, and Vernon Wells is endlessly tied to The Highway Warrior and Commando. However actually, I grew up along with his enjoyable roles in Bizarre Science and InnerSpace.
As ordinary, Jeffrey Combs steals each scene as D-Day. If you happen to haven’t seen him within the underrated Would You Reasonably (2012), go repair that.
Curiously, a piece of the movie was shot in an precise jail, and the solid needed to signal waivers and put on protecting gear. Gordon was drawn to the undertaking as a result of he wished to spotlight the U.S. jail system’s shift from rehabilitation to punishment, and that theme positively sticks.
There’s immediately recognizable prisoner posturing when John arrives, however the solid gels quick. Lambert insisted on doing a lot of his personal stunts, which precipitated some friction with Gordon, however Lambert was additionally employed as a guide, so he had a bit of clout to flex.
The movie mixes basic jail tropes with exhausting sci-fi and a dose of horror. Between the one-child legal guidelines, inside gadgets that trigger ache or execution, Poe being a cyborg, newborns being changed into cyborgs, mind-wipe tech, and zombie-like guards, the world-building leans closely dystopian in all the proper methods.
Regardless that I principally noticed this on TV rising up and missed loads of the uncut stuff, the film doesn’t draw back from its R score. There’s intercourse, nudity, blood, and gore sprinkled all through, whether or not in goals the inmates aren’t speculated to have or within the many violent encounters. Exploding squibs from gunfire? Test. Gooey android guts from Poe and different cyborg guards? Test. The interior combustion system? Completely. One new inmate tries to flee (in a second eerily much like one thing that occurs in The Shawshank Redemption years later) and will get a painful jolt earlier than being blown aside solely.
One other standout: the combat between Lambert’s Brennick and Vernon Wells’s Maddox. Brennick refuses to kill Maddox, so the jail system blows an enormous gap in Maddox’s abdomen. Wells appears down, touches the wound, after which drops lifelessly down the central shaft of the jail. It’s gnarly and nice.
In fact, Brennick is the one one that manages to come back again from a thoughts wipe, by way of sheer love and dedication, and the escape sequence is a blast. The movie strikes quick, the 95 minutes fly by, and it’s simply pure enjoyable.
The film additionally carried out shockingly nicely, particularly internationally, making virtually $65 million on a $15 million funds. Plans for a TV sequence and sequel adopted, however these fell aside as a consequence of lack of vital reward (think about a studio refusing a worthwhile sequel due to critics…). Finally, we received the straight-to-video sequel Fortress 2: Re-Entry.
Fortress 2 went straight to video, and I haven’t seen it, however actually I’m undecided it’s needed. Sadly, the unique hasn’t gotten the find it irresistible deserves from corporations like Arrow or Scream Manufacturing facility, only a sometimes-available DVD and an out-of-print barebones Blu-ray. You can watch it free of charge on Tubi, however Fortress deserves a shiny Blu-ray or perhaps a 4K launch.
Arnold ultimately made a prison-themed film with Stallone, Escape Plan, however man, think about what Fortress would’ve been if he’d caught with it. Even with out him, I’m grateful we received this action-sci-fi, borderline-exploitation gem from certainly one of our greatest horror administrators and a splendidly enjoyable solid.
Let me know what you consider Fortress. And keep in mind… goals are forbidden.
A few the earlier episodes of The Black Sheep might be seen on the backside of this text. To see extra, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe whilst you’re there!
