Johnny Rotten/Lydon - "Cop Killers"
Steve Ramirez
listing for a Italian made movie, circa 1983, called "Cop Killers"
starring Harvey Keitel and John Lydon(!). And I thought to myself,
"could this be the same John Lydon as Johnny Rotten?" So I stayed up,
and tuned in, and I'll be damned if it wasn't him! I didn't watch the
whole movie, but it was a bizarre movie where Lydon plays a kid who
felt guilty about inherting money due to his parent's death, so he
went around confessing to sex crimes and murders he didn't commit.
anyway, I always thought that Lydon was too anti- show business to be
in anything but a video, or some sort of documentary where he just played
himself, what gives? BTW, he's not a very actor, I think he shoud stick
to videos ;-)
"Have you ever tried to get a bank account with a last name like 'Rotten'?"
- John Lydon
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********** Steve Ramirez * sram...@burro.intel.com * 602-554-2405 ************
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Michael Graham
>I was thumbing through the TV guide late last Sat. night and I saw a
>listing for a Italian made movie, circa 1983, called "Cop Killers"
>starring Harvey Keitel and John Lydon(!). And I thought to myself,
>"could this be the same John Lydon as Johnny Rotten?" So I stayed up,
I rented it under the title "The Order of Death" - he wasn't *that* bad
considering the neurotic character he played.
>anyway, I always thought that Lydon was too anti- show business to be
>in anything but a video, or some sort of documentary where he just played
>himself, what gives? BTW, he's not a very actor, I think he shoud stick
>to videos ;-)
>
He has sold out big time. Every PiL album since around 85 has been blatently
commercial. He has admitted this...no surprise that he would sell out in
other areas...although I don't consider this movie a sell out.
>"Have you ever tried to get a bank account with a last name like 'Rotten'?"
>- John Lydon
:)
mike
--
Michael Graham |"Say you were going to sing in a club tomorrow -
gra...@ug.cs.dal.ca | what kind of stuff would you sing?"
mgr...@ac.dal.ca |"Something nice...something very, very nice...a song -
gra...@iris1.ucis.dal.ca| a tune, a ballad perhaps" - Diane Keaton on Letterman
Michael Graham
>
>I believe that Johnny's little film role was a British film, and not exactly
>a blockbuster. It was released in the UK as "Order of Death" and the US as
>"Corrupt." I don't know how it got the name "Cop Killers" for TV. Not an
>award winning performance but one that PiL and Pistols fans should not miss.
>Especially when he's locked in the bathroom eating dog food. Yeah Johnny!
>
Nah - the best was when the cop is going to put out a cigarette on Johhny's
arm and the closer the cigaratte gets, the bigger Johhny's smile gets as he
stares down the cop! Great stuff. Great stare - I'd say the best in the
history of r-n-r.
Grimly Fiendish
I believe that Johnny's little film role was a British film, and not exactly
a blockbuster. It was released in the UK as "Order of Death" and the US as
"Corrupt." I don't know how it got the name "Cop Killers" for TV. Not an
award winning performance but one that PiL and Pistols fans should not miss.
Especially when he's locked in the bathroom eating dog food. Yeah Johnny!
--Grimly
Scott T Sheppard
Yeah, I heard about this movie a few years ago and saw part of it one late
night(I fell asleep half the way through). Well, I don't remember much and
am just curious about a few questions.
What year was the movie made?
Was the song 'The Order of Death' the "theme" for this movie?
I ask because I heard there was a movie where he plays a cop killer, and
this song from 'This is What You Want....' is part of it. I'm just
trying to make a point that all of this occured before "the sellout" after '85.
Correct me or not. STS
Erik Iversen
>listing for a Italian made movie, circa 1983, called "Cop Killers"
>starring Harvey Keitel and John Lydon(!). And I thought to myself,
>"could this be the same John Lydon as Johnny Rotten?" So I stayed up,
>and tuned in, and I'll be damned if it wasn't him! I didn't watch the
>whole movie, but it was a bizarre movie where Lydon plays a kid who
>felt guilty about inherting money due to his parent's death, so he
>went around confessing to sex crimes and murders he didn't commit.
I've seen this movie about 3 or 4 times, and thought it was pretty cool.
I am a big fan of John Lydon and thought he was great as a twisted
killer-wanna-be. You should have stayed up for the whole thing. The
movie gets pretty good with a real battle of captor vs captive with the
roles changing between Lydon's caracter and Keitel.
BTW, I've only seen it under the title Corrupt, which is a little more
descriptive of the plot. It is more about the corrupt police officers
than about the cop killer. Lydon is able to manipulate the cops because
they are corrupt.
Sorry group, I'm turning this into a review, but I really like this movie.
Back to music. What do you think about PiL's Greatest Hits So Far remixes.
I've listened to it a couple of times and really like it. The only complaint
is that I prefer the version of This Is Not A Love Song on the single with
Public Image than the over produced, complete with horns, version taken from
This is What You Want...
Erik
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[] Erik F. Iversen
er...@software.mitel.com []
[] Time does not pass here, it just is.
wheeler p
>He has sold out big time. Every PiL album since around 85 has been blatently
>commercial. He has admitted this...no surprise that he would sell out in
>other areas...although I don't consider this movie a sell out.
Their first album and Metal Box were absolutely brilliant albums. The reason
for this is that Keith Levene (ex clash) and Jah Wobble were major contributors
to the music. With Lydons whines over the top, this music was something very
special and avant-guarde (sp?).
Howevever, Wobble departed, and Levine developed a heroine addiction which
caused a lot of tension. By the time Flowers of Romance had come out,
Wobble had only contributed a few bass lines, and Lydon and Levine (and
some spurious character called Janette Lee) threw a melee of percussion
and drum patterns together. The result wasnt too bad.
After that album, Levine split, Rotten grew bloated and cynical ( if that
were possible) and their output bacame middle of the road dross.
Rotten became leader of a faceless muso session band, which is ironic, for
im sure he would have hated the thought of this when he was a youth in
the sex pistols.
Peter.
Grimly Fiendish
I recently read an interview with John Lydon (in Interview I think) wher he
was asked if he had sold out. His reply was basically, yeah, people were going
to think so, but then good, because that allows him to be free of their
silly misconceptions. Think about it. The reason he quit the Sex Pistols
is because he thought that they were becoming "another Rolling Stones"--
that is, calculated, expected to perform in a "shocking" manner. He felt
that this was pointless and ridiculous.
And by the way, someone credited early PiL's greatness to Jah Wobble and
Keith Levene... You forgot the drumming of Martin Atkins! He really helped
define that early PiL sound.
And, as for this "after 1985" business that is floating around, I have said
and will say again, 1986's _album_ stands up there with PiL's best. A great
album. And _Happy_... Not exactly cutting edge stuff, but listenable.
_9_... well.... and a PiL greatest hits album? Ack! At least it introduced
a lot of people to great stuff like "Death Disco" (the single version even).
I can see the look of horror on unexpecting MTV "120 Minutes" watchers
purchasing the Greatest Hits album and being assaulted with "Flowers of
Romance"!
BTW, they mutilated "Rise" with that remix IMO... Eck!
Johnny ain't the same as he used to be, not nearly as interesting, but I'll
always have a fondness for ol' Rotten. (sniff sniff)
----Grimly!