Menahem Golan, Producer of 1980s Action Movies, Dies at 85 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 08-08-2014, 05:23 PM

He was behind such films as "The Delta Force," the "Death Wish" sequels, "Masters of The Universe" and "Kickboxer."

Link

Legendary filmmaker Menahem Golan, co-founder of The Cannon Group production company and Israeli cinema pioneer, has died. He was 85.

According to multiple Israeli news outlets, Golan lost consciousness while strolling outside his house in the city of Jaffa with family members in the early hours of Friday evening. Ambulances rushed to the scene, and following attempts of more than an hour to resuscitate him, paramedics pronounced him dead.

With cousin and partner Yoram Globus, Golan ran Cannon Films for a decade, releasing more than a dozen films a year in its prime. They bought the ailing company, which was launched in 1967, for $500,000 in 1979 and fueled an appetite for B-films that was created by the invention of the VCR. For a time, Cannon was on the brink of becoming the seventh Hollywood “major” studio.

Golan produced more than 200 films including the action hits The Delta Force (1986) starring Chuck Norris and the Death Wish sequels toplined by Charles Bronson.

He also produced such high-octane fare as Missing in Action (1984), also starring Norris, and its sequels; The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986); the lightly-regarded Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987), which effectively killed the franchise for years; Masters of The Universe (1987), starring Dolph Lundgren; and Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Kickboxer (1989).

Cannon, though, also was behind much loftier fare, like John Cassavetes’ Love Streams (1984), which won Berlin’s Golden Bear, Robert Altman’s Fool for Love (1985), Franco Zefferelli's Otello (1986), Jean-Luc Godard's King Lear (1987) and Barbet Schroeder’s Barfly (1987).

Born Menahem Globus to Polish immigrants on May 31, 1929, in the Northern Israeli city of Tiberias, he changed his surname for patriotic reasons to the Hebrew name of Golan upon serving in the Israeli Air Force during the country’s 1948 War of Independence. After finishing years of filmmaking studies at the Old Vic School, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and New York University, he returned to Israeli and directed for the stage.

In the early 1960s, Golan started working for cult film producer Roger Corman on The Young Racers, which led to his own 1963 directorial debut of Israeli film El Dorado. A year later, he served as producer of Sallah Shabati starring noted Israeli actor Chaim Topol, which went on to win the Golden Globe for best foreign film and became the first Israeli feature to be nominated at the Academy Awards in the category.

Golan co-founded local production company Noah Films; named after his father, it was his first business endeavor with his cousin Yoram. Noah Films was behind Academy Award nominated films 1972’s I Love You Rosa and 1973’s The House on Chelouche Street. In 1977, Golan directed Operation Thunderbolt, based on the previous year’s real event of the Israeli raid on Entebbe airport in Uganda, a movie that was nominated for an Academy Award for best foreign language Film and led the way for the cousins to try and conquer Hollywood.

The trials and tribulations of the cousins were recently the focus of an Israeli documentary The Go Go Boys by director Hila Medalia, which premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival, where Golan was in attendance.

In the documentary Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films, which played this month at the Melbourne International Film Festival, THR critic David Rooney notes that music supervisor Richard Kraft likened the Cannon product pipeline to bowel movements dumped onto the international market with scant concern for quality or plot coherence: “You flush it. You make another one.”

By 1989, Golan had resigned from Canon, which folded altogether four years later, while still courting Stan Lee's Marvel Comics and managing to produce a 1990 version of Captain America under the 21st Century Film Corp. His longtime efforts to produce a Spider-Man film fell short. Golan soon returned to Israel and to theater in the early 90s and directed local adaptations of such musicals as Annie and The Sound of Music. 21st Century Film Corp. went bankrupt in 1996.

During the past two decades, Golan focused on local productions and was the recipient of Israeli Film Academy’s Ophir Award for Lifetime Achievement and The Israel Prize, given annually by the government for excellence and contribution to cinema.

Vahan · 08-08-2014, 06:18 PM

The USA-Made Over the Top with Sylvester Stallone is my favorite film from them.

The film was a Warner release here in America, but distributed internationally by Cannon.

isiahthomas · 08-12-2014, 01:18 PM

RIP Menahem Golan. I remember Cannon movie company. They did a lot of good action movies in the 80's like The Delta Force 1 and 2, Missing In Action sequels, Chuck Norris Hero And The Terror(bad guy in this was big and scary), Charles Bronson's movies, Sylvester Stallone's Over The Top.

Torgo · 08-12-2014, 01:48 PM

I grew up on his and his cousin's movies. Besides their action output they also produced Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, The Happy Hooker movies, the underrated 1986 crime-thriller 52 Pick Up. Also one of my favorite 80's sword & sorcery flicks The Barbarians with with The Paul Bros. The fun action-thriller Down Twisted. The disturbing 1987 war-drama The Hanoi Hilton. Shy People with Barbara Hershey.

I'd say my favorite film he produced was Barfly with Mickey Roarke.

isiahthomas · 08-12-2014, 03:07 PM

I saw 52 Pick Up and it was alright. I remember my girl Vanity was in it. I think she played a prostitute. Vanity was so hot back in the day. I still watch Action Jackson sometimes because of her. I also remember Barfly with Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway. You liked Barfly Torgo? I saw some of it and i turned it off after about 45 minutes because it was boring LOL.

Mace Dolex · 08-12-2014, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vahan

The USA-Made Over the Top with Sylvester Stallone is my favorite film from them.

The film was a Warner release here in America, but distributed internationally by Cannon.

Yeah Over The Top is one of those guilty pleasures, it's kind of like Kramer vs. Kramer but with arm wrestling.

08-08-2014, 05:23 PM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,386	Menahem Golan, Producer of 1980s Action Movies, Dies at 85 He was behind such films as "The Delta Force," the "Death Wish" sequels, "Masters of The Universe" and "Kickboxer." Link Legendary filmmaker Menahem Golan, co-founder of The Cannon Group production company and Israeli cinema pioneer, has died. He was 85. According to multiple Israeli news outlets, Golan lost consciousness while strolling outside his house in the city of Jaffa with family members in the early hours of Friday evening. Ambulances rushed to the scene, and following attempts of more than an hour to resuscitate him, paramedics pronounced him dead. With cousin and partner Yoram Globus, Golan ran Cannon Films for a decade, releasing more than a dozen films a year in its prime. They bought the ailing company, which was launched in 1967, for $500,000 in 1979 and fueled an appetite for B-films that was created by the invention of the VCR. For a time, Cannon was on the brink of becoming the seventh Hollywood “major” studio. Golan produced more than 200 films including the action hits The Delta Force (1986) starring Chuck Norris and the Death Wish sequels toplined by Charles Bronson. He also produced such high-octane fare as Missing in Action (1984), also starring Norris, and its sequels; The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986); the lightly-regarded Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987), which effectively killed the franchise for years; Masters of The Universe (1987), starring Dolph Lundgren; and Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Kickboxer (1989). Cannon, though, also was behind much loftier fare, like John Cassavetes’ Love Streams (1984), which won Berlin’s Golden Bear, Robert Altman’s Fool for Love (1985), Franco Zefferelli's Otello (1986), Jean-Luc Godard's King Lear (1987) and Barbet Schroeder’s Barfly (1987). Born Menahem Globus to Polish immigrants on May 31, 1929, in the Northern Israeli city of Tiberias, he changed his surname for patriotic reasons to the Hebrew name of Golan upon serving in the Israeli Air Force during the country’s 1948 War of Independence. After finishing years of filmmaking studies at the Old Vic School, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and New York University, he returned to Israeli and directed for the stage. In the early 1960s, Golan started working for cult film producer Roger Corman on The Young Racers, which led to his own 1963 directorial debut of Israeli film El Dorado. A year later, he served as producer of Sallah Shabati starring noted Israeli actor Chaim Topol, which went on to win the Golden Globe for best foreign film and became the first Israeli feature to be nominated at the Academy Awards in the category. Golan co-founded local production company Noah Films; named after his father, it was his first business endeavor with his cousin Yoram. Noah Films was behind Academy Award nominated films 1972’s I Love You Rosa and 1973’s The House on Chelouche Street. In 1977, Golan directed Operation Thunderbolt, based on the previous year’s real event of the Israeli raid on Entebbe airport in Uganda, a movie that was nominated for an Academy Award for best foreign language Film and led the way for the cousins to try and conquer Hollywood. The trials and tribulations of the cousins were recently the focus of an Israeli documentary The Go Go Boys by director Hila Medalia, which premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival, where Golan was in attendance. In the documentary Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films, which played this month at the Melbourne International Film Festival, THR critic David Rooney notes that music supervisor Richard Kraft likened the Cannon product pipeline to bowel movements dumped onto the international market with scant concern for quality or plot coherence: “You flush it. You make another one.” By 1989, Golan had resigned from Canon, which folded altogether four years later, while still courting Stan Lee's Marvel Comics and managing to produce a 1990 version of Captain America under the 21st Century Film Corp. His longtime efforts to produce a Spider-Man film fell short. Golan soon returned to Israel and to theater in the early 90s and directed local adaptations of such musicals as Annie and The Sound of Music. 21st Century Film Corp. went bankrupt in 1996. During the past two decades, Golan focused on local productions and was the recipient of Israeli Film Academy’s Ophir Award for Lifetime Achievement and The Israel Prize, given annually by the government for excellence and contribution to cinema.
	__________________ 'Twas The Night Before Christmas And All Through The Full House Not A Creature Was Stirring, Not Even Mighty Mouse. All My Children We're Nestled All Snug In Their Beds While Visions Of Sugarbakers Danced In Their Heads.

08-12-2014, 01:48 PM	#4
Torgo Omaha & Fritz Forum Star Join Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 19,033	RIP I grew up on his and his cousin's movies. Besides their action output they also produced Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, The Happy Hooker movies, the underrated 1986 crime-thriller 52 Pick Up. Also one of my favorite 80's sword & sorcery flicks The Barbarians with with The Paul Bros. The fun action-thriller Down Twisted. The disturbing 1987 war-drama The Hanoi Hilton. Shy People with Barbara Hershey. I'd say my favorite film he produced was Barfly with Mickey Roarke.
	__________________ "I'm going to go do something productive. I'm gonna go watch television." - Ray Peterson, The 'burbs "I am the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and Fries." - Stephen King "There's nothing wrong with G-rated movies, as long as there's lots of sex and violence." - Elvira

08-08-2014, 06:18 PM	#2
Vahan Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2008 Posts: 2,712	The USA-Made Over the Top with Sylvester Stallone is my favorite film from them. The film was a Warner release here in America, but distributed internationally by Cannon.

08-12-2014, 01:18 PM	#3
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	RIP Menahem Golan. I remember Cannon movie company. They did a lot of good action movies in the 80's like The Delta Force 1 and 2, Missing In Action sequels, Chuck Norris Hero And The Terror(bad guy in this was big and scary), Charles Bronson's movies, Sylvester Stallone's Over The Top.

08-12-2014, 03:07 PM	#5
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	I saw 52 Pick Up and it was alright. I remember my girl Vanity was in it. I think she played a prostitute. Vanity was so hot back in the day. I still watch Action Jackson sometimes because of her. I also remember Barfly with Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway. You liked Barfly Torgo? I saw some of it and i turned it off after about 45 minutes because it was boring LOL.