Bad film awards named after Keanu Reeves

A website has launched its own worst film awards, and has named them after Keanu Reeves.

The Keanus are described as the "alernate Oscars."

Fans can vote for the Celebrity Most Likely To Be Crushed By The Weight of Own Ego or Actor Most Apt To Take Mantle From Keanu Reeves.

According to www.alternet.org, the awards were named after Reeves in honour of the "Actor most able to make bad movie after bad movie, with little real acting skill in evidence, and yet emerge unscathed and well-loved."

Story filed: 11:56 Thursday 21st March 2002

Welcome to AlterNet's First Annual KEANUs

Year after year, the most shameless popularity contest in the world lures us in. Year after year we tell ourselves, this time I'll just turn it off. I'll watch my re-runs of Masterpiece Theater, read a book, and go to bed. But for some reason, hours and hours of Whoopi Goldberg, stars in bizarre dresses, and Oscars awarded to The Gladiator, The Gladiator and The Gladiator -- for some reason, this is always irresistible.

No matter how many incredibly worthy un-nominated foreign films we've seen, no matter how many times we've promised ourselves never to watch another Jerry Bruckheimer movie, when it comes to the spectacle, glitz and cheesy ballads of the Academy Awards, we can't look away.

This year, the editors at AlterNet.org would like to introduce our readers to the Keanus, AlterNet's very own interactive movie awards. The awards are named after Keanu Reeves, in honor of the next "Actor Most Able to Make Bad Movie After Bad Movie, with Little Real Acting Skill in Evidence, and Yet Emerge Unscathed and Well-Loved." Other Keanus will go to this year's Guiltiest Pleasure, Best Sex Scene and Most Homoerotic Movie.

Welcome to the Keanus, please cast your vote below. If have a category, movie or actor you think we missed, let us know.

If you want to see how others have voted, check out the current results.

What those involved in making of "Evil Dead" have done since

The Associated Press
3/9/02 8:28 AM

The actors, actresses and filmmakers who created the 1982 cult horror classic "The Evil Dead" have gone to do a wide array of film and television work.

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Sam Raimi, director, executive producer:

Raimi has helmed a number of critical hits, including "Darkman," "A Simple Plan," and "The Gift."

He has directed a who's-who list of Hollywood talent: Russell Crowe, Liam Neeson, Gene Hackman, Sharon Stone, Kevin Costner, Billy Bob Thornton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett and Keanu Reeves.

His upcoming "Spider-Man" is one of the most eagerly anticipated films of this year.

Billy's excellent adventure

I see Keanu Reeves is casting around for a remake franchise to call his own. Appropriately, he has apparently settled on the dumbest series character of all, Tom Laughlin's high-kicking warrior peacenik Billy Jack.

Billy Jack was a huge success in early 1970s America, although he barely registered in Britain at the time. Laughlin, a character actor, worked with his wife Delores Taylor to come up with the story of a half-Indian Vietnam veteran who protects an alternative community of women and children in pre-new age New Mexico. The couple insisted on keeping complete creative control and wound up with a hit. At least, it was a hit in the most conservative states in America - Nebraska, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas - and perhaps not surprisingly so. Despite the couple's involvement in the civil rights movement and progressive education, their long-cherished project argued that Gandhi-esque notions of passive resistance were best backed up by a martial-arts hero who could kick 100 acres of racist, anti-progressive ass in under 10 seconds. Enter Billy Jack.

Given a wider release, Billy Jack ended up earning Laughlin millions and paved the way for two sequels. Hollywood, meanwhile, shook its head in disbelief that such an ideologically incoherent, moderately acted, poorly written and lamentably directed piece of B-movie pseudo-hippiedom could have caught them off guard. It felt like Easy Rider all over again.

As it turned out, however, a 1977 sequel, Billy Jack Goes to Washington, was a miserable flop. Nevertheless, Laughlin has held on to the rights all these years and will be involved in the new project. In Reeves he has found the perfect latter-day dummy to do his character proud.

After he completes a pair of sequels to the futuristic hit ``The Matrix,'' Keanu Reeves is looking to go retro in ``Billy Jack.'' Tom Laughlin, who wrote, directed and starred in the 1971 counterculture hit, is in talks to mount a remake. In the original, Billy Jack - a tough, spiritual, half-Native American Vietnam veteran who is skilled in the martial arts - protected a hippie ``Freedom School'' in an Arizona town from bigoted baddies. And who can forget the theme song, the immortal ``One Tin Soldier,'' sung by Jinx Dawson of Coven?

After he completes a pair of sequels to "The Matrix," Keanu Reeves plans to cover a fictional hero of the 1970s, Billy Jack. Tom Laughlin wrote, directed and starred in the 1971 film about a spiritual Vietnam vet who challenges the establishment. Laughlin will play a role in the remake, Variety reports. It is the first project Reeves has targeted since getting involved in the year-long shoot of "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions."

Keanu in a story 'written long ago'?

Is "Billy Jack" suddenly becoming trendy? Last month at the end of an episode of "The Chris Isaak Show," Chris and the gang gathered in a circle and sang "One Tin Soldier," the Coven hit used as the theme song for the 1971 film. All this while Isaak's own version of "the rainbow children" looked on.

Now Variety is reporting that Keanu Reeves may take part in a "Billy Jack" remake once he completes two sequels to "The Matrix." Negotiations, the trade paper says, are under way with Tom Laughlin, writer-director-star of the original picture.

In Laughlin's film, his half-Indian character--a former Green Beret who served in Vietnam--rebelled against the system and fought for the preservation of the environment and of a school for runaways. It was followed by two sequels: "The Trial of Billy Jack" (1974) and the little-seen "Billy Jack Goes to Washington" (1977).

Variety says Jersey Films partners Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher will produce the film with Erwin Stoff, Reeves' manager. Laughlin, who owns the rights, would be heavily involved in the venture that they will later shop to studios.

Keanu Reeves in Motorcycle Racing Pic?

'A.S.K.' alerted us that the April issue of MotorCyclist Magazine includes news on an upcoming Motorcycle film.

THINK DAYS OF THUNDER - BUT WITH MOTORCYCLES. Motorcycle roadracing is primed to hit the national spotlight in March 2003 when the movie "14K" hits theaters nationwide. The story of a street racer who takes it to the track, the movie's budget is a whopping $48 milion, so hopefully it won't be a clut title that goes direct to video. As of January the crew is in preproduction but the script is complete. We hope this movie is as good as "Stroker Ace." So far American Suzuki has agreed to offer full support, with other vendors such as Arai, Honda, Kawasaki, Dunlop, and Spyke leathers rumored to sign on, also. The really big news, however, is that Keanu Reeves may star in the movie - can we get a "whoa?" For more info check out the Web site at www.14kthemovie.com.

The site above has quite a bit of information already on "14K," so be sure to take a look. The casting of Keanu is, of course, not confirmed as of this moment. He may next star in "Billy Jack" after completing "The Matrix" sequels.

YOU DON'T KNOW JACK

After completing work on The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, currently scheduled to be released in theaters in May and November of 2003 respectively, actor Keanu Reeves might just go retro.

The actor is currently in talks to star in a remake of the 1971 action western Billy Jack as the title character.

Danny DeVito's Jersey Films, along with 3 Arts Productions, who manage Reeves, are currently in negotiations with Tom Laughlin, the writer/director/star of the original film to grab the rights for a remake. Should he agree to let them have the rights, he would also take a role of some importance in the production. Laughlin has received numerous and profitable offers to remake the film in the past, but he never got hooked.

The project is expected to be open to studios soon for distribution rights.

The original Billy Jack told the story of an ex-Green Beret, who fought in Vietnam and whose heritage was half-Native American who fights the bad guys to save some wild horses from being senselessly destroyed and also helps a school of runaways. It played heavily on themes of the late 1960s (i.e., peace not war, fighting the system, etc.)

Two sequels followed the original film: 1974's The Trial of Billy Jack and 1977's Billy Jack Goes to Washington.

Keanu Reeves in 'Billy Jack'?

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- After he completes a pair of sequels to the futuristic hit "The Matrix," Keanu Reeves is looking to go retro, in the form of "Billy Jack," Variety reports.

Tom Laughlin, who wrote, directed and starred in the original 1971 counterculture hit, is in talks with Danny DeVito's Jersey Films and Reeves' management firm 3 Arts to mount a remake of the film.

A tough, spiritual Vietnam veteran who's half-Native American, Billy Jack challenged the establishment and championed a group of runaway teens as well as the environment in an Arizona town. A man of few words, he was quick with fists and feet.

The project is expected to be shopped to studios shortly, and Laughlin also will play a critical role in the production. The film rights are controlled by Laughlin, who over the years has received numerous remake overtures for a film whose cost-to-gross ratio made it wildly profitable.

It is the first project Reeves has targeted as a potential star vehicle since he immersed himself in the yearlong shoot of "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions," the back-to-back sequels to the hit 1999 film

Keanu Reeves May Jack Into 'Billy' After Disconnecting from 'The Matrix'

HOLLYWOOD (Zap2it.com) "After performing wire-fu in the future world of "The Matrix" and its upcoming sequels, Keanu Reeves could practice a little kung fu in the past via a remake of "Billy Jack," Variety reports.

"Billy Jack" writer, director and star Tom Laughlin is negotiating with Danny DeVito's production company Jersey Films and Reeves' management firm 3 Arts to get his 1971 counterculture smash remade.

The original centered on a half-Native American, half-white ex-Green Beret in touch with both his spiritual and butt-kicking sides who protects a peace-loving liberal arts school and the environment in an Arizona town from the conservative establishment. The silent type, he exacts justice with his martial arts skills.

Laughlin, who owns the rights to the movie, will play a key role in the production, which will likely be shopped around to studios in the near future. Since the original was extraordinarily profitable thanks to its low production cost and high box office gross, he has received quite a few remake offers in the past.

"Billy Jack" marks the first picture that Reeves has seriously considered as a follow-up to "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions," with which he has been busy on with a yearlong, back-to-back shoot.

Keanu to remake 'Billy Jack'

Keanu Reeves will follow up his dual sequels to the futuristic martial arts epic "The Matrix" by taking on the bare-footed butt-kicker "Billy Jack," Variety reports.

Jersey Films is in discussions with creator/star Tom Laughlin to remake the original 1971 "Billy Jack," a wildly profitable counter-culture hit about a peaceful half-native Vietnam vet forced to take vengeance on those who prey on the meek.

His trademarks were a penchant for philosophizing ("Whatever makes you upset in someone else also exists in you ...") and a slow-burning anger that began with Billy Jack methodically removing his boots before unleashing a barrage of kicks and punches on his enemies.

Laughlin -- who starred in, directed, produced and independently distributed many of his films -- has all along controlled the rights to "Billy Jack" and the movie's sequels, Variety said.

The official "Billy Jack" website (www.billyjack.com) reports that Laughlin recently underwent throat cancer surgery, and is recovering.

The site also offers the complete library of the films on DVD, including the biker-themed "Born Losers" (1967), "Billy Jack" (1971), "The Trial Of Billy Jack" (1974), and the long-delayed "Billy Jack Goes To Washington" (1977).

Keanu Looks to Resurrect Movie Hero

For Keanu Reeves, it will be back from the future. Currently completing "The Matrix Revolutions" and "The Matrix Reloaded," two sequels to his 1999 hit "The Matrix," the leading man, 37, is looking to bring back the '70s counterculture hero of the "Billy Jack" movies, reports Variety. In the original, actor Tom Laughlin starred as Billy, a half-Native American ex-Green Beret karate expert who saved wild horses from being slaughtered for dog food and runaway teens from troubled pasts. In between, he talked spiritualism. Sort of an early independent film (that was released by a major studio, which admittedly didn't know how to market it), "Billy Jack" was a major hit of 1971, and was followed by two sequels that were increasingly less successful (1974's "The Trail of Billy Jack" and 1977's "Billy Jack Goes to Washington"). Early on, critics noted that Laughlin didn't look even remotely half-Native American. In later years, Billy Jack became yet another '70s relic, similar to Earth Shoes and Pet Rocks. Still, Reeves is said to be discussing the resurrection of Billy Jack with Danny DeVito's production company, Jersey Films, with an eye toward shopping the project at various studios. Laughlin, still kicking at age 70, is expected to play a crucial role in the production, says Variety. He still controls the film rights, and over the years has reportedly turned down several requests to remake his brainchild.

Keanu Reeves to star in remake of 1970s film

Keanu Reeves is to star in a remake of the 1971 film Billy Jack.

He will make the film after finishing work on the two Matrix sequels.

The original version of Billy Jack was about a tough Vietnam veteran who's half-Native American.

Billy Jack challenged the establishment and championed a group of runaway teens as well as the environment in an Arizona town.

The remake is being made by Danny DeVito's production company Jersey Films, reports www.variety.com.

"Billy Jack" on way back with Keanu

NEW YORK (Variety) - After he completes a pair of sequels to the futuristic hit "The Matrix," Keanu Reeves is looking to go retro, in the form of "Billy Jack."

Tom Laughlin, who wrote, directed and starred in the original 1971 counterculture hit, is in talks with Danny DeVito's Jersey Films and Reeves' management firm 3 Arts to mount a remake of the film.

A tough, spiritual Vietnam veteran who's half-Native American, Billy Jack challenged the establishment and championed a group of runaway teens as well as the environment in an Arizona town. A man of few words, he was quick with fists and feet.

The project is expected to be shopped to studios shortly, and Laughlin also will play a critical role in the production. The film rights are controlled by Laughlin, who over the years has received numerous remake overtures for a film whose cost-to-gross ratio made it wildly profitable.

It is the first project Reeves has targeted as a potential star vehicle since he immersed himself in the yearlong shoot of "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions," the back-to-back sequels to the hit 1999 film.