comment #1

Ponderer says ...

It might not be worse, but it's not a matter of pride when you might only be slightly better than, arguably, the most ridiculous casting in Hollywood history.

comment #2

DeeZee says ...

I guess 'Geisha is now probably the most progressive Hollywood has ever currently been on casting for Asian roles.

comment #3

Travis Crabtree says ...

It would be ridiculous if the film was a bio-pic, but (without really looking into it) I imagine it will be more of a "300" - type, screaming-hard-rock-soundtrack, blood and guts, CG-filled summer action flick with little attention paid to dorky shit like "historical fact".

This summer..... Ghengis Khan will rock your shit!!!!

comment #4

George Prager says ...

"After them, all other women are like the second pressing of the grape."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciHbJkb9OKI

comment #5

Josh Massey says ...

John Milius + Mickey Rourke + Genghis Khan = AWESOME. I'm not expecting Oscar nominations, or the desire for them.

The only theoretical project more exciting right now is Mel Gibson + Leonardo DiCaprio + vikings.

comment #6

cangefilmfest says ...

I neglected to read this from beginning to end, but wasn't that the John Wayne movie where most of the cast and crew picked up whatever caused the cancer that would kill most of them? Filmed out where there had been A bomb tests the day before craft services pulled up. But let's get that sad info out of our minds and consider Mr Rourke, he being the picture of good health!

comment #7

reverent and free says ...

Ahem, John Milius cast Sean Connery as a Moroccan in The Wind and the Lion, and Ron "Superfly" O'Neal as the good hearted Cuban commie in Red Dawn.

comment #8

Sad McBain says ...

It is less ridiculous because Rourke is a MUCH BETTER ACTOR than Wayne. Period. End of story.

comment #9

Noah Cross says ...

True, McBain, Rourke may be a better actor. But Wayne was a greater star, which is a more rare and special thing.

comment #10

Travis Crabtree says ...

John Wayne + "The Searchers" = Good actor.

comment #11

Tyler says ...

I remember watching that movie as a child and loving the thing. I mostly remember Susan Hayward in a beautiful bright blue harem outfit. If this is the one directed by Alan Ladd, yes, that was the one rumored to be filmed in very lethal, dust. When they finished filming in L.A., they took a bunch of that same dirt with them, to further contaminate everyone.

comment #12

Tyler says ...

Sorry, when they finished filming in the desert, that loaded up the dirt and brought it back to L.A. Got that backward.

comment #13

Bob Hightower says ...

Dick Powell directed it. He and many others in the company
died of cancer. However, the DP, Winton Hoch,
lived to a ripe old age.

comment #14

Bob Violence says ...

I ask again for the front page: how is the idea of Mickey Rourke playing Genghis Khan any less ridiculous than John Wayne doing the same thing 54 years ago?

it isn't, the problems with The Conqueror went way beyond casting

comment #15

reverent and free says ...

There's long been a rumor that shooting The Conqueror near nuclear test sites was responsible for killing the Duke. But given how many cigarettes he was pumping into his lungs, I don't think he needed any help in that regard.

comment #16

Charlie Horse says ...

Two wrongs don't make a right.

comment #17

Krillian says ...

Now let's see Sean Connery disguised as a Japanese citizen from that James Bond movie.

comment #18

JohnCope says ...

I can't believe no one has yet brought up the far more fascinating spectacle of Richard "Two Moon Junction" Tyson as Genghis Khan--the results of which can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d92BpqBOXB0

Evidently that film remains unfinished but Tyson mentioned in an interview just recently that he still hoped to see it released as he was enormously proud of it.

Also, in respect to seemingly outrageous Rourke casting, how can anything ever top his assignment as St. Francis in Liliana Cavani's Francesco? And yet for my money, as a huge Rourke fan, few of his performances and few of his films are as great.

Maybe all former Zalman King male leads have to portray Genghis at some point. I'm waiting with baited breath for Billy Zane's turn.

comment #19

THE MovieBob says ...

John Wayne was not a bad actor.

He was ALSO not a chameleon: He demonstrated little ability to alter his speaking style, accent or facial inflections - all of which would've been required for Conqueror to come close to working.

Rourke, on the other hand, IS pretty good with vocal transformations, and he's not shy about donning tons of makeup to turn him into whatever he's supposed to be. He'll be good in this.