QT dives deep for some MM back catalogue gems on the Pure Cinema Podcast.
Tributes to the late Michael Madsen have flown thick and fast since the character actor passed away unexpectedly on July 3, and rightly so. The gravelly-voiced legend brought gravitas and rough charm to whatever role he turned his hand to. And given he was a working actor who knew the value of a paycheque, some of those roles were better than the films that contained them.
Which is something Quentin Tarantino knows about. The cult director, who worked with Madsen on Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, The Hateful Eight, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, has a discerning eye for diamonds in the rough and a taste for the pleasures to be found in less prestigious cinematic fare – hell, it’s his brand. And so the prodigiously-chinned auteur is uniquely positioned to winnow through his fallen friend’s vast back catalogue for some real gems.
Which is exactly what he did on the latest episode of the Pure Cinema Podcast.
Joining regular hosts Brian Saur and Elric Kane, plus special guest Jules McLean, director of operations at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles, QT runs down Madsen’s career for a whopping three and a half hours, modestly excluding his own collaborations.
Much to my delight, Vengeance Unlimited, a one season wonder that aired in 1998, gets some long overdue praise. The ABC action drama saw Madsen as the mysterious Mr Chapel, a freelance vigilante who uses a web of favours and contacts to enact his own brand of justice on various ne’er-do-wells. Sure, it was daft, but it featured Madsen at the height of his post-Reservoir Dogs cool as a kind of benign Mr Blonde – unflappable, implacable, and wry.
Elsewhere, the pretty obscure 2007 boxing drama Strength and Honour gets its flowers. The only feature by Irish writer and director Mark Mahon, it sees Madsen as an Irish-American bareknuckle boxer who steps back into the ring to raise money for his ailing son. While it copped a bit of a pasting on release, the film has since found a cult following, and Tarantino is effusive in his praise of Madsen’s performance. It’s also mentioned that it’s hard to track down, but the Australian release via Vendetta Films is yours for pocket change if you fancy a look.
But do have a listen, regardless. This ep is a great tribute to Madsen’s singular talent.
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