5 Questions: Bulletproof (1988)
One question came to mind before I watched Bulletproof starring Gary Busey, is it possible that there were two great Gary Busey action movies from the 80’s that totally slipped by me for all these years?
It happened with Eye of the Tiger (click here to read my review) so it is not out of the realm of possibility… as I watched Bulletproof, I realized why it had taken me 26 years to see it.
My realization that Bulletproof is not a great movie was not the only thing that popped into my mind as I watched.
In fact, these five thought provoking questions came to mind as well…
1 – Were the creators of this film planning on Frank McBain’s use of the term “Butt Horn” to become an iconic action catch phrase?
Gary Busey’s character McBain (isn’t he on The Simpsons?) uses Butt Horn on at least two occasions. “Bird season is over Butt Horn!” is not the same as “I’ll be back.” or “If he dies, he dies.” or “Dead or alive, you’re coming with me.” And has anyone but Frank McBain in the 1988 movie Bulletproof ever called somebody else butt horn??
2 – This question is for the ladies, do any of you actually find Gary Busey attractive?
The magic of Hollywood has Busey having not one but two love interests in this movie. A guy who looks like the front end and back end of a jackass at the same time is getting women?!?! One is Tracy (his current girlfriend who spends most of her screen time in a bubble bath) the other is Captain Devon Shepard (an ex he rekindles the flame with). This may have been the most unbelievable aspect of the film, maybe with the exception of this…
3 – Is Bulletproof the movie with the most ridiculous escape scene in cinematic history?
Let me paint the picture, Frank McBain is tied to a giant wooden spool and about to face the firing squad. But his ex-flame, Devon, manages to sneak a hand grenade into her jacket and negotiate her way into speaking to McBain before they kill him if they want her to provide the access codes for the state of the art Thunderblast tank. She goes over, plants one on him and goes over her ingenious plan of throwing the hand grenade next to the big wooden spool, which will then cause it to roll down the hill and get McBain out of harm’s way.
So she pulls the pin, drops the grenade and away he goes… not hurt in anyway and even more puzzling is with the entire army right there not one of them can chase him down. RIDICULOUS!
4 – Who thought Henry Silva, a man of Spanish and Italian ancestry, could pull off playing a character of Arab descent?
Even worse, I’m not sure Henry Silva knew he was playing a character from the Middle East. If memory serves me he just acted like Henry Silva always acts. He looked like Henry Silva always looks. This was not a Joel Grey in Remo Williams scenario where they did heavy make up to change his look completely, this was just everyday Henry Silva… well except for being a crybaby, I never recall that in any other film I’ve seen of his.
5 – How did McBain and Devon learn how to operate the super complex Thunderblast so quickly?
In one scene the dynamic duo of Frank McBain and Devon Shepard are accidentally starting the Thunderblasts’s coffee maker, the next they are experts on how to use it, laying waste to the enemy forces. Did I miss something? Were there some deleted scenes that will be available to the special edition Blu-Ray some day? How did it happen?
