Parker: At The Movies

Donald Westlake never let any of the Parker film adaptations use the name of his beloved creation.  Lee Marvin was Walker.  Mel Gibson was Porter.  Robert Duval was Macklin.  Jim Brown was McClain.  Etc. Etc.  Supposedly, Westlake didn't want the name used unless there were going to be a series of films, and none of the actors were ever interested in a franchise.  A shame, cuz I could have watched Marvin's Parker through 3, 4, 20 movies.  He was hardcore.

So, that begs the question, who would I cast in a Parker franchise?  Hmmmm, my pal Dan just suggested Jon Hamm from Mad Men.  That's a damn good one and it's almost hard to argue.  Donald Westlake once stated that he wanted Jack Palance for the role.  Palance could do rage like nobody else and he's got the hard looks that fit.  Watch that beast in Panic in the Streets.  Recently, as seen at the end of my Hunter post, a youtube fake teaser postulates Clive Owen in the role.  That could be cool.

But I think if I was going to cast anyone as Parker I would go with Mark Valley.  Again, he's probably too handsome for the role, maybe even too suave.  But watch him in that first season of Fringe or his current run in Human Target, the man can play undesirable but somehow attractive violence perfectly.  And that's the biggest element to Parker that just has to get nailed in a movie.  He's a thug.  And he's a beast.  But that dark side glee in you loves it.  Valley can pull that off.  Crazy?  You tell me.

Anyway, the Parker novels have been adapted into seven films of varying degrees of success.  The Hunter was made into Point Blank and Payback (of which there are two cuts, The Straight Up Edition Blu Ray release being the preferred).  The Jugger was made into Jean Luc Goddard's Made in U.S.A. and it has a fancy Criterion edition.  The Outfit can be found via the Warner Archive.  But if you're looking for copies of The Split (adapted from The Seventh), Slayground, or Mise à Sac (aka “Pillaged” aka The Score) you'll have to go the bootleg route.

Below are the three Parker trailers that can be found on YouTube.

Based on The Hunter

Based on The Jugger

Based on The Hunter

--Brad