The Iceman (2011)

A century ago, a documentary was filmed about Richard Kuklinski, that hitman who worked for the mob. It’s actually a fantastic piece of filmmaking—you can still find it online today. Even my colleague familia brought it up once:

Now, they’re putting together a feature film based on it.

To be honest, when I first saw who was directing, I wasn't particularly interested... but then I realized Claude Shannon is playing Kuklinski (the same unhinged Agent Hank Van Alden from Boardwalk Empire), and I stumbled upon this clip on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArrcnjJgy88

Those who have seen the original documentary will immediately recognize how perfectly Shannon has captured Kuklinski's essence. As for everyone else... well, just watch it anyway. Shannon is an absolute master.🙂

I really loved this scene. Do you think I should watch the documentary before diving into the movie?

edit:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1491044/

Benicio Del Toro, James Franco, and Elias Koteas... man, I guess I definitely have to see this one.

James Turner3 said:I really loved this scene. Do you think I should watch the documentary before diving into the movie?

edit:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1491044/

Benicio Del Toro, James Franco, and Elias Koteas... man, I guess I definitely have to see this one.

Heh... honestly, the most sensible thing would be to wait until I've seen the feature film before giving you a definitive answer. But since that hasn't been released yet, I'd say go ahead and watch the documentary regardless.👍

I watched it again last night. I guess I’m just curious about watching his movies now that I actually know who he is and what he's all about

goldenhound32 said:A century ago, a documentary was filmed about Richard Kuklinski, that hitman who worked for the mob. It’s actually a fantastic piece of filmmaking—you can still find it online today. Even my colleague familia brought it up once:

Now, they’re putting together a feature film based on it.

To be honest, when I first saw who was directing, I wasn't particularly interested... but then I realized Claude Shannon is playing Kuklinski (the same unhinged Agent Hank Van Alden from Boardwalk Empire), and I stumbled upon this clip on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArrcnjJgy88

Those who have seen the original documentary will immediately recognize how perfectly Shannon has captured Kuklinski's essence. As for everyone else... well, just watch it anyway. Shannon is an absolute master.🙂

🙂

So, it looks like they're finally putting a movie together.

Honestly, when I first saw who was directing, I wasn't exactly sold on the idea... but then I found out Michael Shannon is playing Kuklinski—you know, like that totally unhinged Agent Hank Van Alden from Boardwalk Empire—and suddenly things started looking a lot more interesting. Then I stumbled upon this scene from the movie on YouTube:

I can't quite wrap my head around what you're trying to show me here, but if you were hoping I'd jump through hoops to decipher that link, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. It's just a URL floating there without any context, and frankly, I don't have the patience or the psychic abilities to guess what kind of video you think is worth my time. If you actually want to start a conversation or get a reaction, you might want to try using actual words next time.

Anyone who’s actually sat through the documentary will see just how perfectly Shannon nailed the portrayal of Kuklinski. As for those who haven't seen it yet... well, honestly, you should just go watch it anyway because Shannon is an absolute king. 🙂

really powerful, Michael Shannon! 🙏

By the way, just so you guys know, they’re actually filming two different movies. The second one is an adaptation of Philip Carlo's book, The Iceman : Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer.Just a shot of Richard Kuklinski hanging out with the author Philip Carlo.).

Guess who's coming to dinner? Well, they actually agreed to it...



Natural Selection CEO Matty Beckerman just dropped some news from the Toronto International Film Festival—he’s officially announced that his company is stepping up to fully finance and produce a feature film adaptation of Philip Carlo's book, The Iceman : Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer. They've even already attached talent to the project. It’s basically the true story of Richard “The Iceman” Kuklinski, a guy who spent over 40 years living this wild, totally secret double life as both a notorious professional assassin and a devoted husband and father living out in suburban New Jersey.

While hanging out at the Toronto International Film Festival, Natural Selection CEO Matty Beckerman dropped some news today: his company is officially stepping up to fully finance and produce a feature film based on Philip Carlo’s massive book, The Iceman: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer. And they've already tapped Mickey Rourke to take the lead. David McKenna, the guy behind the scripts for American History X and Blow, is currently working on the screenplay, which is being adapted from that same book written by Carlo.So, Matty Beckerman just dropped some news from the Toronto International Film Festival, announcing that Natural Selection is going all in to finance and produce a feature film based on Philip Carlo’s The Iceman : Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer. They've already got Graham Taylor at WME lined up to manage the North American sales for the project. For those who haven't read it, MAFIA CONTRACT Killer is The true Story of Richard “ The Ice man ” Kuklinski Who for over 40 years led a completely secretive double Life as both a notorious Professional assassin and a doting husband and father in suburban New Jersey. Beckerman mentioned that digging into Kuklinski’s actual life through Philip Carlo’s writing has been a three-year process, and he thinks the whole thing is just incredibly gripping—definitely not your typical Mafia story you've seen in Hollywood before. He also couldn't help but gush about the casting potential, noting that Mickey Rourke seems like the perfect fit for the role, especially since he's such a massive fan of David McKenna’s writing.

Growing up in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, Carlo lived right in the thick of intense Mafia activity. His debut work, Stolen Flower, delved into the harrowing story of an eight-year-old girl abducted by pornographers and the subsequent attempts by the Cosa Nostra to recover her. Then there was his second book, The Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez—which actually stands as the second most popular true crime book out there, trailing only Capote’s In Cold Blood—widely regarded as the ultimate word on Ramirez, the guy who terrorized Los Angeles for fourteen months and took twenty-nine lives by slipping into homes under the cover of darkness. Following that, The Iceman, which tracks the chilling life and crimes of Kuklinski, a massive Mafia hitman, climbed all the way onto the New York Times bestseller list. After being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease in 2005, Carlo has been busy working on a new project regarding Colombian drug lord Juan Carlos Ramirez Abbadia, backed by some pretty incredible, unprecedented access to the DEA. Looking back on the film deal, Carlo mentioned that when he first sat down with Matty Beckerman, he just knew he had found the right producer to finally bring The Iceman to the big screen. He felt Beckerman instantly understood the core tension of the story: the duality of a man who was a devoted husband and a caring father, yet also a professional killer traveling the globe to fulfill murder contracts with a predatory instinct unlike anything we've ever seen—this incredibly powerful man who could end a life with his bare hands or a weapon, all while his wife and kids remained completely oblivious. Even with how dark things were, Carlo noted that Richard absolutely loathed rapists and simply couldn't stand by when a child was being abused.

http://www.deadline.com/2010/09/mick...s-killer-role/

The big selling points here are definitely having Mickey Rourke in the lead and getting David McKenna behind the script—the guy actually knows his stuff, considering he penned two absolute classics like American History X and Blow.

The downside?

In the meantime, a little complication has surfaced (though it shouldn't kill the production), and the main financier behind this whole thing is—get this—some rich kid's daddy. . 🤣.

Hollywood Feels Ripples From Libya

I guess money doesn't have a scent to Americans, as filming is supposedly kicking off in mid-2011. Here’s what Mickey had to say about it:

Mr. Rourke, one of those people said, had expressed interest in the lead role but had made no formal deal and will not face any decision about working with a Qaddafi-backed company until the screenplay is done.

Well, wish them luck, I guess. It’s usually how it goes when multiple films tackle the same subject at the exact same time; someone is bound to end up looking pretty bad.

What’s your take on all this? Which movie are you actually rooting for?

Personally, I’m leaning more toward the version starring Michael Shannon. From what I gather by looking at the plots, it seems like they'll focus on one central protagonist rather than splitting the screen between two. It just feels more cohesive.

That doesn't mean the other option won't be any good, mind you. Tony Scott is certainly capable of delivering a solid film, provided he doesn't get too carried away with excessive stylization.

goldenhound32 said:Personally, I’m leaning more toward the version starring Michael Shannon. From what I gather by looking at the plots, it seems like they'll focus on one central protagonist rather than splitting the screen between two. It just feels more cohesive.

That doesn't mean the other option won't be any good, mind you. Tony Scott is certainly capable of delivering a solid film, provided he doesn't get too carried away with excessive stylization.

Tony Scott as the director for the second one? That would be a first.

Go ahead, enjoy that little "fiction" of yours. Ariel Vromen To be honest, he doesn't exactly inspire any confidence. If you look at his track record, he’s got two pretty grim movies and a documentary under his belt, which isn't exactly a glowing endorsement. 🤷 I’ve got this nagging feeling that the whole Richard Kuklinski story might be a bit too heavy-duty for him to tackle, honestly. It feels like the kind of intense, visceral material that really demands a director with a style like Cronenberg's.

On top of all that...

I've been looking through the writing credits, and honestly, it’s quite a lot to digest when you start digging into the specifics of who actually put pen to paper on these projects. It's one of those things where you think you know the lineup, but then you see the actual names attached to the screenplays and realize how much heavy lifting goes on behind the scenes. Naturally, I'll probably spend way too much time overanalyzing the creative shifts between different drafts, but that's just how I am.
Bruno's book
Morgan Land screenplay Ariel Vromen screenplay ajmo red
Ariel Vromen screenplay

Let's get one thing straight: Bruno's book, The Iceman : The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer, is basically pure hell. Phillip Carlo It’s basically the same story as the one they turned into that HBO documentary, The Iceman : Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer.

Screenwriters?

We already established that Ariela is a total hack, so I guess we're just waiting to see who else is on that list. Morgan LandWhich brings us to the real question: Honestly, I’ve been sitting here wondering the exact same thing—who even is this Morgan Land guy, and why does everyone act like he’s some kind of big deal? It feels like one of those situations where a name keeps popping up in industry circles, and you're just left scratching your head while everyone else nods along like they actually know something.You really have to be brutally honest with yourself; that way, at least you can't end up disappointed. 😁

Christian Taylor3 said:Tony Scott as the director for the second one? That would be a first.

Go ahead, enjoy that little "fiction" of yours. Ariel Vromen To be honest, he doesn't exactly inspire any confidence. If you look at his track record, he’s got two pretty grim movies and a documentary under his belt, which isn't exactly a glowing endorsement. 🤷 I’ve got this nagging feeling that the whole Richard Kuklinski story might be a bit too heavy-duty for him to tackle, honestly. It feels like the kind of intense, visceral material that really demands a director with a style like Cronenberg's.

On top of all that...

I've been looking through the writing credits, and honestly, it’s quite a lot to digest when you start digging into the specifics of who actually put pen to paper on these projects. It's one of those things where you think you know the lineup, but then you see the actual names attached to the screenplays and realize how much heavy lifting goes on behind the scenes. Naturally, I'll probably spend way too much time overanalyzing the creative shifts between different drafts, but that's just how I am.
Bruno's book
Morgan Land screenplay Ariel Vromen screenplay ajmo red
Ariel Vromen screenplay

Let's get one thing straight: Bruno's book, The Iceman : The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer, is basically pure hell. Phillip Carlo It’s basically the same story as the one they turned into that HBO documentary, The Iceman : Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer.

Screenwriters?

We already established that Ariela is a total hack, so I guess we're just waiting to see who else is on that list. Morgan LandWhich brings us to the real question: Honestly, I’ve been sitting here wondering the exact same thing—who even is this Morgan Land guy, and why does everyone act like he’s some kind of big deal? It feels like one of those situations where a name keeps popping up in industry circles, and you're just left scratching your head while everyone else nods along like they actually know something.You really have to be brutally honest with yourself; that way, at least you can't end up disappointed. 😁

It’s entirely possible I misread the situation. There’s some crime flick floating around where Rourke is supposedly starring, so I just assumed that was the one.

Quote:Ariel Vromen (who directed the first one), he doesn't exactly inspire much confidence.

Enivej, regarding that "fictional" director of yours,

I agree. Looking at the IMDb ratings, there isn't much to be hopeful about. Though, I suppose we should keep in mind we haven't actually seen his work; we're just judging based on numbers.

It is plausible that The Iceman could end up being his breakthrough film.🙂

And if it turns out to be total garbage, nobody’s going to cry about it... obviously. There are a million other decent films out there anyway.

Why are they dragging their feet so much on this? They've had that test scene sitting around for two years now.

There are two documentaries out about Kuklinski. Both are excellent—if you can stomach it. The guy was a complete psychopath.

I've been searching everywhere, but I simply cannot find any subtitles for this film. It’s nowhere to be found. Does anyone have any leads? Thanks.

Things are finally starting to move— Michael Shannon Isn't Messing Around On First poster for Hitman tale 'The Iceman'.



Michael Shannon. 😍

Honestly, it feels like he just gets better with every single role he takes on; his career trajectory is pretty fascinating to watch.

It’s great to see such solid prep work going into this movie, especially considering the legendary HBO documentary: The Iceman Confesses : Secrets of a Mafia Hitman (2001).

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jxcr1R7o8dc
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr5BfyfaeOs

Regarding the poster, it isn't half bad... but what exactly is that thing to the right of the shot glass?

goldenhound32 said:Regarding the poster, it isn't half bad... but what exactly is that thing to the right of the shot glass?

I'm pretty sure it's just one of those napkin dispensers you see in diners and restaurants.

I’m of the same mind.

By the way, my memory might be failing me here, but did The Iceman ever actually use a drill? I can't quite recall. All I remember is that one scene where he shoots a guy inside a car and it just temporarily stuns him.🤣

Shannon's sitting there with a drink in his right hand and a box of napkins within easy reach of his left, right? Yeah, I highly doubt it. Long before he ever touched cyanide, Kuklinski was absolutely obsessed with poisoning his targets.

goldenhound32 said:I’m of the same mind.

By the way, my memory might be failing me here, but did The Iceman ever actually use a drill? I can't quite recall. All I remember is that one scene where he shoots a guy inside a car and it just temporarily stuns him.🤣

I don't think a silencer comes up much in the documentaries, but considering he probably carried out over 100 hits, he almost certainly used one.

I remember that one scene where he shoots someone in a car and it kind of deafens him for a second.🤣

😬

This isn't funny (well, maybe for atheists): "God Never Showed Up".

Another documentary to check out: The Iceman Tapes – Inside The Mind of a Mafia Hitman.

goldenhound32 said:I’m of the same mind.

By the way, my memory might be failing me here, but did The Iceman ever actually use a drill? I can't quite recall. All I remember is that one scene where he shoots a guy inside a car and it just temporarily stuns him.🤣

Yeah. He used it—if I recall correctly. Like I said, there are two documentaries out there. Here’s my take on them. The first one is better.

My review of the two Kuklinski docs

But that's not even what I meant. What sticks with me most is Kuklinski recounting how he once shot a guy in the head with a rifle just to test the weapon out. And then there's that part about leaving a guy tied up in a cave while filming the rats crawling over him. (There go those rats again.)

Anyway, I'm currently watching a doc about some guy who supposedly killed over 250 people. A professional hitman, you know? Not some amateur like Pedro Lopez.😁

Austin Alvarez62 said:Yeah. He used it—if I recall correctly. Like I said, there are two documentaries out there. Here’s my take on them. The first one is better.

My review of the two Kuklinski docs

But that's not even what I meant. What sticks with me most is Kuklinski recounting how he once shot a guy in the head with a rifle just to test the weapon out. And then there's that part about leaving a guy tied up in a cave while filming the rats crawling over him. (There go those rats again.)

Anyway, I'm currently watching a doc about some guy who supposedly killed over 250 people. A professional hitman, you know? Not some amateur like Pedro Lopez.😁

They both work well together since they complement each other.

He seemed like such a family man.

Actually, it wasn't just an act—that was kind of the whole point of the adaptation. Kuklinski really was a family man. He actually loved his kids (totally Father of the Year material), and he never even gave his wife a dirty look, let alone laid a hand on her. It's wild. My late grandad would have said, "Business is business, and nothing else matters."

Maybe fame went to his head a little, so he's playing up the cool factor. I guess you have to sell the movie rights, and honestly, there isn't much difference between life in prison and a death sentence anyway.

There’s no way he’s seeing a dime from this. If this were an adaptation of his own book, maybe, but that's clearly not what we're looking at here.

Well, look at that—two hardcore death penalty advocates in one thread. So why didn't Kuklinski get the death penalty? After allegedly taking out 100, 200, maybe 250 people? Give me a break; he was just a cleaner, using the local mob to sweep all that trash off the streets. Honestly, I’m surprised they haven’t given him an award yet. Is that how the system works these days?

*phew!* 😬

Personally, I found that particular hit via injection in the nightclub to be quite striking—the way Kuklinski disguised himself as some flamboyant character just to blend in while dancing. 🙂

'The Iceman' is making its festival debut at this year's Mostra out of competition, and then it’s heading straight to TIFF.

Check out some fresh stills here: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplayli...ceman-20120731

Honestly, seeing Shannon and Liotta together on screen? That’s quite the pairing. 🙏

This thing actually looks like it could be a winner, assuming Ariel doesn't trip over his own feet: "The film comes from relatively inexperienced Israeli-born director Ariel Vroman, but that cast is promising, and there's a nice sense of period style coming across."