Chuck Russell is a name action and horror fans revere. First bursting onto the scene with A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, his take on Freddy Krueger set the tone for what was to follow. His next movie, The Blob, was a notable failure in 1988 but has since been rediscovered as a genre classic, while his nineties movies, such as The Mask and Eraser, are iconic in their own right. Russell returns to the action genre with the indie flick Paradise City, which re-teams John Travolta and Bruce Willis for the first time since Pulp Fiction.
In our exclusive sit-down with Russell, he talks about making the film, admitting that while he knows Willis had some limitations, no one at the shoot knew about his Aphasia diagnosis as he was a total pro throughout. He also discusses his admiration for Travolta, who he worked with previously on I Am Wrath, and discusses the appeal of shooting on location in Hawaii with a primarily local crew and cast.
Russell is full of stories, and in addition to discussing Paradise City, he also fondly looks back at his early horror work and even reveals that he may be returning to the genre shortly in an old-school throwback flick. He also reveals that once, in the nineties, he came close to pairing Willis and Travolta on a tentpole movie that didn’t happen and discusses the legit fondness the two icons have for each other.
Paradise City is available on VOD now!