Sheldon Lettich: American screenwriter, film director, producer
Lionheart
Release Date: 1990
USA
I was 12, or maybe 13. Our low-budget local channel televised Lionheart for the first time. Same time next day, they did it again. And again. And again. For almost a couple of weeks, every night on ‘prime time’. How do I know they did? Because I watched every single [illegal, sadly] screening of it those couple weeks. Whatever they paid for that VHS tape turned out to be the best spent few dollars for me- but not channel. I got mesmerized by the story of Lyon Gaultier forever.
That kid is a grown man now and finally realizing his dream: Mr. Sheldon Lettich, the director and the co-writer of this epic movie, is on Infected Ear to answer my #1 fan boy questions!
When we started Infected Ear, our main motivation was our ‘looping’ habits. It still has been. If there is one movie that I have to watch on loop, it would have been Lionheart. I just wish I wouldn’t have watery eyes every time Lyon told Joshua, ‘Wrong bet!’.
Infected Ear Editor Emre Yuruktumen on his addiction to Lionheart
Biography: Sheldon Lettich
Sheldon Lettich was born in New York City, but moved to California at a young age and grew up in the Los Angeles area. After graduation from high school he spent nearly four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a radio operator in South Vietnam with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, and later with the elite 1st Force Reconnaissance Company based at Camp Pendleton, California.
He worked his way through college as a professional photographer, and attended at the American Film Institute’s Center for Advanced Film Studies as a Cinematography Fellow. Although his initial career goal was to become a director of photography, at the AFI his interests branched out to encompass writing and directing, which became the two fields where he found eventual success in the entertainment business.
Based partly upon his experiences in Vietnam, he co-authored the renowned play, “Tracers,” with a group of Vietnam Vets who were also aspiring actors. First performed on July 4th, 1980 at the Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles, the play then traveled to Joseph Papp’s Public Theater in New York City, the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago (directed by Gary Sinise), the Royal Court Theater in London, and numerous venues worldwide. It received both Drama Desk Awards and L.A. Drama Critics Awards, and is still being performed throughout the world.
Around the same time, Lettich was writing numerous spec screenplays. One of these, co-written with Josh Becker, subsequently became the cult classic, Thou Shalt Not Kill… Except (1985), which starred Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi.
Eventually his screenplays began attracting the attention of producers in Hollywood. He co-authored the Cold War drama, Russkies (1987), which was the first starring role for a young Joaquin Phoenix. Around the same time he wrote the screenplay for the now-classic martial arts film, Bloodsport (1988), which launched the career of Jean-Claude Van Damme. One of his Vietnam-based screenplays caught the eye of Sylvester Stallone, which resulted in an overall deal with Stallone’s White Eagle Productions, and led to him co-writing Rambo III (1988) with Stallone.
The success of Bloodsport not only turned Jean-Claude Van Damme into an international action star, but it also forged a long and ongoing friendship with the man who wrote it. Van Damme helped to launch Lettich’s directing career with the film, Lionheart (1990) , which became Van Damme’s first movie to be released theatrically by a major U.S. studio. This was followed by Double Impact (1991), which was filmed in Hong Kong, with Lettich directing Van Damme in a challenging double role as twin brothers seeking revenge for their parents’ murder.
Lettich next discovered Mark Dacascos, who made his starring debut in Only the Strong (1993), a film that introduced the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira to international audiences. He also directed Dolph Lundgren in The Last Patrol (2000), and Daniel Bernhardt in Perfect Target (1997).
Continuing his long association with Van Damme, Lettich was a writer and a producer on the historical French Foreign Legion film, Legionnaire (1998), starring Van Damme and shot on location in Morocco. And he directed The Order (2001), an action-thriller starring Van Damme and Charlton Heston, which was filmed on locations in Israel and Bulgaria.
His most recent directorial effort, which he also co-wrote, is The Hard Corps (2006), an urban action-romance. Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Vivica A. Fox, the film was shot on locations around Vancouver, Canada, and on sound stages in Romania, and was financed and released worldwide by Sony Pictures Entertainment.
His latest movie is Max (2015), which he co-wrote with his long-time friend, Boaz Yakin. The movie was directed by Boaz and produced by MGM. It was released nationwide in the USA by Warner Brothers on June 26th, 2015, and by the end of the summer had grossed $43 million. The novelization sold over 100,000 copies. A sequel has been completed.
[IMDb]
Filmography: Sheldon Lettich
1983 // Firefight // Director, written by
1985 // Thou Shalt Not Kill… Except // Story by, second unit director
1987 // Russkies // Screenplay by, story by
1988 // Bloodsport // Screenplay by, story by
1988 // Rambo III // Written by
1989 // Cyborg // Editor
1990 // Lionheart // Director, written by
1991 // Double Impact // Director, screenplay by, screen story by, co-producer
1993 // Only the Strong // Director, written by
1996 // From Dusk till Dawn // Special thanks
1996 // The Quest // Script polish
1997 // Perfect Target // Director
1998 // Legionnaire // Screenplay by, story by, executive producer
2000 // The Last Warrior // Director
2001 // The Order // Director
2004 // Straight Into Darkness // Special thanks
2006 // Second in Command // Script polish
2006 // The Hard Corps // Director, written by
2011 // Calibre 9 // Dedicatee
2014 // Black Rose // Executive producer
2015 // Max // Written by
2016 // Watch This // Special thanks
2018 // Ouija House // Special thanks
I would like to start with the title dilemma… Which one is your favorite title for your own movie after 30+ years; Lionheart, Wrong Bet, or AWOL?
My preferred title is “Lionheart.”
If I could watch only one movie for the rest of my life, it would have been Lionheart: A compelling storyline, characters, acting, pacing, emotional impact, relatability, and such a powerful catharsis. Do you think this masterpiece has gotten enough recognition over the last 30 years?
It’s been getting more & more appreciation every year, especially in these last few years. People who saw it and fell in love with it back in the 90s simply can’t seem to get it out of their memories.
We witness the Hero’s Journey to the end but this journey wouldn’t end up with saving the world or any other greater purpose. The whole journey is triggered by such a simple reason: To make a little kid happy. It’s not a revenge story, there is no hunger for wealth or power. If anything, Lyon simply starts fighting to buy a bicycle for his niece. How do you think that changed the entire tone of the story?
The movie certainly did not follow the established formula that was popular back in the 80s and 90s. In nearly every other case, if the hero’s brother is immolated by bad guys in the first few minutes of the film, the hero spends the rest of the story hunting down every last one of them, and obtaining justified retribution for the death of his family member. The final fight would inevitably be between the hero and the main villain responsible for his brother’s murder (as in “Kickboxer”). Jean-Claude and I did that in our next film, “Double Impact,” but in this one we consciously decided to break the mold and go against the prevailing action-hero template, which we felt had grown somewhat stale and cliched. In retrospect, our risk paid off, quite handsomely.
So, I know you’ve been long-time friends with JCVD but how was it to work with him on your first picture where his character showed more signs of ‘heart’ than ever?
Since I knew him well, I knew that Jean-Claude had a softer side, so I was not hesitant to show that side of his personality in the movie. I also felt that he could handle more dialogue and more character nuances than he was generally allowed.
I want to go back to the ‘Wrong Bet‘ sensation. It is such an iconic moment in the movie and the rest is watery eyes every single time I watch it. Such a heroic way to come back. Will you please talk about this ‘wrong bet’ line some more?
That line was totally Jean-Claude’s idea. In fact, his original title for the story was “Wrong Bet,” a title that was actually used in a few territories.
It was your first feature film but you managed to hit Top-60 in the box office with two entries in that same calendar year; Double Impact and Lionheart! Did you see that coming?
Jean-Claude and I felt we were creating something special, but many of the crew members did not share our vision or enthusiasm, and thought this would end up being nothing more than a cheap, run-of-the mill “Choppie-sockie.”
I read that Hard Times (1975) was an inspiration to Lionheart. But I want to say that the feeling of the movie is more Rocky to me than Hard Times. Rocky won three Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. How would you compare Lionheart to Rocky in terms of the hero’s journey?
What “Lionheart” shares with “Rocky” is pure unabashed emotion. Like the character Joshua says in the film: “You’ve got heart, Lionheart.” The movie itself has “HEART,” in large quantities. Some folks might call it corny or sentimental, but that’s where we differ from Walter Hill’s vision for “Hard Times “. Jean-Claude and I went for the emotions, same as Stallone unashamedly did in “Rocky” and especially in “Rocky 3.” Jean-Claude and I have always been big fans of Stallone, and we both felt honored to have actually been given the privilege to work with him (me on “Rambo 3” and JCVD on “The Expendables 2”).
The Impossible Versus: Lionheart vs. Rocky Balboa
Are we ever going to see a Lionheart 2? I know there have been talks before but how do you feel about it? Are you ever teaming up with JCVD again?
We’ve talked about “Lionheart 2” a number of times, but there are some complicated issues with the underlying rights that get in the way every time. We’ve had similar issues with “Bloodsport” or “Double Impact” sequels. Jean- Claude and I have talked about teaming up once again, but we haven’t found the right project or a comfortable situation with a producer who wants to work with both of us, and (more importantly) has sufficient funds. Generally, the problem comes down to finding a sufficient budget for a project that both of us are interested in.
I know you’ve made quite a few movies with VD. Which one is your own favorite?
It’s a toss-up between “Lionheart” and “Double Impact.”
I’d like to close with how I started… What would be your selection if you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life?
It would either be Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” or Fellini’s “8 ½.” I’d also be comfortable sitting through “The Godfather 1&2” a few more times.
