I wanted to talk a little bit about 'Icarus' or 'The Killing Machine' as it is known in America. Is there potential for a franchise? 
Well, not really. To tell you the truth, I had some problems with with the producers - it kind
of ended up not being my cut that ended up being released. So I wasn't too happy about it.
That's
too bad, I really enjoyed it - you were great in it.
Thanks, the original was better. You live
and learn.
You have several movies on your directorial resume, what persuaded you
to start directing?
Well, it was something I've wanted to do for a long time, but I... you
know... it never came around. There was never a right time. But then the director who was supposed to direct me
in the movie called 'The Defender' got sick and he actually recommended me to take over without asking me. He spoke to the producers and the producers
came to me and I was a bit taken back, you know, I didn't expect that. I thought about it and I decided to do it.
It was kind of tough because I only had ten days to prep, but I knew the script pretty well - I've worked on it with the
director - that's why I suppose he thought I'd be a good replacement. It was a tough experience, but it was
nice and I enjoyed it. I really felt that it was something - I felt pretty good at it. I did another couple of
movies, it's just a different experience. It's satisfying in a different way than just acting, because you're
the one who makes the audience think and feel things. Through the whole picture and not just when you're on the
screen.
Now, did you get any pointers from your actor/director friends?
Not
directly, I didn't ask for help. I picked up clues when I worked with [Sylvester] Stallone... people like him... well, he's the only actor/director that I've worked with, but I did learn from him. I
did pick up points from Sidney Furie, the guy who got sick actually... he's done a lot of movies with everybody from Marlon Brando and on. And, I've worked with John Woo and Roland Emmerich and other people like that - and then you kind of end up answering a lot of questions. Because mostly as a director
you have to answer a lot of questions all day - two-hundred questions all day about: red or blue, big or small, up or down...
and you kind of just do the best you can based on your gut instinct. And then at the end of the day you end up with
a picture, and after an 'X' amount of movies shot you end up with your quote/unquote style, you know? I think
it takes about ten movies to get your stride unless you have training, which I don't. I've done about five or
six now, so I'm getting there. I guess in a couple of years I'll feel even more comfortable.
What can you tell me about 'Skin Trade'? Is that another one that you are writing and directing?
Yeah, that's a story that I
came up with about five or six years ago... or maybe more. About human trafficking. Something I'm developing right
now - I'd like to play the second lead and get somebody else to play the lead to get a little bit of a bigger budget.
It's kind of a, it's like a Michael Mann movie where it's about some men who are mirror images of each other in some ways with the dark and the light and the
good and the bad, that kind of thing. The plot is about human trafficking, where one guy... who is a cop who gets his
family -- is hurt and damaged by some bad guys and they happen to be from Russia. And the other guy is kind of a mirror
image and he's from Russia and he's already going through a lot of things that the American cop ends up going through
in the first act of the picture - then they kind of end up joining forces in the second and third act. So I thought
I would play the Russian - and I'll find an American actor for the other role. Try to get it done either this Fall
or if I end up in The Expendables sequel then it will be next year.
So you're not set in stone for the sequel of The Expendables?
No,
because they haven't locked everybody yet. I don't know the schedule, and I have a couple of other things going
on, but they just signed a director about two weeks ago... so it's not clear yet. But from what I hear, it's
going to shoot in September. I think it's in France and China.
Did you
just finish or are you still filming the new Universal Soldier movie? [Universal Soldier: A New Dimension] 
I'm done with that. We finished about two weeks ago in Baton Rouge - it was nice to work with John Hyams again. I have some fights with Andrei Arlovski and Scott Adkins and I have one kind of sermon that I hold for all of these soldiers which was kind of fun. It was like a five page
monologue - so that's something I really haven't done before, so that was fun.
Yeah,
I really enjoy that series - especially when you're involved in them.
So I can't wait for that one.
Well, thanks man. It should be fun. It's in 3D as
well - which I haven't worked in 3D, but I saw some stuff on the set on the monitor. It looks cool, it looks interesting.
Not really going for the coming at ya feel, it's more kind of old school a little more restrained, which I think is a
good choice by John Hyams.
If you don't mind, I'd like t
o go back twenty-five plus years... is it true that you actually put Sylvester Stallone
in the hospital during filming Rocky IV?
Well, he did
go to the hospital for two weeks - I don't know if it was me or the work... or the combination maybe. I don't
know. But he does say that it was because of the fights we had - I ended up punching him too hard. Because we
did go to the body pretty hard, and I was a fighter at the time so I really didn't notice it during the shoot. But
he did go in for two weeks. So I don't know, I don't know... maybe that was it.
Now
I'm curious, during shooting The Expendables did he have to tell you to
control yourself so you don't kill Jet Li in that one fight?
[laughs] Yeah, Jet was a little nervous.
He ended up clocking me right in the jaw in the first two seconds of it, but I don't care... I've been through worse.
I'm not going to hurt anybody in the movie, so I don't think so.
My podcast co-host is going to kill me if I don't mention Grace Jones. He is in love with her. Do you keep in contact
with her at all?
You know, I haven't talked with her in a couple of years. I saw her in Cannes
a couple years back, just ran into her. It was a great relationship, she was very helpful in introducing me to show
business... whether it was music or movies. Unfortunately it didn't work out after Rocky IV - too much happened
too quickly in my life... and her life too. No, she's great... I love her music... in fact I'd love to use her
music in something I'm directing. Because I have another script too called 'Wanted Man'... which is about
a transvestite. Well, it's about a cop... straight guy... a tough guy... a really macho cop and a transvestite end
up on the road together for some reason. The transvestite is actually a witness in a trial. Anyways, so... the
situation has arrived for some Grace Jones music. So I have that in my back pocket as an idea... for next year maybe.
Alright, I have a couple more quick generic questions. What's your favorite
movie of all time?
Oh, shit... that's a tough one. I don't know. Gladiator, I like that a lot. It's historical, it's epic, it's emotional. The first Godfather, I like that one a lot. Unforgiven, I mean that's three... I don't know how to rank them, but...
Ok, that's
good. Your favorite actor or actresss?
I suppose Clint Eastwood and Marlon Brando, I like those two guys. And an actress... I don't know... Marilyn Monroe is a lot of fun. [laughs]
For more reasons than one.
Yes, exactly.
And your favorite food?
Oh, I suppose steak... medium rare... baked
potato and good red wine.
