ROBERT FORSTER / JC Suggest

If you have seen your share of cop dramas, low budget cult movies, and big budget sci-fi Star Wars cash-ins, you've probably seen Robert Forster. Best known in elitist circles as the protagonist in MEDIUM COOL (1968), Forster showed up on sci-fi fans radars in Disney's 1979 epic THE BLACK HOLE, playing the John Robinson/Han Soloesque Capt. Dan Holland. While that film was trashed by most critics of the time, it has gained quite a following today for it's blend of snappy dialogue (delivered by robots mostly) and it's eerie 'ghost ship' tone. Forster did the most he could with the role (in a strong ensemble cast), but really stood out a few years later in ALLIGATOR (1981) a John Sayles written flick that didn't have much in the way of suspense, but had some GREAT characters and dialogue, the best of which is Forster's world weary cop. After ALLIGATOR he continued to do TV and even directed and starred in HOLLYWOOD HARRY (1985). He appeared in the solid AMERICAN YAKUZA (199???), but unfortunately in a small supporting role. Forster has had a history of being underused in his film and TV (BANYON, NAKIA) roles until Quentin Tarantino gave him the role of a lifetime: bailbondsman Max Cherry in JACKIE BROWN (1997). Forster is remarkable as Max; low key, dignified- a completely un-Tarantino type guy (imagine Harvey Keitel playing Cherry and you can see what I mean). Forster makes us believe every step of the way that Max is at first smitten with Pam Grier and then just falls head over heels in love (with Pam, it's not hard to imagine). By the last 30 minutes, we care more for him and what will happen to him than any character that Tarantino has created to date. Max is a GOOD GUY, and Forster conveys that charmingly.

Now, what does all this have to do with John Carpenter? Look at Forster's face. Just look at it a moment. See the years reflected in that face? This is a good thing. This is the face of a leading man who also happens to be a fine character actor, and much like Tom Atkins, who JC has used a couple of times, Forster can convey more than any gen-x punk pretty boy in town. This is a REAL GUY: in both JACKIE and ALLIGATOR, there are comments made about Forster's hairpiece. Now, in most movies, hairpieces are used for laughs. In Forsters case, it reflects his humanity, his characters humanity and the sense of confidence it instills in the character. I have always been a fan of Forster- I will admit to liking THE BLACK HOLE (in print even!), but after seeing him in JACKIE I was blown away. I instantly thought of him for the main protagonist role in a screenplay I had been developing and the story took on a new vibe with Forster visualized as the character.

Carpenter is one who isn't exactly an 'MTV' filmmaker; he doesn't cast the latest DAWSON'S CREEK face just to appeal to the youth market (thank God for that). He likes offbeat, weathered, interesting actors with a little life under their belt (Piper, Woods, and even Russell). Forster would make a wonderful Carpenter hero, not just a small character part (we'll leave that to the kings, Peter Jason and Charles Cyphers). Imagine him in the next ESCAPE film, or in THE THING II. Forster is quite simply the most underrated character actor in the business and now it's time to give him some leading man roles, the kind Howard Hawks used to cast in his films. Give him a call John!