Every time I see David Carradine in one of those yellow pages commercials, I die a little on the inside. Not really, but it is sad to see Kwai Chang Caine reduced to shilling for something they throw onto your driveway every six months. He was a somewhat biggish deal in the 1970s, but hasn’t quite been able to match that in the thirty years hence.
Of course, now a movie he starred in way back in 1975, Death Race 2000, is being remade as just plain Death Race. I smell cameo opportunity for our Mr. Carradine. So does director Paul W.S. Anderson, also known as “the Paul Anderson who will never get nominated for an Oscar unlike the other Paul Anderson.” Anderson told the MTV Movies Blog that Carradine will have a cameo in Death Race.
Anderson wants to take a stand for artistic integrity in this movie. He says, “I wanted to tip my hat to the original, but also wouldn’t want it to become a cheesy cameo-fest.” Hmmm, I have to say that if you don’t want a cheesy cameo-fest, then you shouldn’t have David Carradine do a cameo. He then clarifies his position by saying about the cameo, “it’s there, and I think it’s a nice thing for fans.” Got it. Cheesy cameos are fine if they are nice for the fans. Put the yellow pages away, David, and get to the Death Race set immediately, the fans are waiting.
