Darkman (1990) Liam Neeson - Frances McDormand - Colin Friels - Ted Raimi - DVD Fan Commentary track

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• published: 13 Mar 2016
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Scientist Peyton Westlake is working on a project to create synthetic skin. Now the skin he has developed has a flaw--it will not remain stable for more than 99 minutes. His girlfriend, Julie, a lawyer is investigating a developer. She leaves some incriminating documents at Peyton's. One night Peyton was working when the lights in his lab went out, he then discovers that the synthetic skin has remained stable past 99 minutes, he deduces that it's because of light that the skin doesn't remain stable. And it is at that moment that a psychotic criminal, Robert Durant appears demanding the documents that Julie left there. They beat up Peyton, and after finding the documents they blow up Peyton's lab. Peyton was blown away and everybody believes he is dead but in reality, he was found, burned seriously and a new procedure was performed on him that renders him unable to sense pain, he also now has tremendous strength and is now prone to violent outbursts. He is now working on perfecting the synthetic skin and at the same using his technology to make synthetic skin masks of the men who attacked him so that he could strike back at them. CAST Liam Neeson as Peyton Westlake / Darkman, a brilliant scientist who was left for dead and burned alive as he returns to seek revenge on those who made him what he is. Originally, Raimi's longtime friend and collaborator Bruce Campbell was set to play Darkman, but the studio balked at the idea because they did not think Campbell could carry the role. Gary Oldman and Bill Paxton were also considered before Liam Neeson was cast. For the role, Raimi was looking for someone who could suggest "a monster with the soul of a man, and I needed an actor who could do that beneath a lot of makeup" and liked Neeson's "old Gary Cooper charisma." The actor was drawn to the operatic nature of the story and the inner turmoil of his character. To research for the role, Neeson contacted the Phoenix Society, an organization that helps accident victims with severe disfigurements adjust to re-entering society. Frances McDormand as Julie Hastings, a district attorney and Peyton's love interest. Raimi had wanted to work with Frances McDormand but the studio resisted this notion and almost cast Julia Roberts before Pretty Woman made her a star. At one point, they wanted Demi Moore for the role. The director even tested Bridget Fonda but felt that she was too young for Neeson. Larry Drake as Robert G. Durant and Ted Raimi as Rick Colin Friels as Louis Strack Jr., the corrupt and ruthless billionaire developer who runs Strack Industries. He bribes members of the city zoning commission to further his ambitious construction project (which he dubs the "City of the Future"), and employs Durant and his gang to eliminate anyone who gets in his way, even his own wife. He and Darkman have their final battle atop one of Strack's half-finished skyscrapers at the film's climax. Larry Drake as Robert G. Durant, a ruthless but sadistic mob boss and the head of his own criminal organization. He auditioned for the film and Raimi liked the way he underplayed the character, "quiet and careful, yet intense," the actor remembers. The director had never seen L.A. Law but found that Drake's face reminded him of "a modern day Edward G. Robinson. He looked so mean, so domineering, yet he had this urban wit about him. I thought, 'My God, this guy is not only threatening-looking, he has a good physical presence – what a perfect adversary for the Darkman!'" Nelson Mashita as Yakatito Jessie Lawrence Ferguson as Eddie Black Rafael H. Robledo as Rudy Guzman Ted Raimi as Ricky, Robert G. Durant's henchman Nicholas Worth as Pauly, Robert G. Durant's henchman Dan Bell as Smiley Dan Hicks as Skip Bridget Hoffman as Computer Voice In addition, Bruce Campbell has a cameo in the film as Peyton's last seen disguise (credited as "Final Shemp"). Sam Raimi himself cameos as a hospital intern.