Schwarzenegger in Crusade

[Dutch]

STORY


The following is a short passage detailing an excerpt of Walon Green's epic script.. "Crusade."

Imagine if you will, back into the days of the dark ages.... a time where swords clashed, blood flowed like wine, and epic battles ravaged the lands. Now imagine if you will, a small stone cell... dimly lit by the moonlit rays bleeding through an iron-barred window, and a small lantern hanging from the ceiling... Hagen, played by Schwarzenegger, has been imprisoned in this cell for many days now.... Chained up for being a thief... he knows he is going to die. It's only a matter of time.... Tomorrow they will hang him.

Outside he hears the cheers and shouts of the people. You see, the Pope has just visited these kingdoms to rouse up support for a Holy War, so the Christians can finally put an end to those sinners and unbelievers who dominated the Holy Lands, for so many years....

Then Hagen heard the Pope proclaim to the people.... that to win this war, and lead this crusade, the Christians would wait for a SIGN..... a message from God.... so they can be sure that the lord approves of their Holy War. At that moment, Hagen's mind clicked...

So, as the Christians went to bed that evening, waiting for their sign, Hagen began his work. Quickly he removed the lantern from the ceiling, and removed the casing that shielded the fire. Then he held the flames against an iron stump that protruded out of the wall, where his chains were fastened to... Hagen waited and waited as the fire heated up the iron....

Once the iron stump appeared to glow mildly... it was ready. Hagen quickly put down the lamp and took the ragged clothing off of his body, revealing his massive back. Then... turning around... Hagen pressed his back against the hot iron. Light smoke crawled up his back as his flesh began to burn away. Hagen grinded his teeth and held back his cries of pain.... Then with a very steady slow motion, Hagen slid his back against the ferociously hot stump..... once horizontal.... then once vertical...

That morning, when the guards removed Hagen's clothing to bathe his body before his hanging, they stepped back in awe to find nothing other than a CROSS on Hagen's back! The Christians found their sign from God... and Hagen would lead the Crusade....

This is a promotional movie poster of Crusade, it was going to be Paul Verhoeven's next major movie for Arnold Schwarzenegger when Arnie was still making movies I'm not to sure why it never happened but man, by the look of the poster i think it could of been pretty good.

[Wildey]

Great find man. I love the poster.

[Deleted]

This reminds me of something...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCVc5TaPpe8

[Kimble]

When was this supposed to be made? I wish it would've seen the light of day & went forward. Sounds pretty cool. You can't go wrong with the team of Schwarzenegger & Paul Verhoeven.

[Dutch]

I think it was going to be made before True Lies but im not sure

[Kimble]

I found a few articles online about Crusade. Looks like it would've been made around '94-'95.

IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY KNIGHT

Carolco pulls the plug on ''Crusade'' -- With the price tag higher than expected, the movie is put on hold while ''Cutthroat Island'' proceeds

By Pat H. Broeske

Okay, here's your chance to play movie executive: Would you rather see Geena Davis and Michael Douglas in a $70 million pirate epic called Cutthroat Island, or Arnold Schwarzenegger decked out in armor for the $105 million Crusade? Anyone who knows anything about box office would vote for Ah-nuld, but last week Carolco stunned Hollywood by pulling the plug on the 11th- century saga.

According to sources, investors for the company, which has been struggling to reclaim its niche as a major industry player, felt it couldn't afford to foot the bill on two high-powered action pics. The news came as a surprise to the cast and crew of Crusade, already deep into preproduction.

Carolco denies it picked pirates over knights. One insider pins the blame on Crusade's price tag, which was escalating beyond the budgeted $105 million. ''It has zero to do with Cutthroat Island,'' he explains. ''It suddenly became clear that Crusade was going to cost more.''

Though Carolco says it has only postponed Crusade, it's uncertain whether director Paul Verhoeven (Total Recall) and Schwarzenegger will ever see their quest realized.

www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302419,00.html

All The Knight Moves

"Crusade" brings together unlikely comrades -- Studios talk shop with Arnold Schwarzenegger about dream project

By Cindy Pearlman

Talk about strange bedfellows: Sources say Columbia Pictures chief Mark Canton is so hot to nab Arnold Schwarzenegger's on-again, off-again 11th-century sand-and-sandal epic, Crusade, that he's willing to team up with unlikely allies, Warner Bros. or Universal, to make it happen None of the studios will comment. But insiders at all three concede that discussions are under way for Warner or Universal to foot half the cost of Arnold's $100 million-plus dream project in exchange for overseas rights.

It's just another strange twist in the saga of Crusade, a movie that Schwarzenegger and director Paul Verhoeven have dreamed of doing since Total Recall. Only last May, both were stunned when the financially shaky Carolco winced at the price tag and pulled the plug. Schwarzenegger, who will play a medieval serf, won't comment on a collaboration. But he told EW, ''So many times the press is writing about the end of big-budget movies like Waterworld. It's all nonsense. There is no end in sight. (The studios) all want to be part of a big monster picture.''

Aside from Schwarzenegger, the tentative cast includes John Turturro (Quiz Show) and Jennifer Connelly (The Rocketeer). And it won't be a pretty picture: There's cannibalism, mutilations, lopped-off heads, animal dung, and one dead-donkey scene that would tax a cast-iron stomach. No matter who ends up joining the Crusade, it looks like Arnold will emerge with the Holy Grail.

www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,304636,00.html

So they went with Cutthroat Island instead? That movie is a piece of shit & helped Carolco go bankrupt. Idiots.

[Dutch]

Nice find Kimble.