8 Million Ways to Die

**8 Million Ways to Die** is a 1986 American action\crime\thriller film directed by Hal Ashby which was released on April 25, 1986 by TriStar Pictures.

It is adapted from the "Matthew Scudder" detective stories written by Lawrence Block.

## Plot

Matt Scudder, a former police detective and recovering alcoholic becomes drawn into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles, California after stumbling upon a local drug ring.

## Cast

* Jeff Bridges as Matthew "Matt" Scudder
* Rosanna Arquette as Sarah
* Alexandra Paul as Sunny
* Randy Brooks as Willie "Chance" Walker
* Andy García as Angel Maldonado
* Tommy Lister as Nose Guard
* Vance Valencia as Quintero
* Wilfredo Hernández as Hector Lopez
* Lisa Sloan as Linda Scudder
* Christa Denton as Laurie Scudder

## Production

Principal photography for "8 Million Ways to Die" began in July of 1985.

Filming primarily took place in California (in Los Angeles, San Pedro, Culver City, El Segundo, Granada Hills and Beverly Hills).

Oliver Stone was busy in Mexico shooting the film, "Salvador" and was unable to rework his screenplay before production on "8 Million Ways to Die", so Hal Ashby began writing his own script.

Hal Ashby worked from both Oliver Stone's script and the original novel written by Lawrence Block as well as his own research. He gave the 50 pages he wrote to producer Stephen J. Roth (who said he liked them), but he abruptly stopped work on his screenplay when he discovered (without his knowledge), Producers Sales Organization hired R. Lance Hill to rewrite Oliver Stone's script.

Ashby (who had confidence in his own screenplay) was hurt that he was replaced by R. Lance Hill and told Stephen J. Roth: *"I don't think I have ever had that one happen to me before."* He was further upset after learning that Hill was to report to Mark Damon, cutting Ashby out of the rewriting process completely.

According to executive producer, Mark Damon, Hal Ashby *"threw away the script"* and had the actors improvise all of their dialog & actions.

After principal photography on "8 Million Ways to Die" wrapped, Hal Ashby was fired and Producers Sales Organization took over creative control on the film.

Oliver Stone was very displeased with how the final version of the film turned because it had little to do with his original script.

## Box Office

"8 Million Ways to Die" grossed $609,955 during its opening weekend. Overall, it grossed $1,305,114 domestically & worldwide on a budget of $18,000,000.

## Critical Reception

"8 Million Ways to Die" received negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 0% based on 8 reviews with an average rating of 3.30\10.

Sheila Benson from The Los Angeles Times wrote: *"8 Million Ways to Die is a ponderous, convoluted improbability, with more inexplicable actions and situations than The Big Sleep which is the last time those two films will ever be mentioned in the same sentence."*

Writing for the Washington Post, Rita Kempley called the film a *"mixed bag"* while Variety called it an *"oddly-paced work that is sometimes a thriller and sometimes a love story, succeeding at neither."*

Bill Cosford of The Miami Herald called Jeff Bridges and Rosanna Arquette's performances *"simply trashy."*

In his review of "8 Million Ways to Die", Paul Attanasio from The Washington Post called it *"one of those can't-miss projects that, uh, misses"* and *"the most listlessly paced thriller you could imagine."*

TV Guide called "8 Million Ways to Die" a *"paralyzingly inept film."*