" ... It was the Director's own piece. He was one of us btw. Word on the web is that Walter Sobchak from the Big Labowski was based on the Red Dawn's director - John Milius.
When I lived in L.A. years ago, I used to shoot with John Milius at the Beverly Hills Gun Club. There was a small group of us screenwriters who would have dinner together and then go shoot together at the BHGC. Several of us who were experienced shooters kinda served as "range safety officers," helping those who knew nothing about handguns or shooting.
I and several of us would bring a variety of handguns from .22s to .44 Magnum. Milius in addition to other handguns, always had a S&W 29 .44 Mag. with a 4" bbl. That was for anyone who wanted to shoot a "Dirty Harry gun" although the original D.H. revolver had a 6½" bbl. Some of the participants had never even touched a real gun before. Those were eye opening moments. They were enjoyable evenings.
In 1983, an actor friend of mine and I went to Colorado on a booked elk hunt. Milius knew we were going and he had us take his custom .375 H&H Magnum with us and shoot an elk. He said he wanted to "keep it blooded." He'd used it in Africa. We did not kill an elk with it as the opportunity did not arise.
Milius was a very interesting person and a very creative writer. He's had a serious stroke but I do not know how he is getting along. I've been retired for a number of years. Hollywood needs writer/directors like John Milius.
FWIW.
L.W.
