Prelude to Captain America

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It's time for some sweet pre-Avenger action, when Matt Salinger becomes Steve Rogers or is that Peyton Manning? Its 1990's Captain America directed by Albert Pyun and produced by Menahem Golan. Its gotta be a total slam dunk right?

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Sam's Boring Bullshit

Directed by one Albert Pyun. Still no word on the Radioactive Dreams remastering project as a VHS copy of the film is now at the low end $89 plus shipping on Amazon.  I just have to keep everyone abreast of that situation. This is not regarded as Alberts Finest hour. It can't be as bad as that shit we watched with Natasha Henstridge (Adrenalin: Fear the Rush).

Beyond Matt Salinger, the film stars mainstays Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty.

The first big screen production of Captain America has a long and tumultuous production history. The film rights were originally purchased by The Cannon Group founders Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus in 1984. Initially director Michael Winner was attached to direct a James Silke script. Later, in 1986, Winner took over the writing chores alongside Stan Lee and Lawrence Block. By 1987, Winner was off the project and actor-director John Stockwell came aboard with a script by Stephen Tolkin.

Golan left Cannon in 1989 and as part of a severance package he was given control of 21st Century Film Corporation and allowed to carry over the film rights to the Captain America character. Director Albert Pyun, who had previously worked at Cannon, was brought on board and worked with the Tolkin script that originally started at Cannon. Principal photography began in 1989 and was completed in 1990. Entertainment Tonight also visited the set during making of the film, airing a segment in August 1989.

The film was intended for release in the summer of 1990, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Captain America. Several release dates were announced between fall 1990 and winter 1991, but the film went unreleased for two years before debuting direct to video and on cable television in the United States in the summer of 1992. It was given a limited theatrical release internationally.

The film was invited to screen as part of the 2013 Comic-Con in San Diego in July 2013.

The film also has its debut on Cinemax Asia.

Val Kilmer declined the lead in favor of The Doors.

They considered getting two different actors for the role of Captain America. One for the role of the weak pre-superhero Steve Rogers and another for the superhero Captain America, but decided to get an actor that could play both roles instead.  25 years before it would work right.

Pyun claims there were several occasions during production that the bank account balance was zero or in the negative.

Before this movie was introduced, Marvel Comics head honcho Stan Lee insisted that it was good. He wrote, "Director Albert Pyun did it so well and so excitingly that everyone in the audience [at the screening] kept clamoring for more," to account for the film being scheduled for a re-shoot.

Before Matt Salinger was given the part, both Dolph Lundgren and Arnold Schwarzenegger were up for the part of Captain America. However, Arnold's accent lost him the part and Lundgren was busy filming The Punisher (1989).

The original mask used had holes that allowed Matt Salinger's ears to be seen, but as this caused uncomfortable chafing, plastic ears were used.

In an interview with Retro Junk, Ronny Cox said:

"Captain America remains to this day the finest script I have ever read... how those guys messed that film up, I will never know."

Keep an eye out for: when Matt Salinger wears the mask it smashes his nose and he looks like Peyton Manning.