Gary Douglas, writer, producer and star of Gun, embodies the spirit of Roger Corman (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000339/) with Gun of the Black Sun.
Tarantino reveres this kind of high energy film making but has completely lost the ability to deliver it on the kind of low to no budgets Corman and Gary so obviously relish. Quick cars, fast motorbikes and even faster women wrapped up in a glossy plot of old Nazis taking over the world with supernatural hokum involving a demon empowered Luger makes this an absolute classic for genre fans, bikers and lovers of hardcore euro action that usually stars Jason Statham or Jet Li. Like Corman Gary also delivers his action with a message and some character development but he doesn't let that get in the way of the violent mayhem that drives Black Sun faster than a twin turbo big bore V Rod after hitting the nitros button.
With Gary pulling off the classic Corman trick of casting himself in the lead (keeps the budget down and puts the producer on set every day :-) ) but then allowing an experienced genre director, Jeff Burr, to take the reins ensures that every penny of the budget hits the screen and Gun delivers a high gloss bright light feel more reminiscent Ridley Scott than your usual low budget British schlocker.
Gary has also been very shrewd in his casting of Ian Wright, the ex footballer and TV presenter, as Duke, a role he carries off surprisingly well and is clearly leagues ahead of Vinnie Jones in the acting stakes. The Cormanesque eye candy is also all present and correct with the gorgeous Mihaela Sinca playing the lust interest Lorredana and Kristina Cepraga ensuring teenage dreams are always wet as the Neo Nazi dominatrix Ms Kitty.
Black Sun is that very rare thing, a low budget British movie that is comfortable with what it is. The Ace Cafe makes a fantastic backdrop for the brilliantly shot duel of the V Rod and GSXR but it doesn't matter whether it is in London or not. The Romanian countryside is so stunning that we don't care its not Tuscany. Black Sun delivers so bang on the exploitation / action genre button that we also don't care that its not produced by the Luc Besson stable of Transporter hits.
We can just hope that Gary is following that other Corman gambit of having a whole slate of actioners ready to go as soon as Black Sun hits the screens. Britain doesn't need another Mike Lee or Richard Curtis, we need more producers with the chutzpah of Gary Douglas.
