Once Again, #RESPECT To Tom Atkins, This Time As Sheriff Burke!
February 17, 2016
Sometimes, there are characters in genre pictures that are so darned righteous and awesome, you can’t stop thinking about them or their amazing feats long after the movie is over. This column is dedicated to those cinematic bad-asses that keep us coming back for more. And look, this isn’t the first time this man has appeared in the #RESPECT column. And it certainly won’t be his last, because that’s how bad-ass he is. He has multiple cinematic counterparts that are worthy of our love and admiration. But since I just revisited the MY BLOODY VALENTINE remake, it’s time to give it up for Sheriff Burke as played by Tom Atkins.
First of all, how awesome was it for Tom to come out of retirement to do this part? Not only that, but he encored with the filmmaking duo of director Patrick Lussier and screenwriter Todd Farmer for their follow-up DRIVE ANGRY. And had they got to make their version of HALLOWEEN 3, Tom would’ve been a major role in that, making for a fun coincidence to be the star of both versions of HALLOWEEN 3. Alas, that never came to be, which is a shame, but let’s get back to the role in question…
It’s been a few years since we’ve seen Atkins on screen, so our first introduction to him in the 2009 update of MY BLOODY VALENTINE is through newspaper clippings and a voice over in the opening of the film, in which he’s giving us the story of Harry Warden and the miners that got trapped in the Hanniger Mines and how he murdered them all “to converse his own goddamn air. Let’s hope God doesn’t waste any miracles on Harry Warden.”
Of course, we wouldn’t have a movie if Harry didn’t wake up! So next scene, we’re in the hospital walking through the carnage with Burke as he evaluates the damage done by the now fully awake & psychotic Harry Warden. Holy smokes! My memory of Tom is always as that bad-ass beautiful soul with the great mustache. But now he looks like that older Uncle you always looked up to, growing up. I totally buy him as a bad-ass Sheriff! I also love his fellow police officer, Hinch (who has the awesome real name of Bingo O’Malley, bad-ass in its own right!).
“Who did this?” asks Burke.
“Harry Warden.”
“Harry Warden? Harry Warden’s in a coma.”
“Guess he got up.”
I don’t know why, but this exchange of dialogue makes me giddy, but it does. Anyway, they track down Warden at the conclusion of the opening scene and without hesitation, make the attempt to put him down for good. “Stay down, Harry!” It’s also fun noting that both Atkins and O’Malley were both well-known and respected stage actors in Pittsburgh and part of the reason they’re here together on screen is because the movie shot in their current hometown!
Movie-wise, we cut to 10 years later when Tom Hanniger returns to town to sell off the mines and, at the same time, Harry has returned. Or has he? In a twist worthy of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET sequel, it seems that Burke, Hinch and Mayor Ben Foley served out a little vigilante justice and disposed of Warden themselves. But… could he have survived? Is it really him who has returned?
Look – Sheriff Burke may not be perfect, but he tried to do the right thing. He tried to put down Harry Warden and protect his town. He even stands up for Tom at the local pub upon his return when the rest of the townspeople want to tear him apart. Granted, it’s the “last time” he’ll save his ass, but I think Burke was doing what he thought was best.
Tom Atkins – you cinematic hero. The following hashtag goes out to you and Sheriff Burke. He hope you’ll make another film appearance soon enough!
#RESPECT
Blumhouse Archive
2017
- Exclusive Interview With SCREAM FACTORY Straight From SDCC 2017 On Their 10 Recently Announced Titles!
- The Strange Short Film From The Star Of FRANKENHOOKER, SWIRLEE!
- Check Out This Vintage Interview With EVIL DEAD Director Sam Raimi!
- Vintage Video: Check Out This Rare Doc On A NIGHTMARE ELM STREET 4!
- Will We Ever See A “Director’s Cut” Of EVENT HORIZON?
- Report! LEATHERFACE: TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III Slays On The Big Screen Yet Again!
- 6 Things I Learned While Moderating The PSYCHO Remake Commentary!
- In Honor Of SERIAL MOM, Here Are The Best Band Cameos In Cult Flicks!
- How Does One Build The “Perfect” Horror Anthology? One Segment At A Time!
- From BATES MOTEL To PSYCHO: The Sad Existence Of Norman Bates
2016
- Rob G.’s 6 Favorite Horror Shows Of 2016!
- Is This New MUMMY A “Horror” Movie… Or What?
- CANDLE COVE’s Creepy “Tooth Child” Originally Almost Debuted On HANNIBAL!
- We Chat With SiREN Director Gregg Bishop!
- Unseen Horrors: The Story Behind The Unmade LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT PART 2!
- 6 MORE Horror Gems From The 2000’s You May Have Missed!
- Bill Lustig On His Love Of Movie Soundtracks!
- 6 Animated Movies Perfect For The Halloween Season – In 3-D!
- You Know Who Deserves Our #RESPECT? Andy From DAWN OF THE DEAD 2004
- Where The Hell Do YOU Buy Blu-Rays From These Days?
- 5 Reasons To Upgrade Your Blu-Ray Of THE THING
- Why Remaking SUSPIRIA Isn’t As Bad As You Think It Is
- SALEM’S LOT, PHONE BOOTH, CAFFEINE! The Unmade Projects Of Larry Cohen!
- 5 Essential Larry Cohen Movies You Need To Check Out
- The Shocking Suicide That Inspired PEARL JAM’s “Jeremy”
- We Talk The SLAYER “Repentless” Music Video Trilogy With Director BJ McDonnell!
- Four Color PSYCHO! The One And Only Time Norman Bates Appeared In A Comic Book
- Art Is Subjective, So STOP Nitpicking Cover Art
- Did Dean Cundey Just Reveal The Biggest Secret Of THE THING?
- Here’s What We Hope To See In ASH VS EVIL DEAD Season 2!
- When Jason Fought Leatherface… In The Comics!
- The SPIDER-MAN / HULK TV Movie That Almost Was!
- The Stuart Gordon / Arnold Schwarzenegger Horror Movie That Almost Was!
- 5 Reasons To Pick Up JUST DESSERTS: THE MAKING OF CREEPSHOW
- 5 Reasons To Upgrade Your RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD Blu-Ray
- The Unsolved Yogurt Shop Murders That Inspired Okkervil River’s “Westfall”
- #RESPECT Always To Henry The Red From ARMY OF DARKNESS
- Believe It Or Not, These Actresses Were Almost Mary In PSYCHO 2!
- Is COMIN’ AT YA The Greatest 3D Western Ever Made?!
- Revisiting The UNCUT Version Of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD
- Here’s What We Hope We’ll See Of PSYCHO In BATES MOTELS’ Final Season
- We #RESPECT And Bow Down To Nada, The One And Only Roddy Piper!
- How THE TERMINATOR Is A Successful Slasher Movie
- We Chat With Thommy Hutson, Author Of NEVER SLEEP AGAIN!
- How Legendary Composer Ennio Morricone Ended Up Scoring John Carpenter’s THE THING
- Behind A Horror Obsession – A Double Feature Of AMERICAN MOVIE & HORROR BUSINESS!
- 5 Reasons To Upgrade And Pick Up MANHUNTER On Blu!
- Ghostface Vs The Fisherman! Who Was YOUR Favorite 90’s “Slasher” Icon?
- Long-Lost Vintage Video – Behind The Scenes of PSYCHO II!
- Let’s Go Back To The ’90s For I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER And I STILL KNOW!
- 5 Things We Hope To See In The New HALLOWEEN
- Why Isn’t Anyone Talking About The Original 1975 GHOST BUSTERS?
- Review: PSYCHO: SANITARIUM – Bringing Back Robert Bloch’s Norman Bates!
- BATES MOTEL’s Sheriff Romero Deserves All Our #RESPECT And Then Some!
- Is The “TV Remake” Bubble Finally About To Break?
- Alien Alert! Watching WITHOUT WARNING And PREDATOR 3D!
- Let’s Talk About That BATES MOTEL Season 4 Finale…
- Did You Know There’s A HILLS HAVE EYES III? And It’s Coming To Blu!
- Slasher Recommendation – The 90’s Style MOST LIKELY TO DIE Slays!
- What We Want To See In The Next FRIDAY THE 13TH Movie
- We Chat With THE DARKNESS Director Greg McLean!
- Continuity Check! Is Sheriff Hunt In The Original PSYCHO?
- Let’s Give #RESPECT To Lt. Leo McCarthy From The F/X Movies!
- Have A Look At This Long-Lost PSYCHO Deleted Footage!
- The Mind-Bending Early Films Of Alejandro Amenábar
- The Deadly Art Of Illusion! A Double Feature Of F/X and F/X 2!
- Rediscovering a Cult Classic HIGHWAY TO HELL
- 7 Times We Saw The Horrors Of Kevin Bacon
- #RESPECT For Sam Loomis… The Original One From PSYCHO!
- Marketing Win! SADAKO & KAYAKO Encourage Theater Etiquette In These TV Spots!
- Kids In Peril! Why You Need To Check Out EMELIE!
- The Evolution Of Ellen Ripley!
- Giving #RESPECT To Everyone’s Favorite Android, Bishop!
- Nothing Can Prepare You For The Action Packed Double Bill Of DANGEROUS MEN & DEADLY PREY!
- 5 Reasons You Need Scream Factory’s TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2 Blu!
- The BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR That Almost Was!
- #RESPECT To Dan Cain, The Heart And Soul Of The RE-ANIMATOR Franchise
- 5 Reasons You Need To Check Out HOLIDAYS!
- To Make A BRIDE – Revisiting RE-ANIMATOR And Its Sequel!
- Even MORE Final Entries In Horror Franchises
- THE FINAL CHAPTER: When Horror Franchises Call It Quits
- The Exploitation Of Anthony Perkins’ PSYCHO Connection
- #RESPECT Goes To Marge From JAWS 2, Genuine Hero
- Sequel Craze! Revisiting JAWS 2 And THE OMEN 2!
- It’s Time To Give John Carpenter’s VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED Another Look
- The Most Outrageous PUNISHER Kills
- Were You A Member Of The FREDDY KRUEGER Fanclub?
- Entering The 3rd Dimension With THE BUBBLE & GOG!
- 10 Horror Director Cameos You Probably Didn’t Know About
- Interview With THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS Director Nick Simon
- SLEEPAWAY CAMP II From The Perspective Of The Counselors
- Revisiting The Double Bill Spectacle That Is GRINDHOUSE!
- #RESPECT To Leatherface’s Most Worthy Adversary, The Unstoppable Benny!
- SADAKO 3D! Delving Into THE RING In The Third Dimension!
- Who Was The Coolest Of The WAXWORK Monsters?
- Play KUBB, The Game The Vikings Played… With The Skulls Of Their Enemies!
- Here’s How You Could Have Remade WAXWORK
- Remade For America! Revisiting THE RING & THE RING TWO
- When Will The Inevitable Happen On BATES MOTEL?
- Who Would YOU Like To See Pinhead Go up Against?
- Freddie Highmore As Norman Bates Deserves All The #RESPECT In the World
- Revisiting The Original RING Movies RINGU & RINGU 2!
- We Chat With PHANTASM Writer/Director Don Coscarelli!
- 5 Reasons You Must Own Synapse Films’ TENEBRAE Blu-Ray
- Got To Give Our #RESPECT To The One & Only Morgan Stewart
- Who Would Win? HATCHET’s Victor Crowley VS BEHIND THE MASK’s Leslie Vernon!
- Did You Catch This Easter Egg To PSYCHO In The BATES MOTEL Season 4 Opening Episode?
- DOUBLE TAKE: Revisiting SPECIES And SPECIES II!
- 6 More Horror Movies We Hope Come To Blu-Ray Soon
- That’s NOT Freddy Krueger!? The NIGHTMARE That Almost Was!
- We Talk THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR With Director Johannes Roberts
- H.R. Giger’s ALIEN VS SPECIES! Who Would Win?
- 6 Foreign Horror Movies We Want On Blu-Ray
- Time To Give #RESPECT To David, THE GUEST’s Ultimate Bad-Ass
- 6 Horror Titles We Need On Blu-Ray
- Let’s Look At Van Damme As The Original PREDATOR Again
- DOUBLE TAKE: Revisiting THE FLY Remake & Its Sequel!
- The Donald Pleasence/Christopher Lee HALLOWEEN That Should Have Been
- We Talk THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR With Jeremy Sisto
- Behind The Scenes Of THE SERPENT & THE RAINBOW Commentary
- 5 Reasons You Must Own PIECES On Blu-Ray
- All Of Our #RESPECT To Vincent Price In THE FLY Movies
- 10 Franchises We’d Love To See As Comic Books
- DOUBLE TAKE! Revisiting THE FLY & THE RETURN OF THE FLY!
- Recommended: The “Giallo” Classic WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE?
- We Chat With The Twisted Minds Behind TERROR TEDS!
- Harry Warden’s Body Count! MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3-D Vs The Original!
- SPOILER ALERT! Why Do People Feel The Need To Spoil THE WALKING DEAD?
- Once Again, #RESPECT To Tom Atkins, This Time As Sheriff Burke!
- I Survived Valentine’s Day With A MY BLOODY VALENTINE Double Feature!
- Did You Know FREDDY KRUEGER Once Had A Marvel Comic Book?
- Giving #RESPECT To Freddy Shoop, Cinema’s Greatest Teacher Ever
- I Survived THE HILLS HAVE EYES Remake 1 and 2!
- EXCLUSIVE: What Ever Happened To MALEVOLENCE 3?
- Now Up On Netflix Instant, We Chat With THE VEIL Director Phil Joanou
- It’s Time To Give #RESPECT To Beast, The Dog From THE HILLS HAVE EYES 1 & 2
- I Survived THE HILLS HAVE EYES 1 and 2!
- 5 MORE Soul-Crushing Korean Films
- Dig The Lunaris Records Covers? We Chat With Artist Devon Whitehead!
- Rob G’s Horror Pick Of The Week – PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING!
- Hear The Original, Shocking Unused Score For THE EXORCIST!
- Giving All Of Our #RESPECT To DAY OF THE DEAD’s Sarah
- Did You Know A Sequel To HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER exists?
- 6 Korean Films That Will Destroy Your Soul
- In Honor Of THE BOY, Here Are The 5 Creepiest Dolls In Horror
- The Weirdest FRANKENSTEIN-Inspired Triple Feature You Can Have!
- Why SCANNERS III Is My Favorite X-MEN Movie
- A Chat With Alyse Wax About Her New FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE SERIES Companion Book!
- NSFW! When Gore Matters: How The MPAA Is Cutting Out Context
- From Screamqueen To Video Producer: Catching Up With Felissa Rose
- Who Was YOUR Favorite Leatherface?
- TEXAS CHAINSAW Survivor Sally Hardesty Gets All Our #RESPECT
- “Master of Horror” Stuart Gordon Almost Directed A PSYCHO Sequel?
- How’s This For A Double Bill? BLOOD RAGE and CUT-THROATS NINE!
- Update On TRICK ‘R TREAT 2!
- Killer POV Pick Of The Week – ANGST (1983)
- The Many Faces Of “Evil” In NEW YEAR’S EVIL!
- “Thrill Me.” All Our #RESPECT Goes To Tom Atkins In NIGHT OF THE CREEPS
- DOUBLE FEATURE: SLAUGHTERHOUSE / AXE!
2015
- Recommended New Year’s Horror Viewing: THE SIGNAL (2007)
- Interview With BONE TOMAHAWK Writer/Director S. Craig Zahler
- There Are 6 Ricky’s In SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT PART 2. Which Is YOUR Fave?
- Giving #RESPECT To Mrs. Peltzer, GREMLINS Slayer
- DOUBLE TAKE – SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT (1984) / SILENT NIGHT (2012)
- Rob G’s TOP 10 Horror Films Of 2015!
- This & Every Holiday Season, #RESPECT Goes To Murray Futterman
- Why THE CAR Is The Best JAWS Rip Off!
- One’s A Classic, One’s Sleazy Fun! This Week’s Double Take Is BLACK CHRISTMAS!
- The Shocking True Crime Case That Derailed FRIGHT NIGHT 3!
- Which Jerry Dandrige Is Your Kind Of Vampire?
- Showing Our #RESPECT To Peter Vincent, the Great Vampire Killer
- Welcome To FRIGHT NIGHT… The Double Feature… For Real!
- 5 Things To Love About KRAMPUS!
- #RESPECT – Rudy, THE MONSTER SQUAD’s Most Valuable Player
- DOUBLE TAKE – MANHUNTER (1986) / RED DRAGON (2002)
- #RESPECT – Patricia Tallman’s Barbara From NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 90
- DOUBLE TAKE – NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 1968 / 1990
- The Pre-Slasher Lunacy Of Scream Factory’s BLOOD & LACE!
- We Talk With APPLESAUCE Writer/Director/Star Onur Tukel
- CHARACTER SHOWDOWN – Who’s Your Favorite Wolfman?
- It’s Time To Give JASON GOES TO HELL Another Chance
- # RESPECT – Burt Wilson…. But Really Clu Gulager In Anything…
- DOUBLE TAKE – THE WOLF MAN (1941) / THE WOLFMAN (2010)
- A Look At Donald Cammel’s WHITE OF THE EYE
- CHARACTER SHOWDOWN – Who Was The Best Tommy Jarvis In The FRIDAY THE 13TH Series?
- #RESPECT – Tina Shepard For Kicking Jason’s Ass!
- 5 More 3D Blu-Ray Recommendations
- CHARACTER SHOWDOWN – Which Version Of Ash Is Your Favorite?
- 5 Must Own 3D Blu-Rays!
- #RESPECT – Why Uncle Red From SILVER BULLET Is A National Treasure
- DOUBLE TAKE – EVIL DEAD (1981) / EVIL DEAD (2013)
- The Rise & Fall Of EMPIRE PICTURES – An Interview With Documentarian Daniel Griffith
- 5 Things To Look Forward To In ASH VS EVIL DEAD!
- CHARACTER SHOWDOWN – The Importance Of Being Dr. Loomis
- #RESPECT – In Honor Of The Non-Myers HALLOWEEN Franchise Victims
- We Talk LAST SHIFT With Director Anthony DiBlasi!
- DOUBLE TAKE – HALLOWEEN (1978) / HALLOWEEN (2007)
- Character Showdown – Who’s Your Favorite Scary Ghostface?
- #RESPECT – Let’s Give It Up For THE EXORCIST’s Father Karras
- DOUBLE TAKE – THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
- We Talk THE LARRY FESSENDEN COLLECTION With The Man Himself
- John Carpenter Releases HALLOWEEN Horror Graphic Novel!
- We Hit Up Knott’s Scary Farm For Halloween Season 2015!
- Killer POV Pick Of The Week – ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN
- We Talk TALES OF HALLOWEEN With TRICK Director Adam Gierasch!
- CHARACTER SHOWDOWN – Can There Only Be One Norman Bates?
- Horror Icons With Cats! A Chat With Kat Philbin!
- #RESPECT – Why Rachel Carruthers Is HALLOWEEN’s Hero
- On The Set Of TALES OF HALLOWEEN With Actor Graham Skipper!
- Witches And Early Dark Art!
- DOUBLE TAKE – THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN
- On The Set Of TALES OF HALLOWEEN With Nick Principe!
- BEYOND FEST 2015 WRAP-UP!
- On The Set of TALES OF HALLOWEEN With FX Artist Erik Porn!
- On The Set Of TALES OF HALLOWEEN With Neil Marshall
- When Freddy Met Jason… And Leatherface And Michael Myers
- On The Set Of TALES OF HALLOWEEN With Axelle Carolyn
- #RESPECT – Why JAWS Hero Chief Brody Is One Of Horror’s Biggest Badasses
- On The Set Of TALES OF HALLOWEEN With Mike Mendez!
- BEYOND THE BEYOND – We Talk Lucio Fulci with Bob Murawski!
- Terrance Zdunich on the set of ALLELUIA! THE DEVIL’S CARNIVAL
- We Have A “CANNIBAL” Music Chat With Sebastiaan Putseys of One Way Static Records!
- Saar Hendelman on the set of ALLELUIA! THE DEVIL’S CARNIVAL
- 5 Things We Want To See In The Next ‘NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET’
- We Talk “Cannibal” Films With GREEN INFERNO Director Eli Roth!
- We Discuss CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST/FEROX With Grindhouse Releasings Bob Murawski!
- Behind-The-Scenes Of SLAYER’s “Repentless!”
- 5 Reasons You Need To Check Out THE SENTINEL!
- Killer POV Pick Of The Week – Bob Randall’s THE FAN