"This is for wrecking my favourite Bee Gees track!"
We’ve been sending out press releases about the movie Ten Dead Men today. The film features Lee Latchford Evans of Steps fame who turns out to be just as nice a guy in real life as he comes across on TV.
He plays a nasty character in the film who ends up being strangled to death - see pic above. His demise makes a fun newsline for the film though. The DVD is out May 25 and (as they say) will be available at all good retailers.
Read on for more…
It’s a sight every discerning music fan will love to witness – ex pop singer Lee Latchford Evans – of Steps fame – murdered in a scene from a hot new British action movie.
Lee, who’s trying his hand as an actor after his pop career ended, plays a tough guy who ends up being strangled in his car in the film Ten Dead Men, out on DVD on May 25.
The former pop star’s sticky end comes after his character takes part in a grisly gangland murder.
It’s a far cry from Lee’s chart topping days in Steps – who sold 15 millions records before their split in 2002 with hits including 5,6,7,8 and their cover of Bee Gee’s classic Tragedy.
Lee said: “Ten Dead Men is a gritty action film and the character I play is about as far away from my image in Steps as you can get.
“Steps was light hearted, bubble gum, cheesy pop so playing the part of an alcoholic, gambling addicted, gangland henchman was certainly a departure for me.
“I’m heavily into fitness and don’t really drink so it was great to play a part that was so dark and sinister, so different to my own character and from what I’ve done in the past.”
Brighton filmed Ten Dead Men is a stylish revenge action thriller that has been wowing film fans around the world.
Despite being made on a shoestring budget, ‘Ten Dead Men’ achieves fantastic production values, not yet witnessed in a British indie action film.
The stunning action sequences were choreographed by the highly sought after Jude Poyer who has worked on countless Hong Kong martial arts films, as well as blockbusters such as ‘The Da Vinci Code’ and ’28 Weeks Later’.
For Lee, making the film was a return to acting, something he did a great deal before joining Steps in 1997.
He said: “The hardest part was playing dead because one of the crew kept walking past my line of vision and I had to concentrate not to follow him with my eyes.
“They did about eight takes and I was thrashing around with the chord around my neck the whole time. It was a relief when the director finally yelled “cut” because I had to go out and sing in a gig that night.
“I’m really pleased with the movie and with my part in it. It’s important in this business to be versatile and acting is another string to my bow.
“I think the film definitely has the shock factor and I think people will see me in it and think, is that really Lee from Steps? It’s a good shock factor.”
But Lee denied he had taken the part to distance himself from his pop past and bubblegum image.
He said: “Steps was brilliant, we had a lot of success and we’ve all stayed friends. We’ve had offers for a reunion and it may happen in the future but I can’t see it happening right now. Never say never though.
“But it’s always good to develop as a performer and Ten Dead Men has allowed me to do that by taking on such an unusual role.”
The film’s stunts and fight sequences were performed by specialist stuntmen and world class mixed marital arts competitors. The performers have worked on titles such as ‘Dead Or Alive’, Jet Li’s ‘Unleashed’, ‘Casino Royale’, ‘Bourne Ultimatum’ as well as Harry Potter films.
Director Ross Boyask said: “Steps fans will enjoy this movie and will be surprised to see another side to Lee. People who hated Steps will probably enjoy the film even more because they can watch him getting killed.”
Pumping up the action even further are appearances by the stars of UK Mixed Martial Arts phenomenon Cage Rage/Ultimate Challenge, and professional UK wrestlers.
The movie also features horror legend Doug Bradley (‘Hellraiser’, ‘Nightbreed’) who narrates, Pooja Shah (’EastEnders’, ‘Bend It like Beckham’) Brendan F Carr (‘Rise of the Foot Soldier’, ‘Band of Brothers’) plays the lead role, Ryan, while Terry Stone (’Rise of the Foot Soldier’, ‘Rollin’ With The Nines’) is the scheming Mr. Hart, the mastermind behind the demise of Ryan.
Executive produced by legendary Australian producer Antony I Ginnane, one of the pioneers of the highly influential Australian New Wave era (Quentin Tarantino sites this movement as a key influence in his work), ‘Ten Dead Men’ is being eagerly anticipated by film fans in its native UK.
ENDS
Notes for editors:
The film was shot in Brighton, Hastings and at the Wembley Arena.
The DVD package comes with a fantastic 30 page graphic novel, entitled ‘The Last Job’, which forms the prequel story to ‘Ten Dead Men’ and makes the perfect partner to the film.
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