Tracing the Influence: Retraced Edition
Tag: Commando (movie)
Mercs (1991) 🔗
Even though Capcom's game Commando predates the movie Commando, perhaps they got cold feet about similarities when coming up with the English title for the seque, but that still didn't prevent them from ripping off the Schwarzenegger vehicle in the game. Another character's portrait pose was taken from Raw Deal – not the most celebrated of Arnie's action movies, but it seems to have gained some popularity in Japan (where it was known as Gorilla), at least judging by the number of games riffing on the film's poster. The third guy in the game obviously has the Schwarzenegger physique as well, but I haven't found a matching pose yet. The item merchant that's only found in the Sega Genesis version also looks like she's based on something real.
Double Hawk cover (1990) 🔗
Sure, the two muscle men on Sega's shooting gallery are made to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, but there's a kind of reverse Gryzor situation going on: At least both torsos are clearly both taken from the latter's Rambo poses, as you can clearly make out on the muscle definitions and even the scars on his chest. The big faces on top are a bit of a guessing game and they might be from different or a mix of references. I'd wager on the soldiers and war machinery in the foreground also being lifted from somewhere else, but those are a bit harder to find and identify.
Navy Moves cover (1989) 🔗
Navy Moves is a home computer game made in Spain, that's basically a series of different action sequences where you're riding a boat, diving, infiltrating an evil underwater lair, and so on. You might not have heard about this game, but the cover is once more graced by a familiar face - and not only the cover, as you can see Arnie's mug at the bottom of the screen all throughout the game, too. This specific pose originates from the poster motive for Commando. If you're wondering why I took the Italian variant for this, it's because the US one has a black background, so it would have been hell to cut out the dark parts of his clothing there.
Super Contra arcade flyer (1987) 🔗
Much like the first game in the series, the artist for Super Contra's promo material clearly understood the assignment, this time really uniting both of the 1980s big muscle action stars on one flyer. Not satisfied with telegraphing the game's influences through a picture, the English version of the flyer also proudly proclaims: "He's not human. He's not alien. He's the predator!!" There's some liberties taken, especially with the faces, but Sly's neckline is still an exact match. The Schwarzenegger stand-in doesn't fit quite as neatly, so either the artist modyfied the pose somewhat, or there might be an obscure alternate still out there that was used as a reference.
