Admittedly never one for animations (the Toy Story franchise aside); I can count the times I've chosen to go and watch an animated film on one hand. It's nothing personal, I feel I've got a sufficiently broad imagination and prefer escapism to reality any day of the week, but there's something about animation that just doesn't grab me. I guess I just prefer humans - so sue me.
Well thank goodness I overcame my usual prejudices. Last night I willingly chose to see Rango - and pleasantly surprised I was too!
This witty, trippy Western tale of a wayward chameleon lost in the desert ain't your average animated film. Don't let the overwhelming number of kiddies in the audience fool you - this is sharp, intelligent animation aimed at grown ups, but with enough humorous and tantalisingly colourful characters to keep the kids engrossed as well.
Clever.
From the get-go it's clear that Rango, voiced by Johnny Depp, is searching for more than adventure, he's searching for a purpose. So upon finding himself abandoned in a town called Dirt - in dire need of a new sheriff and water - our protagonist throws himself into the role of importance and pomp he's always dreamt of. As pressumed, all does not go according to plan...
Johnny Depp: the definition of "clashing accessory chic"
The narrative follows that of a traditional Western: the goodies, the baddies, the rejections and wallowing time for reflection (poetanddidntknowit alert). And all of this in mind-boggling animation with CGI action sequences that could give the Matrix films a run for their money - it's safe to say director Gore Verbinski landed on his feet in his first animated venture.
Clearly in good artistic company, Rango is a visually stunning film of inconceivably high quality.
In short - it blew my tiny mind.
The soundtrack deserves kudos unto itself. Hans Zimmer and Los Lobos combine to make an excellent muscial accompaniment to the action: exhilarating, energetic and captivating. Whoever would've thought Ride of the Valkyries on banjo would work?
Not me - but it does.
And with the extra added bonus of constant and subtle artistic nods to various other films - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Chinatown and Apocalypse Now - film buffs everywhere will leave with the satisfaction and sweet smuggery of those "in the know".Cashback.
"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked..." They just don't write 'em like that anymore, but apparently they can adapt 'em into partially animated feature length films.
Rob Epstein and Jeffry Friedman's potrayal of the 1957 obscenity trial held over Allen Ginsberg's celebrated poem, "Howl", presents the audience with a combination of archive footage, animated illustrations of the poem and some reportedly sterling acting from James Franco.
Not released in the UK until February 2011 this is just one of many literary masterpieces that I am simultaneously anxious and terrified of seeing translated to film.
Ok, maybe "terrified" is a tad strong, but if you haven't already gathered from my slaughtering of Scorsese's "Shutter Island" I really HATE it when an adaptation goes wrong. You know that feeling of intense disappointment like when you realise a celebrity is actually a total prat in real life and it totally taints everything else they ever do (yeah Christian Bale I'm talkin to you): you just want to ask why, jump through a portal in time back to a better, simpler place where ignorance reigned and everything was rosy. This is how I feel when I see an excellent book poorly adapted to film, so needless to say my anxiety levels are gradually rising with the impending release of various literary classics on the silver screen.
Now, when you entitle something as "arguably the best of a century" the bar has already been set inconceivably high, so it's little wonder that many (4 in total) have attempted to bring this lavish and tragic tale of wealth and desire to the silver screen in the past. Most notably, Jack Clayton's 1974 offering wound up being somewhat of a flop, atmospheric as it is. Even the radioactive Robert Redford and Mia Farrow couldn't bring this back from the brink of mundane.
Seems bizarre that a text so rich in imagery, full of characters absolutely dripping in pathos, in an era of extreme decadence could be anything other than a visual feast.
I refuse to be disheartened though, and I'll stand resilient in the hope that the upcoming film adaptation of the novel will do it some justice. With Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby and Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan, SURELY I won't be let down - famous last words...
"Dear diary, today I met a boy..."
Hunter S. Thompson's novel The Rum Diary follows the soul-searching adventure of journalist Paul Kemp, writing, drinking and fighting his way around the Carribean. Brilliant. So when I heard this was being made into a film starring Johnny Depp (of course) I was delighted. That was about 3 years ago, so the fact they're finally in the post-production stages feels like like a long overdue treat. My only concern is that the hype has been building (in my head anyway) for so long now that it won't live up to expectations, but with Depp's dedication to Thompson's work and if "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" is anything to go by, I shouldn't be let down. Roll on 2011...
My face is the same when I forget my travel scrabble
I must admit I don't have my hopes set high for this one, as I simply don't know how the spontaneous narrative structure of the novel will translate to film. I don't know if I want it to in fact. I am referring to the screen version of Jack Kerouac's defining novel On The Road. The largely biographical journey of Sal Paradise is now considered a crucial text of the Beat Generation, influencing generations of road-trippers on spiritual booze-fuelled journeys for years to come.
With Walter Salles (of "The Motorcycle Diaries" fame) at the directorial helm, Francis Ford Coppolla controlling production and a young and promising cast including Brit talent Sam Riley as Sal Paradise: in theory it should work.
I remain unconvinced.
Bob Dylan once said of the novel: "It changed my life like it changed everyone else's." Wonder what he'll make of the film...
(On The Road is due for release in 2011)
Novels that translated well to film:
LA Confidential by James Ellroy
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Lost in Translation:
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (awright Peter you like CGI, we get it! not always appropriate though eh?)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (time and time again they've been more horrific than any monster)
The Human Stain by Philip Roth (Anthony Hopkins as a black American...nuff said)
Tonight's blog is not about blood-thirsty monarchs, but the other type of queen - draaaaaaaaag, darling.
Twas just yesterday I was visiting my friend's fashion blog (FOURTY FOUR SUNSETS - check it out!) and came across a photo of James Franco kitted out in his finest female clobber, complete with more eye-shadow than Pat Butcher at Christmas and more lipstick and lashes that Girls Aloud combined (so roughly a metric tonne).
The result is quite shocking.
He simultaneously looks pretty and masculine, and altogether quite bizarre. I choose "bizarre" as I can't quite make up my mind about this: on one hand he is undoubtedly a tarted up man, but on the other he most definitely has more striking features than most of the beasts spotted roaming Paisley on a Saturday night.
And even though I can't shake the idea that he looks like a Muppet version of Barbara Streisand - something about the eyes - I think the main thing to take away from this is that he owns it. Now I don't know if he has done this shoot to reflect his committment to the role or to display his diversity as an actor (coz let's face it no-one got "diverse" from Spider-Man).
But as Tyra Banks would say, it is FIERCE!
This got me to thinking about other men in film that make beautiful women.
I say more feminine - i mean raging queen. This story of murder, betrayal, catholicism and transexuality allows Bernal to play both male and female roles, powerfully conveying various perspectives and sexual ideologies.
And by god, does he make one pretty woman. In fact, if they were to remake "Pretty Woman" I genuinely think he'd be in with a shout. Sorry Julia, there's a new girl in town...
I'm signing off with another two examples of actors who have donned frocks and slap for their art (and let's face it - just to prove that they can pull it off)
The clues are in the captions - answers on a postcard!
