Great Bad Guys

I thought it would be interesting to write a blog entry that wasn't about a specific movie but about a cinematic concept. Bad guys seemed like a good place to start because it's quite a fun topic that everybody has an opinion on.

So what makes a great bad guy? For me a truly great bad guy draws focus and drives a movie. They should be the epicentre of pretty much every scene they're in and the audience should look forward to seeing their dastardly deeds develop. They should be more than just a hurdle for the protagonist to deal with and should linger in the dark recesses of your mind long after the credits roll. I also wanted to avoid the predictable slasher horror bad guys (i.e. Freddy Krueger, Jasons Voorhees and Michael Myers) because they tend to be quite boring and lack substance and charisma. I have also avoided reprobate central characters (i.e. Patrick Bateman in 'American Psycho') because you see the world through their eyes and this compromises things - they are no longer an antagonist for a protagonist, they tend to become a lot more. So without further ado here are ten such bad guys (in no particular order) which came to mind whilst I was pondering this topic.

1. Bill "The Butcher" Cutting (Gangs of New York)

Daniel Day-Lewis is probably the best big screen actor in cinema currently; his versatility seems to know no bounds. The Butcher's knife wielding, violent persona and pure hatred for Irish immigrants comes across incredibly well and steals the show in 'Gangs of New York'. You get the impression that there is always an incredibly violent anger bubbling beneath the surface of his sly smirk, his glass eyed stare and his playful persona - this is why he's a constantly fascinating and magnetic character to watch on screen.

2. John Doe (Se7en)

The clever thing about this bad guy is that you only really see him at the end. The movie is a build up to his arrival - that famous moment when he steps out of that taxi with bloody hands and announces himself at the top of his lungs. Although you don't meet him until much later on, he is revealed in a sense slowly but surely throughout - his voice on the phone, his presence at the end of the corridor, his insanity scrawled on notebook pages and his very actions (in all of their graphic splendour) all reveal parts of his character. In my opinion the scariest thing about him is that he has almost no emotion and truly believes what he is doing is not only right, but God's will.

3. Hitcher (The Hitcher)
'The Hitcher' is a decent movie but not the best mentioned in this list; none of that matters though because it does exactly what it sets out to do and that is leave an impact. This fright fest follows a young man travelling on the road who, against all better judgement, decides to pick up a hitcher in the pouring rain. This is the single worst decision he will ever make. "The Hitcher" has no motive and this is the most worrying thing - he can't be bargained with or persuaded to stop and he wont stop until one of you is dead. When asked what he wants he replies "for you to stop me". After seeing this bad guy in action I promise you'll never pick up a hitchhiker again.



4. The Joker (The Dark Knight)
The Joker would be on pretty much everyone's bad guy list and for very good reason. Heath Ledger gave his finest performance breathing new life into the character of the Joker and unfortunately passed away not long afterwards. I could probably count the amount of good comic book movies on one hand; 'The Dark Knight' is the best by an absolute mile and The Joker is a fitting bad guy. He is a character without rules, the perfect antithesis to the very moral and self righteous attitudes of Batman. In a way, the fact that you're looking at one of the last performances of an actor only adds to the power and atmosphere of his scenes - although Ledger's Joker is flawlessly enigmatic and charismatic to begin with.



5. Hans Landa (Inglourious Basterds)
'Inglourious Basterds' was a wonderful film and a return to form for Tarantino after the, in my opinion, tiresomely glib and clumsy Kill Bill movies. Christoph Waltz made this movie for me, exhibiting Tarantino's trademark bubblegum dialogue at its best since the scene which inspired my blog title. He was a revelation and definitely deserved the Oscar for best supporting actor. His character, Hans Landa, is both hilarious and terrifying depending on when you look at him. One minute he is the bumbling, grinning, overly polite Hans ("it's a bingo!") and the next he is "The Jew Hunter", ordering Jew executions and strangling women with his bare hands. He flits effortlessly between the two and it's wonderful and terrifying to watch in equal measure.




6. Keyser Soze (The Usual Suspects)
For the benefit of all who haven't seen 'The Usual Suspects' I wont say too much about Soze (for reasons which will be obvious to all who have seen it). All I will say is that his shadow hangs over everything and you get the feeling that he is always ominously watching over the central characters. A wonderful character movie, with a fantastic and iconic ending.




7. Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Ok ok I admit Darth has become a bit of a cliché and the prequel trilogy didn't exactly do his persona any good ("nooooooooo") but he is and always will be one of the archetypal bad guys. From that very first scene when he stepped into that starship corridor littered with rebel bodies, he had the audience gripped. There will always be something scary about the combination of his expressionless black mask and creepily audible breathing and because of that I decided he had to be on the list.





8. Anton Sigur 
Another very deserving Oscar winner here. Sigur is one of the most frightening characters I have ever come across in a book and Javier Bardem did a spectacular job bringing that character to the screen in the faithful adaptation by the brilliant Coen Brothers. With Sigur, actions certainly speak louder than words and his actions are generally extremely violent (hence the tension which fills every scene in which he features). The scene below is definitely up there with my favorites; you can't help but feel bad for this poor old shop assistant! Watch as Sigur psychologically tears him to pieces for no reason.





9. Amon Goth (Schindler's List)
Yet another Nazi, but lets face it Nazis are pretty good bad guys. Ralph Fiennes plays Amon Goth, based on a real life Austrian Nazi who became a concentration camp commandant. I think this character was immortalized by his slick coldness, his use of the phrase "I pardon you" and the following balcony scene where he acts out his very obvious God complex. He executes Jews as if they were literally just rats and is pretty much the personification of Hitler's hatred and disgust.





10. Norman Stansfield (Leon)

Gary Oldman is a British legend and in Luc Besson's 'Leon' (AKA 'The Professional') he plays my personal favorite on this list. He plays Stansfield, a corrupt and eccentric cop who has a love for classical music and killing people. 'Leon' is a fantastic movie and it wouldn't be half as good if Stansfield wasn't the antagonist. You'll love to watch him right up to his explosive final moments. In the following scene Gary Oldman acts opposite Matilda (a young Natalie Portman) - her fear is almost palpable. 

Obviously this is not an all encompassing list and, like everything to do with movies, it's all subjective and everyone has their own favorites. Did this list contain all of your favorites or do you think I missed out some obvious ones? (I know I have). Please feel free to add your favorites, I'd love to know which characters you've loved to hate. I've also created a poll to find out which one of the above ten is your favorite, please vote and let me know!

Black Swan

I had been waiting for this movie for some time, I heard rumour of it several years ago in conjunction with Darren Aronofsky's previous creation 'The Wrestler'. In actuality this movie is over a decade in the making but was most certainly worth the wait. As usual it is impossible to talk about a truly brilliant director without comparing and contrasting a recent movie with his previous (after all a director's career, just like any artistic process, is just a learning curve. A style and confidence evolves and each movie is a testament to this advancement). Aronofsky has most certainly developed an assured and idiosyncratic presence behind the camera and I am glad to say that 'Black Swan' definitely feels like his most complete creation so far. This aforementioned confidence was palpable in 'Black Swan', personified by Natalie Portman (who's performance makes her a likely and deserving Oscar winner).

'Black Swan' follows the painful ascent of Nina (Natalie Portman), a devoted ballet dancer on the brink of stardom and becoming the face of her ballet company as the Swan Queen in their latest re-envisioning of 'Swan Lake'. During the process of replacing the previous embittered alpha female (Winona Rider), forming a rivalry with a new fiery addition to the company (Mila Kunis) and constantly trying to impress both her flirtatious company director (Vincent Cassel) and suffocating mother (Barbara Hershey) an inner conflict stirs within Nina. As she attempts to embody the dichotomy of both White and Black Swan and transcend her usually virginally restrained performances, a stark and shocking transformation occurs both within Nina and physically. This is a tragically beautiful and nightmarish tale portraying a sexual and emotional transition akin to that of puberty.

As always Aronofsky's consistent composer Clint Mansell does a wonderful job building an eerie and intoxicating soundscape, complimenting Aronofsky's trademark handycam visual style which mercilessly brings you into the intimate world of the character.

You could view this as the sister movie to 'The Wrestler' and indeed this is what Aronofsky intended-

"I've always considered the two films companion pieces. They are really connected and people will see the connections. It's funny, because wrestling some consider the lowest art - if they would even call it art - and ballet some people consider the highest art. But what was amazing to me was how similar the performers in both of these worlds are. They both make incredible use of their bodies to express themselves. They're both performers."

The contrast between these two worlds is fascinating. Where there is a pirouette in one, there is a clothesline in the other. Where a dancer cripples her feet for her art, a wrestler makes himself bleed with a hidden razorblade. Indeed it would be fair to say that wrestling is in it's own way a dance (choreographed and physically demanding) and at times a dance can be passionate almost to the extent of seeming powerful and savage. I think the line between the two is thinner than it may seem at first glance. Another interesting point is that, behind the scenes, the world of ballet is portrayed as a lot more cut-throat and aggressive than that of the wrestling world (where an atmosphere of camaraderie and respect was depicted). But as mentioned by Aronofsky, they are both performers who put their very being on the line for their art and their audience (right down to the beautifully symmetrical applause laden endings linking both of the movies).

Apart from being similar thematically to 'The Wrestler', 'Black Swan' also sees a return by Aronofsky to an earlier visual style and atmosphere (which I am most grateful for). It's worth mentioning that Aronofsky's first movie 'Pi' is probably my favourite movie (and I don't say that lightly). 'Pi' is a stunningly intricate and penetrating piece of cinema which is also deeply philosophical - touching upon religion, mathematics, the stock market and the search for an order within chaos. In 'Pi', a theoretical mathematician called Max Cohen, spirals into a terrifying world of paranoia and hallucination which only intensifies as he approaches his goal. 'Black Swan' makes use of this atmospheric device, making the viewing more intense as you go along and building to a dramatic crescendo.

The other earlier Aronofsky movie I would like to mention in conjunction with 'Black Swan' is 'Requiem for a Dream' - the greatest movie you wont want to watch again (at least any time soon). This is a gut wrenchingly tragic tale of ambition blinding a group of individuals (all regular drug users in their own way) to the pitfalls which lay ahead of them. The suspense, surrealism and desperation of 'Requiem for a Dream' can definitely be felt throughout 'Black Swan' as well as the unsettling feeling that things aren't necessarily going to be ok.

I think very highly of Aronofsky's first two movies but I also appreciate that they are original and unflinching to the point of being harsh and abrasive to watch. As a result they will always be somewhat esoteric and niche (commanding a strong cult following). The reason 'Black Swan' is so wonderful is because it has the edginess of them combined with the warmth and emotional depth of 'The Wrestler' and 'The Fountain' (hence why I referred to it as the most "complete" movie he has directed so far).

Obsession is key with Aronofsky and forms the core of everything he does. Obsession with art. Obsession with substance. Obsession with meaning. You could say he is obsessed with portraying obsession - but nobody does it better. I genuinely believe that Aronofsky shows enough natural flair and versatility to potentially be thought of in the future alongside visionary greats such as Kubrick, Hitchcock and Kurosawa (and again I don't say that lightly).

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

I've been meaning to make a Studio Ghibli related blog entry for a while but wasn't really sure how to go about it. I've been a fan of the studio for a while, particularly the movies overseen by Hayao Miyazaki and it seemed somewhat disrespectful to try and sum them up in a no doubt clumsy fashion. In the end I decided to compromise by discussing a favourite of mine which also happened to be quintessentially 'Ghibli'. This movie was also the first feature film made by the studio, so it carries a certain amount of significance. It was made in 1984 and with it's success the Ghibli dynasty had begun.

The setting is a post-apocalyptic earth which has been changed dramatically following the "Seven Days of Fire"- a great war in which terrifying creatures known as "Giant Warriors" were unleashed leaving a burning planet in their wake. The earth which resulted is one covered in toxic jungles containing giant insects (including the armoured 'Ohmu') and which also emit a pollen poisonous to humans. Nausicaa is the Princess of the Valley of the Wind, a free spirit who has an affinity for the natural world which has come to resent mankind (a very natural reaction in most cases). The Valley of the Wind is the last bastion of the peaceful human world and Nausicaa constantly performs botanical experiments hoping to find the key to detoxifying the jungles. Unfortunately most of mankind haven't learnt from past experience and the Valley of the Wind is caught between the tensions of the Pejite and Tolmekian empires, both intent on obtaining an immature "Giant Warrior". With the help of the swordsman Lord Yupa, a Pejite pilot named Asbel and her trusted glider, Nausicaa must calm the flames of war which are

threatening the existence of the natural world.

As mentioned earlier, this movie happens to embody many of the themes which run throughout the Studio Ghibli repertoire. One theme is the juxtaposition of mankind/technology and nature along with the tensions which result. I think that's an important element; it carries the fears and concerns of many relating to our influence on the planet (deforestation, pollution, dwindling resources, endangered species, nuclear weapons and many similarly worrying issues). But it's worth mentioning that all of the movies which feature this theme avoid becoming preachy or overpowering; it generally blends seamlessly with more centric plot lines.

Another recurring feature is the presence of a heroine lead character in almost all Ghibli movies; a refreshing change to generally male dominated western cinema. In this case the heroine is Nausicaa; a bold and refreshingly intrepid female character who doesn't conform to the vulnerable "damsel in distress" stereotype which Disney (who some would call the western counterpart) generally pander to. Similar characters of the same Ghibli vein include Princess Mononoke, Kiki, Chihiro (Sen), Haru and many others - all of them bold as brass and ready to give any male characters a run for their money.

The last theme I will focus on is flying and Hayao Miyazaki's obsession with aircrafts. In World War II Miyazaki's father helped manufacture fighter planes and Miyazaki couldn't help but draw the majestic machines. Ever since he has looked to the sky for inspiration in all of his artistic endeavours. Indeed this is to the extent that it is hard to find a movie directed by him that doesn't feature a sequence in the air. In this specific movie the main method of transportation for Nausicaa is a glider and there are also some stunning scenes involving fighter planes from the great warring nations. There are plenty of other points to mention about thematic constants, plot structure, western influence in Ghibli anime and the repercussions of Hiroshima throughout but that's an essay in itself; the movies are after all very complex.

Hayoa Miyazaki's time at the helm is coming to an end unfortunately but luckily a new generation of talented animator/directors are emerging. Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazaki, has shown great potential with 'Tales from Earthsea', exhibiting a different style that is sure to take Studio Ghibli in a fascinating direction. Many (including myself) would compare his style to that of Isao Takahata, another prolific director at the studio who famously directed the harrowing and powerful 'Grave of the Fireflies'. It's also worth mentioning that the next Ghibli release will be an adaptation of The Borrowers by Mary Norton and that this will be directed by another new young director, Hiromasa Yonebayashi.

'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind' is an example of Ghibli at it's epic best; unfortunately in the US an awful edit called 'Warriors of the Wind' was originally released which completely missed the point of the movie; portraying nature as evil and humans as purely positive. Thankfully western audiences now appreciate "grey area" themes in animation and have really taken to Studio Ghibli and anime in general (it's important to note that there are plenty of examples of wonderful feature length anime outside of Ghibli). After years of child-centric, generally musical western animation, it was hard for a majority of western movie-goers to take more adult aimed animation seriously. Much like graphic novels, they have finally been accepted by the general public. Much to my relief, new talent have shown Studio Ghibli is likely to continue to be important exponents of this art form for many years to come; constantly pushing the envelope and exhibiting originality.

Gattaca

Sometimes in cinema a movie takes current developments and follows a line of thought through to an as yet unseen end. These movies are usually of the science fiction genre due to the intrinsic and unique ability of sci-fi to depict a future that has not yet come to pass; acting as a vehicle for intangible ideas and principles. Sci-fi is unfortunately often met with a rebuff of grunting snobbery, but the important thing to grasp is that it isn't about laser beams, robots or space opera dramatics but simply asking the question - what if? The greatest developments made by humans evolve from this question; literature and cinema are no exception. What if totalitarianism took hold on a massive scale? (George Orwell's 1984). What if we could travel through the "fourth dimension"? (H.G. Wells' 'The Time Machine'). What if humans could bestow the spark of life? (Mary Shelly's 'Frankenstein'). Gattaca is of this breed of movie.

So what if our DNA carried greater social implications? Gattaca is set in a not too distant future in which an individual’s class in society is predetermined by their genetic makeup, whether they like it or not. Gattaca centres around Vincent (Ethan Hawke), an invalid (human of natural birth) who dreams of travelling the stars but is confined to a life of manual labour. His only hope of changing his fate is to impersonate Jerome (Jude Law), a valid (engineered human) who has not lived up to his genetic potential. When you consider that you can’t enter a building without your thumb being pricked or your hair sample being taken, you realise how much of an ordeal awaits Vincent. A mysterious death weeks before a shuttle launch only amplifies this and jeopardizes his plans.

“I belonged to a new underclass, no longer determined by social status or the colour of your skin. No, we now have discrimination down to a science”.

Gattaca displays another common feature of science fiction movies; it carries a deeper emotional connotation at its core which reverberates through every scene. Gattaca, on its most fundamental level, is about ambition and rising above limitations which have been placed upon you by the surrounding world. Titan (a moon of Saturn which Vincent dreams of travelling to) represents a better life, a future which he has determined for himself. (And why not dream, after all “there is no gene for fate”).

An impressive supporting cast of Uma Thurman (as an unwitting love interest of “better” lineage) and the immensely talented Alan Arkin (a detective who is hot on Vincent’s trail) maintain the quality of performance exhibited by Hawke and Law. It is important to also note that style is not sacrificed for substance and there really are some beautiful visual sequences in the movie including my personal favourite; a romantic sequence where Hawke and Thurman walk in a field of mirror solar panels.

In short this is a hugely entertaining and profoundly thoughtful movie. I recently read an ethical discussion on whether insurance companies should have access to the DNA of customers in order to proofread for “risk regions” and determine costs on that basis. Wow, Perceptive too.

Quadrophenia

I saw this film really late on TV the other night for the first time in several years and was reminded how much of a classic it is. For me, the movie is one of the most important 'teenage angst' movies ever made and truly sums up the tensions of working class Britain in the 60s.

The 60s began a social revolution in Britain. No longer were teens all prim and proper, with bowl cut hair and not a button misplaced. No longer did they listen to friendly, middle of the road camp fire songs. The 60s brought the Mods and the Rockers. On the surface these two gangs couldn't be more different. Mods in their Ben Sherman suits, with their pristine hair, listening to The Kinks and The Who. Rockers with their leather jackets, hair greased back, listening to Chuck Berry and Elvis. But underneath they are the same as every teenager - frustrated with a need to belong, to feel like you're part of something. The 60s had brought about a subculture dichotomy which would both become a scar and an iconic piece of British history.

In Quadrophenia we see the world through the eyes of Jimmy (Phil Daniels), a Mod who is frustrated by a dead end job and violent, scrutinising parents. He is a time bomb, just like all of his friends and it's only a matter of time before rockers light the fuse and give them an excuse to blow. Brighton is no longer a quaint, slightly disappointing beach town - it's a battle field for embittered youths. Never has gang violence been so effortlessly cool...and harrowingly brutal. The more Jimmy strives to be an individual, the more he ironically fades in the flurry of violence.

"I don't wanna be the same as everybody else. That's why I'm a Mod, see? I mean, you gotta be somebody, ain't ya, or you might as well jump in the sea and drown."

This movie contains the frank grittiness that British cinema used to embody but now all too rarely features. It shares something with masterpieces such as 'Scum' (with Ray Winstone) and 'The Firm' (with Gary Oldman). There are very few Directors today who can bring that sort of blue collar realism to the screen and who have the vision to see the poetic nature of factories and warehouses and people aspiring to be more than a cog. One who comes to mind is Shane Meadows, who obviously takes a lot from movies like this.

Phil Daniels acts wonderfully throughout the film and portrays the confusions, frustrations and folly of youth beautifully. His world begins to unravel and rebelling against the establishment becomes intoxicating. Soon everyone around him becomes the enemy - even those closest to him. Watch how he isolates himself from everyone around him, even when he is at fault and they are just trying to help him.

With an amazing soundtrack (composed entirely by The Who) and a wonderful array of unpolished performances culminating in a breathtaking final scene, this bleak 70s gem comes highly recommended. (And the more awful films like 'Green Street' and basically any Danny Dyer movie try and emulate it, the more it shines).

Inception

I saw this movie at the IMAX yesterday, the night of it's release. A lot of hype surrounded it, mainly because of the huge success of Nolan's last release, The Dark Knight. Being a fan of Nolan's, I also had high expectations. I couldn't be more pleased to say I was not disappointed.

The general rule in cinema is that, the bigger a movie gets (in terms of scale, budget and special effects) the more it will sacrifice in terms of intelligence and originality. I would say this is a fairly reliable general rule of thumb (for example Avatar is one of the most expensive film ever made, created with the most cutting edge effects on offer today - but it's plot is basically Pocahontas. Not to say I didn't enjoy Avatar, but it wasn't the most challenging of movies.)

But you know what they say, rules are made to be broken. Inception did it in style! And I don't just mean it had a decent plot, that would be a massive understatement. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that Inception is the most cerebral and mind bending film I have seen since The Matrix. Basically, don't take your eye off the ball because it doesn't keep to the conventions of normal linear cinema.

I wont give away any spoilers because I would hate to ruin this film for anybody, so I'll just lay out the general idea behind the movie. A technology has been developed which allows people to enter a person's mind and either steal an idea (extraction) or plant one (inception.) Enter Dom Cobb (DiCaprio), a man troubled by his past (which literally haunts him) who is the best in the business and is offered the mother of all mind jobs. In order to pull off the mission he will need the help of a specialist team, each with a specialist ability - an architect (Page), a point man (Gordon-Levitt), a forger (Hardy) and a chemist (Rao).

The best way to describe this movie is a Russian doll - dreams within dreams and worlds within worlds. The mind is a paradoxical maze - Nolan creates these worlds perfectly and they are a truly beautiful and breathtaking stage for events to unfold upon. This includes a stunning fight sequence in a corridor with shifting gravity, impossible staircases and entire cityscapes which are completely malleable.

Another special thing about this movie is the ensemble cast which supports DiCaprio - who by the way has really hit his stride as a lead man after Shutter Island. Some of the brightest stars of "future Hollywood" feature in this movie. Ellen Page (Juno, Hard Candy), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer, Brick) and Tom Hardy (Bronson, Stuart: A Life Backwards) all provide great performances. I especially enjoyed the banter between Gordon-Levitt and Hardy, it really added a streak of humour to this movie. Nolan regulars Cillian Murphy, Michael Cane and Ken Watanabe also put in solid performances.

Please make the first time you see this movie be at the cinema - the dynamic visuals and Hans Zimmer's epic soundtrack deserve that much. Inception has so much to offer - action sequences, love interests and one of the most original plots you're likely to see for a while. When the credits rolled people actually clapped and we all left the IMAX with massive smiles on our faces - it really was a movie buffs dream (excuse the pun.)

In a word - slick.

There Will Be Blood

This movie is a rarity - it's a 'modern classic'. By modern classic I mean that almost immediately after being made, it had gained the gravitas that the average classic takes years to develop. This is mainly for two reasons - the master class of acting on show by Daniel Day-Lewis (with support from Paul Dano) and the potency of the plot.

The movie centres around Daniel Plainview (Day-Lewis), a mineral prospector turned "oil man". He begins drilling in a small town called Little Boston - a town where nothing grows but the piousness of it's residents. Eli Sunday (Dano) is the Yin to Plainview's Yang and they clash in a hugely dramatic way. The movie is loosely based on the novel 'Oil!' by Upson Sinclair.

The hugely attractive prospect of this movie is the fact that it centres around mankind's two strongest addictions - God and Oil. Sunday and Plainview are microcosms of these addictions respectively and their constant one-upmanship makes for some thrilling confrontations. The following clip is a prime example of this, watch as they say more with their eyes than with their mouths.

With this sort of calibre of acting it's no surprise that there are such powerful performances. Daniel Day-Lewis puts in his best performance since 'My Left Foot' (he received an oscar for both). Dano is a rising star that, after many low budget indie movies, came into the public eye with his wonderful role in 'Little Miss Sunshine'. Day-Lewis is already one of the greatest actors of all time (and I don't say that lightly) and Dano holds limitless potential.

In conclusion, this is one that everybody should have in their collection. It would be easy to just focus on the acting but everything is pitch-perfect - the cinematography is great, Johnny Greenwood's soundtrack is oscar worthy and the screenplay is wonderfully audacious (there isn't any dialogue in the film for the first 20 minutes, which requires a lot of confidence.) Give it a watch and you'll be hooked right up to the legendary "milkshake" finale.