ill LYTeracy - Repeat Offenders
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Feb 26 2010, 11:02 PM
Well, looks like another Martin Scorsese movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio just came out. Next week, another Tim Burton movie starring Johnny Depp comes out. After that, another Paul Greengrass movie with Matt Damon. And later on...Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe will team up yet again.
Anyone who has ever worked with actors can understand why directors like using the same ones again and again. Once you get a feel for each other, learn to trust one another, and the director figures out exactly how to draw the best performance out, a shorthand is developed that’s easier than feeling out the rhythms of someone completely new (and at times, quite insecure). Unfortunately, for audiences, this often results in tedium.
Right upfront, of course, I have to be honest and admit that I myself am partially guilty. In my other life as an actor, I have appeared in all three movies directed by Gregory Hatanaka (yes, I know imdb lists more than three, but trust me...all three), and all three of Sean Cain’s. I will undoubtedly work with them again; in the low-budget realm, where payment rarely happens, a reputation of reliability gets you repeat work. But I have not, to date, been a lead in any of said movies, making my appearances more akin to Ricky Jay in a David Mamet film, or even the typically brief Brendan Fraser cameo in most Pauly Shore movies. Those things are fun. I’m talking about directors’ favorite frontmen falling into ruts.
Burton, in particular, is becoming so formulaic that one can play Mad Libs with the inevitable trades announcement. Behold:
HOLLYWOOD – Johnny Depp has officially signed on for the lead role of _______ in Tim Burton’s __________, a twisted new retelling of the classic __________ story, which will take advantage of the director’s unique vision. “I’m going to approach this character as if a ________ actually existed in the real world,” said Depp. “I think it will put a really unique spin on his ________.”
Opposing Depp’s character will be Helena Bonham-Carter as _________, who becomes a formidable opponent. “My take on her is that she’s slightly misunderstood,” said Bonham-Carter. “She’s been caricatured for all these years as a __________, and it’s made her a bit crazy.”
“Growing up, _________ was my favorite thing ever,” said Burton. “I’ve always wanted to re-imagine it in my quirky style, only with a less coherent story.”
Joining Bonham-Carter and Depp in the cast will be Christopher Lee, in a menacing cameo as the intimidating _________.
Ready? Let’s play:
HOLLYWOOD – Johnny Depp has officially signed on for the lead role of Robert in Tim Burton’s KRABBY, a twisted new retelling of the classic Spongebob Squarepants story, which will take advantage of the director’s unique vision. “I’m going to approach this character as if a pair of oblong trousers actually existed in the real world,” said Depp. “I think it will put a really unique spin on his hidden sexuality.”
Opposing Depp’s character will be Helena Bonham-Carter as Sandy Cheeks, who becomes a formidable opponent. “My take on her is that she’s slightly misunderstood,” said Bonham-Carter. “She’s been caricatured for all these years as a Texan squirrel, and it’s made her a bit crazy.”
“Growing up, Nickelodeon was my favorite thing ever,” said Burton. “I’ve always wanted to re-imagine it in my quirky style, only with a less coherent story.”
Joining Bonham-Carter and Depp in the cast will be Christopher Lee, in a menacing cameo as the intimidating Plankton.
See what I mean? The once-iconoclastic Burton has become his own punchline, especially while working with Depp. Let us briefly point out that Burton’s most beloved characters tend to be the rare few he actually creates, rather than adapts: Betelgeuse, Edward Scissorhands, and Jack Skellington. And that Depp’s best known character at present is the one he most notably did not do for Burton: Captain Jack Sparrow. Sparrow was a risk, something he thought he might get kicked off the shoot for doing, and this may be the key...Burton would have allowed him free reign, but without that risk, would Depp have truly gone for it? Comfort is one thing, but artists need challenges (look at how much better Lucas and Spielberg movies were back when those two couldn’t get exactly everything they wanted).
Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe are a slightly different story. It is true that together, the once-dependable auteur and star have produced some truly godawful movies: Gladiator and A Good Year most notably. But Crowe isn’t the same kind of actor as Depp; he’s an old-school bad boy, with a penchant for booze, rock n’ roll, and picking fights. Complaining about him working with the same director is almost like complaining about Clint Eastwood working with Clint Eastwood. He will be playing variations on the same character most of the time whoever is in charge, and when Scott is savvy enough to play to that, we get Body of Lies and American Gangster. If he casts Crowe in Alien 5, though, I think many computer screens are gonna get punched; I’m already not crazy about the idea of Crowe as “Robin Hood before he was Robin Hood,” I mean, how old is he gonna be when he finally becomes the actual Robin Hood?
(Somebody needs to make a movie of that atrocious old cartoon “Rocket Robin Hood.” I’d rather see Crowe and Scott do that.)
And then we have Scorsese with DiCaprio, and where to begin there? You could start with my SHUTTER ISLAND review, I suppose, as I think it epitomizes the problem: neither Scorsese or DiCaprio perceives the actor in the same manner as the general public. Possibly stung by his typecasting as a teen idol, Leo has stubbornly tried to go the other direction, submerging his inherent likability behind tics and over-emoting. In GANGS OF NEW YORK, okay, he was a struggling young immigrant, which was a natural fit...his prior role as such only resulted in the most successful movie ever. But then came THE AVIATOR, THE DEPARTED, SHUTTER ISLAND...the first two felt like desperate bids for Oscar not just on Scorsese’s part, but DiCaprio’s too, as he rendered himself unlikable and crazy. SHUTTER feels confused as to whether to go for horror gusto or try to be high art...it’s neither, in large part because DiCaprio is no fun at all. He may never recognize this, but surely Scorsese will eventually be smart enough to figure it out.
Or maybe he just has a thing for actors whose surnames begin with “De” or “Di,” in which case I eagerly await his next four movie cycle, tentatively starring Danny DeVito.
Luke Y. Thompson is an actor, writer, and film critic living in Hollywood. He played a zombie in his third cinematic collaboration with director Sean Cain...
Well, looks like another Martin Scorsese movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio just came out. Next week, another Tim Burton movie starring Johnny Depp comes out. After that, another Paul Greengrass movie with Matt Damon. And later on...Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe will team up yet again.
Anyone who has ever worked with actors can understand why directors like using the same ones again and again. Once you get a feel for each other, learn to trust one another, and the director figures out exactly how to draw the best performance out, a shorthand is developed that’s easier than feeling out the rhythms of someone completely new (and at times, quite insecure). Unfortunately, for audiences, this often results in tedium.
Right upfront, of course, I have to be honest and admit that I myself am partially guilty. In my other life as an actor, I have appeared in all three movies directed by Gregory Hatanaka (yes, I know imdb lists more than three, but trust me...all three), and all three of Sean Cain’s. I will undoubtedly work with them again; in the low-budget realm, where payment rarely happens, a reputation of reliability gets you repeat work. But I have not, to date, been a lead in any of said movies, making my appearances more akin to Ricky Jay in a David Mamet film, or even the typically brief Brendan Fraser cameo in most Pauly Shore movies. Those things are fun. I’m talking about directors’ favorite frontmen falling into ruts.
Burton, in particular, is becoming so formulaic that one can play Mad Libs with the inevitable trades announcement. Behold:
HOLLYWOOD – Johnny Depp has officially signed on for the lead role of _______ in Tim Burton’s __________, a twisted new retelling of the classic __________ story, which will take advantage of the director’s unique vision. “I’m going to approach this character as if a ________ actually existed in the real world,” said Depp. “I think it will put a really unique spin on his ________.”
Opposing Depp’s character will be Helena Bonham-Carter as _________, who becomes a formidable opponent. “My take on her is that she’s slightly misunderstood,” said Bonham-Carter. “She’s been caricatured for all these years as a __________, and it’s made her a bit crazy.”
“Growing up, _________ was my favorite thing ever,” said Burton. “I’ve always wanted to re-imagine it in my quirky style, only with a less coherent story.”
Joining Bonham-Carter and Depp in the cast will be Christopher Lee, in a menacing cameo as the intimidating _________.
Ready? Let’s play:
HOLLYWOOD – Johnny Depp has officially signed on for the lead role of Robert in Tim Burton’s KRABBY, a twisted new retelling of the classic Spongebob Squarepants story, which will take advantage of the director’s unique vision. “I’m going to approach this character as if a pair of oblong trousers actually existed in the real world,” said Depp. “I think it will put a really unique spin on his hidden sexuality.”
Opposing Depp’s character will be Helena Bonham-Carter as Sandy Cheeks, who becomes a formidable opponent. “My take on her is that she’s slightly misunderstood,” said Bonham-Carter. “She’s been caricatured for all these years as a Texan squirrel, and it’s made her a bit crazy.”
“Growing up, Nickelodeon was my favorite thing ever,” said Burton. “I’ve always wanted to re-imagine it in my quirky style, only with a less coherent story.”
Joining Bonham-Carter and Depp in the cast will be Christopher Lee, in a menacing cameo as the intimidating Plankton.
See what I mean? The once-iconoclastic Burton has become his own punchline, especially while working with Depp. Let us briefly point out that Burton’s most beloved characters tend to be the rare few he actually creates, rather than adapts: Betelgeuse, Edward Scissorhands, and Jack Skellington. And that Depp’s best known character at present is the one he most notably did not do for Burton: Captain Jack Sparrow. Sparrow was a risk, something he thought he might get kicked off the shoot for doing, and this may be the key...Burton would have allowed him free reign, but without that risk, would Depp have truly gone for it? Comfort is one thing, but artists need challenges (look at how much better Lucas and Spielberg movies were back when those two couldn’t get exactly everything they wanted).
Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe are a slightly different story. It is true that together, the once-dependable auteur and star have produced some truly godawful movies: Gladiator and A Good Year most notably. But Crowe isn’t the same kind of actor as Depp; he’s an old-school bad boy, with a penchant for booze, rock n’ roll, and picking fights. Complaining about him working with the same director is almost like complaining about Clint Eastwood working with Clint Eastwood. He will be playing variations on the same character most of the time whoever is in charge, and when Scott is savvy enough to play to that, we get Body of Lies and American Gangster. If he casts Crowe in Alien 5, though, I think many computer screens are gonna get punched; I’m already not crazy about the idea of Crowe as “Robin Hood before he was Robin Hood,” I mean, how old is he gonna be when he finally becomes the actual Robin Hood?
(Somebody needs to make a movie of that atrocious old cartoon “Rocket Robin Hood.” I’d rather see Crowe and Scott do that.)
And then we have Scorsese with DiCaprio, and where to begin there? You could start with my SHUTTER ISLAND review, I suppose, as I think it epitomizes the problem: neither Scorsese or DiCaprio perceives the actor in the same manner as the general public. Possibly stung by his typecasting as a teen idol, Leo has stubbornly tried to go the other direction, submerging his inherent likability behind tics and over-emoting. In GANGS OF NEW YORK, okay, he was a struggling young immigrant, which was a natural fit...his prior role as such only resulted in the most successful movie ever. But then came THE AVIATOR, THE DEPARTED, SHUTTER ISLAND...the first two felt like desperate bids for Oscar not just on Scorsese’s part, but DiCaprio’s too, as he rendered himself unlikable and crazy. SHUTTER feels confused as to whether to go for horror gusto or try to be high art...it’s neither, in large part because DiCaprio is no fun at all. He may never recognize this, but surely Scorsese will eventually be smart enough to figure it out.
Or maybe he just has a thing for actors whose surnames begin with “De” or “Di,” in which case I eagerly await his next four movie cycle, tentatively starring Danny DeVito.
Luke Y. Thompson is an actor, writer, and film critic living in Hollywood. He played a zombie in his third cinematic collaboration with director Sean Cain...
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