True Romance

Hey Yo...

I've already spoken about two of my favorite villains in cinematic history (Stansfield (Gary Oldman) and Tybalt (John Leguizamo)) so today I'll be writing about not one but three of my favorite bad guys of all time, all from the brilliant True Romance. Step forward Drexl Spivey, Don Vincenzo Coccotti and Virgil (played by uber talented actors Gary Oldman (again), Christoher Walken and James Gandolfini).

       True Romance was written by Quentin Tarantino who famously had to sell the script for the minimum amount allowed and directed by Tony Scott. Typical of Tarantino, TR is a pop cutural movie with an incredible ensemble: Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Michael Rappaport, Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, Samuel L. Jackson, Brad Pitt, Bronson Pinchot, Val Kilmer and Oldman, Walken and Gandolfini (oh and Jack Black is in a deleted scene). It tells the tale of a comic book store worker, Clarence (Slater) who falls for an escort Alabama (Arquette). They get into some trouble when they encounter Alabama's former pimp, Drexl. They end up with a suitcase full of cocaine which they spend the rest of the movie trying to sell - not before making enemies with the rightful owner of the narcotics, Blue Lou Boyle.

       Drexl Spivey is a white guy who thinks he's black. He's a pimp and he's not an altogether nice guy. We get a great fight scene between Clarence and Drexl and his cronies. "We got ourselves a motherfucking Chares Bronson!" While Oldman is not in the movie for very long, he certainly left a lasting impression. Oldman said in the past he'd like to make a movie about Drexl - I'd love for this to come true but perhaps the opportunity is gone.

     Clarence and Alabama then go on the run leaving Vincenzo Coccotti, a gangster in service to Blue Lou Boyle, to interrogate Clarence's father Cliff (Dennis Hopper at the top of his game). The scene between Walken and Hopper (known as the Sicilian Scene) has gone down in cinematic history as one of the best and Tarantino himself ahs said it's one of his proudest moments.

     Another adversary Alabama comes into contact with is the sadistic Virgil with a pre-Tony James Gandolfini getting violent. Virgil gives a memorable monologue about killing: " Now the first time you kill someone, that's the hardest... now I do it just to watch their fuckin' expression change." Credit must also be given to Patricia Arquette, who plays off Gandolfini beautifully and her character is very believable in the defiance she shows.

     The movie ends in a hail of bullets and feathers in a hotel. True Romance is one of my favorite movies; it has brilliant dialogue, great acting from some legendary actors (and also some memorable turns from lesser stars- Bronson Pinchot excells in a comic role), an excellent score from Hans Zimmer, it is asthetically pleasing and has very well choreographed action scenes. A much watch movie - over and over again.

10 lying Sicilians out of 10.

El Chico Clandestino

Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet

Hey yo

Two households both alike in dignity in fair Verona, 
Where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to 
new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands 
unclean, From forth the fatal loins of these two 
foes, A pair of star crossed lovers take their life, 
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows doth with 
their death, Bury their parents strife. The fearful 
passage of their death marked love, And the 
continuance of their parents rage, Which but their 
children's end not could remove, Is now the two hours 
traffic of our stage. 

Continuing on with my favorite villain theme, we have Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet.

While I was never a big Shakespeare fan, I've always loved this modern adaptation. Swords become guns with brand names such as 'dagger' and 'sword', Verona, Italy becomes Verona Beach and so on. The dialogue and some minor characters are changed around but the movie is still pretty faithful. I've long been impressed with the editing and cinematography involved in this film. The score is excellent with Gavin Friday, The Cardigans and the recurring Radio Show Host from Radiohead, all featuring. However, my favorite element in this movie is the bad guy - this guy:

Tybalt Capulet, of the Capulet family whom are feuding with the Montagues, is Romeo's arch nemesis. He played with energy and intensity by John Leguizamo. The opening scene in this movie is perhaps my favorite opening scene to any movie. There is the famous prologue coupled with Orff's O Fortuna then we meet some Montague boys at a gas station; enter Tybalt and his henchmen. "Do you bite your thumb at me, sir? Do you bite your thumb at me, sir?" shouts Abra. Biting ones thumb back then is akin to someone flipping the bird these days. 

     

     Romeo's cousin Benvolio tries to defuse the situation and sues for peace. Tybalt has different ideas.

Violence ensues.

     The scene is very well choreographed (except that bit where they jump into real life traffic!) and Tybalt moves and shoots as if he is dancing the tango. Leguizamo plays the villain with relish, hissing venom throughout. Let's face it, Johnny Legs is boss.

    After this scene we get to see Leonardo DiCaprio and  Claire Danes show off their acting chops as the titular roles and they do a good job of it. Harold Perrineau does a great job as Mercutio and there is also very talented supporting actors in Pete Postlethwaite and Paul Sorvino (as Father Laurence and Fulgencio Capulet).

    While I found the final act to be the weakest part of the movie, I think this is a great adaptation - Luhrmann brings Shakespeare to the 90s but does not lose the important aspects to the greatest love story ever told. Lurhmann said he wanted to make a movie as if Shakespeare himself was making it and, given how innovative and creative Shakespeare was, I feel he achieves his goal.

8 vengeful Tybalts out of 10.

El Chico Clandestino

Leon: The Professional

Hey yo...

"Benny, get me everyone..."
"What do mean 'everyone'?"

"EVERYONE!"

This was of course the unforgettable, often parodied (well, I can recall several times in Community at least) reaction of one of cinema's greatest villains: Norman Stansfield. Thus, the classic film I am reviewing today is LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL.

Leon, one of my favorite movies, is a movie with a pretty simple premise: a girl is forced to flee after a crooked cop guns down her drug dealing father and his family and a hit man takes her under his wing. The movie is made by three very strong central performances from a young Nathalie Portman, Jean Reno and the always brilliant Gary Oldman.

I've always been drawn to the bad guys in Hollywood. From Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs to Jimmy Shaker in the under rated Ransom to the Joker (both versions), the villain has captivated me; they're always the interesting ones. Stansfield is, arguably, the greatest of all the bad guys. He's neurotic, hateful, unhinged and he knows it: "What filthy... piece of shit... did I do now?"
Oldman apparently improvised a lot of his lines and actions and many of his co- stars had no clue what he was going to say or do next - perfect for such an unpredictable character.

And for all of Oldman's genius, let's not forget Portman's role who plays Mathilda like a screen veteran despite the fact that she was only 11 and it was her debut! A different, less talented kid actor and this movie would not have worked. Mathilda has somewhat amorous feelings towards her benefactor, Leon. Reno, as mentioned, is also great in this movie as the hit man who, initially, finds it very difficult to relate to people. Mathilda, understandably, makes Leon feel uncomfortable with her declarations of love. She does, however, open doors for Leon that had previously closed. He begins to have a real life.

Without spoiling the denouement, the song chosen at the end (Shape of my Heart, Sting) is perfectly chosen and is quite poignant. Interestingly, The Professional was intended to be filler while Luc Besson waited for Bruce Willis' schedule to be free so they could film The Fifth Element but The Professional turned out to be a far greater movie.

This is one of those rare films - it is perfect. I wouldn't change anything in it. It is a classic that I continually turn to, it never gets old, it is timeless. Bravo to all involved. Norman, any last words or thoughts?

10 Raging Stansfields out of 10.

El Chico Clandestino