The Official Movie Thread

[TechnicalBarbarity]

There are stories that between scenes Viggo would go to Russian restaurants in London with all his tattoos still drawn on and people would fall silent as he walked in out of fear. It made him uneasy enough times that he started washing them off anytime he left the set (which I'm sure really pissed off the make-up artist).

Isnt that where the wainds are from??

That doesnt mean anything really. I'm pretty sure most, if not all of the people in that restaurant were probably English, not Russian ... and im pretty sure most enlgishmen fall into the category of people i was referring to. They think the cheesiest stuff out here is cool. I know dozens(edit: actually about half a dozen) of Russians who almost spit out their drinks from laughter when watching viggos performance in that movie. That being said im pretty sure the tattoos would cause people to be nervous, even if it was a russian restaurant. That literally has almost nothing to do with his acting. If a russian waiter had an exchange with him im pretty sure they would have to stop themselves from chuckling in his face.

 

[CiG]

One specific story is that he was sitting in a pub and a couple were speaking Russian so he eaves-dropped to see if he could pick up any of the conversation (to get into the character Viggo went to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Siberia, spoke with prisoners and didn't take a translator with him so he could be forced to learn the languages himself) and the couple realised he was paying attention to them, and Viggo claimed they went silent mid-sentence because they noticed his hand tattoos.

You can never know how true stories are but there are all kinds of crazy ones surrounding this movie. Apparently Viggo would have Russian TV playing at all times in his trailer between productions, he modeled a lot of his mannerisms around Putin because while he was in Russia Putin was on TV constantly, his personal adviser on the tattoos and criminal culture was a Russian Mafia specialist working for the UN, and somehow Cronenberg found out after the film was out that "the mob" liked the film a lot (vague as fuck, I assume it was just popular in prisons over there or something).

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

his accent was laughably bad and some of his facial expressions made me bust the fuck up. But yes, those tattoos would definitely cause people to be nervous and could have even put his life at jeopardy tbh.

 

[CiG]

Fair enough. I love this fight scene, it's so brutal and messy. So glad Cronenberg didn't go the Hollywood route and do some dumb ass karate scene (dick and balls flying around the place is a bit rough though lmao).

 

[Oblivious Maximus]

In what way? And how far does it deviate from the novel it's based on? Dialogue is horribly cheesy and the story screams graphic novel..

I haven't read the graphic novel so I can't say if it deviates or not. But as to how it's more Cronenberg than people think, the way it deals with identity and perception make it fit right in with the likes of Dead Ringers and Spider.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

Fair enough. I love this fight scene, it's so brutal and messy. So glad Cronenberg didn't go the Hollywood route and do some dumb ass karate scene (dick and balls flying around the place is a bit rough though lmao).

how many times did the guy with the knife there have the opportunity to rip viggo in half? Lot of "delayed" action/acting there too. Not a well executed scene imo .. but not necessarily a bad one either.

 

[CiG]

I think you value realism way more than I do, I just want to be entertained. That reminds me, you're a big fan of Training Day, don't you think Denzel's character was over the top? I always felt that, he's like Shaft on crack or something, but that's why I liked him. Very memorable, even if stopping your car in the middle of the street because your new partner won't smoke a pipe and then aiming your pistol at cars beeping at him is a bit nuts.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

yea but i think that movie is way better in just about every aspect. I also never said anything about viggo being "over the top" in Easter Promises, which he isnt. So i dont really see a comparison to the money/power hungry nutcase that Denzel was portraying.

Also yea, i kind of value realism in movies that are trying their hardest to be "real".

 

[CiG]

I make the comparison because you say quite often that a silly portrayal could only be liked by foreigners, and I think it's ironic that I always kinda felt that way about myself in relation to Training Day. I'd think to myself, Denzel's character is one of the most cartoonish portrayals of a gangster type I've ever seen, but that's the appeal at the same time I think.

Also I never go into a Cronenberg film expecting realism, because I know the director pretty well at this point, and I know that's never his goal or focus. He's always making statements about identity and the flesh, and that's probably why the most realistic aspect of Eastern Promises are the tattoos.

(Also part 2: Viggo's first language isn't English iirc, so I give him some slack since he's trying to do a Russian's broken English accent when he only just learned to speak some Russian himself and his first language is like Danish and Spanish or some shit.)

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

I make the comparison because you say quite often that a silly portrayal could only be liked by foreigners,

yes, and that is usually the case. Are you surprised by this? I'm pretty sure if me and my buddies shot some film where were trying to make a super real movie about Aussi gangster life that you guys would probably have a good laugh.

I'd think to myself, Denzel's character is one of the most cartoonish portrayals of a gangster type I've ever seen, but that's the appeal at the same time I think.

yes, i do too(which kind of directly goes against your claim that for me over the top=bad) And again this has zero to do with my complaint about viggo in Eastern Promises but okay.

Also I never go into a Cronenberg film expecting realism, because I know the director pretty well at this point, and I know that's never his goal or focus.

So you dont think he was aiming at realism with Eastern Promises? Are you being serious here?

 

[CiG]

yes, and that is usually the case. Are you surprised by this? I'm pretty sure if me and my buddies shot some film where were trying to make a super real movie about Aussi gangster life that you guys would probably have a good laugh.

Sure, but that wouldn't be the deciding factor for whether I like the movie or not tbh.

So you dont think he was aiming at realism with Eastern Promises? Are you being serious here?

I'm just talking about my expectations, I don't know 100% what his goal was. From what I've read it was others like the script writer and Viggo who brought all the advisors and information from criminals on board.

yes, i do too. And again this has zero to do with my complaint about viggo in Eastern Promises but okay.

It's a callback to when you said people from Russia or Old Soviet would think Viggo's performance was a parody or a comedy. That's how I view Denzel's character.

 

[CiG]

I've harped on you a bit about this but, dude you really gotta watch some of David Ayer's films. He's obsessed with realism and it really shows in a great way.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

No one here took Denzels role seriously either though. You dont think people who actually grew up and lived on the streets that film was shot in didnt pick up on all the funny and fake things that you picked up on? They actually caught onto the whole "nutcase" role he was playing before anyone else. Im also pretty sure most foreigners probably think thats how corrupt cops act out here in LA ... so bravo for not swallowing that plate of horseshit.

Sure, but that wouldn't be the deciding factor for whether I like the movie or not tbh.

I sure hope it's not. Did i somehow imply that was the case with me? Or did i just point out one of the knocks ... one that i actually think is kind of funny at times ... and tbh, ones that have no business being in movies that are trying their hardest to "be real".


While i never said it's a bad film, it does almost nothing noteworthy imo. Even that fight scene had a bunch of retarded parts. The guys is in a fight scene and no one has fucking taught him how to throw a punch? The "atmosphere" the scene was trying to catch was cool, but the execution was almost amateur level. Like i said, there is not much about that film that stands out to me.

And you also know that i love a bunch of "over the top" movies(and you and Rad have introduced me to a bunch of ones i had never heard of ), so i dont get why you would think that OVER THE TOP automatically mean BAD for me. I mean, i just told you how much i also dig Denzels role in the exchange above.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

I've harped on you a bit about this but, dude you really gotta watch some of David Ayer's films. He's obsessed with realism and it really shows in a great way.

im not familiar with that name ... but then again i dont know the names of mostdirectors/producers like you guys do. Give me his top 3.

 

[CiG]

No one here took Denzels role seriously either though. You dont think people who actually grew up and lived on the streets that film was shot in didnt pick up on all the funny and fake things that you picked up on? They actually caught onto the whole "nutcase" role he was playing before anyone else. Im also pretty sure most foreigners probably think thats how corrupt cops act out here in LA ... so bravo for not swallowing that plate of horseshit.

Sure, but what I'm drilling at is, why in this case was that not a deal breaker for you like it has been for other films? The rest makes up for any goofiness? Fair enough if that's the case obviously.

I sure hope it's not. Did i somehow imply that was the case with me? Or did i just point out one of the knocks ... one that i actually think is kind of funny at times ... and tbh, ones that have no business being in movies that are trying their hardest to "be real".

While i never said it's a bad film, it does almost nothing noteworthy imo. Even that fight scene had a bunch of retarded parts. The guys is in a fight scene and no one has fucking taught him how to throw a punch? The "atmosphere" the scene was trying to catch was cool, but the execution was almost amateur level. Like i said, there is not much about that film that stands out to me.

And you also know that i love a bunch of "over the top" movies(and you and Rad have introduced me to a bunch of ones i had never heard of ), so i dont get why you would think that OVER THE TOP automatically mean BAD for me. I mean, i just told you how much i also dig Denzels role in the exchange above.

Fair enough! I was just curious, because realism is a running theme with your criticism of a lot of stuff, and we're extremely different in that way. I do understand how much it sucks when a film going for realism hits you from leftfield with something goofy, sometimes I get that with war movies.

im not familiar with that name ... but then again i dont know the names of mostdirectors/producers like you guys do. Give me his top 3.

Well he was a writer and producer on Training Day and his debut feature film is like a spiritual sequel to it, called Harsh Times. That's his best IMO, then End of Watch is his next best. Other than those two Bright is a cool movie more recently, and he did a decent S.W.A.T. themed movie with Schwarzenegger called Sabotage. Unfortunately he's responsible for that Suicide Squad movie, which I've only watched once, but disliked.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

Sure, but what I'm drilling at is, why in this case was that not a deal breaker for you like it has been for other films? The rest makes up for any goofiness? Fair enough if that's the case obviously.

because that's what the movie was aiming for with his character. His role IS an over the top cop. That's what was written for him to play in that film. Clearly that's not what the director was aiming for in Eastern Promises. Why would i have a problem with Denzel nailing a role he was written to play?

Also, when has it been a deal breaker for me?

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

havent seen that suicide squad or any of the other newer DC films. I did see a trailer on a youtube a few days ago that looked pretty cool but i accidently hit skip before it finished. I want to say it was Deathstroke but i doubt they're making a movie on him.

 

[CiG]

Why would i have a problem with Denzel nailing a role he was written to play?

I wouldn't expect your problem to be with the actor but the director/script writer in that case.

Also, when has it been a deal breaker for me?

I'd have to dig through years worth of threads to find exact examples lol fuck that. If I remember I'll tag you.

havent seen that suicide squad or any of the other newer DC films. I did see a trailer on a youtube a few days ago that looked pretty cool but i accidently hit skip before it finished. I want to say it was Deathstroke but i doubt they're making a movie on him.

Nothing comes to mind, but I know they're supposed to be making a Bloodshot movie next year, and there's that cool New Mutants trailer. Really sucks that the Gambit movie went into development hell.

I'm planning on rewatching Suicide Squad soon, mostly because I do remember Will Smith being cool as Deadshot at the very least.

 

[CiG]

Planned to be the second film in Sony's Marvel Universe.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

oh yeah Will Smith is Deathstroke , forgot about that. No this was definitely a white dude, kind of looked like Brolin. Maybe a Cable(marvel) movie?

Gambit is cancelled? A Bloodshot movie???

EDIT: ok my mistake, so Will Smith is Deadshot not deathstoke ... so i probably did see a trailer with deathstroke in it. Maybe some new Justice League film or something.