THE TWELVE FILMS OF CHRISTMAS

Orignally published in 2004.

In honour of the Holiday Season, this year, I decided to put together a selection of films that really celebrate the true meaning of Christmas: i.e. spiritual, life-affirming values. These are not the typical, sentimental, Holiday fluff we are bombarded with every year at this time. These are films of substance that really address the things Christmas really means (or at least the things Christmas is supposed to mean). These are NOT Christmas films or films about Christmas. These are films from the last 20 years or so that are excellent cinematic representations of the values the Christmas season really celebrates. Most of them are dark, heavy and intense. But all of them will shatter the superfluous, commercial elements that have come to dominate the season - bringing home with staggering power and conviction, the true meaning of Christmas.

01) FAITH
Contact 1997
This may seem like an odd choice for a film that celebrates faith. Especially since the story revolves around Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster), a scientist who doesn’t believe in a Supreme Being, and who believes that truth is only that which is empirically verifiable. But despite appearances, Dr. Arroway does have a lot of faith, for the sole reason that she’s willing to entertain the possibility that something outside herself, greater than herself exists (even if that something is extra-terrestrial intelligence as opposed to Divine Intelligence). Not only is she willing to entertain that possibility, she’s willing to embrace it; and this is what faith is really about – the openness to believe in something greater than yourself and the capacity to allow for awe, wonder and mystery in the universe. In fact, these qualities are at the heart of faith, which is really the theme of Contact, the most intelligent film on the topic of extra-terrestrial life since Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Adapted from the novel by Carl Sagan and directed with great skill by Oscar winner Robert Zemeckis, Contact is far more than a film about aliens – it’s a philosophical meditation on the nature of truth, which will leave you with the sense that all knowledge is faith.

02) HOPE/PERSEVERANCE
The Shawshank Redemption 1994
When Shawshank Redemption first premiered in 1994, it hardly made a dent in the box office. Now it’s one of the most popular and beloved films of the 90’s thanks to the magic of home video where a whole new audience discovered it. My love affair with the film began prior to its release on home video, as I was fortunate enough to see it on the big screen when it was initially released. At that time, it was love at first sight, as Shawshank is simply the best Capra film, Capra never made – an inspirational prison epic that brilliantly manipulates your emotions and expectations from the very first frame 'til the last. I have no problem with emotional manipulation, as long as it’s successful. So even though the film is a little on the sentimental side, I didn’t mind because rarely has sentimentality been done this well and been this effective. In addition, many films lose steam during the third act, but Shawshank continues to build tension until it reaches an absolutely stunning and satisfying conclusion. With one of the most heart-warming friendships ever depicted on screen, and with some genuinely shocking moments, Shawshank demonstrates exceedingly well that with hope and perseverance, anything is possible.

03) LOVE/SACRIFICE
Life is Beautiful 1998
Italian filmmaker, Roberto Benigni took a huge risk attempting to mix comedy with the horror of the Holocaust, but the risk paid off beautifully (no pun intended) as Life is Beautiful is one of the most honoured Foreign Language films in recent memory. Starting off as light-hearted comedy, Benigni gradually weaves the Holocaust elements into the story until they all blend together seamlessly. Because I’m not one of those people who find Benigni particularly funny, the movie works better for me as a drama than a comedy. In addition, the film itself is not very cinematic as the emphasis is all on the content - i.e. Benigni’s comedic talents and the story. But what makes Life such a special experience is the story – a story with devastating emotional power. There are all types of love, but none more compelling than a parent's love for his or her child. It is Guido's love for his son that is unbelievably moving - a love so powerful that not only does he save his son’s life, he also saves his son’s mind and heart from the most traumatic and tragic event of the 20th century.

OR

My Left Foot 1989
I had to include two selections in this category because they are both such excellent cinematic representations of the power of love and sacrifice. Here, again, we are dealing with the love of a parent for their child, and in this case it is a mother’s love for her son - a love so strong that it transforms not only her son's life, but her son's perspective on life. Normally, I don't enjoy these types of films – films about individuals overcoming great physical and mental challenges, but this Academy Award nominated tale from Ireland is directed with such heart and artistry that it successfully avoids all the sentimental clichés that normally accompanies these kinds of stories. In addition, all the performances are absolutely first rate, especially Daniel Day Lewis who richly deserved the Oscar he received for this role. With astonishing mastery of the medium for a first time director, Jim Sheridan infuses the story with such a sense of authenticity, you feel like you've really experienced the actual people the film is based on.

04) JUSTICE
In the Name of the Father 1993
Jim Sheridan and Daniel Day Lewis strike gold once again in this riveting masterpiece, In the Name of the Father - my personal choice for the second best film of 1993. Sheridan and Lewis are like an Irish version of Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro, enjoying the same kind of fruitful relationship as their American counterparts. Following in the footsteps of their critical success My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father is also based on a true story - the story of the Guilford Four: a group of people wrongly convicted by the British Government for an IRA terrorist bombing at a pub near London in the mid seventies. An English attorney, played brilliantly by Emma Thompson, takes up their cause and helps them in their fight for justice. The story itself is intrinsically compelling, and Sheridan does a magnificent job accentuating the raw emotional force in every moment and every scene. With a powerful, bittersweet ending, In the Name of the Father will leave you with no doubt that ’justice delayed is justice denied.'

05) TOLERANCE
Philadelphia 1993
Oscar winning director Jonathan Demme follows up his 1991 classic, The Silence of the Lambs, with Philadelphia - a film that couldn’t be more different in content from his Academy Award winning thriller. This time, tackling the subject of AIDS, the director tells the story of a young gay man dying from the infectious disease. At a time when there was still far too little discussion on the subject, Demme crafts the film with enough taste and artistry to avoid disease movie of the week pitfalls and clichés. Tom Hanks has often been praised for giving a face to the disease, and rightly so, for Philadelphia is really the first main stream, Hollywood film to deal with the subject matter. But I think Hanks' real accomplishment was his subtle and tasteful depiction of a gay man that forced many of us, like the Denzel Washington character, to re-examine our own prejudices and to come to terms with them. This is Hanks' (and the film's) real accomplishment - they gave not only a face to the disease, but also a face to an invisible minority, challenging us to look beyond our biases. For a society that still has a long way to go in its treatment of all minorities, this was a much-needed shot in the arm for the movie going public.

06) UNDERSTANDING
The Joy Luck Club 1993
One of the five best films of 1993 is my choice for a movie that successfully celebrates the value of understanding. The Joy Luck Club tells the story of two generations of Chinese American mothers and daughters who struggle to understand each and forgive each other. Based on the novel of the same name by Amy Tan, Joy Luck Club is a true cinematic marvel as the director, Wayne Wang, successfully weaves together multiple story lines and numerous flashbacks into a powerful movie going experience. As he does so, we get a haunting sense of how difficult it is for one generation to understand another. Still, the effort to do so reaps huge rewards, as evidenced by this deeply moving and effective film.

07) COURAGE
Dead Poets Society 1989
One of my all time favourite films from the 80's, Dead Poets Society tells the story of a group of male students at a private school who fall under the spell of an English teacher, John Keating. Keating uses unconventional teaching methods, much to the dismay of the administration, to inspire his students to live life to the full. Sounds cliché? Yes. To some extent, Dead Poets is cliché and manipulative. But Australian director, Peter Weir, crafts the film with such beauty and power, that it's easly to forgive of the clichés. And again, I don't mind being manipulated, as long as the film is successful in its manipulation. For I go to the movies to be affected in some way and most of the tools available to the filmmaker for that end are fair game as far as I'm concerned - including clichés. Apart from that, Robin Williams gives a miraculous performance - crossing the divide that separates comedy and drama with astonishing success. And Ethan Hawke, an extremely underrated actor, is the cinematic epitome of the shy, nervous and socially awkward teenager. His emotional breakthrough at the end of the film is one of the most potent movie moments of the 80's - giving hope that every fear you've ever had could be conquered. Despite all this, what makes Dead Poets such a celebration of courage is the fact that it demonstrates how courage is not the absence of fear, it is the ability and the willingness to act in spite of fear.

08) FRIENDSHIP
Stand by Me 1986
One of the best coming of age films of all time, this Rob Reiner classic starring Wil Weaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation) and the late River Phoenix, is at the very core, a powerful and moving story about friendship. Based on a novella by horror writer Stephen King, Stand by Me tells the tale of four young boys who embark on an odyssey to find a dead body. Along the way, they have numerous adventures as they're forced to face many things about themselves and the world around them. Overflowing with wonderful performances, enormuos wit and an irresistible sense of adventure, this odyssey to uncover a dead body is really a meditation on what a priceless gift friendship is.

09) WISDOM
Forrest Gump 1994
It seems like a strange thing to do - making a film about an idiot to celebrate the virtue of wisdom. But therein lies the beauty and brilliance of Robert Zemeckis' 1994 Academy Award winning classic, Forrest Gump. For one of the main themes of Gump is wisdom versus intelligence - a worthy theme for a society that overvalues meaningless intelligence and undervalues wisdom, and for a society that often confuses the two. But intelligence and wisdom are not the same things. Forrest Gump may not have been intelligent, but he was certainly wise. He was wise enough to recognize his limitations and accept them - trusting in a Higher Power to help him through life. He was wise enough to look beyond the surface of people to see their inner beauty. He was wise enough to take each day for what it is and to know what was really important in life. These may sound like simple-minded platitudes, but they are among the most important and most difficult things to do in life - both for the intelligent and for the not so intelligent. The great thing about Gump is how it challenges our notions and biases by having the humility to present the character of Forrest Gump as the protagonist of the film - forcing us to re-examine the value we place on a high I.Q. After all, who could deny that the wisdom of Gump was so infectious, that it eventually transformed the life of all those around him, thoroughly seducing the North American audience in the process.

10) SELF-WORTH
The Color Purple 1985
The Color Purple will forever be known as Steven Spielberg's first real departure from the typical fantasy and action/adventure content that characterizes much of his work. But venturing into un-chartered waters didn't diminish his story telling abilities at all, for the mega successful director has transformed a Pulitzer Prize winning novel into one of the most powerful and touching films of the 80's. Using largely unknown talent at the time to comprise the majority of his cast, Spielberg proves he is equally adept at directing actors as he is at manipulating the camera. Holding the record (along with Gangs of New York) for the film with the most Oscar nominations and the least amount of wins (11 nominations - 0 wins), Purple is the gut wrenching story of a group of African American women struggling to live a life of dignity in a male dominated society where minorities are at the very bottom of the social hierarchy and minority women even more so. Whoopi Goldberg plays Celie, a woman who has been abused in every way imaginable by the men in her life. This constant, never ending abuse has effectively destroyed her self-esteem. It takes the love and respect of a fellowship of women to empower her enough to rise above other's perceptions of her and recognize her own self worth. With one of the most touching endings in movie history, The Color Purple is difficult to watch, but impossible not to be moved or affected by.

11) FAMILY
The Ice Storm 1997
This powerful and haunting film by super talented director Ang Lee is probably the best movie I've ever seen about dysfunctional families. Lee weaves this deeply emotional tale with great mastery of the medium, drawing us immediately into the hearts and minds of the characters - instantly making their pain our pain. With incredible subtext, the torment of each character screams for recognition, as each one of them struggles to assuage their suffering in their own way. Set in the mid 1970's, Ice Storm is the story of two families, each of them experiencing the same kind of disillusionment with the lives they have created for themselves. Beautifully acted by a cast any director would kill for, Ice Storm's great power is it's ability to create meaning out of that which is meaningless, to find hope in despair, and to affirm the importance of family in a way that stays with you forever.

OR

Parenthood 1990
My alternative choice in this category is Ron Howard's 1990 underrated gem, Parenthood. Although not in the same league as Ice Storm, Parenthood is a worthy cinematic celebration of family, affirming the importance of family with superb wit and insight. Making the best use of a talented cast and a smart script, Howard wisely allowed the prowess of each of these to speak for itself; making limited use of typical Hollywood tricks to accentuate the drama. With fine performances all around, Parenthood celebrates family by demonstrating some of the ways we have abused and devalued the institution.

12) COMPASSION
Three Kings 1999
Three Kings is the only film in this selection that actually has some reference to Christmas in the title. But don't be fooled. This is no Christmas movie. Rather, this is a superbly crafted dark, comic morality tale that is surprisingly moving and effective. My personal choice for the best film of 1999, Three Kings is the saga of three soldiers in post Desert Storm Kuwait, who attempt to exploit the war situation by finding and stealing a fortune in hidden gold. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned, and the soldiers are confronted with choices they would rather not make. George Clooney is truly a revelation in this star making role and Mark Wahlberg shows us once again how completely successful his transition has been from underwear model to actor. Using some amusing and somewhat clever visual tricks, Kings’ true strengths are the brilliant way it blends comedy with drama, its fresh approach to a familiar genre, and the way it demonstrates that even in the most insane situations, there's room for compassion.

WHY LORD OF THE RINGS IS OVER-RATED AND INFERIOR TO STAR WARS - A Bullet Point Commentary

I’m sick and tired of hearing about all the critical and commercial success the Lord of the Rings trilogy has enjoyed. It’s over-rated people! Why am I the only one who sees this? The original Star Wars trilogy is far superior, and here’s why.

* Star Wars is full of fun, classic, archetypal characters. Except for Gollum, Lord of the Rings is full of boring, stereotypical, inconsequential characters.
* Star Wars is clear, precise, and simple, which makes for great mythology. Lord of the Rings is convoluted and tedious, which makes for great boredom.
* Star Wars is post-modern. Lord of the Rings is medieval; – i.e. Star Wars is old and new at the same time. Lord of the Rings is just old.
* Star Wars is brilliant escapism: when I watch Star Wars, I feel like I’ve escaped my reality and visited other worlds. When I watch Lord of the Rings I feel like I’ve visited New Zealand.
* Star Wars is intensely engaging. As for Lord of the Rings, I’ve fallen asleep at all three films, which is no easy task considering I’m an insomniac.
* Star Wars was conceived and made for film. Lord of the Rings was conceived for literature and doesn’t translate well to film.
* Star Wars is about spirituality and mysticism versus technology, a relevant theme for our time. Lord of the Rings is about jewelry. (That may sound glib, but it’s really not that far from the truth. Sure it’s about good versus evil, but making a ring the focus of that struggle is really kind of lame - no matter what the ring symbolizes).
* Star Wars has great villains, great personifications of evil, which is a key factor in making classic mythology. Again, except for Gollum, there are no good villains in Lord of the Rings and the main villain is far too nebulous, which is not a good fit for mythology.
* The action in Star Wars is brilliantly choreographed and flows naturally from the story. The action in Lord of the Rings is far too busy, redundant and superfluous.

The bottomline: Star Wars is the greatest fantasy ever conceived for film, one that is difficult to match and almost impossible to best. Lord of the Rings may be great literature, but great literature doesn't always result in great cinema.

Rating on the Rickter-Scale:

STAR WARS: A New Hope (10) The Empire Strikes Back (10) Return of the Jedi (9)

LORD OF THE RINGS: The Fellowship of the Ring (5) The Two Towers (5.5) The Return of the King (7.5)

P.S. Incredibly, they have found a way to make Lord of the Rings even more boring. As of February 2006, Lord of the Rings will also be a broadway musical. Give me a break!!!

THE RICKTER-SCALE:
10 (A+) – extraordinary, a masterpiece
9.5/9.0 (A) – exceptional, a milestone
8.5/8.0 (A-) – excellent, a classic
7.5/7.0 (B+) – very good, a near classic
6.5/6.0 (B) – good
5.5/5.0 (B-) – fair
4.5/4.0 (C+) – poor
3.5/3.0 (C) – very poor, a near disaster
2.5/2.0 (C-) – terrible, a total disaster
1.5/1.0 (D+) – torture, a catastrophe
0.5/0.0 (F) – abysmal, the end of film as an art form

THE BEST SCREEN VILLAINS OF ALL TIME

Originally published in 2002.

The role of the villain in film is absolutely indispensable. Villains are essential to good movie making because villains are essential to good story telling. Without villains, there is no dramatic tension, no challenges, no friction, no struggle, no conflict and subsequently, no reason to engage the audience. Villains add dramatic tension to a story and thus facilitate the actual creation and development of the story. Villains thwart the dreams, hopes and plans of our hero who we identify with and so in turn, they also thwart our plans. When our hero overcomes adversity and defeats the villain, we in turn share in the triumph. This is part of what Aristotle referred to as the cathartic function of art. Film, like other art forms, functions as a kind of cultural therapy, allowing us to experience a cathartic release of pent up feelings by engaging us in an emotional journey we can identify with. Therefore, psychologically, we go through the same journey as our hero does and without a villain, without adversity and conflict, there isn’t much of a journey.

VILLAINS THAT MAKE US LAUGH
Strictly Ballroom (1992)
BILL HUNTER (Barry Fife)
This is my selection for the best comedic screen villain of all time. Writer/director Baz Lurhmann’s hilarious spoof of the Australian ballroom dancing scene is simply spectacular – an absolutely joyous cinematic experience and one of the very best comedies of all time. All the performances are excellent and Bill Hunter’s portrayal of Barry Fife, President of the Australian Dance Federation, is priceless. What I love about this film is how it satirizes Hollywood clichés. Rather than trying to fight them, Strictly Ballroom embraces them and has fun with them, making them far more effective than their use in other films that take themselves much too seriously (for e.g. 1987’s Dirty Dancing). In this way, the character of Barry Fife is a perfect satire of every cliché, over the top screen villain we’ve ever seen.

Runners Up:
Pulp Fiction (1994)
JOHN TRAVOLTA (Vincent Vega),
SAMUEL L. JACKSON (Jules Winnfield)
John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson play two philosophizing, chatterbox hoods in Quentin Tarantino’s extremely entertaining, but flawed dark comedy Pulp Fiction. Travolta gives one of the best performances of his career and Jackson is at the top of his game. Their performances pay homage to every thug we’ve ever seen on screen while reinventing the Hollywood thug at the same time. These are original and memorable villains who are sometimes intimidating and unsympathetic, but always funny and entertaining.

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
KEVIN KLINE (Otto)
Kevin Kline’s Oscar winning performance in A Fish Called Wanda is the one of the many strengths of this great 80’s comedy. Indeed, in a film with so many strong elements, it’s amazing how much Kline’s characterization of Otto stands out. Here, Kline is at his best as he brings to life one of the most hilarious villains in movie history.

Honourable mention goes to Christopher Walken's brief but unforgettable appearance in 1993's truly excellent dark comic thriller, True Romance. His performance was so effective he made the audience quiver and smile all at the same time.

WICKED WOMEN
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
LOUISE FLETCHER (Nurse Ratched)
For better or for worse, the role of villain is usually relegated to men in American films. Nevertheless, there are some truly memorable female villains that deserve special attention. At the top of my list, is Nurse Ratched from Milos Forman’s 1975 Oscar winning film, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Louise Fletcher’s Academy Award winning performance is well deserved as she created one of the most loathsome villains in American film history. Rarely has there been a character on screen who elicited such strong emotions of hate from its audience. With seemingly little or no effort, Fletcher manages to communicate the essence and menace of her character. With every gesture, every glance, we see the character’s malevolent desire to keep the patients under her control – to subjugate them to her unsympathetic whims. The tone in her voice alone is enough to elicit enormous loathing and repulsion from the audience. It’s a remarkable achievement and it deserves top honours in this category.

Runner Up:
The Graduate (1967)
ANNE BANCROFT (Mrs. Robinson)
Mike Nichols classic 1967 film is still one of the best romantic comedies of all time, and still so much more than a romantic comedy. This is a funny, insightful and moving commentary on the loss of meaning in modern times. Dustin Hoffman is absolutely phenomenal as Benjamin, the young college graduate who is searching for meaning in his life, and it’s really Hoffman’s show all the way. But who can forget Anne Bancroft’s delicious portrayal of Mrs. Robinson, a bored housewife who ends up seducing Hoffman’s character. This is a woman who knows what she wants and will stop at nothing to get it. Anne Bancroft manages to make this character concurrently seductive, funny and intimidating. When she discovers that Benjamin is in love with her daughter – she gives new meaning to the phrase “hell hath no fury like a woman’s scorn.”

Honourable Mention goes to Bette Davis in 1962’s thriller Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. Bette Davis plays Jane Hudson, a woman consumed with jealousy and hatred for her handicapped sister. The performance is campy and over the top, but absolutely unforgettable. And let’s face it, no one does over the top better than Davis. Honourable mention also goes to Glenn Close’s unnerving portrayal of a jilted lover in the 1987 Oscar nominated blockbuster, Fatal Attraction. So effective was Close that she made the entire male population in North America think twice about cheating on their significant other. And finally honourable mention also goes to Sigourney Weaver’s hilarious and memorable portrayal of the scheming, double crossing Katherine Parker in Mike Nichol’s excellent, 1988 romantic comedy drama Working Girl; to Kathy Bates’ chilling, Oscar winning performance in the 1990 film adaptation of Stephen King’s Misery; and finally to Barbara Stanwyck’s unforgettable portrayal of Phyllis Dietrichson in the 1944 film noir classic Double Indemnity.

HISTORICAL/NON-FICTION VILLAINS
Schindler’s List (1993)
RALPH FIENNES (Amon Goeth)
Schindler’s List is simply one of the most extraordinary cinematic experiences of all time. This is a movie so powerful that it transcends cinema – creating a rare existential experience of one of the darkest chapters in human history. Ralph Fiennes is a key part of this. His portrayal of the true life Amon Goeth is astonishing and deserves top spot in this category. Fiennes manages to convey the evil and brutality of his Goeth without making him one-dimensional, doing justice to the character’s complexity. With little more than a glance, Fiennes (who was cheated out of the Oscar for this performance) is able to capture the savagery, the ruthlessness, and the absolutely sickening mental state of one histories true personifications of evil. Almost every scene in Schindler’s List is forever burned in my consciousness, but there is one scene with the Fiennes character that was so frightening that I had a very strong physical reaction. It is the scene where Goeth is about to kill a Jewish worker by shooting him in the back of the head. He is determined to do so, but the gun simply refuses to cooperate. Goeth’s absolute frustration at being unable to murder his victim is the most powerful example in film history of a villain’s reaction when his or her evil designs are thwarted. Like many other scenes in Schindler’s List, it’s an unbelievably powerful moment, made possible by a brilliant portrayal of an utterly repulsive and frightening historical character.

Runner Up:
GoodFellas (1990)
JOE PESCI (Tommy DeVito)
Ray Liotta and Robert DeNiro give excellent performances as mob gangster’s in Nicholas Martin Scorscese’s haunting, disturbing and powerful adaptation of Nicholas Pileggi’s book, Wise Guy. However, it is Joe Pesci’s character, Tommy DeVito that I will never forget. This is simply one of the most loathsome and repulsive characters in movie history, brought brilliantly to life by Joe Pesci’s Oscar winning performance. What I admire about this film, and Pesci’s performance, is that, unlike the Godfather movies, these characters are not romanticized. Rather, this is a fascinating case study of mob psychology. These are repugnant, murderous men, and in true Scorscese fashion he simply presents them as they are. Being a realist, Scorscese doesn’t make an argument for or against their behaviour; he simply reveals the truth and leaves it up to the audience to form their own opinion about the characters. Thus the mobsters are presented to us with all their virtues and vices, with all their strengths and weaknesses. Of all the films about the mob, this is the best, and Joe Pesci’s character will forever symbolize the true essence of mob mentality. These are not men to be admired or emulated in any way. They are not cool, they are not likeable. They are simply murderers and cowards, and Scorscese’s film effectively captures the essence of that reality.

ANIMATED VILLAINS
Animal Farm (1954)
MAURICE DENHAM (Napoleon)
This may seem like an odd choice for the best animated villain of all time, but this adaptation of the George Orwell novel is truly one of the most disturbing films of all time. Brilliantly realized, this dark fable is an extremely effective symbolic representation of the Russian revolution and the onset of Stalinism. By approaching such a heavy and dark subject in this way, the filmmakers have successfully bypassed the facts of these tragic historical events while still mediating their truth and essence. This is the power of fable. Fables are not factual by nature. Nevertheless, they are filled with truth about the human experience; for a story can be truthful without being factual, as truth and facts are not the same things. All facts are true, but not all truths are facts. So although this is obviously not a factual account of Stalinism, it is a very effective symbolic account, one that manages to mediate the horror and evil, which resulted from the Russian Revolution and Stalin's rise to power. The character of Napoleon, the pig who comes to rule the farm with an army of dogs, is truly one of the most frightening and disturbing characterizations in animated film history. For although the story is a fable, the events it alludes to are very real, terrifying and tragic.

Runner Up:
The Little Mermaid (1989)
PAT CARROL (Ursula)
In my opinion, Disney's musical adaptation of the famous Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale is simply the best animated film of all time. The characterizations in this film are superb and all of them practically leap off the screen, coming to life in a way that is more compelling, more delightful and more entertaining than most characters in real life films. This is especially true of the lead character, Ariel who is one of the most sympathetic and likeable heroines in movie history. The character of Ursula, as voiced by Pat Carrol, is also extremely well realized. Her portrayal of the sea witch is an utterly delicious characterization as she creates a villain that is just as fun and entertaining as all the other characters in this amazing animated fantasy.

Honourable mention goes to Jeremy Iron's hilarious characterization of Scar in Disney's 1994 Blockbuster, The Lion King.

SCIENCE-FICTION/FANTASY/ADVENTURE VILLAINS
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
DAVID PROWSE, JAMES EARL JONES (Darth Vader)
It should come as no surprise that Darth Vader is my choice for the best science fiction/fantasy/adventure villain of all time. Being that Star Wars is the perfect film fantasy it only stands to reason that Darth Vader is the perfect film fantasy villain. What makes the character of Darth Vader so great is that he is the culmination of every villain we have ever seen in myth, in legend, and in fable. In other words, Darth Vader is more than just a villain, he is the epitome of villainy itself and he represents perfectly why good villains are so essential to traditional, classic story telling. It’s no accident that his character is so loved and has become such a cultural phenomenon, for without him, the original Star Wars trilogy would not be nearly as enjoyable and successful. I chose The Empire Strikes Back over Star Wars (even though I think the latter is a better film overall) because Empire is the greatest realization of Darth Vader’s villainy within the Star Wars trilogy. Here we see the character at his most menacing and intimidating best as his presence is felt throughout the film even when he isn’t seen.

Runner Up:
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
DOUGLAS RAIN (HAL 9000)
2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick's absolutely brilliant 1968 film, is one of movie history's true milestones – a remarkable technical, visual and artistic achievement; while the character of HAL the computer is one of the great villains in movie history. One of the things that makes HAL's character so great is the fact that his presence is felt more than it is seen. Kubrick brilliantly creates just one simple image representing HAL to the audience while Douglas Rain's cold and methodical voice characterization does the rest. So although we don't really see HAL in action, we strongly feel his presence and menace aboard the space ship. And in a film where there is so little display of humanity, HAL's character is oddly one of the most human presences in 2001, affirming one of the film's major themes: that in the wake of unrestrained technological progression, man becomes more like machines while machines become more like man. What also makes HAL's character so great is the fact that he reflects so many things reflective of the human experience in modern times. HAL represents the dehumanizing effects that technology and modernization has had on the human experience. He represents our complete and blind reliance on technology as well as our growing mistrust and disillusionment with technology. And finally, HAL represents the realization of one of our worse fears: that in the face of rapid technological advancement, human beings are becoming more and more irrelevant and expendable.

Honourable mention goes to Margaret Hamilton's memorable portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 classic: The Wizard of Oz and to Robert Patrick's frightening portrayal of the T-1000 in James Cameron's superb 1991 sci-fi thriller: Terminator II: Judgment Day.

SERIAL KILLERS AND PSYCHOS
Psycho (1960)
ANTHONY PERKINS (Norman Bates)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
ANTHONY HOPKINS (Dr. Hannibal Lecter)

There is a tie in this category for the top spot because it was impossible for me to choose between these two remarkable performances, which were so effective that both of them are forever burned into public consciousness. Anthony Perkins depiction of Norman Bates was so masterful that it effectively launched and ended his career all at the same time. Suddenly everyone knew who he was, but at the same time, no one could imagine him as anyone else other than Norman Bates. The scene that still sends chills up my spine, no matter how many times I see it, is the very end sequence where the Norman Bates character looks straight into the camera while talking to himself in his mother’s voice. It is truly one of the creepiest moments in film history and it is largely due to Perkins incredible performance that managed to elicit such enormous sympathy, fear and repulsion from the audience.

As for Anthony Hopkins, his depiction of Dr. Hannibal Lecter is so brilliant and so disturbing, that he alone is enough reason to see this truly unnerving thriller. His portrayal of Hannibal Lecter is so unforgettable, that it's Hopkins’ character we remember, much more so than Buffalo Bill. To me, this is Hopkins show all the way and as good as Foster is, it’s Hopkins performance that really stays with you long after seeing the film. Hopkins is so perfectly frightening as Dr. Lecter that he completely unnerves you even when he is behind an impenetrable glass cell. It’s a remarkable achievement and Hopkins richly deserved the Oscar win it garnered him.

Runner Up:
Runner up for this category goes to Jack Nicholson’s chilling performance as John ‘Jack’ Daniel Torrance in Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining. Nicholson’s performance was so effective that no one will ever think of these words in the same way again: “…here’s Johnny..”

WAR VILLAINS
Apocalypse Now (1979)
MARLON BRANDO (Col. Walter E. Kurtz)
This is my choice for the best war villain of all time, Marlon Brando’s brilliant and haunting portrayal of the insane Col. Walter E. Kurtz in Coppola’s masterful film about the Vietnam War, Apocalypse Now. In this truly disturbing account of the War, Brando is both victim and villain, as he becomes the personification of its evil and its insanity. As a victim of the War, Brando reflects the devastating effects of its mindless violence as his character absorbs the insanity of the War into himself. Brando is on screen very little, and he says even less, but every word he utters resounds with a power that shakes you to the core and stays with you long after the experience of the film.

Runner Up:
Platoon (1986)
TOM BERENGER (Sgt. Barnes)
Tom Berenger is very effective as the twisted Sgt. Barnes in Oliver Stone’s powerful account of the Vietnam War, Platoon. Sometimes what makes a villain so frightening are those occasions when the person doesn’t look like a villain. With his classic, leading man good looks, Tom Berenger is not the typical Hollywood villain by any means. But casting him in this dark role was a truly inspired choice because despite Berenger’s appearance, the darkness in his character’s soul is undeniable as it truly resonates throughout the film with frightening power. In fact, his looks enhance the menace of his character; and Berenger’s performance is so effective, so terrifying and so true to life, that you just know there were so many other people who took on the same persona in that senseless war.

NATURE VILLAINS
Jaws (1975)
THE SHARK
This is my choice for the top spot in this category for what can be more frightening than a villain that has no emotions and no conscience – a villain that you cannot reason with; one that is made for the sole purpose of destroying life? This premise is part of the awesome power behind Spielberg’s remarkable adaptation of the Peter Benchley novel, as Jaws remains one of the most frightening cinematic experiences in movie history – a film that effectively closed all the beaches in North America during the summer of 1975. If you weren’t afraid of the water before Jaws, you were by the end of the movie. The shark, which we don’t see too often until the end of the film, is a villain that represents some of our deepest, subconscious fears. These fears may be buried, but they are awakened brilliantly by this film as the great white shark in Jaws symbolizes one of our most fundamental fears: the fear of being utterly helpless and vulnerable in the face of nature’s awesome forces. Indeed, with Jaws, the audience experiences the reality of nature's staggering indifference as collectively we are thrust out of our natural environment (i.e. land) and placed in one where we are completely vulnerable (i.e. water); an environment where we are hunted indiscriminately by a powerful creature that desires nothing but our total destruction. Therein lies the power of Jaws, which demonstrated that we don’t need to look to outer space to find monsters, there are enough monsters right here at home to worry about.

Runner Up:
The Birds (1963)
THE BIRDS
So masterful was Alfred Hitchcock at story telling that he elevated what could easily have been a B movie into a thought provoking, first rate, supernatural, apocalyptic thriller as Hitchcock gives us a superb cinematic meditation on man's struggle with nature. For on the surface, The Birds seems to be about nothing else than birds going awry. But there’s so much more to this film than meets the eye, for the birds (like the shark in Jaws) represent one of our deepest, most fundamental fears – the fear of nature going out of control and turning against us. In a time when we have mastered so much with technology and modernization, the forces of nature still remain completely outside our control; and these mysterious forces, which are docile most of the time, threaten to turn against us at any given moment and without any warning. The fact that birds are usually the most harmless of creatures, only serves to heighten the unnerving power in the film, as something we have become so familiar with (something we even house as pets) turns against us, threatening to destroy us. The end sequence is truly one of the most frightening and disturbing moments in movie history as Hitchcock leaves us with an apocalyptic vision of nature taking on a mind of her own and ultimately turning against man.

PERIOD PIECE VILLAINS
Amadeus (1984)
F. MURRRAY ABRAHAM (Antonio Salieri)
F. Murray Abraham’s Academy Award winning performance as Antonio Salieri in Milos Forman’s 1984 masterpiece, Amadeus is my top choice in this category. What makes Abraham’s portrayal of the villainous Salieri so great is that I have never seen the sin of envy represented so perfectly in cinema. Indeed, Abraham’s Salieri is truly the personification of envy as his character suffers the ravages of the deadly sin. As a person consumed and motivated by jealousy, we can relate to him and thus his character is as sympathetic and tragic as he is villainous. Thus Abraham is able, with his performance, to elicit both sympathy and disdain for his character – a character that chooses to resent Mozart’s talent rather than admire it.

Runner Up:
Gladiator (2000)
JOAQUIN PHOENIX (Emperor Commodus)
So many people don’t like this film, include many notable critics, that I made a point of watching it again and again to see if I was mistaken. I have now seen it a few times and have concluded that they are all wrong and that Gladiator is one of the best films of 2000. Russell Crowe is simply spectacular and Joaquin Phoenix gives us a memorable portrayal of a villain that elicits strong feelings of empathy and repulsion from the audience. Phoenix’s villainous character is so well realized that he is completely consistent and believable when he is both threatening and vulnerable. Phoenix strikes this balance perfectly, making the character extremely frightening and pathetic all at once.

Honourable mention goes to Glenn Close as the scheming Marquise de Merteuil and John Malkovich as the insidious Vicomte de Valmont in the 1988 Oscar nominated film, Dangerous Liaisons.

SUPERNATURAL VILLAINS
The Exorcist (1973)
THE DEVIL
Whether you believe in a supernatural spirit, such as the devil, or not, the very possibility that such an entity might actually exist is enough to scare (pardon the pun) the hell out of anyone. Exorcisms have always been a part of the Catholic Church’s tradition and remain so even today. In fact, the original book, which inspired the movie, is based on a well-documented case of exorcism in America. Whether you buy into that or not, this movie will definitely make you wonder. In addition, it’s only natural that the scariest movie of all time would be about the scariest villain of all time, for what can be more terrifying than an enemy that cannot be seen, one who has the ability to be anywhere at any time, one who has remarkable spiritual power and one who hates us with a supernatural ferocity and intensity. I once heard the devil described as power without love. This 1973 Oscar nominated film is testament to that as we have never seen such disturbing supernatural power and hatred represented so well cinematically. The bottom line: this is a villain so powerful and so ruthless, that only God can effectively put an end to its malevolent designs.

Runner Up:
Aliens (1986)
THE ALIENS
The reason I chose Aliens over Alien in this category is that James Cameron’s 1986 sci-fi horror/thriller is one of the scariest films of all time as Cameron took the fear factor of the first film and magnified it several times over. What makes the aliens in both Alien and Aliens so frightening is that they are the realization of some of our worst childhood nightmares. Indeed, the aliens are the epitome of every childhood fear we have ever had about what lurks in the dark – a supernatural, irresistible force that cannot be reasoned with (i.e. monsters). The aliens in the Alien films are so frightening and realized with such sophistication; they elevated this B movie genre into an A-list one. For no longer were threatening aliens in Hollywood represented as cartoon-like characters, these aliens, although fantastical in nature, are much too terrifyingly real.

COMIC BOOK VILLAINS
Superman: The Movie (1978)
GENE HACKMAN (Lex Luthor)
Dick Tracy (1990)
AL PACINO (Big Boy Caprice)

There is a tie in this category as two superior, A-list actors bring two comic book villains memorably to life. In my opinion, Superman: The Movie is still the best comic book adaptation in film history. I’ve seen it countless times and I’m still completely charmed and swept away by its magic. Every character, from Clark Kent to Jimmy Olsen, is superbly realized, including Gene Hackman’s hilarious and effective depiction of Lex Luthor. Never have I seen ruthlessness portrayed with such charm, intelligence and wit. This is a role that could have gone disastrously wrong in lesser hands, but Hackman strikes the perfect note in his performance, making a cartoon, comic book character extremely believable in a contemporary setting. It’s a great achievement as Hackman’s Luthor manages to be believable, threatening and funny, all at the same time.

The very best thing about this adequate adaptation of the comic book Dick Tracy is seeing Al Pacino play Big Boy Caprice. Pacino is sensational and his Oscar nomination for his performance is well deserved. The most entertaining moments in the film, by far, involve his character who electrifies the screen at every moment. What makes Pacino’s performance so amazing is the fact that he is able to communicate the essence of the character in spite of the goofy make-up he wears and the silly way he moves around. Although the film Dick Tracy as a whole is not nearly in the same league as Superman: The Movie, Al Pacino’s Big Boy Caprice makes it well worth seeing.

Runner Up:
Batman (1989)
JACK NICHOLSON (The Joker)
Nicholson is once again at the top of his form playing the Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman from 1989. Nicholson has always had a persona in other films that suits the kind of exaggeration befitting a comic book character, and his performance in Batman is the perfect realization of that persona. Here, Nicholson is given free reign to be as exaggerated and over the top as he wants and the result is a fun and exciting portrayal of Batman’s greatest archenemy.

Honourable mention goes to Michelle Pfeiffer’s wonderful performance as Cat Woman in 1992’s abysmal Batman Returns. Rarely have I seen such a great performance in such a bad film.

COMPLEX PROTAGANIST VILLAINS
Citizen Kane (1941)
ORSON WELLES (Charles Foster Kane)
Raging Bull (1980)
ROBERT DENIOR (Jake LaMotta)

This is a tough category to justify on a list such as this, but sometimes villainy is a very complex thing and not something so easily discernible in art or in life. Although both these characters are the protagonist in their respective films, each could also be considered the villain or at least the anti-hero of their respective stories. It’s a tie for this category because both characters suffer from similar issues and both exercise their villainy in similar ways. As well, both are superior, masterful examples of this kind of villainy in cinema. In addition, both characters suffer from a severe lack of self-esteem of which they are acutely unaware. This condition, one of the significant social diseases of our time, is at the heart of their malevolent, maladaptive behaviours. Citizen Kane is so convinced that he is unlovable, that he spends his whole life trying to buy love and trying to manipulate others into loving him. For him, people are simply means to an end – i.e. they are the means by which he satiates his need to be loved and to feel good about himself. Satiating this impulse takes precedence over everyone and everything in his life, even his own son. In turn, Jake LaMotta is so convinced that no one can love him; he is instantly suspicious of anyone that does. When a woman returns his affections, his low self-esteem cannot handle it and he immediately loses respect for her, for what kind of woman would love someone like him. His resulting anguish and frustration are expressed in violence, both in and out of the boxing ring alienating those closest to him, including his own brother. Both these characters are brilliant, casebook studies of their respective issues as Welles and DeNiro offer us villains that inspire reflection on the darkness and complexity of the human condition.

DRAMATIC MOVIE TYPE VILLAINS
A Few Good Men (1992)
JACK NICHOLSON (Colonel Nathan Jessep)
I have only one selection in this category, because Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Colonel Nathan Jessep is so juicy, so delicious, that it puts all other contenders in this category to shame. Nicholson plays a powerful Army Colonel who feels justified in taking any means necessary to safeguard the American military base in Cuba. Ultimately, he is forced to match wits in the courtroom with Lieutenant Daniel Alistair Kaffee, played superbly by Tom Cruise. Rob Reiner does an excellent job bringing this story to life and every moment Nicholson is on screen is electrifying. This may not be the best courtroom drama ever made, but it’s certainly my favourite and Nicholson is one of the main reasons why. His final confrontation in the courtroom with the Tom Cruise character is one of the most exciting cinematic moments of the nineties. During that sequence, Nicholson delivers lines that in the mouths of lesser actors would seem silly and laughable. Yet Nicholson somehow manages to make them flow from the depth of his menacing character with great power and conviction. Who else who could say this now classic line: “…you can’t handle the truth!” without making the audience snicker. Each line is delivered so effectively that long after the movie is over, Jessup’s words still resound in your ears.

ACTION/THRILLER TYPE VILLAINS
In the Line of Fire (1993)
JOHN MALKOVICH (Mitch Leary/John Booth/James Carney)

This was the toughest category for me, for I have seen so many instantly forgettable action type thrillers, that I can’t even remember the plot, let alone the villains. However, a couple of strong examples come to mind and first on my list thus far is John Malkovich’s performance in the 1993 thriller In the Line of Fire, one of my very favourite Eastwood films. Malkovich is truly frightening as a one-man army bent on assassinating the president. His intense performance elevates what could have easily been a mediocre action thriller into a first rate one.

Runner Up:
Face/Off (1997)
NICOLAS CAGE (Castor Troy)
Both Travolta and Cage play the same role at different times in the film but it’s Cage’s performance that I will never forget. Brilliantly over the top, Cage’s portrayal of Castor Troy was truly inspired and thoroughly entertaining. Indeed, Cage made the character even more fun and enjoyable than the over the top action sequences.

DARK COMEDIES FOR A DARK HOLIDAY

Originally published in 2003.

Halloween is not one of my favourite holidays because although getting dressed up can be fun, I don’t see the point in parading innocent children around in uncomfortable costumes for the sole purpose of harassing complete strangers for candy. Apart from that, Halloween is a celebration of the darker side of human reality, which is something I’m not sure we should be celebrating. But, far be it from me to be the Grinch of Halloween. And since Halloween is a celebration of the dark, I decided to focus in this article on films that explore the dark side of human nature – but explore it from a comedic perspective, because as far as I'm concerned, if you’re going to go down that dark road, you may as well have a chuckle along the way.

The difficulty in putting together a list of superb dark comedies is the reality that humour is so extremely personal, because, as we all know, one man’s comedy is another man’s drama. There’s also the reality that even good comedy can get stale very quickly – what was considered dark and funny back then, isn’t necessarily that dark or that funny today. Despite these challenges, I’ve attempted to put together a selection of some of my favourite dark comedies. Some of these are more on the comedic side, than the dark side; and some are more on the dark side, than the comedic side. But all of them showcase the uglier and less appealing elements of human nature: greed, envy, lust, hatred, tyranny, obsession - the stuff that makes compelling drama, and in the right hands, great comedy.

THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940)
Although you can’t get much funnier than Chaplin, you can't get any darker than the Holocaust which is why it’s a miracle that this film works because comedy is not something that anybody would associate with the Holocaust; and rightly so. However, Chaplin’s intention is to satirize one of the most hated and ruthless men of the 20th century and he does so brilliantly with The Great Dictator. At a time when few were speaking out about Hitler and his agenda, Chaplin courageously took a path that few would - choosing the most unlikely of weapons: humour. And humour, in a way, is the perfect weapon because what better way to attack a tyrant than to laugh at them and expose how truly foolish they are. Physical comedy doesn’t normally appeal to me, but Chaplin is one of its undisputed masters, and in his hands, it becomes an art form. Extremely well acted and well executed, The Great Dictator is a glimpse at the darkest chapter of the 20th century and a hilarious look at how truly repulsive and frightening human nature can be.

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (1944)
If there was ever a comedy to be made about a family of serial killers, this is it. Directed by Frank Capra (who is more known for his feel good, life affirming films such as It’s A Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington), Arsenic and Old Lace is a delightful dark comedy about a man, played by the legendary Cary Grant, who discovers that his relatives have taken up a deadly hobby. Grant has rarely been better and his comic timing is truly remarkable, especially when you consider that he’s playing the straight man among a group of eccentrics. In addition, the movie is directed with such charm and wit, that you forget the subject matter you’re dealing with. Combining a funny and clever script with great performances all around - Arsenic and Old Lace is a comedy gem from Hollywood’s past that demonstrates how the road to hell is often paved with good intentions.

STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951)
Hitchcock is one of the few filmmakers in history whose craftsmanship is so unique and so well recognized that he has become his own genre - i.e. there are thrillers and then there are Hitchcock thrillers. This might seem like a strange choice for a dark comedy because people usually associate Hitchcock with suspense thrillers. But, if you watch carefully, there’s always some sly bit of dark wit sprinkled throughout his body of work. And of all Hitchcock’s thrillers, this story about the meeting of two strangers on a train, which results in murder, is one of his funniest. In fact, Strangers on a Train is full of such deliciously dark wit that it’s hard not to think of it as a dark comedy. True, like much of Hitchcock’s work, there is also plenty of melodrama, but Hitchcock crafts a thriller so well that you either forgive the melodrama or get caught up in it. Wickedly funny, with one of the best murder scenes ever filmed, it will show you what a great sense of humour Hitchcock really had and teach you about the danger of talking to strangers.

IT’S A MAD MAD MAD WORLD (1963)
Before there was 2001’s Rat Race, there was It's a Mad Mad Mad World - a hilarious comedy that explores the dark side of human nature known as greed. When a group of strangers stumble upon some information about a large sum of money buried below a giant "W" in Santa Rosita, the result is pure comic mayhem as each of them tries to get to the money first. The comedy is sometimes a little too broad and slapstick for my taste, but there are so many great characterizations that you get completely caught up in the story and invested in the race's outcome. A clever idea, made all the more appealing by great performances, It’s a Mad Mad Mad World is a hysterical look at how funny greed can be.

DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)
It’s amazing that this film got made when it did. Released during the height of the Cold War, this comedy classic, from Stanley Kubrick, still holds up as one of the funniest and most relevant satires in recent memory. The key to satire is finding just the right distance from the truth to make the subject matter funny. If it’s too far from the truth, it’s too exaggerated and becomes too implausible and too obvious to be funny. If it's too close to the truth, the comedy is lost and the piece is taken at face value. If it’s just the right distance, the result can be pure comic gold, as demonstrated by this landmark film. Now there are times, Dr. Strangelove is too exaggerated for my tastes, but for the most part, the film is so well executed that it almost makes the absurd seem plausible: demonstrating how ridiculous national paranoia can be and how far it can go - still a very relevant theme today. Much is said about Peter Sellers, who does a superb job playing not only one, but three characters; however George C. Scott's comic performance is absolutely flawless and he alone is reason enough to see this Kubrick classic.

RAISING ARIZONA (1987)
One of these days I would like to devote an entire article to the films of Nicolas Cage who I consider one of the best actors of all time. It's rare to find an actor who can do both comedy and drama with such equal proficiency. Many think I'm completely misguided in my admiration for Cage, but I think his body of work speaks for itself. Anybody who can pull off both Leaving Las Vegas and Adaptation with such staggering success is a true master of their craft. In Raising Arizona, Cage is once again at the top of his form, playing an ex-con who falls in love with an ex-cop – played exceptionally well by Holly Hunter. The young couple decides to get married and raise a family. There’s only one problem: they cannot have children. Their solution is to kidnap one of a set of quintuplets because, according to their reasoning, someone who has five children won't miss one. The result is a real comic tour de force as we are taken on a wild, surreal ride through the bizarre and offbeat world of the Coen Brothers’ imagination.

A FISH CALLED WANDA (1988)
This is one of the funniest comedies of the 80’s - a wonderful caper film about a group of dysfunctional diamond thieves who aren't completely successful with their latest heist. Subsequently, one member of the group is arrested, but only he (and one other member of the group) knows where the diamonds are hidden. The remaining two members, played by Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline, try desperately to find the diamonds and keep the loot for themselves. With enough back stabbing and double crossing to put even Melrose Place to shame, A Fish Called Wanda’s true strength is its stellar performances, especially from actor Kevin Kline who richly deserved his Oscar win for this role.

RESERVOIR DOGS (1992)
This film marks the debut of Quentin Tarantino, one of the true masters of dark comic writing. A former video store clerk, he is now one of the most imitated and celebrated filmmakers of our time. Reservoir Dogs is the story about five would be diamond thieves who know each other only through pseudonyms. They attempt a diamond heist that goes disastrously wrong resulting in a number of deaths. Coming to the conclusion that there’s a mole among them, the remaining members of the group attempt to single him out and exact revenge. This is the film that really introduced us to Tarantino’s genius because the story and script are so fresh and so well crafted, its advent created a wave of excitement throughout the movie going public – announcing the arrival of a promising new talent. Combining non-linear story techniques with superb comic dialogue, this little gem deserved just as much attention as Pulp Fiction, if not more.

TRUE ROMANCE (1993)
I have written about True Romance before, but this is one film that deserves to be plugged again and again, because of all Tarantino’s work, this is my favourite. And although he’s not the director of True Romance, as author of its script, his brilliant dark comic wit is unmistakably present in every frame. What I admire about True Romance is how the violence never supercedes the story. Even though this is a very violent film, the violence is always in service to the story and not the other way around. In addition, the violence is never made to be funny, even though the situations that surround the violence are quite funny. This is also due to the talents of director Tony Scott who does an excellent job of interpreting Tarantino’s script, making it into a 90’s reincarnation of Bonnie and Clyde. With an incredibly talented cast, including: Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Gary Oldman, Val Kilmer and Brad Pitt, this dark comic milestone definitely deserved more attention than Pulp Fiction.

PULP FICTION (1994)
Tarantino is one of the few writers who can get away with films purely driven by dialogue. His writing of dialogue is so insightful, so clever and so witty, that it truly takes on a life of its own, independent of the plot. To the point that, even if there were no plot, we would still be thoroughly entertained – as evidenced by Pulp Fiction: the most celebrated of Tarantino’s body of work. A thoroughly engrossing dark, action/adventure comedy, Pulp Fiction solidified Tarantino as a major Hollywood talent. Not only did this film win the Palme D’Or at Cannes – it revived John Travolta’s career, and even more incredibly, it actually inspired a good performance from actor Bruce Willis. What I love about Pulp Fiction is that, for the most part, it’s really about nothing – it’s simply Tarantino having fun with the medium of film, which is fantastic because it’s so enjoyable to watch. However, it becomes problematic when during the third act, Tarantino departs from this approach and turns Pulp Fiction into a film about something, making the statement that violence is funny. So suddenly it becomes a message movie with the wrong kind of message and it becomes a story about violence rather than just a story that happens to be violent. This is unfortunate, because for the most part, Pulp Fiction is so completely entertaining, that I desperately want to deny and ignore my misgivings about the third act.

FARGO (1996)
Tarantino may be one of the modern artisans of dark comedy, but he’s definitely not the only one, as evidenced by the Coen brothers’ Oscar nominated film, Fargo. While Tarantino has fun with the medium of film, the Coen brothers don’t fool around, going straight for the jugular to create one of the most shocking and unpredictable dark comedies of all time. At the heart of it, is a truly original female lead character brought brilliantly to life by Frances McDormand, who plays the part to near perfection. William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi also deliver great performances giving us a dark glimpse of characters we rarely see on film. However, despite it’s considerable strengths, I have one major problem with Fargo, which is similar to the problem I have with Pulp Fiction. During Fargo’s third act, the violence supercedes the story to the point that the story starts to serve the violence rather than the violence serving the story. In this way, the film ends up becoming a celebration and glorification of violence. For instance, was that wood chipper scene really necessary? Still, there’s enough superb writing and fine performances to justify all the acclaim this film has received.

PSYCHO BEACH PARTY (2000)
This is the least known film on the list, but it’s definitely one that movie lovers should not ignore. Part 60’s style Gidget surfer movie, part slasher/horror thriller; Psycho Beach Party is one of the most wonderfully offbeat, dark comedies I’ve seen in recent years. The blending of genres is truly inspired and the fun that the cast has with the script is extremely infectious. It’s hard to satirize genres that satirize themselves, but the filmmakers do a fine job poking fun at dialogue and plot conventions that are all too familiar. Extremely clever and deliciously campy, Psycho Beach Party is one of the funniest movie going experiences of 2000.

THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE (2001)
Out of all the Coen brothers’ films, this is my favourite, and it establishes them in my book as two of the most talented filmmakers of all time. Released in 2001 and grossly underrated, this dark comic gem is just a hair away from being a complete and utter masterpiece - and this is no hyperbole! Beautifully shot, it stars the extremely gifted Billy Bob Thornton, who plays a sympathetic loser that allows almost everyone in his life to walk all over him and take advantage of him. One day he decides to change all that, but things don’t go exactly how he planned, and the result is one of the most inspired dark comedies of all time with moments of sheer comic genius – moments that had me marveling at the imagination and wit of the writers/directors. Despite this, the Coen Brothers desperately need to go back to the editing room and re-cut the third act. The third act is the one thing they need to change in order to make this a masterpiece, as it is far too long and feels like it has too many endings. I feel so strongly about this I almost want to start a petition because I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited and so frustrated by movie at the same time – excited because I have witnessed pure comic genius - frustrated because it’s so close to being perfect it’s painful.

3000 MILES TO GRACELAND (2001)
Released in 2001, 3000 Miles to Graceland got panned by almost every critic in North America - and every one of them is dead wrong, because this is simply one of the funniest and most innovative dark comic crime thrillers since Reservoir Dogs. Kevin Costner plays the ringleader of a group of thieves who target some of the wealthiest casinos in Las Vegas. Dressing up as Elvis impersonators, they make off with millions of dollars. All seems to be going well, until there’s some disagreement on how the earnings are to be divided. What ensues is one of the funniest and most stylized action thrillers to come along in quite awhile. Even the visuals have an innovative comic life and energy of their own. Apart from that, Kevin Costner gives the very best performance of his career, finding one of the most original, unique and interesting ways to play, what could have been a very cliché and boring, villain. His performance is so good that his character is one you’ll never forget.

ADAPTATION (2002)
It’s hard to underestimate the brilliance of Adaptation’s script, because rarely have I seen the eternal represented on film - as the story of Adaptation endlessly folds in on itself to the point that the film seems strangely frozen in time, with no clear beginning or end. This is a remarkable feat from the filmmakers who first brought us Being John Malkovich – a film that merely hinted at their comic genius. Now, with Adaptation, there’s just no denying it. For not only did they conceive a brilliant idea and develop it into a remarkable script, they also found the most gifted of actors to bring their story to life - actors that perfectly reflected the genius of their words. With such an amazing script in the hands of such awesome talent as Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper and Nicolas Cage, how could this film possibly fail?

CHICAGO (2002)
2002's Oscar winner for best picture is not only of the best musicals of all time, it’s one of the best dark comedies of all time – an extremely clever and entertaining satire about murder and the nature of modern media. In a world that glorifies murderers, Chicago is the story about a woman, played by Renee Zellweger, who will do just about anything for fame and fortune. With a remarkable Oscar worthy score and great performances from almost everyone in the entire cast, especially Zellweger, it’s amazing how a movie about such ruthless and unscrupulous people, can still be so thoroughly fun and enjoyable.

KILL BILL AND THE GLORIFICATION OF VIOLENCE IN CINEMA

Originally published in 2003.

I recently saw the highly anticipated release of Kill Bill: Volume 1, Tarantino's 6th directorial effort; and not only was I thoroughly disappointed, I was completely horrified and perturbed. Not so much by the film's content, but mainly because this mess of a movie has been so well received by critics and audiences alike. “Horrified” may be a bit of an overstatement, but I was definitely perturbed. Of all Tarantino's work, this is my least favourite and the only one of his films I cannot recommend for reasons I will outline in the following.

What I usually like about Tarantino is his superb gift for scripting dialogue and the fact that his films, for the most part, are really about nothing except Tarantino's own love of the cinema. Indeed, Tarantino loves to play with the medium of film so much, that all his movies are really about his great affection for the films that have influenced him. His 1994 classic, Pulp Fiction, is really his homage to some of his favourite film influences. Like Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill is also an homage, an affectionate homage to one of his favourite movie genres: excessively violent, over the top, Japanese revenge films. Thus Kill Bill is meant to be nothing more than Tarantino paying tribute to that genre by playing with the medium. In most cases, this is fine because Tarantino's play typically results in great fun and entertainment for the audience – but not this time around.

If there’s one thing I despise in certain movies, it’s those occasions when a film masks its true intention. Kill Bill pretends to be a film about nothing more than Tarantino's homage to violent Japanese revenge films. However, Kill Bill is really making a very powerful and dangerous statement in the process: the statement that violence is funny and that violence is entertaining. This is a problem I have with some of Tarantino's previous work, including Pulp Fiction. The danger with Tarantino is that he’s completely irresponsible with his use of violence in cinema. With Tarantino, violence is presented as an end itself because to him violence is intrinsically funny and intrinsically entertaining. Violence is not used to make a point or serve the story – violence is the point and is the story. In Kill Bill even sexual assault and rape are presented as comedy, as entertainment.

And yes, people say ‘well it's not meant to be taken seriously' which is indeed true. The violence in Kill Bill is so over the top and excessive, that it's clearly not meant to be taken seriously. But it's still violence and it's still being presented as entertainment. No matter how exaggerated, we still see people being decapitated and losing limbs all for the sake of a laugh. Now I've seen films that are more violent, but this is the first time I can remember seeing such a mainstream film so completely devoted to violence for violence's sake. True, many Hollywood action films could also be categorized as such, and true, a lot of them present violence as entertainment; but usually there’s no pretense on their part to mask their intention under the guise of high art; and usually there is some attempt, no matter how weak, to subject the violence to some kind of story, or at least some kind of plot. In Kill Bill there’s no such attempt. If Hollywood films are analogous to soft-core porn violence, Kill Bill is definitely hard-core porn violence. Indeed, just like a hard-core porn film, in its depiction of violence, Kill Bill is very graphic, completely ludicrous and completely devoid of any real plot.

And worse, it's all under the pretense of high art – “isn't Tarantino clever in the way he satirizes and makes references to other films in Kill Bill." Whatever. It's more like “Isn't Tarantino clever in the way he automatically elicits rave reviews for films that are nothing more than complete porn violence.” True, Tarantino may be breaking new ground, but it's only new in terms of the film's utter and complete devotion to violence for violence's sake. My rule of thumb when it comes to violence (and sex for that matter) in film is that any use of it is justified if that use (in terms of both form and content) serves the story – if it doesn't, then the violence and sex are completely gratuitous and exploitative. Kill Bill is like two hours of The Simpsons’ own Itchy and Scratchy on steriods, except that with Kill Bill there's absolutely no point but to amuse the filmmaker and to glorify violence. With Itchy and Scratchy the creators of The Simpsons are really commenting on the fact that our culture finds such excessive violence entertaining. With Kill Bill, there’s no such point, no such commentary, except to say that such excessive violence is entertaining.

Some people argue that artists have no moral responsibility. Their art is simply a means of self-expression and should be received as such. I disagree, because that would justify every irresponsible use of violence in cinema. Film is an art form that's meant to be shared with an audience, a community, a culture. If film art is purely for the filmmaker, then only he or she should see it and the rest of us shouldn't be subjected to it.

As I stated earlier, I have seen films which are just as violent or even more violent, but in many of those cases, the violence is used responsibly to serve the story and/or as social commentary. Take Arthur Penn's 1967 classic Bonnie and Clyde, which was initially panned by many critics for its excessive violence. Today it's almost universally hailed as a masterpiece, and looking back, it's clear that the director was making a brilliant and insightful commentary on guns and crime in America. In Bonnie and Clyde, the violence is used responsibly to comment on a culture that makes it all too easy to fall into a life of crime.

There have been many other groundbreaking films in terms of violence, some of them responsible, some of them not so responsible. Take for instance Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece, Psycho (1960). This is probably one of Hitchcock’s most irresponsible uses of violence, because this was really the start of the modern day slasher film that makes violence a form of entertainment. The violence was shocking and excessive for its time, but with Hitchcock the violence is usually secondary to the story – even if that story is a completely pointless and unnecessary one about a serial killer. And, like most of Hitchock's work, Psycho is laced with some thought provoking, philosophical undercurrents. And, although violence is used to contribute to the film's entertainment value, the violence is not entertaining in and of itself.

Then, there's 1969's The Wild Bunch – a film that injected a heightened sense of realism into that great American film genre/tradition ‘the western.’ Here is a situation where the graphic realism doesn't glorify the violence, but makes it that much more disturbing and so, for the most part, the violence is used responsibly – de-romanticizing westerns by being more truthful with regards to the look and the consequences of violence.

Jump ahead a couple of years and we have Stanley Kubrick's 1971 social thriller A Clock Work Orange. Although I think that Kubrick crosses the line here and delves into “the glorification of violence” territory by showing far more violence than needed to make his point, still, he was at least trying to make a point by exploring some philosophical and social issues, so that the violence in Orange is to some extent, in service of the story. In addition, the violence, in and of itself, is certainly not entertaining, but rather deeply traumatic and disturbing.

A year later, came the debut of one of the most highly acclaimed films of all time, Francis Ford Coppola's film adaptation of The Godfather. Here, North American audiences were introduced to a more sophisticated representation of mob violence in cinema. Although I do think the mob is glorified in The Godfather, I don't believe the violence of the mob itself is glorified. And I also think that the violence in Godfather is certainly in service to the story and not the other way around.

Then, Martin Scorsese showed us a frightening look at urban violence in his classic 1976 film Taxi Driver. Scorsese’s approach is so completely detached when he represents his subjects on film that you're not sure if he's arguing for or against the behaviour he depicts on screen. This is has some inherent dangers, but with Scorsese, violence is never used as an end in itself, it's always used to serve the story, to reveal character, and to explore social issues.

1979 gave us another Coppola classic with Apocalypse Now, the best war film of all time – a film that some believe glorifies violence in war. But I argue that it's completely the opposite. The entire experience of the film is like a tour through hell, which is exactly what the Vietnam War was. The use of violence here is justified in that it's a disturbing reflection of the horror of war. Here, the medium becomes the message – i.e. the experience of the film is hell, because war is hell.

In 1990, Scorsese gave us his classic mob film Goodfellas, which I like to call the anti-Godfather. For whereas The Godfather glorified the mob, presenting them as sympathetic characters, Scorsese doesn’t glorify them, but presents the characters as they truly are. The violence here surpasses anything in Godfather, but again the violence is always in service to something greater – it is never violence for violence's sake. Here, it is used responsibly to give an accurate and detached depiction of the mob and mob violence.

Steven Spielberg's 1993 masterpiece Schindler's List is one of the most perfect examples of the responsible and effective use of violence in film history. Here Spielberg does justice to the most violent chapter of the twentieth century by accurately representing the horror, the evil and the violence of the Holocaust. With great respect for a subject matter whose immensity is largely un-representable, Spielberg provides one of the most shockingly realistic depictions of violence in movie history. Just like Scorsese and Coppola infused a new level of violence into mob films, Spielberg infused a new level of violence into Holocaust films. Here, the violence is never exploitative, but is truly as horrific, as frightening and as disturbing as it should be.

In the following year, Oliver Stone gave us Natural Born Killers (1994) – one of the most irresponsible uses of violence in cinema history. It should come as no surprise that Tarantino co-wrote the script, because here we have a classic example of a film masking it's complete and utter glorification of violence under the pretense that it's really an anti-violence film – a film commenting on violence in the media. Well, the truth is I got the point after the first twenty minutes. The rest of the film is a pure celebration of violence under the guise of social commentary. So much so, that it is the one of the worst perpetrators in film history of the very thing it claims to be arguing against: the glorification of violence in the media.

Leaping back to the present, apart from my serious concerns about the level and use of violence in Kill Bill, the film simply doesn't work. The movie has a promising start with the Uma Thurman character (The Bride/Black Mamba) exacting revenge on the Vivica A. Fox character for her part in the slaughter that took place at Black Mamba's wedding. This scene is quite funny and effective. But then the rest of the movie doesn’t live up to that promise and the film increasingly gets worse and worse.

To begin with, the movie satirizes genres that pretty much satirize themselves. I think I would've laughed a lot more by actually watching one of those films that Tarantino is labouring so desperately to satirize. Which brings me to my next point – that most of the satire feels forced, awkward, laboured and completely flat. And maybe some of the film references are very clever, but you have to be either a real film geek or a real fan of that genre to appreciate any of them.

Second, the visuals and action sequences are completely overrated. There's nothing here that I haven't seen done better in other movies, including (if you can believe it) Charlie's Angels II: Full Throttle, an extremely underrated film and a much more effective satire. And since the visuals and action sequences in Kill Bill are completely unspectacular and the satire completely unfunny, you're left with very little to sustain your interest since there's absolutely no plot to speak of. There isn't even much of the clever, trademark, Tarantino dialogue to keep you entertained throughout – so that, by the end of the second act, I was completely bored.

Third, Uma Thurman is good, but I'm not sure she's the right choice for this role. Something about her performance lacks the fire and intensity that the role required. I think the gifted Lucy Liu would've been a better choice for the lead character.

The bottom line: Tarantino is an extremely gifted filmmaker with a dangerous habit of turning violence into comedy. Kill Bill is the only film he's directed that I cannot recommend, not only for its excessive and irresponsible use of violence, but for the fact that it simply fails on almost every other level. It fails as an action comedy, it fails as a satire, and it bored me to tears. I think one of the only reasons it's getting such good reviews is simply because Tarantino made it. And if you're a critic, you have to like and respect anything Tarantino does. I'm not saying that's the whole story, but I'm sure that's part of it. As for me, I'm not buying it. But I'm very sorry I paid to see it.

On the Rickter-Scale KILL BILL VOLUME 1 rates a 2.0 out of 10.

Post Script:

I reluctantly saw the second installment recently, Kill Bill: Volume 2 and I absolutely loved it. It’s everything the first one isn’t. In fact I think it’s the best film of 2004. More to follow later in an upcoming blog. Until then, blog on.

THE RICKTER-SCALE:
10 (A+) – extraordinary, a masterpiece
9.5/9.0 (A) – exceptional, a milestone
8.5/8.0 (A-) – excellent, a classic
7.5/7.0 (B+) – very good, a near classic
6.5/6.0 (B) – good
5.5/5.0 (B-) – fair
4.5/4.0 (C+) – poor
3.5/3.0 (C) – very poor, a near disaster
2.5/2.0 (C-) – terrible, a total disaster
1.5/1.0 (D+) – torture, a catastrophe
0.5/0.0 (F) – abysmal, the end of film as an art form

GREAT PERFORMANCES THAT MADE MOVIE HISTORY...Part I

I recently had the privilege of seeing Charlize Theron give the performance of the year in Monster, one of the very best films of 2003. ‘Priviledge’ is an understatement; because seeing Theron play Aileen Wuornos is like witnessing a cinematic miracle. Not only is this the best performance of the year, it’s clearly one of the greatest performances of all time – one that, in my opinion, has already made movie history. Not because Theron’s eerie physical transformation is so extraordinary, but because Theron’s portrayal of Wuornos is nothing less than supernatural, transcending the realm of performance and entering the realm of mediation. Theron doesn’t just play Wuornos, she channels Wuornos, to a degree that is almost unprecedented. And it’s not simply a matter of imitation, but of occupation – Theron completely occupies the mind, body and soul of this character in a way that is nothing less than miraculous. As a result, Theron has considerably raised the bar when it comes to playing real life characters – giving her contemporaries something to strive for, as many of them will try in vain to achieve the same level of artistry. In fact, I have no doubt that her performance will be used in acting classes as an example of the highest level of achievement possible with the craft. Theron has given good performances before, but nothing I’ve from her so far could prepare me for this total transformation into the character of Aileen Wuornos – a transformation that is both awe inspiring and unnerving in its magnitude.

Theron’s phenomenal achievement had me thinking about other great performances that also made movie history. Performances that are so outstanding, they left a lasting impression on myself and on the industry. The following is a selection of such performances. The focus is on American films, because like most Canadians, they represent the majority of films I see. And this is by no means an exhaustive or definitive selection, as I’m well aware there’s plenty I’m omitting. However, keep in mind that Part II is yet to come.

CHARLIE CHAPLIN Modern Times (1936)
Charlie Chaplin’s characterization of the Little Tramp struck such a chord, that at the time, it made him the biggest entertainer in the world - proving to Hollywood that when it comes to box office, comedy is king. With a brilliant combination of physical comedy, wide-eyed naiveté, and the unfortunate ability to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time, Chaplin’s Little Tramp is the most memorable ‘loveable loser’ in movie history, dominating the silent era with an infectious charm that elicits strong reactions of both sympathy and laughter from the audience. In fact, Chaplin’s Little Tramp is one of the most perfect marriages between tragedy and comedy in the cinema – representing with irrepressible wit, all those times we have felt lost, lonely, misunderstood, marginalized, and exploited. And even though Chaplin played this part in several earlier films, I chose to focus on Modern Times simply because: a) it’s one of the greatest realizations of the Little Tramp in Chaplin’s career, b) it's one of the best examples of how successfully he used the character for social satire, and c) one of the first films to really question the merits of the industrial revolution. In fact, this particular depiction of the Tramp by Chaplin is one of the best cinematic expressions of how truly dehumanizing unrestrained capitalism can be.

VIVIEN LEIGH Gone with the Wind (1939)
Long before the age of the ‘event film’, Gone with the Wind debuted in 1939 and Hollywood has never been the same since. Up until that point, the industry had never experienced the kind of cultural phenomenon that this technicolour epic had become. Gone with the Wind was a colossal success in every way imaginable, and key to that success is Vivien Leigh’s portrayal of Scarlet O’Hara, which is simply one of the greatest screen performances of all time – an element of high art amid Hollywood’s greatest work of mass appeal.

Gone with the Wind is pure melodrama, but it’s Hollywood’s best and most successful one. In fact, Gone with the Wind is the quintessential melodrama - so much so, that it has earned the distinction of modern mythology, having become an essential part of American folklore. Indeed, Gone with the Wind is so engrained in American culture, that when inflation is taken into account, it’s still the biggest blockbuster of all time - a lasting testament to its enormous appeal. And again, the cornerstone of this achievement is Leigh’s performance which is so effective that Scarlet O’Hara remains the most memorable female character in movie history – a character whose screen impact is virtually unrivalled to this day – a character who is all at once exhilarating and exasperating, sympathetic and unsympathetic.

And despite the fact that the multi-Oscar winning classic is not politically correct, it is nonetheless a landmark film - one which signalled the end of the black and white era, the dawn of the huge Hollywood colour spectacle, and America’s first real cinematic taste of popular culture.

HATTIE MCDANIEL Gone with the Wind (1939)
Before Halle Berry’s historic Oscar win in 2002, Hattie McDaniel single-handedly broke Hollywood’s colour barrier with her tremendous portrayal of Mammy in Gone with the Wind. So effective was McDaniel that she was the first African American to receive an Oscar nomination in any category (Best Supporting Actress), the first African American to win the golden statuette, and the first African American to attend the ceremony as a guest. And despite the fact that her portrayal of Mammy is embarrassingly stereotypical, remember that this was 1939, and in the context of that period of American society, her performance was truly significant, both artistically and historically – a performance that broke new ground and opened many doors for other minority talent, in spite of its unflattering representation of African Americans. In other words, for a black person to be recognized for any performance on screen is a monumental achievement for that era, one that should not be taken lightly. Besides, McDaniel’s performance is so exemplary, that even today, her enormous talent and charisma shine through the lack of political correctness inherent in the role, effectively transcending cultural stereotypes to create one of the most memorable supporting characters in movie history.

ORSON WELLES Citizen Kane (1941)
This rendering of Charles Foster Kane by Orson Welles is remarkable by any account. But it’s even more remarkable when you consider that Welles was only 25 years old at the time, that he directed his own performance, and that he portrayed Kane at very different stages of the character’s life with equal veracity. Welles’ performance is also remarkable because it helped establish the flawed and complex anti-hero as a viable protagonist in American cinema. But more importantly, Citizen Kane had a huge impact on film history, breaking every convention of its time to significantly advance the cause of film as an artistic medium in America, rather than a mere commercial one. Indeed, Kane considerably elevated motion pictures from the level of studio assembly line product (which was predominantly the case in the U.S. at the time) to that of an art form; making it more of a director’s medium and less of a producer’s one. Essentially, Kane showed the industry how truly visionary film can be, and in so doing, changed American cinema forever, as the visionary, auteur director now becomes the principle creative agent on a production. And this is due just as much to Welles’ exceptional performance, as it is to his gifts as the film’s writer and director. After all, Kane is basically an intimate character study and Welles’ ability to play the media mogul so convincingly is crucial to the film’s success. Finally, Welles’ performance is remarkable because it’s the perfect cinematic expression of one of the great psychosocial conditions of our time - how self-loathing can truly distort our perception of reality and alienate us from others.

INGRID BERGMAN Casablanca (1942)
To one watching Casablanca for the first time, the film might seem absurdly cliché, but the truth is that before this cinematic milestone, many of these clichés didn’t exist. So essentially, Casablanca created these clichés, which have been so imitated by others, that they feel familiar, even if we’ve never seen the Oscar winning film. Lines like “We’ll always have Paris.” and “Here’s looking at you kid.” only sound cliché because they are now forever embedded in public consciousness, having been imitated at nausea, in some form or another. But they were first used and heard in Casablanca, a film so celebrated that it has entered the realm of pop culture mythology. Still, part of me can’t help but feel that it’s a little dated with its romanticized treatment of the greatest tragedy of the twentieth century – using World War II as a backdrop for a sentimental love triangle. Nevertheless, to this day, Casablanca remains one of the most beloved films of all time and this is largely due to the fact that it boasts two of the greatest performers of all time – Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Bogart is great, but it’s Bergman that we will never forget. She is nothing less than a revelation – radiating an aura of enormous magnitude, overwhelming the audience with her awesome screen presence, and becoming a screen legend the minute she enters the frame. In fact, all the Hollywood starlets of today combined could not do in two hours what Bergman does in a single moment in Casablanca, burning her image into our minds forever, with nothing more than a simple glance.

BARBARA STANWYCK Double Indemnity (1944)
World War II saw the advent of many movies in the film noir tradition in America, as the dark tone and mood of the genre complemented the feeling of doom and uncertainty that characterized the war torn period. With its roots in German Expressionism, film noir also reflected America’s growing uneasiness with the new and emerging role of women in society as the femme fatale is one of the key features of the noir tradition. Double Indemnity is one of the best American films in that tradition, while Barbara Stanwyck is one of Hollywood’s best representations of the femme fatale. With a magnetism wrought with danger, excitement and the promise of eternal pleasure, Stanwyck makes it easy to understand how she could be the downfall of not only the Fred MacMurray character, but of many a male character.

MARLON BRANDO A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Marlon Brando’s work in A Streetcar Named Desire is nothing less than miraculous, and one of the true high points in American cinema. Seeing Brando portray the character of Stanley Kowalski is the first time I can remember being completely awestruck by a performance, so much so, that in my mind, the performance itself stands out as a separate and different experience than the film as a whole. Indeed, Brando’s portrayal of Stanley Kowalski is so astonishing, that it virtually transcends the medium itself, taking on a life of its own to create a distinct, existential experience independent of the film. Of course everyone is familiar with the famous scene when Kowalski cries out “Stella!” in a fit of penitential anguish. But for me it’s the quiet moments in Brando’s performance that have the most power. For instance, the first time the character is introduced to us as he enters a room, standing just inside a doorway, is one of the most awe inspiring moments in movie history. For at that moment, the legend of Marlon Brando, one of acting’s truly great and influential artisans, is revealed. Yet incredibly, we never really see Brando, only Stanley Kowalski - because at that moment, he is completely the character of Stan Kowalski and no one else. At that moment, he doesn't say a word, but with every gesture, every glance, every twitch, every breath, Brando is Kowalski. So much so, that the tradition of acting in American cinema changed forever. For Brando played the part with such abandon, such power and such veracity, that he inspired an entire generation of actors to adopt the Stanislavski technique (i.e. method acting) as the predominant approach to their craft – giving them greater freedom to access their raw emotions and create a heightened sense of realism on screen.

MARLON BRANDO On the Waterfront (1954)
Following his stunning success in A Streetcar Named Desire, Brando once again makes movie history, creating a character that is the quintessential cinematic expression of the poor working stiff. In fact, On the Waterfront is one of Hollywood’s first gritty, real and unglamorous representations of the working class poor in America, and Brando’s performance is the focal point of this accomplishment. In addition, Brando’s portrayal of Terry Malloy represents a huge departure from the typical glamour boys that characterized Hollywood films of that period, opening doors for all kinds of unromantic male characters to inhabit the movies in a leading role. Essentially, Brando helped turn Hollywood’s gaze off the ideal and unto the real, making everyday people the focus of cinema, rather than the larger than life characters that dominated the medium.

ERNEST BORGNINE Marty (1955)
Marty, the best picture winner of 1955, stars Ernest Borgnine who, if only for a brief time, reinvented the leading man in Hollywood. With his less than classic good looks, Borgnine represented the common man in a way that had been scarcely seen in American cinema. Along with 1954’s Best Picture winner, On the Waterfront, Marty reflected a turning point in film history as lavish productions were suddenly being over looked for smaller films with modest budgets – as evidenced by the fact that Marty was the first film to ever win both the Palme D’Or at Cannes and the Academy Award for Best Picture. Consisting of characters and stories that were more faithful to the lived experience of everyday men and women, these smaller films reflected the growing number of people who wanted to see their struggles represented on screen, rather than the usual escapist fare that characterized Hollywood productions.

JAMES DEAN Rebel without a Cause (1955)
Before the expression ‘teen angst’ was coined, the late James Dean introduced the notion to movie audiences in this 1950’s classic. Following in Brando’s footsteps, Dean brought such a level of emotional truth and power to the role of Jim Stark, that it made him into a screen legend and a teen icon, virtually overnight. And it’s not difficult to see why, because Dean not only gave a great performance, he also channelled an entire generation of teen disillusionment and rebellion. In addition, this is the first time Hollywood experienced the phenomenon that films with complex, angst ridden, teen protagonists, could be a commercially viable venture. And even though the film as a whole feels a little dated, it’s still hard to resist Dean’s overwhelming presence and charisma. In fact, his screen persona is so extraordinary that even though he only made three feature films in his short-lived career, James Dean remains one of the most beloved and emulated actors in movie history.

GUILIETTA MASINA Nights of Cabiria (1957)
I purposely avoided foreign language films in this article because, to be honest, I haven’t seen enough to do their tradition justice. However, I couldn’t help but include this one in my selection because it boasts one of the most memorable characters in movie history, thanks to one of the truly great lead performances of all time. In this Fellini classic, Guiletta Masina (Fellini’s own wife) plays Cabiria, a prostitute who searches the streets of Rome for love and belonging. Her heart-wrenching quest leads to one disappointment after another as her yearning for something greater in life eludes her. Reminiscent of Chaplin’s Little Tramp, Masina’s performance is truly amazing, and one of the most striking examples of the union between tragedy and comedy in the cinema. So much so, that Masina’s Cabiria is nothing less than the perfect cinematic expression of the human condition’s desperate search for meaning and happiness, and its inability to find them. Her famous smile at the end of the film is universally regarded as one of the greatest moments in the history of the medium.

JIMMY STEWART Vertigo (1958)
Recently named the second best film of all time in Sight and Sound’s critics’ and directors’ poll (taken every ten years), Vertigo is Alfred Hitchcock’s unforgettable exploration of the dark side of “love.” And although I personally wouldn’t qualify it as the second best film of all time (at least at this point), it is certainly Hitchcock’s greatest achievement, which is indeed saying a lot considering the plethora of great work he’s done. In any case, Vertigo, a truly haunting vision of obsessive love, is one of the most perfect marriages between art and commerce in the history of film, as Hitchcock, one of the most commercial directors of his time, creates a work of pure high art in the realm of cinema. For on the surface Vertigo is a superb mystery thriller, and most of the audience at the time would have regarded it as simply that and nothing more. However, at its core, Vertigo is a brilliant social commentary about the twisted nature of erotic love – i.e. the objectification of the opposite sex, not only in a physical sense, but in a romantically idealized sense, when a person is not valued for who they are, but for how they make the other feel. It is this warped idea of love that Vertigo exposes and denounces, as the Jimmy Stewart character is condemned to suffering of his own making. Stewart’s performance is so extraordinary, that he becomes the embodiment of the film’s dark theme and cynicism, as well as the ultimate cinematic representation of this sociological pathology.

ANTHONY PERKINS Psycho (1960)
There should have been no doubt that Anthony Perkins would be included in this selection for his work in Psycho. Perkins was so effective and so chilling as Norman Bates that movie audiences have never been the same since. In fact, Perkins’ depiction of Bates is nothing less than a rite of passage for the entire movie going public, who were suddenly forced to grow up, forsaking their innocence and naiveté for a more savvy and suspicious movie going disposition. Suddenly, monsters in the movies weren’t just creatures from outer space anymore, now monsters could be anyone. And suddenly, danger in the movies wasn’t just in dark alleys and haunted houses anymore, now danger could be anywhere, and even a shower could hold unspeakable terror. And suddenly, the star of the movie wasn’t safe anymore, for now she could die half way through the plot and the villain end up being the real focus of the story. In fact, Psycho turned so many tables on the audience that it seemed anything was now possible in the movies. But none of this would have been accomplished if not for Perkins’ unforgettable depiction of Norman Bates – one that will forever haunt our collective nightmares.

GEORGE C. SCOTT Dr. Strangelove (1964)
George C. Scott’s performance is the best cinematic critique ever about the insanity of the Cold War. And Scott, who inexplicably did not receive an Oscar nomination, chose the perfect approach to the role, playing the part absolutely straight so that the character has no idea how ludicrous he sounds – making him that much funnier to us. But apart from that, Scott’s characterization of General 'Buck' Turgidson is nothing less than the embodiment of how absurd and dangerous paranoid thinking in politics can be, while proving to Hollywood that comedy is the best method of exposing a society’s dysfunction.

FAYE DUNAWAY Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Arthur Penn’s 1967 classic, Bonnie and Clyde is a landmark film in many ways, but primarily because it so brilliantly blurs the line that separates victims from villains. Bonnie and Clyde, as represented in the film, were criminals and indeed murderers, but to a large extent they were also victims – victims of a shallow society that celebrates materialistic values and encourages its citizens to do the same - victims of a consumer society that markets the American dream as the pinnacle of happiness. And though this might sound like a justification of the characters’ behaviour, I think the genius of Bonnie and Clyde is not that it justifies their behaviour, but that it explains it. After all, justification and explanation are not the same thing, even though one is often mistaken for the other. Dunaway’s exceptional performance is evidence of this as she successfully makes Bonnie’s actions understandable without making them justifiable. In fact, much of the film’s artistic success is rooted in Dunaway’s superb characterization of Bonnie – a woman who eagerly embraces crime as a means of escaping the desperate boredom of her life. Dunaway is so perfect, she’s able to successfully balance all the conflicting elements of Bonnie’s personality, making every thing the legendary outlaw does seem absolutely credible. Bonnie’s sexual boldness, her affection for her family, her love for excitement, her frustration with an ordinary existence, her desire for the good life, her ruthlessness in the face of danger - all are represented brilliantly by Dunaway, whose performance really does justice to the character’s complexity. But more importantly, her performance is the perfect expression of the film’s bold theme - how the right combination of suffocating boredom, limited options, and chance occurrences can seduce someone into a life of crime and result in tragedy.

DUSTIN HOFFMAN The Graduate (1967)
Far more than a sexual comedy, The Graduate is one of the best social commentaries of its time - a brilliant reflection of the disillusionment with traditional values that characterized much of the sixties. Known for its bold representation of sexuality, which was a little shocking at the time, The Graduate echoed the revolutionary cultural changes taking place during that decade. In fact, the genius of this Mike Nichols’ classic is how well it disguises its sociological themes with sexual comic fare, tackling many relevant, contemporary issues with enormous wit and intelligence. So much so, that The Graduate doesn’t feel at all dated, tackling such modern day struggles as: the breakdown in communication, the loss of meaning, the disenchantment with the American dream, the questioning of traditional values, the re-defining of sexual mores – all issues that plagued the sixties and that are still very relevant today. Dustin Hoffman’s performance, which is the ultimate cinematic representation of these themes, also helped to establish a new kind of leading man in Hollywood. One who doesn’t have the classic good looks of his predecessors, but one who reflects the softer, more sensitive modern man that was becoming increasingly popular in society. Hoffman is the ideal realization of this new leading man – one whose charm and appeal lies more in their ability to be weak and vulnerable, than in their macho screen persona.

JON VOIGT Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Midnight Cowboy is one of the earliest American films to really address the topic of urban isolation. So effectively, that it was the first X-rated film to win the Oscar for best picture. And although personally I think the film is a little overrated, Voigt’s performance certainly isn’t, as he gives one of the most devastating and unflinching looks at how truly overwhelming and alienating urbanization can be. In fact, Voigt’s characterization of Joe Buck is so real and so memorable, it will haunt you long after the experience of the film, as Voigt channels the entire post-modern feeling of aimlessness and disillusionment in the midst of ever increasing urban expansion.