Everyone loves a comeback!!

Before we jump into the slime that is today's post, let us take a minute to salute all those brave officers, policemen and security personnel that lost their lives while protecting us, during the recent tragic events that befell our beloved city of Mumbai.You will be remembered always.

COMEBACK KIDS:

While we wait our beloved city to recover and make a comeback from the dastardly wounds recently inflicted upon it, the Freek ponders upon comeback kids, that have managed to stage a comeback in real and reel life!
1. John Travolta

That's right folks, the Mr.-Bust-a-move himself suffered a crashing setback in his film career after the above pictured legendary movie role. Johnny boy was shoved in the deep basement of forgotten popculture trivia right along with that that shiny disco ball, and that polyester suit. And while he featured in such sappy crap such as Look Who's talking and its innumerable sappier sequels (yes, yes I've seen them all!! and so have you!); he could never make up for his lost glory until.....

That's right peeps, It was this frenetic razor-witted ensemble piece of a movie which depicted John as Vincent Vega - a fast food addicted, assassin who wants to do the tango with his boss's wife played by the saucy Uma Thurman - that bought back Mr. Travolta in the limelight.
There are more classic scenes in this one than the Freek has warts, so i'll keep this a surprise, and let you check out my fav, by clicking on the picture above. enjoy!!!

Mickey Rourke:

What can I say about the Mick..starrer of such classic manly-man movies like Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (click on the poster to watch the coolest opening scene...well of 1988 at least!!) Mick, also was the subject of my pre-pubescent idol worship for getting Kim Basinger to beg, swallow and..yes strip in that much paused, and rewinded movie of the eighties: Nine and a Half Weeks!

(go on and click on that title you perv..and thank me later!!) The Mick went on to make some very wierd career and personal choices, including pursuing a professional boxing career and even joining the Hell's Angels!

The downward spiral had just begun for Mick who lapsed into a severe drug habit that left him looking like......talk about ageing gracefully!!

All seemed lost, until...

Bruised, battered, steroidal..and totally badassed (I'm talking about Mick here!) Mick's porrtrayal of the vengeful Marv in the comic-book-to-screed adaptation of Frank Miller's "Sin-City" (yes,yes click away!!!) The Mick fit right in this film-noir ensemble piece...and has never looked back!! As we speak, Mick and his latest cinematic offering The Wrestler is gathering serious oscar buzz!! (click away on the title for the trailer) See you at the awards Mick!!!

Robert Downey Jr.

When you have scored two of the year's biggest blockbusters, it's hard to believe RDJ has been through the career turmoil that he has gone through of past..drug addiction, rehab, and more office disasters than the zits on my left cheek have frequented this man's past. It is his drug addiction that cost RDJ his promising role in the overtly weepy, yet hugely popular Ally Mcbeal (click on the title to watch RDJ clear his vocal chords on the said show!) While he made a comeback of sorts in the hugely underrated Kiss-Kiss -Bang-Bang starring the other under-rated Val-Kilmer, it was not until RDJ decided to don a bit of red-and-gold and go the summer blockbuster route..that he hit block office gold!!!

Propped up as the Marvel's answer to that lesser known superhero called Dark Knight, RDJ's impact can be seen in the fact that he even featured Marvel's next superhero offering: the Incredible Hulk - click on the title to watch the Hulk trailer featuring who else..RDJ!!

Not content with just one box-office goldmine, RDJ let loose, in the amazingly satirical

Tropic Thunder - check out the hilarious trailer right there!! RDJ in a tribute/kick in the pants to all "method" actors plays Kirk Lazarus (click on the title to see his faux website...heelaareyous!!) a five time oscar winning, australian actor, who undergoes plastic surgery to take on the role of a african american platoon sergeant named Lincoln Osiris! soon enuf, Lincoln is required to disguise himself as a chinese drug trader, which leads him to lead this marvelous dialogue..

"I'm just a dude playing a dude, disguised as ....a dude!!"

Whatever he be playing today, RDJ is sure to hit pay-dirt!!!

So there you have it folks, comebacks are all around us, and if I have inspired you freeks to be inspired to put you fears away, and help get this wonderful city back to its crazy buzz, then i'll consider it a post, well done!!

Freek

a little freeky: Mumbai's the best!!!

(Un)Holy Trinity 2: Duvall Times Three

Hearty Hellos, my freeky fellows!!!

I have to admit, that it hasn't been that long since the first (Un)Holy Trinity Column was unbleashed upon you but then, as any good Hollywoodian (is that even a word?) will tell you, one good outing, surely deserves a sequel, and so here it is...

Episode 2: Duvall X 3:

I'm sure you will freeking agree, that while we tend to associate movies, with their leading stars , the buxom leading lady, or the poster -boy leading man, ever so often there comes along a freekingly talented actor that manages to steal the show, no matter who is pitted against him, or what the larger palette of the movie is. One such talented freek, is the legendary Mr. Robert Duvall, who as you will read later in this post, has not only managed be part of some legendary cinematic ventures, but to leave an indelible mark through his talent...and so without freeking ado:

1) To Kill a Mockingbird:

If there ever is a movie, that leaves a veritable lump in your throat on every viewing, a movie that reminds you of the need to stand for what is good, moral and just in this world, a movie whose lead character : Atticus Finch, is repeatedly voted as the greatest cinematic hero of all times, in several fanboy polls; well it the cinematic portrayal of Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird". And while Greogry Peck's masterful portrayal as Atticus deserves due praise, it is Duvall's portrayal of the reclusive, mumbling hick:

BOO RADLEY, that deserves a special mention! It is this very character that the Finch children (from whose perspective the book/novel is based) mention in hushed terms as an urban legend, and it is this very character that acts as an unlikely guardian angel to these kids, from the enemies that their righteous father unwittingly makes!! So convincing is Duvall's performance that you'd never guess the range of his roles that were to follow....

2.Apocalypse Now:

My cup of freekyness flloweth over!!! an all star-cast (read: Brando, Sheen, Harrison Ford), a rebel direcor (Coppola at his best!!), this movie has freeking classic written all over it!! while urban legends hiss about the director and his stellar cast, being high on all sorts of hallucinatory substances while making this film, Duvall's character in this stellar piece can be enjoyed throroughly, without any recourse to any freaky "substance" all together!!!

Duvall plays a battle hardened surfing-fanatic : Lt. Kilgore, who meets up with our heroes, in their quest to find the reclusive rebel...played by Mr. Brando. It is at Kilgore's whim, that a horde of attack helicopters. bomb the freeking hell of a vietnamese village, (click on the link for a piece of freeking movie awesomeness!!!) - imagine truckloads of napalm hurled near a river-bed, all, so that Mr. Kilgore can manage to indulge in his favourite pastime: surfing!!!

It's the same Mr. Kilgore, that puts across one of the greatest cinematic one-liners ever....

"I LOVE THE SMELL OF NAPALM IN THE MORNING!!"

(click on the freeking link already!!!!)

3.THE GODFATHER:

My! is that strawberry hand-lotion i smell?

Yes, yes, u freeks have heard of this one, and yes it's about the Corleone boys, their daddy dearest, and more coolness than you can offload in a dumpster! but then the Godfather is also (in parts) the story of a German-Irish homeless boy, who is brought up by the Corleone family, and grows up to become Don Vito Corleone's consigliori. This boy; Tommy Hagen, is mellow enough to put a baby to sleep, check out the scene where is sent by the Don to negotiate Johnny Fontane's Hollywood contract, with big-shot producer Jack Woltz, and while verbally lashed at by Woltz, Hagen still congratulates Jack on his movie-making skills, and manages to execute, the most vicious threat ever put on cinema...

Imagine the Laundry Bills!!

(click on the pic, for the awesome scene...)

Duvall playing Tom, in the sequel gives another glimpse ofawesomeness; check out the scene pictured below, where he suggests to Salavatore Tessio (to the left of Duvall in the pic) who has betrayed Michael that he commit suicide, if he would like his family to be untouched!!

It is about Tom Hagen, that Michael Corleone gives the subtle, yet resonant commendation: " he is a good consigliori, not a siclian, but a good consiligori!" - understated? maybe...but they come from a man who succeeds none other than Don Vito Corleone, in becoming the most feared Don in his time!

It is interesting to note the interplay of Tom (Duvall) and Sonny's (James Caan) characters (i.e. a clash of their introspective and hot-headed natures) which comes to fore, when the Godfather is shot in cold-blood, Sonny's itchy trigger finger is kept on on hold by the persuasions of Tommy, till such time Michael (Al Pacino) decides to join the family business.

While Duvall lent an subtle yet stern presence in the first and second Godfather movies, his character was undeservedly killed of in the box office failure: Godfather III...rumour is that Duvall demanded ( and i beleive rightly so) equal remuneration to that of Al Pacino to reappear in the third part, and while Coppola's original plot dealt with a clash of ideology between Tommy and Michael, Duvall's increased fee demand, led to his character being written off..and a sub-standard (is compared to the other parts) plot being in place....so there you have it folks, it was not the mafia, or the cops that bought the Corleone family down ( at the box-office at least) it was the lack of their stellar consigliori, played by Duvall!!!

So, there you have it folks 3 legendary movies, 3 amazing characterisations...and one hell of a freeking actor - Robert Duvall!!

Freek

An extra freeky: Duvall was honoured by the US President , Bush, at the White House in recognition of his acting skills! Kudos sir!!

BE RETARDED, GET REWARDED!

Welcome back fellow freaks,
there's been a wee gap since my last post, and i'll try make it up with a (seemingly) intellectual issue. Sure y'all have heard of the relativity theory, the uncertainty principle, but here at freek-world, we have birthed one of our own, without much ado and further hump scratching we present to you the theory of....

"BE RETARDED; GET REWARDED!!"

As my fellow Freeks ( at least those who have got the opportunity to watch Tropic Thunder) will recollect, a whole lotta brouhaha ensued on Ben Stiller's satirical take on autistic ( the oscar -friendly word for RETARD!!) village bumpkin called "Simple Jack"






While the resulting fracas, led to the censoring of the "Simple Jack" promos (click on the title for much hilarity!!!), and even closure of a website devoted to this character, what this Freek wonders is to why there was such a ruckus in the first place? Wasn't Stiller's barb at many a Hollywood mega star's attempt to get critical acclaim (read OSCAR!) by playing a retard, well made?

Let us look at such retarded ( ahem....critically acclaimed) performances over the years!..One of the earliest attempts at the Retarded route to Oscar glory was made by Dustin Hoffman, in the somewhat overrated, yet enjoyable "RAIN MAN" our autistic (there's only so much times, i can use the "R" word now!!) friend can memorize phone books, and even make a killing at the blackjack tables!!! Hoffman gave the character, a nervous talk and a funny walk...one that took him all the way to the Oscar podium!!!


Not to be out-done the once king of summer blockbusters, TOM HANKS ( i guess the title currently goes to Mr. Will Smith) laid the smack down on reta....special portrayals of all time, in the super, duper, uber box office smash hit: FOREST GUMP!






it this cloyingly sweet fable, Hank's character starts of as a limping child, who miraculously abandons his crutches, and goes on to be a sports hero, a vietnam veteran, a world ping-pong champ, a business tycoon all while retaining his special (yup, that word again!) ways!

"Life is a box of chocolates" drawls Mr. Gump, "You never know which one you're gonna get!

what Mr. Hanks did know for sure, is that he would, and did walk away the Oscar that year!!



Other valiant attempts at being reta..special on screen, have included Jack Nicholson's

visceral portrayal of a lobotomized -rebel (never thought you would see those words together, did ya!) in the cinematic portrayal of Ken Kesey's novel :One flew over the cuckoo's nest


which performance truly, deserves (and won)the Oscar for this heart wrenching tale..



And while he may not have been an all out reta...(yes, yes, special) person, Sylvester Stallone also took Oscar glory for his portrayal as the hard hitting, really dim-witted boxer in Rocky Balboa and it countless sequels


( I heard in the next one, he battles arthritis!!)

So there you have it folks, a match made in heaven, the retard and the oscar! And for those amongst you who balk at my suggestion, just lay to rest your behinds for next year's much awaited release."THE SOLOIST" which features Jamie Foxx, as what else, a special (last time I promise!!) violinist, who is discovered by a talent agent, played by Robert DowneyJr. ( a

musician ( read oscar!) and a reta..(read oscar!)..you heard it here first folks!!!! see you at the podium, Mr. Foxx!!!

Freek
Mom always told me I was special! How come, I have no Oscar Award???

BHAYANAK BACHHE!!

Hello my fellow freeks, time to make another addition to our family of foul fiends...(Un)holy Trinity is a column where we feature 3 movies, that seemingly have very little in common, and then yet, in a freeky way....

BHAYANAK BACHHE!

I see Dead....

Today's freektured theme (ok...it's a bad pun!) is morbid even for someone of my vile tastes, so the faint-bladdered amongst you are well advised to turn away from here...for the fiendishly freeky amongst you, read away!!!

1. Let The Right One In:

Based on John Lindqvist Swedish novel, this little flick is currently wowing one and all in the Film festival! This coming of age novel is about a little nerdy boy, bullied by one and all at school; who develops a crush with a reclusive girl that moves in next door. All is not what it seems, and the little girl, who never leaves her house, has been "undead" for several decades, and has a liking for human blood..

With its bleak and dimly lit ambience, and sublime performances, especially by the little girl who plays the undead creature... this is a bittersweet tale of between an little vampire, and a little nerd, catch the trailer below..


2.Lovely Bones:

Based on the best selling novel by Alice Seobold, "Lovely Bones" is the tender tale of the ghost of a little girl (brutally killed by a neighbourhood psycho) who observes the aftereffects of her death on her family, friends and..the psycopath. Brilliantly merging fantasy and grim reality, this novel dwelves into themes such as adultery, divorce, teen romance..all from a heavenly perspective. The trailer the cinematic version from Peter -Lord-Of-the-Rings-Jackson to be follows below:



3. Pet Sematary

Perhaps, the most well-known of this trinity, the pulp-bestseller from horror guru Stephen King, revolves around the mis-adventures of a loving dad, who in an attempt to revive his little toddler, who gets um...run-over by a truck (sorry, there was no way to put that subtly!) buries him in an Indian (so much for cultural stereotypes) cemetary with special powers. Little does daddy dearest know, that his little bundle of love, turns up with a....killer attitude!

Mama's Pride!!
What follows is a complete mayhem between demon-boy and doting dad; with daddy torn between welcoming his kiddo back, and having to stop him from umm..having people for breakfast! The movie culminates with a bitter sweet ending, with a fair share of hacked body parts! Seldom has one heard the terms "family-movie" and "horror classic" together, and yet, if ur family is as freeky as mine, then Pet Sematary, truly is one!! see below if you dare...

So, there u have it folks, 3 books...3 movies and 3 not-so-alive-kids..one freeking hell of a trinity!
Yes the morbidity reeks, but then this is a site for freeks!!! (there's only some much I can apologise for bad rhymes!!)



Freek!

Still greedy, after all these years!

There's a defining scene towards the middle of Oliver Stone's Wall Street, where Wall Street Raider extraordinaire :Gordon Gekko points out to Bud Fox, played by Charlie Sheen from the window of his limo to a beggar, and a businessman and quizzes rhetorically:

"Do you mean to say that the difference between this man, and that, is luck?"

Yes, the bright suspenders and over gelled hair may be a thing of the past, but the eponymous character who hates lunches and randomly quotes sun-tzu; apparently has managed to weather two decades and the recent financial trumoil, and is poised for a second outing on screen

The Freek has confirmed news of studio honchos fastracking a sequel to the mis-deeds of Gekko, is a soon to be released motion picture.

The Freek put on his thinking cap (yes, he does posess one) and ponders if this is indeed the time for churning out Gekko's return? Surely as we reel with the blows dealt by the ongoing economic crises, and watch financial monoliths bite the dust on a daily basis, are we still eager to lap-up a movie about the excesses of financial cavalierism?

Perhaps, there is more to it than meets my evil eye, for was not Wall-Street, a cautionary tale about the evils of monetary malpractices in the first place? Take a look a Gekko's immortalised speech here, and feel free to substitute "Teldar Papers" with ummm...."Lehman" or another highly leveraged financial house in the recent past. Do your scaly spines not shiver with how closely Gekko's barbs about the malpractices of the higher management ring a bell about the pay-packets of a certain Mr. Fuld and his coterie? And yes, Gekko does go to jail in the end!

So, there you have it! while Gekko's villain, did manage to carve himself as a role model, (check out this valiant, yet decidedly second place attempt here), his message perhaps lay in the right place. Is not Gekko's tale a cautionary message then on the evils of a financial sector run-amok?

The very message, used as the weapon of choice by none other than Barack himself?

Well, dig out your shovels then my fellow freeks and lend a helping hand in the resurrection of this wall street warror of yore and hope that he is man enough to take on the bulls, bears and other beasts of Wall Street this time around!!

Freek

extra freeky: Gekko, was in no small part based on the exploits of trader Ivan Boesky.

Sneak Freek I : The Captain Cometh!!!!

T'is the season to be yankee folks!!!
cause its raining, red, blue, white, and ....shields! Confused? ( no worries, i have spent most of my life in that manner!!)
Take a sneek peak then...or take two, at comicdom's most politically correct hero...

Captain America!!!!!!

The Freek has giggled like.....well a giggly little girl, ever since Marvel Comics decided to get of its paperback ass, and take creative control of the celluloid avatars, of its various comic characters. yes, there were naysayers, who thought that Marvel were best to be kept away from these dangerous waters, which were best suited for a major studio. its these very naysayers, that crumpled under Iron Man's armoured ass, and mangled under the new Hulk's green toesies!

and, for those freeks among who have kept pace, with the two celluloid ventures, have been given a tantalising whiff of things to come, that is Marvel intends to culminate its above mentioned franchises, into ..."THE AVENGERS MOVIE"

If what the Freek overhears is indeed correct, there will be at least one more Avenger addded to the star-cast, right after he gets his own movie, of course!! that's right fellow Freeks, the next superhero to hit the silver screen from the Marvel stable is none other than...

Captain America himself!!!!

Take a look at the itsy-bitsy hint that Marvel offered us in Iron-Man

Take a look behind Tony's Armoured armpit, to see that familiar glimpse of red-blue and white.

Designing that special shield for someone special are we mr. Stark

And then with the new Hulk movie came in further proof....

Take a look at this deleted scene from the new Hulk movie, where Bruce Banner, walking across Antartica, walks across, the frozen body of...you guessed it!! ( sorry folks, but that's the best screen resolution shot that can be managed in my evil lair)

are your evil eyes straining, to see Captain's frozen self??



here's a pic, outlining cap's frozen self for ya....

there ya have it fello freeks, a freeky-peek of things to come!!

can't wait!!

The Freek!

A tale of two Freaks!

bonus time folks ( is there ever any other?) today, we meet two of the bestest, ogres that ever stepped out in the silver screen...one's red, the other green..together they're a christmas miracle!here then is the awesome twosome....

Hellboy

summoned from the depths of hell, by none other than Rasuptin himself, Anung un Rama or Hellboy; is the awesome creation of artist Mike Mignola, who was first depicted in Dark Horse Comics. Hellboy has since been associated with not one but two grotesquely wonderful movies directed by Guillermo Del Toro: Hellboy, his Right Hand of Doom and the Good Samaritan have since been involved in preventing demons, nazis and various other montstrosities from taking over earth (too bad they didn't use him to stop Fuld!!)...

Shrek :

Shrek, (better known as the movie franchise, that pays for Mike Myers, and Eddie Murphy's grocery bills), is about the adventures of the above pictured green giant, and his marraige into royalty, and his reluctant adventures forced upon him by his in-laws!!!

based on William Steig's picture book of the same name, the Shrek movie series, thanks to the voice credits of Myers, Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and of course Anotonio Banderas ahve since gone on to oscar glory, and gazillions of dollars at the box office..

Wasn't I the original green giant????

There u have them folks, two distinct grotesque heroes, in two disticnt comic universes, and yet is some freeeeeky way (is there ever another???) the two have seemingly a lot in common...
a) the reluctant superhero: Both Shrek and Hellboy, are thrust unwillingly into the limelight, while Hellboy's organisation, BRPD is at pains to keep him under wraps, Shrek is too reluctantly dragged from the comforts of his swamp home when pestered to do so, by the fellow creatures of his forest..

b) Hottie onthe side: Both our freaks, have unsurprisingly met their foil in a hottie, who is their companion in all their mis-adventures, played by Selma Blair (Hell boy) and Cameron Diaz(Shrek) these ladies provide the emotional support that our misunderstood leads need indulging in general ass-kickery all around!

Flaming Hottie! I was in Charlies' Angels!!

While the Freek will gladly snuggle into bed with either of the two dishes above, I gotta admit, the pyrokinetic Liz sherman, played by Selma Blair takes the term hottie to a whole new level!!

c) wierdo side-kick: there's no putting across tis one gently folks, how else would u describe a telepathic fish-man and a talking -nay-singing Donkey that follow around or heroes in their respective mis-deeds!! Glorious that our heroes may be in their beastly glory, they would be much the less poorer were it not for Abe Sapien (hellboy) and Donkey (shrek) .

Lean, green telepathic machine meets Beverley Hill's Ass!!

d) Evil Prince: Amongst the various evil-folk that our two heroes have encountered, are two evil ( is an issue of perspective really!) princes, while Hellboy in his latest movie adventure, contends with the freakily pale Prince Nuala who is intent on world control, Shrek has to deal with an equally crafty yet more amorous Prince charming (voiced by Rupert Everett) who has amorous designs on Princess Fiona ( for heaven's sake man, she's green!!)

Ladies Love the Hair!!

There u have it folks, a freeky look at two seemingly different, yet eerily similar FREAKS!

FreEk

an extra freeky:

Sabka Baap hoon main!!

Freaks on Film - 2

the Freek is back folks, and with a double treat, for not only are we slithering our scaly selfs onto foregin cinema, but we are also dealing with one of the creepiest freek on screen....ever!!!


Ep 2: Audition

Japanese cinema, has been obsessed with having its female characters,dress up in a school-girl outfits, ( not that the Freek is complaining!), but this little gem from horror cinema's Picasso; Takashi Miike gives the school-girl theme a kick in its *ss!!
considered by many, including horror-meister Rob Zombie to have the most disturbing torture scene in cinema ever, the Freek has also repeatedly seen this little gem, and the "school-girl" character feature in several "scariest-ever" horror lists!
The movie involves an innovative father and son duo who decide to have an audition to help the widowed father "scout" for his next bride...all goes seemingly well, till they land up with....




this docile little missy above, and then to say that the shit hits the ceiling, is an understatement....is indeed ummm..an understatement!!
the film features Miike's trademark fetishes such as themes of incest, torture, the odd surreal scene, and oh yes...something in a little bag, that moves!

is your freek sense tingling? that familiar chill run down u spine, the Freek lets you have a peek at the good stuff here.! but beware, warned - wear drak pants while watching this one, no one likes a soiler!!!

Freek

an extra freeky - do you think the school - girl above is related to Gogo Yubari?


p.s.s. t. : Reevi, this one's for u bud!!!

So long Paul....

there's very little that I can write about Paul Newman that hasn't been eulogised already on the event of his very unfortunate death

his effortless cool, innate sense of style and the ability to give a sublime performance pitted against some of hollywood's leading lads...like Cruise in the Colour of Money, Willis in Nobody's Fool and Hanks in the Road to Perdition is well documented.

it will be hard to pick a singluar favourite in his stellar array past works, so i'll be biased and choose :

The Verdict (1982)

Paul Newman plays a lawyer (like yours truly) plagued with alcoholism, and the demons of his past, who is assigned to the case of a raped, comatose girl; which case everyone around wants closed qiuckly. Tempted by the easy money in the case, the slow germination of his character's conscience as he struggles to get justice for his client, is nothing short of briiliance.

The last one came across a similar legal drama, was the Michael Clayton, and i would invite fellow freeks out there to watch these two movies, and there is no doubt in my mind on which would emerge as the winner (vis-a-vis performance of the actor in the lead).

Goodbye mr. Newman,

u will be missed!!!

Freek

an little freaky: Mr. Newman, shortly before his death donated the earnings of his "Newman's Own" business being about USD 120 million to charity...

Freaks on Film - 1

A smiley hello, frEek fellows!

sure, the world loves, a leading man, chocolate looks, grizzled chest (umm...or a waxed one if that tickles ur fancy), it's on the rippling shoulders of such leading men that many a damsel in cinematic distress is rescued, evil geniuses and their freeking assistants (much like yours truly) are overthrown, and celluloid dreams are built.

This column, is fortunately, on none of such #$%#$s! This column, is my miniscule attempt to immortalize the fiendish, scary, offbeat, ghouly...freaks that have thrilled us in movies of yore!

this is a tribute then, to Freeks on Film!!!!

Ep -1 : The Man who Laughs

given the recent (and well deserved i might add) brou-haha about the portrayal of a certain funny man (errr...Joker) , in a little known movie about a vigilante superhero (yes, yes, the Dark Knight!); I believe its but fair to pay tribute to the screen portrayal that established the Joker's character to begin with....

T a look at the pic above, strangely enough, "The Man Who Laughs" from which this picture is taken, and Conrad Veidt, who played the eponymous character, had nothing remotely to do with any ploy involving any bat, cat or any other costumed superhero!

The movie, is a dark, superbly ironic tale, about a court minister's boy, whose face is forcefully disfigured into a smile, when he dares to laugh at the King's mishap of tripping over in court.

Branded a freak for life, he joins a circus and even catches the fancy of the princess who believe it or not, has a thing for such oddly distorted gentlemen ( this column is about them u know!) sounds creepy? now's here's the best part! it was the very picture above, that a little known comic writer named Bob Kane provided to his illustrators, when they set out to publish that comic book known to all you freeks out there as Batman! and that my freeks, was how this little known movie became the basis for the greatest comic book villain, and one of the greatest cinematic freeks of all time!!

u gotta give credit, where credit is due!!!!!!

Stay Freeked!

In cinema we trust...

for all u Depp lovers, out there, is abeen a triple treat....with the recent news of johnny Boy...

acting in a new Pirates of Caribbean Movie (maybe it will involve saving Orlando bloom from this freaking horrible ad)!!

and then as Mad Hatter in a new Alice in Wonderland live action movie ...to be followed by ...wait for it.....TONTO!!!..in the new LONE RANGER MOVIE!

is there a common trend here.....(umm apart from the fact that Depp stars in all of them)

or is the theme of escapist fantasy too prevalent in all of the movies above....

a freaking coincedence....or is there more to it than meets my evil eye???

Fellow Freeks may remember a similar time, when Hollywood studios chose to tread the path of escapism and magic....a time which was called by some as Hollywood's "golden era"...an era ironically.. which was .the same time.. as the Great Depression in the U.S.A.

It was these trying times in the USA, that saw the release of some everlasting classics such as "King- Kong", "Wizard of OZ" (see an Alice. link here??) ..and of course, "Gone with Wind"

is it but natural, that in these times, of uncertain markets. and wobbling economies, that Hollywood once provides the viewer, with the safe haven of mystical and unseen worlds, of lands where the impossible is possible, and where ....unlike in real life, things do turn out all right in the end!

makes ya freaking think!!!

Film Freek

a little freaky.....how about a remake of the "Grapes of Wrath", Depp, would surely be ideal!