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!

One Fine Freek!

I can't believe, i'm finally getting around to this....

Watching movies ...popcorn, coke ( or substitute with other artifically flavoured beverage)

has something that i 've well.....freaked out on....

rain, shine, alone (umm. sometimes!!!) or with friends......i'd love to laugh, cry, or wet my pants over a good film ..

show me someone...who hasn't enjoyed a great evening...watching a movie, with his friends, over a few brews....and i'll show ya someone........who's a bloody bore....an #$#$ even....but definetly not....a movie FREEK!

well enuff, about that....

let's get freaking started!!!!