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???