Saturday, January 05, 2008

Filmmakers, please don't kill off sexy characters mere minutes after you've introduced them

It's just not right.

(This message has been brought to you by Nathaniel's recent screening of Black Book)

Can someone please find some more work for Michiel Huisman, pronto? Thanks for listening.
*

13 comments:

Sam Brooks said...

Something I've often thought, but never said. Hear hear!

Y Kant Goran Rite said...

I'm usually on the lookout for eye-candy in movies, but next to Carice Van Houten, it's difficult for me to pay attention to anyone else, even if they're shirtless. Rave all you want about your Cate Blanchetts and Julie Christies (the latter does deserve some raving, I admit) but along with Anamaria Marinca, Van Houten gave the performance[s] of the year. Consider this an FYC, Nathaniel.

Also, I found Huisman's death so startling and unexpected (I thought he was being established as the movie's romantic hero, and therefore indestructible for at least 3/4 of the running time) that it ramped up the tension for the rest of the film (anybody could die! at any time!). I love that Verhoeven is back in form.

Jason Adams said...

Hee. I remember thinking the same damned thing, Nat. What a waste!

Although I too have to admit that in that top picture, Van Houten is most def. stealing the spotlight. Gorgeous.

NATHANIEL R said...

yeah Carice is pretty tasty too. My favorite bit had to be the leg flashing. You just can't dampen this girls fire... even when she's supposed to be hiding her light.

Anonymous said...

How big a spoiler is that for that film?

J.D. said...

I hafta re-watch this, if just to convince myself again that van Houten deserves my Best Actress award, because she does. And yours too.

Also: She is Helen Mirren in that pic. That's another reason I love her.

Anonymous said...

I thought the same thing too! But then I remembered this was a Verhoeven movie and he probably killed him to fuck with his audience and subvert their attempts at getting titiilated while watching a "serious" movie. He is such a bastard and I love it.

Also, to the person worried about the spoiler, its not that big of a deal, it really happens in like the first 5 minutes. It was kind of shocking, but not a major spoiler.

Colin Low said...

Also, I found Huisman's death so startling and unexpected (I thought he was being established as the movie's romantic hero, and therefore indestructible for at least 3/4 of the running time) that it ramped up the tension for the rest of the film (anybody could die! at any time!).

I love it whenever filmmakers flout that particular convention. I remember naively thinking, while viewing, that Children of Men was going to have some romantic element to ground the movie amidst all the chaotic action. Boy was I wrong.

Boyd said...

Huisman was perfect for this role because he is a BIG FAT TEASE. But he's a pretty good actor too.

NATHANIEL R said...

Boyd --that link doesn't take me anywhere I wanna be taken

NATHANIEL R said...

yeah, i thought about the "spoiler" factor before posting but... it is the very beginning.

Glenn Dunks said...

I also thought the same thing. I was a bit sad when he didn't get to hang around.

Anonymous said...

OMG I thought the exact same thing when I was watching Black Book for the first time. He was soooo good looking! Guess I was not the only one. We can spot these things!