I offer you exhibits A, B and C as evidence.
Exhibit A: Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Looper
The Holly wood Reporter um... reported that 'Thanks to three hours in the makeup chair each morning, the actor transformed into a younger version of Bruce Willis for the role – in which the duo plays the same character at different ages.'
If you're not convinced about the transformation or just sad to see the handsome JGL mutilated, check out this little video I found on YouTube for a close comparison of the two actors.
Exhibit B: Guy Pearce in Lawless
Now I'm not sure what they've done to Pearce's face here but watching the trailer suggests this is going to be another fantastic performance to look out for. In fact I don't even think this is down to make up. Instead I think it's a combination of Pearce's slicked back hair, accent and tone of voice and most of all the faces he pulls in the trailer below. Some might say this is bordering on OTT but I can't wait to see this performance.
Exhibit C: Sean Penn in The Gangster Squad
MTV says: 'A centerpiece of the trailer, it's hard to miss Sean Penn even under all of that makeup... The trailer gives lots of screen time to Penn, and when you also consider the prosthetics on his face, it's not hard to imagine that Warner Bros. would make a Best Supporting Actor push for him come Oscar season'.
He looks almost like something grotesque out of Dick Tracy. But it's not just the make up and prosthetics, Penn seems totally transformed here. It's another performance that looks incredible and will no doubt be a lot of fun to watch.
So are we in for a treat with these three or what? And how much of these performances will come down to the physically transformed faces of the actors and how much is down to their acting skills. It's a question that has bugged me ever since seeing one of my favourite performances ever on screen. No doubt aided by magnificent make-up, but also a testament to the incredible talent of Charlize Theron, if you haven't seen Monster, I highly recommend it. Never has a star been so unrecognizable and so brilliantly lost within a real-life character.
I do love it when Actors transform themselves.
ReplyDeleteCharlize was so good in Monster! They way she moved, talked and walked was so like Aileen it was spooky!
Have you seen the two docs about Aileens life?
Yeah the Nick Broomfield ones! She's a fascinating and tragic person and Theron nailed her performance like nothing I've ever seen. Probably my favourite performance of all time.
DeleteYup, Charlize in Monster stands out. Nicole Kidman in The Hours also looked completely unrecognisable too.
ReplyDeleteOn the end of the spectrum, bad make-up can be seen in the recent J. Edgar. Horrible!
Haha yeah I heard that about J. Edgar. What a shame they can't get this stuff right in a big budget film like that!
DeleteThere's something about the GANGSTER SQUAD trailer that isn't working for me. It may just be down to the poorly executed trailer but the choice of music and tone makes it look like all flash and no substance. It looks like THE UNTOUCHABLES-lite.
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting perspective, I can definitely see where you're coming from but I'm sold on the style and the cast alone. Plus I really liked Zombieland, the director's previous film. From the trailer the script sounds interesting enough to me.
DeleteExcited for Looper, although I'm not sure they got young Bruce Willis right. Something about the eyebrows.
ReplyDeleteAnd something about Sean Penn in Gangster Squad reminds me of a Sin City character.
Great post!
Yeah good call he does like that freaky yellow guy from Sin City. I can definitely see that. And no I'm not wholly convinced by the JGL make up.
DeleteVery astute post, Pete! Gordon-Levitt does look quite strange in Looper, but perhaps that's part of the sci-fi-ish theme of the movie.
ReplyDeleteAhah, Robert is right about Penn looking like a Sin City character in Gangster Squad trailer, but then again he always looks like sour grape in general :D
Btw, did Monster get nominated for Best Makeup?? It's amazing how anyone could make Charlize Theron look ugly, I mean that girl is the Grace Kelly of our generation!
Thanks Ruth! I think Monster was released the year Return of the King won everything so I think that got best make up. At least Theron got best actress though as it's not at all just down to the make up. Though as you say, they did an incredible job!
DeleteTheron's transformation in Monster was indeed incredible. I also liked what they did to Streep in Iron Lady - it didn't look like much but she looked a lot different. J.Edgar though marks really bad make up job, it was quite embarassing to watch. Out of 3 you mentioned Guy Pearce looks the most realistic to me.
ReplyDeleteYeah I'm not even sure if GP has been 'transformed' in the same way as the others. I'm just mesmerised by his face in this trailer. I think it looks like a really exciting performance.
DeleteDidn't expect Joseph Gordon-Levitt to be like that. This is why make-up is amazing! I was also amazed with Marion Cotillard in 'La Vie En Rose', and other examples of great make-up that you probably know was 'The Iron Lady'.
ReplyDeleteOooh I'll have to look that up. The only pics I saw of her in that, she looked like her normal self. I guess this is ageing make up? Yeah Iron Lady was impressive too but just made me less likely to see the film. I shiver at the sight of the woman.
DeleteVery excited for Looper, out of all of those, and think they've done a great job with the prosthetics and make up to make him look like Bruce Willis. But the fickle side of me can't help but think that poor gorgeous JGL's face is all covered up! Mostly ;)
ReplyDeleteYeah even I get upset that JGL's face is a bit mangled and I'm looking at it purely from a heterosexual perspective. He looks very odd.
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