Neil Jordan’s body of work is an odd, fascinating beast. On one level, the Irish director’s fablelike films — with their often mystical elements, their vivid photography, and their tormented, passionate characters — are remarkably consistent in tone, style, and themes. On another level, though, the films are a diverse lot, ranging from moody dramas like Mona Lisa and The End of the Affair, to thrillers like The Crying Game and The Good Thief, to big-budget, star-studded epics like Interview With a Vampire and Michael Collins, to fairy tales like The Company of Wolves. He’s even made a couple of exuberant comedies along the way (including High Spirits, which is better than you remember). Now, with his latest, Byzantium, a tale of mother-and-daughter vampires (played by Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan) hiding out in a British seaside town, Jordan has returned to the vampire genre, and the result is one of his strongest, most ambitious and romantic works in years. Jordan talked to us about his new movie, fairy tales, and vampires.
Were you wary of returning to a story of vampires so many years after Interview With a Vampire? It was really the script that Moira Buffini had written. I hadn’t seen the play, and I was not involved in the development of the script, or the writing of it. But it was strange, because when it was sent to me, I saw that there were so many elements in it that felt familiar to me from other movies that I’d made: It was set in an abandoned seaside town, it was about a mother and daughter, it was about storytelling, and, yes, it was about vampires. Actually, the least attractive thing was that it was about vampires. It’s quite difficult to put a vampire movie out there nowadays. But they seem like very different vampires this time around. I did try to reinvent the rules a little bit. I got rid of the teeth, so now they use their nails. Ultimately, I think vampires — we call them “sucreants” in the film — are really like people who have entered a spell: They endure eternity in some way because of a choice, or something that’s happened to them. That’s why they’re so popular; they come out of the repository of fairy tales. I really did think of these creatures in Byzantium as dark shadows out of some fairy tale. If I hadn’t seen the writing credit, I could have sworn that you’d written this film as well. That’s interesting. I felt the dialogue was very specific. Some of it could even be called “clunky,” but I deliberately didn’t want to put my fingers on it. I felt it was important to preserve Moira’s voice, as a woman and as a writer: She had ways of approaching things that I wouldn’t have taken. What I liked about the script was its multifaceted quality — it turns into different things. It’s like a lantern that lets you see different aspects of the story. There have been so many films in recent years that have attempted to “update” fairy tales: the Snow White films, the Hansel & Gretel film. But in a way, you were already doing that sort of thing 30 years ago, and doing it a lot more artfully, long before it became a fad among filmmakers. Yeah. I guess I’ve always been obsessed with fairy tales. But it’s easy to see their appeal: They’re so simple and so efficient. As a storyteller and writer, that just appeals to me. There are a lot of archetypes and symbols there, and these are stories that have very deep roots. I think that’s something I always find myself drawn to. There’s something else I’ve noticed about your films: They’re all about devotion, on some level. That’s very much true of Byzantium as well. And it’s a kind of devotion that can be romantic, or maternal, or spiritual. End of the Affair, it seems to me, matches one character’s romantic devotion with another’s devotion to God. And Byzantium, too, twins one character’s maternal devotion with another’s romantic devotion. It’s all because I grew up as an Irish Catholic. [Laughs.] It’s a very specific kind of mind-set. It’s like you’re in this strange movie theater showing the same thing all the time. That was the reason I wanted to do Interview With a Vampire: It seemed to me to be about guilt. It was the most wonderful parable about wallowing in guilt that I’d ever come across. But these things are unconscious: I don’t have an agenda. I’m neither a bad Irish Catholic nor a good one. What is weird, though, is to watch a movie I made years ago and see how revealing it is about me. Films are essentially attempts to disguise one’s intentions, or state of mind. It’s amazing, because there have been films I made that felt like they were opportunities to not be personal. But then, years later, it shocks me how revealing it is.
Can you give me an example of such a film? Mona Lisa. It turned out to be a film about how men are misunderstood. It shocked me how emotionally revealing it was. Of course, that is what they should be. They should just be full of emotion. Stanley Kubrick once said, “The problem isn’t having a message. The problem is disguising the message.” Over and over, your films are replete with career-high performances from actors — be they accomplished, established ones like Bob Hoskins in Mona Lisa or Julianne Moore in End of the Affair, or people we don’t ordinarily expect to give standout performances, like Gemma Arterton in Byzantium. Do you work closely with actors? Are you hands-on? I just like actors. It’s really as simple as that. I like the fact that they don’t have to be themselves. They can live in a world of fantasy. I don’t know how it works. As for how I work with them, I try to make sure the actors understand what the part is. I look for people who have emotional reality to them. Beyond that, I don’t know what I do. To be fair, if you cast a film correctly, you’ve almost nothing to do. If you cast the film slightly off kilter, then you have to work your butt off. ‘BYZANTIUM’ is released and distributed by Captive Cinema.Showing on November 22, 2013. Nationwide!
Here's a synopsis for the Neil Jordan (Interview with a Vampire) helmed vampire film "Byzantium" starring Gemma Arterton (Hansel and Gretel) and Saoirse Ronan.
Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan star in Interview With the Vampire director Neil Jordan's lavish yet decadent tale of a blood-sucking mother/daughter duo whose dark 200-year history threatens to catch up with them at a run-down hotel on the English coast. Their story begins during the Napoleonic Wars, when young Eleanor (Ronan) is abandoned as Clara (Arterton) falls into a passionate love affair. Two centuries later, demure Eleanor and extroverted Clara are on the run when they seek sanctuary in a dilapidated coastal resort. There, Clara sets her sights on a lonely soul named Noel (Daniel Mays), who has just inherited the Byzantium hotel, a once-thriving inn that has fallen into a sad state of disrepair. Before long, the elder vampire has transformed the Byzantium into a makeshift brothel where she and her young companion can quench their thirst for human blood while maintaining a low profile. Meanwhile, Eleanor falls for Frank (Caleb Landry Jones), a charming young waiter who unwittingly draws out the natural storyteller in her. Amidst a string of mysterious disappearances in the sleepy coastal town, Frank realizes that Eleanor's extraordinary tales are much more than simple fantasy. As Clara and Eleanor's sanguinary past slowly comes into focus, it's only a matter of time before the pair will be forced to either flee once again or face their fates with a sense of dark courage.
“Byzantium” is released and distributed by Captive Cinema.
Saw 20th Century Fox's RUNNER RUNNER tonight starring Justin Timberlake, Ben Affleck and Gemma Arterton and I think it's a pretty decent crime drama. More on those thoughts later.
So what do I think of this film. I think it was eye-candy with a potential with some wasted away while others are not fully realized. Still, this does make for one great popcorn muncher. There's just so much jargons here related to the world of online gambling that it might confuse non trendy viewers.
Ben Affleck shines as the notorious Ivan Block, the owner of this shady "online gaming" website that scams Timberlake's Richie Furst for all his hard earned savings. If anything, I consider Affleck's role here in Runner Runner as a trial run for his eventual role as billionaire Bruce Wayne / Batman in "Man of Steel 2". On the performance itself, it was "just OK". The guy does look like a natural amongst the yachts, girls and fast cars so I can really see why he was cast as Batman's alter ego.
Justin Timberlake shows us that he can play more serious roles. While there's barely any action here in the film, Timberlake takes that challenge for himself to actually make this somewhat droll story interesting. And he does so partly with charisma and just looking all awesome in suit and tie.
Gemma Arterton was pure eye candy. The way her character was written, she was trying to be a femme fatale and partly be the damsel in distress. Both aspects fail spectacularly. Still all those scenes where she's supposed to be alluring work to her advantage.
The film looks beautiful and is typical. But face value simply cannot be the only basis to this caper-crime film. That's where Runner Runner flounders; its got no real "twist" and just follows the motions leaving moviegoers with a story that you could probably tell in 5 to 10 minutes tops. Despite that I still like Runner Runner. It offers an interesting world, one which is highly secretive and very lucrative. Plus its a good inspiration if you're already well on your way to establishing your own online poker site. :D
Verdict: C Special thanks to 20th Century Fox for the invitation. RUNNER RUNNER is now showing.
Despite the risks – statistical and criminal – online gambling holds innumerable attractions. In today's post-economic-meltdown world, young people have fewer job options than ever before. But that hasn't done anything to affect their desire to get-rich-quickly. This generation – consumers from early childhood – is used to getting what they want, when they want it, with the click of a mouse.
“Runner Runner” depicts the risks of this reality starring Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake and Gemma Arterton where Timberlake plays Princeton grad and former Wall Street star Richie Furst, who believes he’s been swindled by an online poker organization based in Costa Rica. He decides to head to Central America to confront the owner, Affleck’s Ivan Block, and is soon seduced by the promise of immense wealth. As Block’s right-hand man he uncovers more than he bargains for, and is soon juggling loyalties and trying to stay alive.
The lavish life of “Runner Runner’s” gambling kingpin Ivan Block is what director Brad Furman calls, “the new American dream.” He elaborates: “Technology has led us to a world where everything comes very quickly, which has expedited this concept of the American dream. Young people today want everything faster – especially money.”
Affleck agrees, “Underneath this allure of fast and easy money is something inherently fraudulent, crooked, broken and wrong.” Everything now is about getting rich quickly, by any means necessary. The new corporate ethos is to cut the other guy’s throat. In some circles, it’s even considered healthy and to be prized.”
Ivan Block’s own journey down the rabbit hole has yielded untold riches, which is all the enticement Richie needs for what ultimately becomes a rite of passage. “Ivan Block is the unapologetic mentor who says, ‘Get what you can get and don’t think twice about it,’” says Affleck. “Block wants to manipulate Richie, to get him to be part of his team. His mission is to groom Richie so he won’t object to some of the darker things he sees.”
Affleck notes that reading people is one of Block’s chief strengths in distracting Richie from the tycoon’s less savory aspects: “Block knows what buttons to press on people, and his most impressive trick is to distract them from his true motives. To Block, people are insecure and almost desperate to succeed. He knows people feel they’ve been kicked around and that we’re taught to chase the dollar and to equate wealth with status, honor, success, and manliness. So he holds up that wealth, which blinds Richie to what’s really going on.”
“The movie hopefully will show how complicated Ivan Block is. We like to stand apart and look at people in this binary way and say you're bad and you’re good, and I think that makes really an interesting drama. What I hoped was that people would understand and identify with this guy on some levels, and maybe some people would find him and what he's proselytizing appealing. Justin's character does early on, and then given time he's revealed to be a guy who makes very bad choices and does things we recognize as immoral. What I think is interesting is that hopefully, if we've done our job right, you see at the root of those choices was a guy who wasn't necessarily bad to begin with, but chose a road. Once he made that choice he did what he had to do in order to be successful on that road,” Affleck explains of his character.
Before stepping in the caped crusader’s realm, Affleck says he immensely enjoyed the opportunity to “chew the scenery” of “Runner Runner” and, after the enormous success he had as director of last year’s “Argo,” relished the chance to “just be an actor again”. Which may come as a surprise to those who have adjusted to thinking of him as a world-class director – before the groundbreaking “Argo,” Affleck helmed the kidnapping drama “Gone Baby Gone” and Boston heist thriller “The Town.”
Included in Affleck’s journey as one of Hollywood’s A-list actors are unforgettable and blockbuster films such as “Good Will Hunting,” “Chasing Amy,” “Jay and Silent Bob,” “Mallrats,” “Dogma,” “Armageddon,” “Pearl Harbor,” “Daredevil,” “Gigli,” “Hollywoodland,” “Smokin’ Aces” and “The Company Men.”
“Runner Runner” opens September 26 in theaters from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
Gemma Arterton stars alongside Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake in “Runner Runner” wherein her role as Rebecca Shafran is entangled in the cutthroat world of online gambling.
“Runner Runner” explores the multi-billion dollar industry of online gambling where all players are supposed to have their share, in any which way possible. Affleck takes on the role of gambling kingpin Ivan Block while Timberlake is Richie Furst, a brilliant Princeton grad student on his way to finishing his masters. Furst, in order to further finance his studies takes commissions from online gambling operators and risks playing online too for additional money. When Richie betted all of his savings and lost it to Block’s operations, he soon finds out that he’s been tricked. Determined to recollect his tuition money, he heads to Costa Rica to confront Block about his malicious online practices. Soon thereafter, Richie falls for Block’s associate –sophisticated COO Rebecca Shafran (Gemma Arterton) – and he embraces a world that sees all of his fantasies come to life. But Richie soon learns that Block is wanted for racketeering, extortion and bribery, and that FBI Special Agent Shavers (Anthony Mackie) is obsessed with bringing Block and his associates to justice. “The real allure of Block’s world transcends money,” says director Brad Furman. It’s about something far more interesting – and dangerous. “The real equation in this movie is money times power equals sex. You ask men why they want money and power, and the answer usually is: women. That’s the bottom line.” The distaff representative of this world is Rebecca Shafren, Block’s sharp and powerful COO, whose loyalty to Block is tested when she meets Richie. English-born Gemma Arterton portrays Rebecca. A gambling novice, Arterton nevertheless embraced the role. “I really liked the script, which I thought was clever and witty, and it portrayed a world I wanted to investigate.”
“I really like Rebecca,” Arterton continues. “She's almost villainous in certain ways, and she’s never predictable. “Runner Runner” is about power, wealth and greed. I was intrigued by Rebecca’s desire to live in this world, which is indicative of how many women believe they must act – in an almost masculine way – in order to succeed.” “When Richie arrives in Costa Rica and meets Rebecca, she is very much the business person in control; she’s very tough, almost like a femme fatale,” Arterton continues. “But she also enjoys having fun. She sees this sexy, young guy and thinks, ‘I'll play around with him for a bit.’ She finds out that he's actually quite clever and smart, and he's different from other people she knows and works with. Rebecca has a real dilemma: she covets the wealth that comes with her position, and yet also rediscovers her moral bearings through her relationship with Richie. And she begins to change her outlook on Block and her position in his empire.”
A (2011) BAFTA nominee as Best Newcomer, Gemma Arterton is mostly known for the roles she played in the previously released blockbusters “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters,” “Clash of the Titans,” “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” “Quantum of Solace” and “RocknRolla.” She has most recently been seen in the highly anticipated “Byzantium” directed by Neil Jordan and written by Moira Buffini, in which she stars as vampire Clara opposite Saoirse Ronan. Her other film works include “Song for Marion,” “Tamara Drewe,” “The Disappearance of Alice Creed,” “The Boat that Rocked,” “Three and Out,” “St. Trinians” and in the animated “A Turtle’s Tale: Sammy’s Adventure” as her debut voice role. “Runner Runner” opens September 26 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros. Check out the trailer feature of “Runner Runner” @ 20thCenturyFoxPh/YouTube.
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Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck team up for 20th Century Fox's latest offering "Runner Runner". Here's the first poster, trailer and synopsis. Opens September 2013.
Synopsis: In the sexy, sultry thriller RUNNER RUNNER, Richie (Justin Timberlake), a Princeton college student who pays for school with on-line gambling, bottoms out and travels to Costa Rica to confront the on-line mastermind, Ivan (Ben Affleck), whom he believes has swindled him. Ivan sees a kindred spirit in Richie and brings the younger man into his operation. When the stakes get incredibly high and dangerous, and Richie comes to fully understand the deviousness of his new boss, he tries to turn the tables on him. "Runner Runner" will open very soon this September from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
Just got back from the advance screening of Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters in 3D and I must say that it's certainly got some great qualities about it. The film stars Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as the titular siblings who are out making a living killing witches.
I have to admit that the movie is kinda cute. It's not an original idea but it definitely packs a meaner punch compared to it's predecessors such as "Van Helsing" and "Snow White and the Huntsman". Okay, maybe not so much Snow White but more Van Helsing. The storytelling here is straightforward. There's no confusing plots in this action/adventure film.
