While we're on the subject of porn and Tom Cruise, there's an amusing story. In the film "Eyes Wide Shut" Tom had to film a sex scene with Nicole Kidman, who was his wife at the time. The director hired two porn stars to show Tom and Nicole how to have sex. When this was reported in the press Tom denied it, even though various cast members confirmed it was true. He must have thought it put his manhood in question if he needed to be shown how to have sex with his wife. Far from it, he just didn't understand what the demonstration was for. Porn stars don't have sex the way normal people do. It's not about the sex itself, it's about displaying the sex for the camera. The couples always use positions to give the best possible exposure to the camera. That's something married couples don't do at home, and it's what Tom and Nicole needed to learn. There's no shame in that.
But I'm getting way off the topic. Let's make a connection here, however tenuous it might be. The leading actress in "Joan of Arc", Leelee Sobieski, also appeared in "Eyes Wide Shut". I hope that satisfies my critics. If anyone has the slightest doubt that Leelee is the best actress alive today, watch this film. It's all the more amazing when you consider that she was only 15 when she made the film. That's realistic, considering that the real person was 16 when she became famous, and 19 at the time of her execution.
In the 15th Century France was divided into three parts: one called France, one called Burgundy, and an area that was occupied by England, which the English arrogantly referred to as "England". For the sake of convenience I'll refer to the total of the three parts as "France" from now on. The people of France were impoverished and overtaxed by the constant battles with the English.
The film concentrates on Joan herself and her personal struggles. She was born into a poor family, and never learnt how to read or write. She was rejected by her father who had wanted a son. She found comfort in her Christian faith. At the age of 10 she received a vision of St. Catherine. She received a second vision when she was 16, and from then on the visions came regularly, guiding her. The main direction of the visions was to support the dauphin Charles to become king and unite France, driving the English out of the country. Did she really receive divine visions, or was she deluded? While the film suggests the former, it doesn't insist on it. The viewer can make his own mind up, based on his own religious disposition. But one thing can't be denied: this 16-year-old girl had such charisma that she motivated the French to fight against the English. Joan continued on her quest, even when St. Catherine informed her that Charles would betray her.
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Throughout the film Leelee Sobieski presents Joan of Arc believably, her strengths, her doubts, her fears. The supporting characters deliver solid performances, but the most noteworthy is Peter O'Toole as Bishop Cauchon. This is the most outstanding performance of his entire career, in my opinion. Cauchon has an animosity towards Joan and strives to remain stern towards her, but without a single word Peter's facial expressions show his sympathy towards the young girl. How many actors can do this today?
I don't know Eric Masterson but anyone is better than Tom Cruise
ReplyDeleteMaybe I was a bit unfair picking Tom Cruise as an example of a mainstream actor. He's one of the weakest actors in Hollywood. I don't understand how he's got so far. Maybe Scientology bribed film companies to hire him? I don't know. He's worst when he pretends to be Irish, for instance in "Far and Away". His accent is so bad that he made himself a laughing stock. Couldn't Hollywood have had the sense to use a real Irishman instead? Or maybe I was right to pick Tom as an example. I wanted to show that the best actors in porn films are better than the worst actors in Hollywood films. Not that Tom is the very worst though. Keanu Reaves? Kyle McLachlan?
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