Feature Interview by Lorna Allen
In V for Vendetta an ensemble cast of respected actors team up with master of action Joel Silver and the innovative Wachowski Bros who were behind The Matrix to deliver a visually stunning and politically rich critique of the state and government. Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith from The Matrix) dons a Guy Fawkes mask and cape and struts his stuff, opposing a futuristic fascist government as flamboyant anarchist – stroke terrorist stroke freedom fighter, depending on how you look at it, known quite simply as V in this dystopian pulp adventure, complete with literary references from George Orwell and William Blake penned by cult graphic author John Moore (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, From Hell).
Producer Joel Silver, first-time director James McTeigue and cast members Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, John Hurt and Stephen Fry recently gathered for a lively and informative chin wag and revealed what attracted them to what is both very contemporary and relevant and also a striking cautionary tale.
The transition from graphic novel to the big screen has not been an entirely straightforward process.
‘’We had acquired the material in the late 80s, the original graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd’’ explains Joel Silver. ‘’It was a very different kind of political time then, particularly in America and the rest of the world.’’
V for Vendetta was penned back in 1982 and the Wachowski duo wrote the script in the 90s but the project was shelved until global interest in the siblings went global after the success of their complex mould-breaking futuristic thriller The Matrix. With a changing international landscape and political climate the time seemed ripe to dust off the original script and the siblings re-wrote the screenplay in 2004. The brothers suggested the project should be helmed by first time director McTeigue who had paid his dues on The Matrix trilogy as first assistant director. As Silver put it ‘’the world was a little different then. They cleaned it up a little bit and here we are today.’’
As Silver explains the original source material was ‘’a discussion of Thatcher England at that time’’ but in light of recent developments and issues of press manipulation the subject matter has taken on an alarming relevance to contemporary living and the very real fear of the limitation of personal freedoms which now exists in the light of 9/11 and The war On terror.
‘’I’d like to think that a lot of people in government would see it and have a little thought about what extreme government can do to its citizens; what positions the citizens find themselves forced to be in…the kind of person you become when you start responding to a tyrannical government. It’s the kind of debate that where I come from people have been having’’ explained Northern Irish Stephen Rea who plays Detective Finch .
A controversial film V for Vendetta depicts a caped crusader of sorts who spurs the people of England to stand up en masse against the fascist Big Brotheresque British government and encourages a revolt which culminates in a fantastic and symbolic set piece – the blowing up of the Houses of Parliament. A daring venture especially in light of the tragic events which rocked London in July 2005. Did these events impact hugely on the story at hand? Director James McTeigue insists not.
‘’Obviously we had finished shooting the film by then. They were completely tragic horrible events that happened on July 7th here, but I think you just have to go with the material that you always had, and so it didn’t effect the film on the cutting room floor at all actually.’’
The film had originally been slated for a 5th November last year release date - to tie in nicely and appropriately with Guy Fawkes day celebrations, however, the release got nudged back to March 17th. Again however McTeigue refutes rumours that this was due to the film’s potentially explosive content.
‘’We intended to release the movie on November 5th because we thought that would be a wonderful kind of marketing idea, but the picture we finished shooting in September of that year, and the idea of getting it done in November was impossible. I mean we realised at that point it was a one territory holiday, yet a very important territory and to kind of kill ourselves to get the movie done when around the world that day wouldn’t have meant as much as it would here. At the end of the day it worked out really great because the world seem to have gone to a place where I think the movie is even more relevant now than it was several months ago.’’
The London portrayed in the film is very recognisable and contemporary in appearance. The offices, the buildings, the clothes of the characters all suggest here and now but the feel is bleak and dark and evocative of 25 years ago despite being set in the future. Steve Fry acknowledges the film has a lot in common with the feel and outlook of films of the 70s and early 80s.
‘’In the 70s there was a big issue about the individual and the state’’ Fry explains referencing dystopic films like Omega Man and Logan’s Run, which Joel Silver is currently working on. ‘’In the 80s it was maybe less interesting to people…and suddenly it’s something everyone’s talking about again. So it’s rather wonderful to be in a film which is lets face it a fantastic popcorn movie but which also has people coming out of the screenings really talking about things. Not in a pompous intellectual way, but genuinely talking about the way their country’s going…it’s one of the best things a film can do and if you can do it in a format that’s wholly entertaining then so much the better.’’
So is this speculation on how life will be in 25 years?
‘’I think this is certainly possible that the liberty of the individual will be compromised, if not by the state, then by a combination of the state and the billions of bits of date about us floating around which anyone can access, whether its organised crime, whether its corporate global organisations, or whether its individual states’’ muses Stephen Rea.
Despite the rave reviews the film has been garnering one person who adamantly refused to be connected with the production was original writer John Moore. He did not want his name on the movie, even though his partner artist David Lloyd has been on board and actively involved in promoting the film.
Joel Silver expressed disappointment that Moore did not want to support the film. ‘’I hope one day he sees the movie because I think it is the best translation of any of his work to film. I believe we tried to be very respectful of his material.’’
It seems it was fear of a horlicks being made of his graphic novel is what prompted the award winning author to shy away from involvement. His previous works such as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Constantine and From Hell failed to set the movie world alight.
Initially Moore had been happy for his work to be adapted as long as he was not involved in the process – content that people would not confuse the two. He has since admitted that this was rather naïve on his part. After allegations of plagiarism and an ensuring court case involving 20th Century Fox erupted in the wake of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen he decided to divorce himself from the film world and decided prohibit film adaptations of anything to which he owned full copyright and refused to give his name to anything for which others owned the rights. He was allegedly angered when Joel silver claimed at an early press conference that he was happy with the proposed project and promptly cut all ties with DC Comics. He is also reported to have called the script ‘imbecilic’.
Regardless of his criticisms the response to V for Vendetta has been generally positive and Joel Silver seems to be relishing being in the limelight for his association with an intelligent film of critical worth.
‘’Well, I made a lot of stupid action movies in my life’’ he laughs ‘’but I like stupid action films. I mean, I’m kind of proud of them.’’ But fear not Die Hard lovers, the guy behind the Lethal Weapon films, Swordfish and Exit Wounds is not a leopard who is entirely inclined to change his spots. ‘’I’ll still continue to make stupid action films, but I think this one is a very smart film and I think that people will feel differently when they see it.’’
The legendary John Hurt also got the opportunity to do something a little different in V. Playing the dictator Adam Sutler, he got the chance to play a Big Brother type villain like the one who controlled his anti-hero Winston Smith in 1984. ‘’That’s the glory of being an actor…to be able to play both sides of the coin. I have to say it was a lot of fun doing it. I enjoyed it a lot. Both.’’
For leading lady Natalie Portman her role as freedom fighting Evie allowed her the chance to shed the shackles of the constraints of feminine vanity – by shedding her luscious locks.
‘’It was actually kind of wonderful to throw vanity away for a little bit. As a woman you’re always expected to be primping and preening yourself. It’s a pretty nice opportunity to get to not think about that stuff for a little.’’
Natalie got to develop another new skill whilst making the film – adopting an English rose accent with the help of intensive voice coaching. ‘’It was exciting because doing a different accent immediately puts you into a different character. It’s sort of an immediate switch.’’
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