.\lc(iann. who's been acting for 20 of his 46 years and who‘s still best known for his film debut ll'il/iiiuil (l2 /. says he doesn‘t do a lot of improvising. ‘.\'orinally. I don‘t like it.‘ he says. ’lt gives me the creeps. But doing it day in and day out was fantastically liberating. You got over your nerves and it was demanding. but fun and interesting. After all.‘ .\lc(}ann says. ‘acting isjust a discipline. It was good to achieve the same thing in a different way. which was kind of refreshing. .\'ow. I wouldn't hesitate to work like that again.‘
l)espite (iv/m turning out to he a good experience for him. .\lc(}ann can‘t help feeling there‘s something dodgy ahout l)ogme. "l'o he perfectly honest. the whole l)ogme thing. the idea of shooting in a certain style to get closer to this emotional truth. I'm a little hit doubtful ahottt that.‘ he says. ‘lt’s very subjective. this idea of emotional truth or authenticity. An actor isn‘t feeling those emotions: he‘s acting them. The audience feels them. The fact is. when you make a film its make-believe anyway. livery film involves a certain amount of artifice: we‘re still actors speaking dialogue. telling a story.
'I don‘t think you should he reverent about it.’
he says of l)ogme‘s vow of chastity. ‘It's kind of
weird. It's really. really strict. I think someone's having a joke. I heard 'l‘homas Vinterherg talking about l't'Slt’ll. which is a womlerful film. and he said. "'l'he reason we shot in this house and not that one is because there was food and drink in the fridge." 'l‘hat‘s ludicrous.‘
As you might surmise. .\lc(iann has a down— to-earth attitude to acting. He thinks of it as ajoh and a craft. like being a pltnnher or a carpenter. And since he started out (not having had the discipline. funnily enough. to stick with his first love. athletics) hc’s kept himself in employment.
‘I'M PLAYING A RACIST SO I THOUGHT I'D BETTER SAY SOMETHING RACIST '
He does as much TV as he does film and works in the ['K a lot. close to home (Bristol. where he lives with his wife Annie and two kids). Ilis (,‘V is littered with little gems — Alan Bleasdale‘s Tllt’ Mount-led .lvluliiir'm'. the superb fake doctor thriller l’upw' .l/Iusk. the underrated Alien 3. My Kiitgrlriiii (King ].(’(Il' in Liverpool) and even the not very good ITS-produced l‘)‘)() Dr Him TV movie. in which .\1c(}ann was very good. But he hasn‘t yet made a better film than his first. l'l'ii/iimi/ & I. in which .\Ic(}ann plays I. AKA Peter Marwood. the alter ego of the film‘s writer-director Bruce Robinson. is possibly one of the funniest films ever tnade. It's about two out-of—work actors drinking their way through the butt—end of the (i()s. but it is also moving and profound. .\lc(iann‘s justifiably proud of it. And by coincidence. his co-star Richard Ii (irant is also coming to lidinhurgh this month (Grant's directing debut. ll'uli-ll’uli. opens the liilm festival). ‘lt would be great if he's around when I‘m up there.’ .\1e(iann says. ‘We’d never met each other before Hit/mail & l and we’re very different. but we've been mates ever since.’
I ask ahout his memories of making the cult classic. ‘We just laughed.‘ he says. 'We were so excited. We‘d never done a picture. so we were very green. very enthusiastic and very eager to please. We would have done anything. We were really zealous — and cheap. When people ask actors what‘s their favourite thing they ever did. most of us say the first one. That's nearly 20 years ago. It's hard to believe. It’s great to he associated with something like that.'
Filmhouse 1, 623 8030, Wed 24 Aug, 8pm and Fri 26 Aug, 9.30pm, £7.95 (£5.20).
A BRITISH FEAST
This year’s EIFF is wealthy beyond all riches with homegrown fare. Paul Dale chooses five other British features you may want to check out.
The Great Ecstasy of Robert Carmichael Strictly not for the squeamish. Thomas Clay’s tale of
' dyspeptic. violent youth in a British coastal town is set to be this year‘s Irreversible or Dans ma Peau — mainly because of a hideous rape scene. Clay. however. claims that the film is in fact a protest movie. a reaction to Britain‘s intervention in lraq. One for serious. strong-stomached cineastes. Filmhouse, 623 8030. 24 Aug, 70. 75pm; Cameo, 623 8030, 26 Aug. 9.30pm. 2 7.95 (525.20).
Green Street Lexi Alexander's juucy and sordid tale of football hooliganism tips its hat to both X ‘ -' v Alan Clarke's l ' Superior The
i i . Firm and Phil Davis' /D. which is no bad thing. Cineworld. 623 8030. 23 Aug, 7. 300m 8 24 Aug, 8.30mi). £7.95 (£5.20).
Guy X Jason American Pie Biggs in half decent movie shock. Glasgow boy Saul Late Night Shopping Metzstein's anti- war satire set at a military base on the frozen arctic waste (8 this year's Buffalo Soldiers. Ciriewor/d. 623 8030. 22 Aug, 7pm 8 23 Aug. 5. 75pm, £7.95 (£5.20).
Song of Songs Fascinating drama explorating the _ cloistered world .. of London's
' € _V High . Orthodox
. " v: Jewish community. This is very adult cinema. and stars Natalie Press from last's year‘s Festival hit My Summer of Love. Fl/li'lliOL/SG, 623 8030. 25 Aug. 8pm 8 27 Aug, 2.30pm, £7.95 (£35.20).
Kinky Boots A film that rewards repeated viewings. This delightful comedy drama based on the true story of a yOung man who inherits a decrepit Midlands shoe factory features great performances (particularly from lead Chiwetel Ejiofor). show stopping tunes and screwball comedy mentality. Start walking, kid . . . Cinewor/d, 623 8030. 27 Aug, 7pm 8 24 Aug, 8pm, £7.95. (£5.20).
' t '8 Aug 311:5; THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 45