JOHN GUSAOK
Nick Hornby's High Fidelity used to be about a thirtysomething vinyl junkie in a downbeat London. Now, thanks to JOHN CUSACK, it's about the same list-making fanatic in an altogether more glamorous Chicago.
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‘I know this might shock a lot of British people. but the transposition from London to Chicago was effortless.‘ says Cusack. ’When I read the book I knew where everything was in Chicago: I knew where the American Rob [Fleming the hero of the book] went to school and dropped out; I knew where he used to spin records. For the film we just sort of lost the Cockney accents. We talked to Nick Hornby and he said. "My books about a lot more than geographics".‘ (Top five pieces of movie trivia no. I: Robert De Niro has acquired the film rights to Hornby‘s most recent novel. :lhont xi Boy — not to be confused with De Niro‘s A Boy 's Life.)
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Hornby describes Rob as ‘sp<>tty" and Marie De Salle. the American singer songwriter he has a fling with. as a plumper version of [.A Law actress Susan Dey. Cusack isn‘t spotty and you wouldn‘t call Lisa Bonet plump. Anyway. here's the top five (gorgeous) actresses who play Cusack‘s lovers in the film: 1 lben Hjejle (Laura) 2 Lisa Bonet (Marie De Salle) 3 Catherine Zeta—Jones (Charlie) 4 Natasha Gregson Wagner (Caroline)
5 Lili Taylor (Sarah)
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(Top five pieces of movie trivia no. 2: High Fidelity cast and crew members who have worked with John C usack before: Lili Taylor (Say Anything). Jack Black (Cradle Will Roek). Tim Robbins (Bob Roberts) and Joan Cusack (see below). Stephen Frears (The Critters ). )
‘It was tricky. because you‘re with Rob despite him being a despicable lout.’ says Cusack about casting Laura. 'When the film starts. Laura's out of the door: she‘s wiped her hands of the relationship. She‘s not warm or sympathetic towards the protagonist of the story. So we needed someone who had a power and grace and didn‘t really want to be loved. A lot of American actors and actresses. myself included. try too hard to be liked. lben‘s completely comfortable with not trying to court audience sympathy.’
Hjejle. who previously starred in Dogma tilm no. 3. Mi/ime. says: ‘It was simply based on two things: Stephen and the script. It's the most direct script about men‘s relationships I‘ve ever read. It surprised me that it had this honesty. it’s very unusual for an American
film to deal with subjects like this.’
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There might be more than a hint of nepotism in the casting. Director Stephen Frears said: 'The film director Todd
Solondz [Happiness] wanted to be in the film so we wrote a part for him. then he said he didn‘t want to do it.‘ Nevertheless. the performances are top rate. Here‘s the top five: 1 Jack Black (Top five pieces of movie trivia no. 3: A stand-up comedian, Black is also the lead singer of band Tenacious D. which has completed a sell-out world tour) 2 Todd Louiso (who plays Dick to Black’s Barry. the mates whom Rob refers to as. ‘The musical moron twins')
3 Joan Cusack (Top five pieces of movie trivia no. 4: Joan and John have appeared in live films together: Sixteen Candles. Say Anything. Grosse Pointe Blank. Cradle ll’ill Roek. High Fidelity) 4 Tim Robbins 5 John Cusack And the all-time top five John Cusack films? 1 The Sure Thing 2 The (iri/ters 3 Grosse Pointe Blank (Top five pieces of movie trivia no. 5: Cusack also co-wrote this film with High Fidelity partners I). V. DeVincentis and Steve Pink) 4 Bullets ()t'er Broadway 5 Being .lohn Malkovieh
Back to the film for the top five cameo appearances:
1 Sara Gilbert (the Kurt Vonnegut-reading Goth from Roseanne)
2 and 3 Dick and Susie Cusack (more of John‘s relations)
4 Matt O'Neill (a customer in Rob‘s shop. Championship Vinyl. looking for The Beta Band‘s three EPs collection. and not the terrible follow-up album)
5 Bruce Springsteen ‘l devised this plan to do it. and the plan was to just call him up lBruce. The Boss] and ask him.~ laughs Cusack. ‘I said you have to play yourself having a conversation with my character in my character‘s head. He laughed. Then he called back and said let‘s do it.‘