Name Ben Whishaw
Born 14 October 1980. Bedtordshire.
Background Whishaw grew up in Bedfordshire where he attended the Bancroft Players Youth Theatre before transferring to RADA. He first started making waves on the London stage. first in His Dark Materials and then, when he became the youngest actor. aged just 23. to play Hamlet in a major West End production. The reviews for the spindly actor were phenomenal. His first leading movie role was in My Brother Tom and he has also appeared in Enduring Love and Layer Cake. Others will recognise him as bullied technogeek Pingu from Nathan Barley.
What’s he up to now? He plays Jean-Baptiste Grenouitle in Tom Tykwer's adaptation of Patrick Suskind's bestseller Perfume: The Stay of a Murderer. He spent the past summer on stage at the National Theatre in London, in a new adaptation of The Seagull before heading to Montreal to play one of the many Bob Dylans in Todd Haynes' bizarre sounding Dylan biopic I’m Not There. Obviously he's getting used to playing rock stars having played Keith Richards in Stoned. What he says about his serial killer character in Perfume
‘To be honest. because this character is very odd there wasn't really any option but to read the book. I felt I needed more information because he says so little and the screenplay is quite sparse in terms of the usual bits of information that you'd extract from it as an actor, so for me it was essential to read and draw out as much as I could. Eventually there comes a point where you put it to one side and say "this is our interpretation". I found it useful.’
Interesting Fact Whishaw doesn't like the smell of perfume. He prefers people's natural smell - unadorned. (Kaleem Aftab)
I Perfume is on general release from Tue 26 Dec.
66 THE LIST 14 Dec 2006—4 Jan 2007
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, star rating, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Paul Dale
Albana’s Asylum 4» Happy( IZA) (Maria Baskhanova/I.iam ('ampbell. I'K. 2006) 90min. A (ilasgow Media Access (‘entre/I‘irst Light double bill of new films by young people on the (iMA(' youth programme. The programme also includes a Q&A. awards ceremony and The Making of . shorts. (ilasgmt' Eilm Theatre. (ilavgmr. Amphitryon (P(i) (Reinhold Seliun/el. (iermany. I935) Willy I-‘ritsch. Kathe (iold. Paul Kemp. l03niin. Jupiter disguises himself as Atnphitryon iii order to seduce the mortal man’s w ife in this charming blend of operetta and classical myth. (‘omic confusion and sly anachronisms abound. Part of Iiarly (ierman Sound Films season. l-ilrnhuuye. Edinburgh. Artists and Icons ( l5) (Various) 86min. Iconic characters from the worlds of screen and art ((ireta (iarbo. Marlene Dietrich. Joan of Arc. I)oroth_v front the llifar‘d 0/ ()3 and Andy Warhol) are given playful. thoughtful and imaginative attention in a series of shorts. Screening with short film. The Anthem. by Apichatpong 'l’mpieal Mir/adv Weerasethakul. (i/axgmv I'ilrn 'I‘heulre. (ilasgtrit’. Baabul (PG) .0. (Ravi (‘hopra. India. 2006) Amitabh Bachchan. llema Malirii. Salman Khan. 150mm. See Bollywood round-tip. page 62. Seleeted release. Bad Santa ( IS) 0... (Terry Zwigoff'. t'S/(iermany. 2003) Billy Bob 'l'hornton. Tony ('ox. Brett Kelly. Lauren (irahaiit. Bernie Mac. ‘)lmin. Wickedly funny movie about a pair of con men posing as Santa and his elf in order to rob department stores. ’I‘hornton's Father Christmas. a foul iiiouthed. womanising drunk named Willie T Stokes. is a work of comic genius whose consistently shocking catalogue of crimes and iiiisdemeanours includes arriving inebriated: pissing his pants with a child sitting on his lap; and indulging his penchant for anal sex with big black women. It's a comic refrain that generates belly laughs thick and fast throughout the shortiin film's running time. Don‘t bring your kids to this one. (ir‘usi'enm; (ilas'gmt‘. Bhagam Bhag (tbc) (Priyadarshrin. India. 2006) Akshay Kumar. (iovinda. Jackie Shroff. l50min. A funny. romantic Bollywood farce. Filmed in London and Oxford the film follows a group of actor lotliarios and the scrapes and loves they get into on a l‘K tour. ('inen'nrld Rt'Il/t't'li‘ Street. (ilasgmv. Big Nothing ( l5) 0. (Jean-Baptiste Andrea. ITK. 2006) Simon Pegg. Dav id Schwiiiimer. Alice live. 85min. A small town blackmail comedy in which call centre employees (’harlie (Schw immer) and (his (Pegg) try to blackmail a pederast priest. only chaos (in the universal sense) ensues. The film tries to be stylistically and shockingly innovative. btit a multitude of faults (Scliw immer‘s lack of presence. a weak script. Pegg's accent) hold it back. Rent Dir/v .llarjv (‘rasv Ixirrv instead. (ineivm‘ld ReIt/l't'n‘ Street. (ilaygmv. The Bishop’s Wife (1') 0.. (Henry Koster. l'S. l‘)-l7) ('ary (irant. Loretta Young. David Niven. l05min. An almost classic holiday film about a bishop (Niven) who neglects his wife and parishioners to save his cathedral. until an angel (( Brant) intervenes. (ilaygan' I'i/In Theatre. (ilasgrrn'. Black Christmas ( l5) ooo ((ilen Morgan. (‘anada/l "S. 2006) Kate ('assidy. Michelle 'l‘ratichtenbtirg. Mary Elizabeth Winstead. 84min. See Also Released. page ()4. (ieneral release. The Blue Angel (PG) .000 (JUSCT von Sternberg. (iermany. l930) limil Jannirigs. Marlene Dietrich. Kurt (ierron. 108mm. Berlin's decadent cabaret era is vibrantly brought to life as Dietrich's voluptuous singer Lola-Lola sets out to seduce and destroy a bourgeois schtmlteacher. In her first major role. the actress taps into a potent current of female sexuality. I'ilnt/Irruse. Edinburgh.
Borat ( 15).... (Larry ('harles. ISA. 2006) Sacha Baron (’ohen. Pamela Anderson. Keri Davitian. 82min. Borat (Baron (‘ohen) and his producer A/amat (Davitian) travel through Ka/akhstan and the US. insulting everyone along the way and meeting countless really confused real Americans. The format of fake iiiterv iews as a series of road movie vignettes works. sharp editing arid brilliant performances eliciting constant belly laughs. It is ati admirable aim to satirise absolutely everyone. lli five indeedl. Selected release. Brick ( 15) “O (Rian Johnson. IS. 2005) Joseph (Bordon-Levitt. Nora Zehetner. Iimilie de Ravin. Matt ()‘I.eary. l l0min. (ieeky loner Brendan (Gordon—Levitt) is having a bad week. llis junkie ex girlfriend is dead and his investigations are leading nowhere. ()ri his side. he has the Brain (()‘I.eary') and rich girl sophisticate mystery woman Laura ('/.ehetner). btit then he crosses Iiigli school crime lord the Pin (Lukas Ilaas) and his muscle Tug (Noah Fleiss). ('ommendable btit deeply flaw ed and twcassionally cringy update of the classic film noir to a modern I'S hiin school setting. A for effort. (‘ for execution. (inner), Edinburgh.
Bride and Prejudice ( 12A) ooo ((iurinder ('hadra. ITK/lTS. 2004) Aishwary a Rai. Martin Ilenderson. Daniel (iillies. Naveen Andrews. Itllniin. It had to happen sooner or later. The Jane Atisten/Bollywood crossover movie is here and rather underwhelming. Darcy (Henderson) is an American who falls in love with an unsuitable Indian girl (Rai) when he attends an arranged marriage with a friend. The subsequent fall otit is bounced between India. London and LA through song. dance and other contrivances. Pleasant btit forgettable. I-‘ilrn/muse. Edinburgh. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason ( l5) .0 (Beeban Kidron . l'K. 2004) Renee Zellweger. (‘olin Firth. lltigh (irant. ltlh’min. It‘s four weeks after the end of the last movie and Bridget
(Xellw eger) is happily in love with Mark Darcy (Firth) but paranoia. stupidity and the advice of her ridiculous males is about to lead her iii the most bizarre of directions. Tiresome seqtiel. four years too late. (‘inevt'nrld Park/lead. (ilasgmv.
Bugsy Malone (t') 000 (Alan Parker. l'K. l‘)7()) Scott Baio, Jodie Foster. Martin Lev. 93min. See feature. page 6|. (ilas‘gmv I'ilrn Theatre. (iltisgmt:
Candy ( l5) .0. (Neil Armfield. Australia. 2006) Heath Ledger. Abbie (‘ornish. (ieoffrey Rtisli. 108mm. It's tough to depict drug addiction without falling into cliche. The episodic descent of wannabe poet and heroin user Dan (Ledger) and lover (’andy' ((‘ornish) into a hellish downward spiral fails. despite good [wrformances and excellent cinematography. (ilmgun' Eilrn Theatre. (i/avgmr; I'ilIII/ttltl.\t'. Edinburgh. Cars (l’(i) 0.. (John I.asseter. l'S. 2006) Voices of Owen Wilson. Paul Newman. Bonnie Hunt. Larry The (‘able (itiy. l2lmin. Racecar Lightning McQueen loses his way en route to the final race of the season and finds himself marooned in the sleepy town of Radiator Springs. which is populated by an array of misfit cars. I)espite the many positives. ('urs doesn't quite make the highest grade mainly because it‘s the least original Pixar film yet. ('inetmr'ld Park/read. (ilaygmv; ('inevmrld Edinburgh. Edinburgh. Casino Royale t 12A) .0 (Martin ('anipbell. I'S/t'K/(Vech Republic. 2006) Daniel ('raig. Iiva (ircen. Mads Mikkelseii. l-l-lmiri. The prequel to the other Botid films time warps back to the enduring action hero becortiing a ()0 licensed to kill. The latest Bond ((‘raigl proves to be a strong leading man. btit the film is let down by trying to do too much. Willi a weak villain and Bond girl to boot. it doesn't really feel like a Boiitl film at all. General release.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (PG) 0 (Andrew Adamson. IS. 2005) (ieorgie Ilenley. William Moseley. Skandar Keynes. James McAvoy. Ray Winstone. Dawn French. Tilda Swinton. l25min. This. the first of seven proposed children fantasy blockbusters based on (‘S Lewis' much loved allegorical novels. is an absolute stinker. and
one matle all the more unpalatable by the fact that the very uncliristian greed of its producers is so utterly palpable over its seemingly endless running tittie. Proof that great books ear) make truly appalling films. ('arnet). Edinburgh.
Containert l5) .0. (Lukas
Moody sson. Sweden. 2006) Jena Malone. I’eter Lorent/on. Martha Aberg. 75min. See review. page 62 and profile in listings. (ilasgmr I‘ilrn llteatre. (rlttygmv; I'ilrnhouve. Edinburgh.
Corpse Bride (Po ) oooo (Tim Burton/Mike Johnson. I'K. 2005) Voices of Johnny Depp. Ilelena Bonham ('arter. liniin Watson. Tracey l'llman. 77min. In a gloomy Victorian town. fallen aristocrats the liverglots are getting ready to marry their daughter Victoria (Watson) off to the son of tiouveau riche fish tycoons the Van Dorts. The trouble is that the Van I)orts~ sensitive son Victor (Depp) has gone and got himself hitched to another lady (Carter) and the contract looks like it's binding. linormously enjoyable gotliie stop motion animation from the same team w ho brought you A Nightmare Before (’hrivtrnav. Part of lake 2. (ilasgnn I'ilrn 'l'heatre. Glasgow.
The Covenant( IZA) O (Renny Ilarlin. LS. 2006) Toby Hemingway. ('liace ('rawford. Steven Strait. 97min. Derivative. not very scary sujx'rnatural thriller about the descendents of pioneer Massachusetts families who have inherited magical powers. (it’rlt'l‘al release.
Dark Horse (Volrsne mennesker) (15) 0.. (Dagur Kari. I)eniiiark/Iceland. 2005) Jakob ('edergren. Nicolas lJt'o. Tilly Scott Pedersen lllfilnin. See review. page 63. (il-“II Glasgow.
Deck the Halls t I’(i) o (John Whitesell. IS. 2006) Danny I)e\'ito. Matthew Broderick. Kristin Davis. 92min. Lame. unfunny and forgettable fatnin comedy about one-tipsmanship. jealousy. clashing neighbors, home decoration . . . and the true spirit of the holidays. The leads (Broderick and l)e\'itol look bewildered by the depths to which they have sunk. (ieneral release.
Deep Water (P( i) 00. (Louise ()smond. Jerry Rothwell. I'K. 2006) Jean Badin. ('Iare ('row hurst. Donald (‘row htirst. 93min. See review. page 6-1. I'ilnihouve. Edinburgh.
Deja Vu (l’(i) 0. (Tony Scott. LS. 2006) Den/cl Washington. Val Kilmer. Paula Patton. James ('av ie/el. I2Smiri. See review. page ()4. (ienera/ release.
Dhoom 2 ( I2A) O. (Sanjay
(iadhv i. India. 2006) Abhishek Bachclian. l'day ('hopra. llrithik Roshan. Aishwarya Rai. Bipasha Basu. l50min. ('ops v s robbers. Indian style. as unlikely pairing Jai Disit (Bachcliaii) and Ali Khan ((‘hopra) Assistant ('ommissioner of Police and jailbird-biker-turned-cop chase badtlies Mr A and Sunehri from Namibia to Rio de Janeiro. via (ioa. Mumbai and Rajasthari. ()deun Al The Quay. (ilasgmt .' ()deun Earl Iv'iririaird. Edinburgh.
Durruti: en la revolucion espana (tbc) (Paco Rios. Spairt. 1998) 60min. A story of the railway worker Durruti who became a leader. strongly critical of the coiteept of leadership in the I’eoples' Militia during the struggle against fascism iii 1930s Spain. still-.1. Edinburgh.
Elephantt IS) 0... ((itis van Sant. IS. 2003) Ales Frost. Iiric Detilen. John Robinson. lilias Mc('onnell. Jordan Taylor. Slmin. Quiet. intelligent. non judgemental pseudo reconstruction of the events that could have led tip to a ('oliimbine—sty le school massacre. \‘an Saitt uses real students to play the parts of the kids as lie slowly reveals different parts of the day through various points of v iew. A major work. this is a fascinating experitiient in the heart of the IS indie scene. (inner). Edinburgh. Elftl’(i) 0.. (Jon l‘avr'eau. IS. 2003) Will Ferrell. James ('aan. Iidvvard Asner. 96min. Buddy (Ferrell) is a big Iilf who. though accepted in his Iilv isli community in the North Pole. manages to wreak havoc on a daily basis. Fed tip and confused by his charge. Papa lilf (Bob New hart) sends him to the IS in search of his trtie identity. llilarious and puerile Yuletide comedy from the star of Swingers. (Mean :II The Quay; (iluvgmr; ()deun Hester Hailey. Edinburgh.