There are some actors out there who I will see absolutely ANYTHING they appear in, even if it sucks, just because I know they’ll give a performance worth watching… even if the movie itself isn’t. After seeing “The Last Samurai” a few years ago, Ken Watanabe became one of those actors for me. Ken was nominated at the Oscars that year for best supporting actor, and although I have no problems with Tim Robbins winning it for his great performance in Mystic River, I still personally would have given it to Watanabe. He MADE that movie.
Watanabe has an very rare kind of elegant power on screen. He’s majestic, that’s just the only way I know how to put it (come on… look at that picture… would you fuck with that man?). If you’ve seen Letters from Iwo Jima, you know exactly what I mean.
Anyway, looks like Ken has signed up to appear in the new John C. Reilly and Salma Hayek flick “Cirque du Freak“. The folks over at Variety give us this:
Paul Weitz is helming the film, which is based on the bestselling 12-book children’s series by Darren Shan. Brian Helgeland (“Mystic River”) penned the screenplay. Reilly will play a vampire who drafts a 14-year-old to serve as his assistant. The youth is turned into a half-vampire and becomes the catalyst in a battle between vampires and the rival Vampanese. Hayek will play Madame Truska, the bearded lady. Watanabe will portray Mr. Tall, the barker for the Cirque.
I have to admit I know next to nothing about the books in question, but on the surface I have to say this is an interesting cast ensemble they’re throwing together. It doesn’t feel right. But that’s being said from the perspective of not really knowing the story, so for all I know it could all be perfect casting.
Have any of you guys read the books? What do you think about them?
