March 9, 2004
Secret Window
Gothamist loves Johnny Depp. And we love John Turturro, too. But after seeing trailers for their new movie, Secret Window, it seemed to us that the plot of Depp as a writer, working on his novel in a deserted cabin in the woods (of course), and Turturro as the crazy writer who appears at the door, claiming to have written Depp's story first, and wanting Depp to change the ending of his story, is more like "Knock knock, it's an angry Barton Fink in a Forrest Gump voice!" We prefer our crazy Turturro as a gay bowler. And the best Johnny Depp thriller is The Ninth Gate for our money.
Secret Window opens this Friday.
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I like to figure out the enitre movie plot just by view the trailor. It is satisfying to me, and besides with my busy schedule I don't have time to go to the movies that often, so I consider the trailors as my little movie watching experience.
When I saw the trailor for Secret Window, part of me wanted to see it and part of me laughed aloud. John Turturro seem miscast, I mean that accent is right out of Cold Mountain. Stephen King always repeats himself so I figure this movie is like a mish mash of Misery and the Dark Half. So either, Turturro is in Depp's head or Depp is Turturro- becoming him like a dual personality. And never discount the fact that King will go for totally magical things and make Turturro this spirit/thing blah manifestation of a character in one of Depp's books but I go for the second one, Depp becomes the Turturro character. You know, the author struggling wih his inner demons and all that crap, the struggle between ying and yang. Like most writers King is a bit of a narcissist and think these stories that he writes are a little too important in the large scheme of things. (how wrong could he be.)
The Big Lebowski is FABULOUS, but the two scenes with John Turturro as Jesus, the pedophile bowler absolutely take the cake. I grew up with crazy macho guys who were just like him (well, except for the pedophilia, that is). Turturro got it down completely, including that macho strut with the shoulders thrown back and the chest stuck out. He would have been right at home in Saturday Night Fever.
The movie's pretty forgettable (and the "twist" easy to figure out), but Depp's quirks and mannerisms are worth checking out.
It is based on a Stephen King novella, so expect motels, snow, remote cabins and a big corn influence. As in corn stalk, not corny comedy. And Timothy Hutton, not aging well.
I remain baffled, however, by Depp's choice of grown-out highlights for the character. I felt his hair was upstaging him.
Turturro's "Yoo shtole my shtory" seems destined to join such other classics uttered by gothic backwoods dwellers as "Squeal like a pig..."
I love Polanski and Gothamist but Ninth Gate?!!! That movie was so bad.
Didn't quite know where to post this...but maybe Gothamist will see it and pick up on it...I know Gothamist loves New York and loves movies...
one of the more bizarre New York/movie premiere tie-ins: http://www.zap2it.com/movies/contests/hellboy_contest/1,4625,,00.html
Turturro's accent in the trailer kills me every time, since it appears to be the same one he used in O Brother Where Art Thou? I couldn't help but think, "Why is Pete stalking Johnny Depp? Everyone knows Pete couldn't write his own name, let alone a story."
If ever there was a film that begged to be called "Ghost Writer," this must be it. Surely I'm not the first person to think of this...though if I am, I want credit when they market it over seas (Ecrivain de Fantôme, for example). Furthermore, "Secret Window" is a terrible monicker for a psychological thriller. I can come up with about a million better scenerios for such a title (and only half of them involve cheerleading squads).
Ninth Gate wasn't so bad, especially if you appreciate Polanski and were willing to cut him some slack and just go along for the ride.
uh how come nobody can see this movie for what it is? ive read some of the most stupid reviews
for this movie where people just didnt get it.
its a beautiful sad story.
depp's character deteriorated throughout the movie because he'd never gotten over his wifes
betrayal. the night at the motel he wanted to blow his wife and the guy she was with away, BUT
he didnt. after that he became severely depressed (which explains his poor state throughout the
movie) and subconsciously created this farmer character through his pain to finally write the
ending, leading up to the killing scene. wow, the power of regret?
my guess is it was made by king to just be a good scary story. scary in a sense that depp's
character slipped into madness and didnt know it. a very poe like quality for a short story dont
you think?
the quote about the corn which the whole mess was probably created on ties in with the farmer
character from mort's story, and the secret garden which ties into the secret window, which ties into mort's story again, and his wife.
for people ragging on the ending i thought it was clever when mort was talking to the sheriff about how every story needs a great ending or its nothing. he got his didnt he?
king is a master, depp is great in it.
"i'll call you on the phone"