Revenger's Tragedy
1/16/2005
Revenger's Tragedy - great little movie directed by Alex Cox and starring Christopher Eccleston as the "Revenger." Probably not for young audiences (language, violence), but is timely and loads of quirky, chaotic fun.
"Let the man who seeks revenge remember to dig two graves." This is the message the film begins with. How apt, considering the nature of the film and the state of the world's affairs.
Christopher Eccleston is a brilliant actor; he will be the perfect Doctor, perhaps even a bit more schizophrenic than Tom Baker was in his heyday - but much more convincing. Here, he plays a tortured man on top of his game of seeking revenge for the murder of his bride. He's a 'bone-setter' by trade, and he even carries around his bride's skull and rants and raves with it (but not in the hamlet fasion; no, this is much more tortured and anarchistic than anything Shakespeare has ever done).
Derek Jacobi plays the villainous, lecherous duke who is the target of revenge. With such a determined performance, one would not believe that the actor was paid little to nothing for his involvement.
Eddie Izzard plays a son of the Duke and the next in line, and a reluctant power junkie.
If you've seen Repo Man, Sid and Nancy, and Straight to Hell, take that impression and combine it with a jacobian revenge tragedy (language and all), add Eccleston and Eddie Izzard, with little or no budget, and you have a memorable way to spend 2 hours of your life. This won't be a remembered or highly-sought after film, but then again, the truly unique ones never are.
posted by novachild @ Sunday, January 16, 2005,
