really nice positive thing about the entertainment business every single
day of the year, including weekends. Sometimes it may be something
simple, like a video that showcases something fun and sometimes it may
be a movie poster that embraces the aesthetic we all want Hollywood to
aspire to. Sometimes it may be a long-winded diatribe. Sometimes it’ll
be from the staff and extended family of CHUD.com. Maybe even you
readers can get in on it. So, take this to the bank. Every day, you will
get a little bit of positivity from one column a day here. Take it with
you. Maybe it’ll help you through a bad day or give folks some fun
things to hunt down in their busy celluloid digesting day.
08.5.10
By
What I’m Thankful For
Viggo Mortensen.
Ignore the fact that his chiseled jaw and sad eyes make feminine hearts flutter for a moment. Did you hear he’s going to be in On the Road? Remember how people were sad that David Cronenberg and Christoph Waltz had parted ways, and then Mortensen quietly stepped into A Dangerous Method, and all was right with the world? “Oh. It’s Mortensen and Cronenberg again. That works. Hell, that will be awesome.” With his obsessive and meticulous research, he’s never going to sleepwalk through a role. He’s never a step down on the casting ladder.
Mortensen is that improbable thing — a 52 year old movie idol. No, he’s not A-List and he lacks one of those catchy fannish nicknames (I haven’t heard of a fan site calling him V-Mortz), but he’s well known enough that even ordinary people perk up at the sound of his name. “Oh? Aragorn? Hey, I like him. Did you see that Western he did? That was pretty good.” In a world where casting decisions are made for tweens, and 30 is considered elderly, you have to be grateful that Hollywood still looks to him. And he gets the good scripts. He isn’t slumming it in action sequels or Hidalgo 2: The Galloping.
There’s also the simple fact that he’s a man — not one of those pretty and manicured boys trotted out in disposable romantic comedies and “action” flicks. Perhaps not a beefy man’s man Expendables type, but he can fight naked in a bathhouse or jump a diner counter, and no one says “I don’t know, I just don’t buy Mortensen in those parts.” And he has enough of a soul that he can turn those steely eyes into pure sensitivity, and seduce a costar (and an audience) should the script demand it.
Mortensen holds back the tide against the Robert Pattinsons and Taylor Lautners of the world. Be thankful for him. Ride out with him. Buy Alatriste off Ebay, because it’s pretty wonderful, and you’ll thank me for the recommendation.
And yes … he is quite dreamy, isn’t he?
13 comments
Elizabeth, you have the date wrong on this.
Otherwise, great entry! I'm looking forward to the MB thread so I can comment
Yes. Yes he is.
I love Viggo. But was the Western that was "pretty good" APPALOOSA? Because, no, that wasn't good.
Great entry into what is quickly becoming my favorite Chud column! I almost forgot that people can say positive things about movies on the internet!Thanks!
When I first saw Fellowship of the Ring in the theatre, I didn't like Aragorn, then I saw the long version and thought it he was fantastic.
In your article you didn't mention that he is also a wonderful photographer.
He could nakedly wrestle me in a bathhouse any day and I'd be twice the man for it.
"…he lacks one of those catchy fannish nicknames (I haven't heard of a fan site calling him V-Mortz)"
He's The Vig.
Yep, either The Vig or ah….in other…you know… circles… he's one half of the entity known as VigBean.
plus, he played the Devil in a horrible movie and survived to that!
Bravo. I've been thankful for him since "Witness," and anytime he's in a movie it's at least worth a watch.
Just found out they're going to be filming part of the movie in my hometown of Gatineau, Quebec, hope to see all the actors
Meh, he doesn`t have leading man charisma and I don`t know anyone outside of Internet who cares about him. he can`t put butts in seats and his movies don`t make money. His voice is nasal and his ROTK speech was awful. I guess he is alright when he is playing shady characters like in EP but Ringers overhype him more than he deserves. I`m still saying that Sean Bean would`ve been better Aragorn cause Viggo overplayed reluctant hero schtick.
Another item to up his street-cred: he was married and has a son with Exene Cervenka, from the band X.
Oh, and apparantly he speaks/knows eight languages.
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