The Motorcycle Boy Reigns
November 23rd 2006 01:31
Rumblefish (1983)
Drama
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on the book of the same name by S.E Hinton, Rumblefish is the dramatic and often quirky tale of two brothers in the 1950’s, one known only as The Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), with a reputation for being the local bad boy, and the other, his younger brother, Rusty James (Matt Dillon), desperate to follow in his footsteps.
Filmed in black and white, to reflect The Motorcycle Boy’s inability to see in colour, the only colour we are shown in the film, is the blue and red of the Siamese Fighting Fish at the local pet store that The Motorcycle Boy vows to put in the river.
This is a highly stylized art-house film that is visually stunning. It speaks of the confused disillusionment of youth and the quiet desperation of young adulthood. It holds legend up to reality and reveals the immense abyss between the two and then explores the disappointment of this discovery.
Mickey Rourke’s quiet, enigmatic, unassuming and often too softly spoken Motorcycle Boy hits all the right marks while gently tugging on the heartstrings and Matt Dillon’s discontent, rough, street thug is all at once endearing and frustrating.
With an amazing supporting cast, sporting the likes of Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper, Chris Penn, a very young Diane Lane, a twelve year old Sophia Coppola, and a cameo by Tom Waits as Benny the Bartender, it is worth watching just to see the stellar cast in action.
This film is one of my favourite films. It is bold, brash, beautiful and clearly ahead of its time. The strangeness of adolescence is played out beautifully through the strangeness of the direction in this film. It has an ethereal quality that makes you feel as if you're watching a dream, and once it's over you'll want to watch it again. All in all, Rumblefish is Coppola’s unsung masterpiece. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favour and rent it this weekend.
Drama
Mickey Rourke as The Motorcycle Boy
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on the book of the same name by S.E Hinton, Rumblefish is the dramatic and often quirky tale of two brothers in the 1950’s, one known only as The Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), with a reputation for being the local bad boy, and the other, his younger brother, Rusty James (Matt Dillon), desperate to follow in his footsteps.
Filmed in black and white, to reflect The Motorcycle Boy’s inability to see in colour, the only colour we are shown in the film, is the blue and red of the Siamese Fighting Fish at the local pet store that The Motorcycle Boy vows to put in the river.
This is a highly stylized art-house film that is visually stunning. It speaks of the confused disillusionment of youth and the quiet desperation of young adulthood. It holds legend up to reality and reveals the immense abyss between the two and then explores the disappointment of this discovery.
Mickey Rourke’s quiet, enigmatic, unassuming and often too softly spoken Motorcycle Boy hits all the right marks while gently tugging on the heartstrings and Matt Dillon’s discontent, rough, street thug is all at once endearing and frustrating.
With an amazing supporting cast, sporting the likes of Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper, Chris Penn, a very young Diane Lane, a twelve year old Sophia Coppola, and a cameo by Tom Waits as Benny the Bartender, it is worth watching just to see the stellar cast in action.
This film is one of my favourite films. It is bold, brash, beautiful and clearly ahead of its time. The strangeness of adolescence is played out beautifully through the strangeness of the direction in this film. It has an ethereal quality that makes you feel as if you're watching a dream, and once it's over you'll want to watch it again. All in all, Rumblefish is Coppola’s unsung masterpiece. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favour and rent it this weekend.
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