The Legend: Guy Pearce
The dictionary’s definition of “a legend” is this:
legend [ˈlɛdʒənd]
n
1. a popular story handed down from earlier times whose truth has not been ascertained
2. a group of such stories the Arthurian legend
3. a modern story that has taken on the characteristics of a traditional legendary tale
4. a person whose fame or notoriety makes him a source of exaggerated or romanticized tales or exploits.
5. an inscription or title, as on a coin or beneath a coat of arms
6. explanatory matter accompanying a table, map, chart, etc.
7. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms)
a. a story of the life of a saint
b. a collection of such stories
I’m not really sure if that applies here, but dictionaries don’t always go with the times – which the urban dictionary does, and there it says that a legend is: “totally worth of respect for any reason” - which is, like, totally what this section is about.
After having thought long and hard about who should get the legendary golden plaque of awesomeness this time, only one name stood out.
He’s a man, born in England, in the year of fabulous music, 1967, to a New Zealand father and English mother. When he was all but three years old he packed his bags and dragged his family with him to Australia, where he lived ever after.
He has dabbled in a few things, like body-building, singing and fencing. He was also in Neighbours, which is something all Australian actors and singers seemingly have to do if they want to work in those areas. If you don’t get a chance on Neighbours, there’s always Home and Away (which he incidentally was also a part of).
Then, in 1994, he played a part in what is probably one of the best films ever made; The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. There he played a very annoying young drag queen who goes on a road trip right across Australia with Hugo Weaving and Terence Stamp. They meet all kinds of people, including homophobes and a man married to a Thai woman who shoots ping-pong balls out of her own… you know.
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A few years later, he played a very, very straight cop in a very, very corrupt police department in the City of Angels. L.A Confidential, based on a book by James Ellroy, is a film of many stories. It has, as mentioned before, corruption, it has sex, it has prostitution, it has violence, and it’s all very hush, hush. Pearce has few friends on the force to begin with, but he shows them! He shows Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, James Cromwell and David Strathairn good (keep an eye out for a young Simon Baker, The Mentalist’s Patrick Jane!)
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And yet another few years later he played a very forgetful man in Memento, a film that progresses backwards. That film, Christophen Nolan’s second film, is very confusing if you don’t pay attention. The film begins at the end, and ends at the beginning. His character can’t remember things, his short-term memory completely lost on him, and thus has to use Polaroid photos and tattoos to capture every moment. What he’s trying to do is find his wife’s killer, but it is hard when you don’t remember anything. And just to make it a bit more confusing, there are also black and white sequences in the film which are in chronological order. It’s good though, like everything Nolan seems to put his finger on.
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But this is not all! He has played Andy Warhol in Factory Girl, he was in The Hurt Locker (with Hawkeye!), he was King Edward VIII (the Nazi!) in The King’s Speech. And next, he’s in the most anticipated film ever made (at least here on Filmophilia), Prometheus, as Peter Weyland himself. Then in 2013, he’ll be in Iron Man 3, as Aldrich Killian.
With all those brilliant films under his belt, along with his brilliant diversity in acting, he has been all but ignored by everyone. He has been in many other films as well, but it would be silly to count them all here.
But this will not do! He cannot be ignored any longer! And thus, we’ll give him the Filmophilia Legend© status!
He is married and has been for many-a-year. He’s not religious, but believes we’re all connected. And he has no children. He and his wife don’t want children, say they wouldn’t be terribly good parents, and that there are enough children in the world – if that’s not a good reason to not have kids, then I don’t know what is.
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Reblogged this on The Iron Cupcake and commented:
Nice little tribute here to one of my favorite actors.
[...] Not exactly the first movie you’d think of when you think “post-apocalyptic” but he does travel to a future which is the result of a nuclear holocaust, a future in which humanity starts again but has turned into brainless slaves who don’t even read books! (They have books, but they fall apart when you touch them). This film was made at the start of the cold war and the fear of the apocalypse shines through. The Morlocks can be seen as a metaphor for a communist regime, a world where everyone is a slave and no one can read! Word of advise: Beware the awful remake, even though it stars Guy Pearce. [...]
Recently fell in love with Guy Pearce when I saw him in Lockout…yeah I know I’m odd. Cheers.
I’m so gay for Pearce in Lockout. I know exactly what you’re talking about.
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