Harry here... Not a very big fan of Rowan Atkinson I'm afraid, but I am absolutely a huge fan (only size I can be I'm afraid) of John Malkovich, and having him in a comedy does my heart good. Sounds like the following scene is milking a gag for all that it is worth, and I'm not sure if it plays funny or tired... So much of comedy is simply the delivery and timing, neither of which do we have in the below description. But here's another FUNNY SPY MOVIE... Man, it's like the late sixties all over again baby...
Hi Harry,
Have been a big fan of the sight for a long time, but never contributed before.
Thought you might like to hear a few details about Johnny English, a film that is currently filming in London. I've just done a few days work on it myself so this info is pretty fresh.
The film centres around a bumbling spy in the Austin Powers type mode, played by Rowan Atkinson, who is finds himself having to save the country when a french villain, Pascal Sauvage, played by John Malkovich, plots to take over by dethroning the Queen, taking her place and offing anyone in his way.
The scene filmed this week was a big finale where Malkovich, who puts on a hilariously OTT french accent, is crowned king of England.
Atkinson storms the altar, determined to expose Malkovich as a fraud and the archbishop as an imposter. When this goes tits-up, he is pulled away by police, who he manages to escape from.
Then, just as the crown is lowered onto Malkovich's head, Atkinson swings across the altar on an electrical cable and snatches it off his head.
He's then left dangling from a rope as Malkovich tries to jump up and grab it back from him, growing more and more frustrated. Eventually, he whips out a gun and shoots it out of his hand.
At gunpoint, he forces the archbishop to crown him, but Atkinson foils it again. This time, by falling onto the throne, knocking Malkovich out of the way and getting accidentally crowned King himself!
While this is going on, Natalie Imbruglia (ex-star of Neighbours-turned-popstar) busies herself by kicking a sniper's ass at the back of the catherdal.
The film is being directed by Peter Howitt. UK folks will instantly know him as Joey Boswell from that old sitcom 'Bread'. US people may be familiar with him from directing Sliding Doors and Anti-Trust.
Hope this is of some interest to you. It's a bit of a sad week for UK film as Filmfour has announced it's shutting up shop. A shame really as they have been behind some of our best films recently, such as Trainspotting and Sexy beast.
Anyway, good luck with the website, Harry. I think you're doing a bang-up job with the reviews, regardless of what a lot of talkbackers seem to say. I thought your review of Minority report was spot on. The particular low-point of that film being the major scene that blatantly rips off a plot twist from LA Confidential. What was Spielberg thinking?
As for me, I can't wait for Bubba Ho-Tep and Reign Of Fire. Keep the reviews coming.
Jimmy Laine
