Homeboy
HE LOOKED LIKE HE'D BEEN DIPPED IN TARAMASALATA
Eddie Harrison celebrates the return of Mickey Rourke by remembering the career highs and lows of a reluctant Hollywood icon
‘ve had a poster of Mickey Rourke on my wall for
over 20 years now. A black and white blow-up
from Alan Parker‘s Angel Heart. it pictures Rourke as private detective Harry Angel. freshly demobbed after WWII. his hair back-combed into an ttntidy quiff. with a cigarette dangling from a insouciant smile. It‘s the quintessential portrait of a movie star in his prime.
Despite its reputation as a commercial tlop. Angel Heart ran at Glasgow‘s Renlield Street ()deon for a marathon 16 weeks. and as a teenager. I was in the audience at least a dozen times to see one of the definitive tough guy performances of all time.
Two decades of awful films and performances later. many of us who had so admired Rourke‘s early work had long given up on him. Rourke abandoned any pretence at serious acting in favour of his headstrong pursuit of a boxing career that distorted his features through reconstructive plastic surgery and seemed to leave him punch drunk when it came to choosing roles. Yet against all odds. Rourke has come back off the ropes and scored an undisputed knockout in Darren Aronofsky's new release The ll’restler.
The role of Randy ‘the Ram' Robinson was originally touted for Nicolas Cage. but proved tailor— made for the resurrection of Mickey Rourke. Recalling his 80‘s heyday. Randy relives his past glories as he sits in his trailer playing a primitive video game based on his wrestling career. pumping himself tip through bags of steroids. Randy‘s down at heel yet defiant character offers poignant resonances for anyone who has tried to follow Rourke‘s decline and fall.
44 THE LIST 8422 Jan 2009
Most hyped young actors suffer from Marlon Brando comparisons. but back in the 80‘s. Rourke had carved out a niche of his own as an arson expert in Lawrence Kasdan‘s ”(H/“V Heat and as the smooth-talker in Barry Levinson‘s talkfest Diner. Memorable starring roles piled tip: as the laconic Motorcycle Boy in (‘oppola’s Rumble/isle or as a racist cop in Year rift/1e Dragon.
Yet Rourke found his widest audience in his worst role. cast against type amongst the strawberries and cream of Adrian Lyne‘s fruity erotic drama. ()l/B ll’eeks. l-‘ocused on the ring rather than the screen. Rourke seemed happy to be a bum rather than a contender. shrugging off his stardom in dire sci-fi bttddy opus Harley Davidson and the illarllmru Man. or in tepid soft-porn yawn ll'ilrl ()I't'lllrl. in which he sported a pink/orange tan that made him look like he‘d been dipped in taramasalata.
Rourke found himself saved by the bell when he gave up boxing in 1997. although his work in the same year’s Love in Paris. a sequel to l) ~ll'eeks. suggested he‘d long since given up acting too. With his old Hollywood pals including Sean Penn (The Pledge) and (‘oppola ('l'lie Rainmaker) welcoming him back to the fold. it was only a matter of time before the boxer finally got back off the canvas and came out lighting. llis once-handsome features may be mashed up beyond repair. but his talent is intact; his touching. self-mocking and brutally honest role in The Wrestler marks Rourke out as a contender reborn.
The Wrestler is on selected release from Fri 16 Jan. See review, page 47.
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THE BEST mil iii—DViD-REFLEASES
# Slumdog Millionaire lmpoverished and love struck Indian teen becomes a contestant on the Hindi version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Danny Boyle's consumately made drama. See feature. page 18 and review. page 46. General release from Fri 9 Jan.
* The Wrestler Mickey Rourke is brilliant and back where he belongs in this great ‘riches to rags‘ sport movie from director Darren Aronofsky. See preview. left and review, page 47. General release from Fri '16 Jan.
:3: Julia Eric Zonca's kinetic road movie caper starring Tilda Swinton as the titular drunk on the run. See review, page 46 and profile in index. Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh, Fri Q—Tue 73 Jan.
3 Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris Illuminating documentary about forgotten American jazz great. See Also Released. page 47. GFT, Glasgow, Mon 72—Wed 14 Jan. Fi/mhouse. Edinburgh, Mon 72 8. Tue 73 Jan.
* Bloody Sam: The Films of Sam Peckinpah Major retrospective of the films of one of the greats of American cinema heralded by the digitally restored print release of Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. Season ticket recommended. Fi/mhouse. Edinburgh, until Sun 75 Feb.
1: Far North Compelling three-hander set on the Arctic tundra. Fi/mhouse. Edinburgh, Fri 9— Thu 75 Jan.
* Che: Part One First chunk of Steven Soderbergh’s epic biopic. Out now on selected release.
* Fighters Overdue DVD release of Ron Nighthawks Peck‘s 1991 boxing documentary. See review, page 48. Out now (Second Sight).
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