Hey folks... Enough of this tragic news... I want something cool and if the rumors over in Michael Fleming's DISH column in VARIETY are true... Coolness may very well be coming in bushels...
Ever since Ang Lee signed onto HULK, I've been giddily excited about the directions he would take. Coming off of CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON, he actually has quite a bit of clout in Hollywood... As many in the town felt it was the best film of the year, and many wished it had been theirs.
I think each of us film geeks have been pondering what it means that Ang Lee would be bringing THE HULK to our local screens. Surely it wouldn't be all sound and fury and noise... He would understand the yearning peace in the beast... The quiet and loneliness that the creature we all know as HULK would want. While at the same time will strike down upon them with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to destroy this peace. Ahem.. coughcough... Ahem...
Now, a week or so ago Smilin' Jack Ruby credited to Rick Baker's future filmography THE HULK, then after interviewing Rick, he corrected this mistake... However, it appears all the perps that ripped off this first bit, didn't bother to follow up or read the correction, but now Fleming confirms that Rick is not yet put pen to paper to create HULK make up effects. In fact, it looks like the 'how to do the HULK' hasn't quite been figured yet by Ang and ILM and Universal. No doubt they are wrestling with the budget figures of doing it all CG and want alternatives, and now that Universal FINALLY saw the light regarding the amazing power of MAKE-UP at the box office with THE GRINCH... they could very well be turning to Rick!
Hopefully, these decisions will be put off just a bit till they see what Peter Jackson has done with size issues in LORD OF THE RINGS... Possibly meld both Rick's phenomenal work to create the HULK face upon the actor that they choose... pieces of the transformation, as Baker's transformation work in AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON is still the absolute best human metamorphosis in the history of film. Treat it like 1933 King Kong.... but with the modern tools... Let BAKER handle the close-ups.... hands touching things, then marry it with superb ILM work... Of course, Ang might be wanting to control realistically the light that falls upon the HULK as well as the performance... The outcome of this aspect is fascinating to me.
Meanwhile, Ang Lee's direction on this project took a lightstep forward with Fleming telling us that the actor in the lead position for the dual role of BRUCE BANNER and THE INCREDIBLE HULK is...
ERIC BANA
Who?
The Award winning actor of CHOPPER! Eric Bana! Now for those of you that haven't seen CHOPPER, don't worry in most cases it isn't your fault... It has played mainly art house theaters, and many of you are in cities where you don't have that choice, but if you have seen ROMPER STOMPER and remember Russell Crowe's performance in that, it is my firm belief that Bana's CHOPPER is more frightening and disturbing and charismatic.
Bana was a Melbourne bartender / stand-up comedian that began hitting it on Australian Television in FULL FRONTAL, ERIC and THE ERIC BANA SHOW LIVE. I've never seen any of these, but if you Australians in the house could comment below in TALK BACK I'd really like to read your comments about his non-CHOPPER work...
After that... He hit it big with CHOPPER which quite honestly is a show-stopping role. Absolutely riveting and compelling. He's recently been working with Ridley Scott on his BLACK HAWK DOWN!
Now if Eric Bana gets cast as BRUCE BANNER, you can expect a performance that could very well bring down the house. Bana has the potential to really unhinge, and at the same time there is a natural quietness to him, that would serve Banner quite well.... a nervousness as well... This is an incredibly good sign in my book.
Going with a relatively unknown actor to most of the viewing public, that definitely has talent out the wazoo... GOOD GOOD GOOD! Now, let us pray that they nail the script. Nailing the character's, making them human and putting those characters in a story that brings the most out of them. This really could be special. Let's hope!
To see Eric Bana in motion CLICK HERE FOR THE CHOPPER TRAILER!!!
