Nicolas Cage Fan Club

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/12098241

Now, let us all be honest. There has only been one surf film, ever, worth the time of an auteur and that is Bruce Brown’s seminal masterpiece The Endless Summer. Others, including Point Break, North Shore, Blue Crush are cute. Others still, including Chasing Mavericks and In God’s Hands, are so offensive as to count as crimes against humanity.

None, though, has received a knee-buckling six minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. None except Nicolas Cage’s new offering The Surfer, that is.

Variety shared, “Cage appeared to be having a ball, beaming from ear to ear and waving across the room as cheers erupted around the Palais for the film, a wild, mind-bending adventure that sees the fan favorite hit the sort of deranged peaks not witnessed on screen since ‘Mandy.’ At one point he took the mic to ask how to say “eat the rat” in French — a line from the film (and likely to become a meme) — roaring “mangez le rat!” to the delight of the crowd.”

The picture, directed by Lorcan Finnegan, is said to be an homage to vintage Australian New Wave films and is receiving rave reviews.

The Hollywood Reporter declares, “There’s no point in hiring Nicolas Cage if you’re not going to let him rip with a wackadoodle, OTT performance, and he duly delivers in the sly psychological thriller The Surfer.”

If you were programming a season of the best of the worst from Nicolas Cage’s filmography – in other words, his most interesting/outlandish/crazed performances in low-budget films – this kooky thriller would certainly be a good candidate. It features an entertainingly deranged performance from Cage, who sports a helmet of bright-red hair and a maroon smoking jacket that makes him look like a leprechaun turned lounge singer, topped off with a broad Boston accent.

Well, I was glad I didn't blink. For me, it was the feeling of being actualized. Even that look for that particular character, finally seeing it on screen, was satisfying. But as I said, it's quick. If you really wanted to know what I was going do with that character, look at my performance in “City of Angels.”

I was supposed (to play) Clark Kent after that (in "Superman Lives"), and I was already developing this alien otherness playing this angel. That is a perfect example of the tonality you would've gotten for Kal-El and for Clark Kent: Clark would've been a little more amusing but Kal-El (had) the sensitivity and the goodness and the vulnerability and all those feelings that were kind of angelic and also terrifying.

Nicolas Cage was bored. He had done it all: he had stolen the Declaration of Independence, he had escaped from Alcatraz, he had swapped faces with John Travolta. He needed a new challenge, something that would test his skills and his courage. He decided to travel back in time to the Alamo, the famous siege of 1836 where a small group of Texans fought against a large Mexican army.

He arrived in San Antonio on February 23, 1836, just as the Mexican troops began to surround the Alamo. He quickly joined the defenders, who welcomed him as a fellow patriot. He introduced himself as Nick, a hunter from Tennessee. He claimed he was a friend of Davy Crockett, one of the legendary heroes of the Alamo.

He soon proved his worth as a fighter, using his modern weapons and tactics to fend off the enemy attacks. He also impressed the other defenders with his charisma and humor. He became friends with Jim Bowie, another famous figure of the Alamo, who gave him a Bowie knife as a token of respect. He also caught the eye of Susanna Dickinson, a young woman who was trapped in the Alamo with her infant daughter.

Nicolas Cage enjoyed his new life in the Alamo. He felt alive and free, fighting for a noble cause. He also felt a growing attraction to Susanna, who seemed to reciprocate his feelings. He wondered if he should stay in the past, or return to his own time.

He made up his mind on March 6, 1836, the final day of the siege. The Mexican army launched a massive assault on the Alamo, overwhelming the defenders with sheer numbers. Nicolas Cage fought bravely, killing dozens of enemies with his guns and knife. He saw Davy Crockett fall, surrounded by enemies. He saw Jim Bowie die in his bed, stabbing at the invaders with his knife. He saw Susanna and her daughter being taken prisoner by the Mexicans.

He realized he had no chance of survival. He decided to go out in a blaze of glory. He grabbed a barrel of gunpowder and ran towards the main gate of the Alamo. He threw the barrel at the enemy soldiers, shooting at it with his pistol. The barrel exploded, creating a huge fireball that killed many Mexicans and blew open the gate.

Nicolas Cage smiled as he saw the flames engulf him. He had done it. He had fought in the Alamo. He had lived up to his name.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Nicolas Cage is the world's greatest living actor.

Who else is excited for this after watching the trailer?

Nicolas Cage was bored. He had starred in dozens of action films and big-budget summer blockbusters, but he felt like he was missing something. He wanted to do something different, something challenging, something artistic. He wanted to make a movie that would win him another Academy Award, like he did for his role as an alcoholic in Leaving Las Vegas (1995) [^1^][2].

He decided to call his uncle, Francis Ford Coppola, the legendary director of The Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now. He asked him if he had any projects that he could join. Coppola said he was working on a new film, a historical epic about the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. He said he needed someone to play Napoleon's nemesis, the Duke of Wellington.

Cage was intrigued. He had always admired Wellington, the British general who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. He thought it would be a great opportunity to show his range as an actor and to work with his uncle. He agreed to take the part.

He flew to France, where the film was being shot. He met with Coppola and the rest of the cast, which included Tom Hardy as Napoleon, Cate Blanchett as Josephine, and Daniel Day-Lewis as Talleyrand. He was impressed by their talent and professionalism. He felt like he was part of something special.

He immersed himself in the role of Wellington. He read books and biographies about him. He studied his speeches and mannerisms. He learned how to ride a horse and wield a sword. He even grew a pair of sideburns to match Wellington's distinctive facial hair.

He was ready for his first scene. It was the climactic confrontation between Wellington and Napoleon at Waterloo. He put on his red coat and black hat and mounted his horse. He looked across the field and saw Hardy in his blue uniform and bicorne hat. He felt a surge of adrenaline.

The cameras started rolling. Coppola shouted "Action!" Cage rode towards Hardy, shouting his famous line: "The nearest run thing you ever saw in your life!" Hardy responded with his own line: "You are a great general, but I am a greater one!"

They clashed swords in the middle of the field, surrounded by explosions and gunfire. They fought with intensity and skill, matching each other blow for blow. Cage felt like he was really there, in 1815, fighting for the fate of Europe.

He forgot that he was acting. He forgot that he was Nicolas Cage.

He was Wellington.