AN INTERVIEW WITH ACTOR JAMES D'ARCY

I was fortunate to interview actor James D'Arcy of TV's "AGENT CARTER," and such films as "Master and Commander," and "Cloud Atlas." Presently he is working with Christopher Nolan on the WWI drama "Dunkirk." He is also a graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, which happens to be my mothers Alma Mater. 

I hope you enjoy it. 

Question 1: On Agent Carter, You played the character Jarvis ( Which you did a fantastic job.As a fan, and since you were a character that up until then had been a voice,  He really felt like a real person. (You and Haley Atwell had great chemistry) If you hadn't done Agent Carter, what would be another Marvel Or DC character you would have liked to play as? Are you surprised that Marvel dropped it? (My mom and I are, as we were huge fans of the show, and think it really was a great show for young women especially.)

I’m probably not as familiar with the Marvel or DC world so that I could give a good answer to that question. I love to play a variety of roles, so something quite different from Jarvis I guess! That being said, I really loved the show, and it’s a great shame that they didn’t pick it up for a 3rd season. I thought there was more story to tell, especially around the creation of SHIELD.

Question 2: You recently were cast in Christopher Nolan's WW2 Dunkirk movie with Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, and Tom Hardy. As an actor that has to be a huge moment for you. The time where you were in Drama School was when Rylance and Branagh we exploding on the scene. Does it feel strange when actors you saw as a student are suddenly working with you? Besides the Wachowskis and Nolan, what are some other directors you'd like to work with?

I only worked with Kenneth Branagh, and he was delightful. And yes, working with Nolan is a dream… There are so many directors I admire, but I guess near the top of my wishlist are PT Anderson, Denis Villeneuve, Ang Lee and Spielberg.

Question 3: Master and Commander is one of my favorite films of all time. You did a great job in your role. I was wondering is there any book you'd like to see get made into a movie and would you like to star in it? ( Ps. still hoping for a Master and Commander sequel) And my mom says you were quite the sword fighter in college. do you enjoy films that have that aspect in them like M&C?

Love doing stuff that involves a degree of physicality, especially if it’s something new to me… They’ve actually just made a book I wanted to see as a movie, it’s called Billy Lynn. Don’t really think there was a role for me in that one though…. 

Question 4:  After doing Hitchcock,  If I were to do a biopic on you, who would you cast as yourself and what would it be about?

Am I still young enough to play myself??? I mean, I guess it would be about my life if it were a biopic!

Question 5: What is the easiest part of being an actor on a set and what is the hardest part? Since you got your start in theater, would you rather be doing theater, film, or TV?

Being an actor is a dream come true, I don’t find being on a set hard at all. I love it. If you’ve been unemployed for a while and you don’t have money, well I think that can be tough for actors. 

I’m crazy about the medium of film. Always have been. And I don’t really feel like I got a start in theatre… My first professional job was in TV. It’s just a bit misleading at drama school bc they focus very heavily on stage work…

Hope that helps Jake. Good luck!

My thanks to Mr. D'Arcy. Can't wait to see DUNKIRK. Going to be EPIC!!!!

THE LEGEND OF TARZAN REVIEW

 

                                     
                                             

"The Legend Of Tarzan," is a film I was really pumped to see.  Whats not to like? A terrific cast, an exotic location, and a great story, make up one incredible evening at the movies. But does it live up to the hype? Heres the story.

  

In the decade after the original Tarzan took place, we find Tarzan, now called John Clayton, Lord Greystoke, living in England and acting like a civilized human being with wife Jane. And while he gets along in the world, its quite clear, when he see's Jane teaching children about Africa, that he misses it deeply. Jane too. He finds her high up in a tree dreaming of going back and you know, he wants it too. When an opportunity comes up to travel back as a representative for the British government, he is hesitant, and we get a glimpse why. Before leaving, Tarzan was involved in a fight that had catastrophic consequences. He knows going back could put a price on his head.  This is where Christoph Waltz does his best to make sure Tarzan pays for that act. What Tarzan doesn't realize at first, is Waltz is acting for foregin powers. One that want to destroy Africa and everything that Jane and Tarzan love about it.  And Waltz will do anything.. including harm Jane to make it happen. 

I liked this film a lot. Skarsgard is perfect as Tarzan, and Margot Robbie looks and acts the part of the defiant heroine. Samuel L Jackson, plays George Washington Williams, a real life American historian of the African people, and good comedy in the company of Tarzan. For every exhausting run that Tarzan has, comes the panting but determined face of Williams, ready to offer Tarzan whatever back up he needs. Waltz is a good villian, but I fear he is pigeon holing himself into roles of "vaguely eastern european baddies" who have secret agendas. That being said, he plays that part very very well.  I was a little shocked by the big names they have in the film that do very little, such as Jim Broadbent, Ben Chaplin and Djimon Hounsou who together make up less than 15 minutes of film. Which leads me to believe their parts were most likely bigger and ended up on the cutting room floor. Which makes me want to read the original script by Craig Brewer and Adam Cozad. I have a feeling there was more to it. What is clear is that they were trying to go beyong the Tarzan story we all know and talk abbout the very real problems that plagued Africa during this time. I wish we'd gotten a little more of that. 

 The CGI is sometimes good, and sometimes it isn't, with some of it looking unrealistic. But the action is incredible. And your interested in the story from begining to end. I also really liked Skarsguard and Jackson's chemistry. They bring a good fun and lightness to the film. Its a fun film to take the kids to. I overall enjoyed it very much. 

THE VERDICT

The Legend Of Tarzan , despite some over used CGI, has a good story with great actors that keeps you entertained.  I give it a B+. 

X-MEN: APOCALYPSE REVIEW

"X-men: Apocalypse," Is finally here! I have been looking forward to another journey into the younger lives of the X-men, and after the first two, I have to admit, I had high expectations. Did the movie live up to the hype? Well.... for the most part.... Yes.

X-Men: Apocalypse takes place  in the 1980s and it is about how the very first mutant in the world comes back to life and  wants to destroy the world. So the X-Men have to stop him.  I like this movie but don't love it. The problems are : the movie is very slow in the beginning. Its 2 and half hours and it easily not only could have 20 min cut but  Some actors are wasted or over the top. Also Apocalypse as a character not Oscar Issacs performance but the way the  character is written is bad to me. Theres also a plot hole from the ending to the last movie that they don't address in this movie. And Rose Byrne really has no point to be in this movie. Lana Corder who plays the character of Jubilee easily could've taken her place. Jubilee was a good character and I would have loved to see more.   Jennifer Lawrence is just okay. She acts in some scenes, then talks bored in some. Now here are my pros. The cast that plays the young X-Men are all great! From Tye Sheridan to Sophie Turner to the rest of them. The action is very incredible and the story is interesting overall. Most of the original cast are all good as well. The new quicksilver scene is awesome, even better than the last one. Theres a cameo that I don't want to ruin thats so cool . Also the most stand out performance is Michael Fassbender, who plays the character of Magneto. He is conflicted and he shows it so greatly. Other than that

                                                                   THE VERDICT
X-MEN: Apocalypse might be the weakest out of the First Class trilogy, but its performances, and action keep you entertained. I give it a B.