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Mister Lonely: Interview with actor Denis Lavant
Mister Lonely, the latest film by director Harmony Korine is now shown throughout UK. Discover our review and interview with French actor Denis Lavant.
The Film:
Mister Lonely is a very unusual, sometimes even strange film, which combines two stories, without apparent link between them. The first story is about a Michael Jackson impersonator (Diego Luna) who lives alone in Paris and performs in the streets to make ends meet. At a show in a retirement home, Michael falls for a beautiful Marilyn Monroe look-alike (Samantha Morton) who suggests he moves to a commune of impersonators in the Scottish Highlands. Michael discovers there Abraham Lincoln, the Queen, the Pope, Madonna and the others preparing for the commune’s first gala. He also meets Marilyn’s daughter Shirley Temple and her possessive husband, Charlie Chaplin (Denis Lavant). Meanwhile, a group of missionary nuns in a Latin American Jungle soon sees a miracle happening when one of them accidentally falls from a flying plane…
Even if it could sometimes appear difficult to follow, for example to establish the link between the two main stories, a strong idea emerges from this film. It is all about human identity and the search of each person’s own identity. Even if pessimistic at times, this film is closed to the burlesque genre. The reason for this film to be seen is that it carries everyone to a supernatural world, never mind your understanding of its meaning, full of flying nuns and impersonators, who’ll surely allow you to escape from a daily routine.
This autumn, I met actor Denis Lavant, who plays Charlie Chaplin’s look-alike in Mister Lonely, when he was in London for the exclusive screening of the film as part of the London Film Festival. He told me about his own perception of this unusual film, but also about his character and plans for the future.
Denis Lavant recently starred in the Berlin 2006 entry ‘Wild Camp’ (Camping Sauvage), directed by Christophe Ali and Nicolas Bonilauri. His other recent film credits include Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s ‘A Very Long Engagement’ and Andrea Vecchiato’s ‘Luminal’. He will soon be seen in the upcoming films Philippe Ramos ‘Capitaine Ahab’ and Berkun Oya’s ‘Iyi Seneler’.
Denis Lavant is famous for one of his most admired performances as a legionnaire in Claire Denis’ acclaimed 2000 film ‘Beau Travail’. He is also remembered as the hero ‘Alex’ of Leos Carax’ first three films: 1983’s ‘Boy Meets Girl’, 1986’s ‘Bad Blood’ (Mauvais Sang) and opposite Juliette Binoche, he played the fire-breathing vagabond in 1991’s ‘Lovers on the bridge’ (Les Amants du Pont-Neuf).
Finally, Denis Lavant describes himself above all as a theatre actor, and thus had memorable theatre roles in French productions of ‘The Seagull’, ‘Romeo and Juliette’ and ‘Richard II’.
The Interview with actor Denis Lavant:
France In London: What about your first meeting with the director Harmony Korine, how did it happen? It is said that when he wrote the character of Charlie Chaplin, he was just thinking about you to interpret this character, is that true that he wrote this character especially for you?
FIL: You don’t speak English, do you? Did this create difficulties for you during the shooting?
FIL: And now that you have been confronted with these language difficulties, is there still no interest in speaking English?
FIL: What was your first reaction when you first read the screenplay? Did you accept this role immediately?
FIL: ‘Mister Lonely’ is also a dark film, quite pessimistic. Did you feel any loneliness during the shooting?
FIL: In one scene, your character’s wife, Marylyn Monroe’s impersonator, tells you that sometimes you looks more like Hitler than like Charlie Chaplin. What do you think? Did you play more Hitler or Charlie Chaplin?
FIL: But your character is also quite sensitive and he sure love his wife, we can even see him cry. Maybe he is not as devil as we all think?
FIL : Are you a ‘narcissistic pervert’ ?
DL : I hope not (laugh). But I think that everyone has impulses, that fortunately he doesn’t develop. Everyone can be schizophrenic or paranoid or a narcissistic pervert. And as an actor, I can appreciate that very well (laugh).
FIL : Director Harmony Korine said you are one of his favourite actors with Buster Keaton, Humphrey Bogart and James Dean. What do you think of being compared with such actors?
FIL: You have played in lots of theatre pieces. Did this film, with the show of the impersonators and their fancy dress, remind you of the theatre?
DL: Yes absolutely. This film was a great show. And, as for me, I am above all a theatre actor, so I really enjoyed it. I play for the cinema quite rarely and have an important role in a big film only every two or three years.
FIL: It is said a lot that you are a ‘physical’ actor, an actor that plays a lot with his body. Is that true?
FIL: What could you tell us about your plans for the future?
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COMMENTS:
08/06/2013 - Isabellehardr said :
I'm a fan since Mauvais Sang, love this actor and wish i meet him someday because i have the feeling we have a lot in common.
01/06/2011 - psychonaut_23 said :
Denis Lavant is one of our greatest actors! Perfect in Mr.Lonely! But in my heart he will always be spitting fire in Pont-Nuf
06/05/2010 - zg-Miller4072 said :
I liked your site.
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