| Ray Winstone Becomes Incredibly Transformed Into Beowulf - Page 2 |
| Written by Brad Balfour | |||||
| Friday, 16 November 2007 11:06 | |||||
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Queen of the Darkness (voiced by Angelina Jolie) in "Beowulf"
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Grendel (voiced by Crispin Glover) in "Beowulf"
Q: It's nice to hear your accent in the movie. RW: This is the great thing about this as well. You've got Brendan [Gleeson] playing an Irishman and he's from Ireland. You've got Anthony playing a Welshman, then I come along with a bit of London. They say, "Oh, he's coming on a bit strong with his accent." But what would "Beowulf" sound like? He's Danish. Nobody would understand what I would be saying. Q: Whenever there's a movie with this technology, and it's continually progressing, how does it feel to be part of this trend? RW: It feels like being in the first moving picture. It's a bit far, but its like from talkies, to black and white to color, smell-orama, earthquake vision, CGI and then this. Where is it going next? It's all part and parcel, taking cinema on. People always innovating film, otherwise we'd be bored. I've spoken with a couple of journalists who think, "Oh, this is the downfall of cinema." But you know, it's just another form. You've got to experiment. You try different things. You do it as an actor, a director, as a writer, as a cinematographer. It's all part and parcel. People seem to want to analyze it so much that it boils down to the word "computer." But what it comes down to is, "do you like it?" Yes, or no? Not everyone's going to like it, but some people will love it. That's what film is. It's like having a famous actor. Not everyone's going to like him, but it's your tastes. Q: How did you feel when filming was over? RW: I actually didn't want it to end, because I loved it so much. We were filming for six weeks, and it took two years for them to put it together. I was in a run of it. I was feeling good about it. You come down and feel tired after because it was very physically demanding. I went to Hawaii, I took my family there, but I didn't really enjoy it because I really wanted to go home. Q: Is it tough waiting for that two-year post production time to see the result of your work? RW: I guess so. You kind of forget about it a bit because you're doing other things. You lose the idea that it's an epic because you're filming it in four walls of white. Your imagination is going while your doing it, but after, you just remember four walls of white and being in a blue suit. In a way that gives you a big shock when you sit down and watch it. These beautiful effects, 3D, and then you come on the screen and go, "My god." You lose touch with it. Q: How was it like playing a romantic lead as well as a hardened warrior? RW: I love it. I'd rather be kissing than punching them. Wouldn't you? I'm too old for that jumping about. Q: Usually they give the love scenes to the younger actors. RW: Yeah? Well, tough. Move over. [laughs] Q: "Beowulf" in his youth is a very cocky bastard. What was that like for you to play as an actor? RW: I found that very easy bit to do, being a cocky bastard. It's me being nice [laughs]. Q: Have you seen your share of "Gladiator" and epic sword-play films? RW: I loved "Gladiator." Russell Crowe is tremendous in it. Or take Kirk Douglas in "Spartacus." I watched "300" in a hotel room in Santa Montica, and it was blinding. Old war films, they are fantastic. But when you're 50, you never think you're going to be in one. I was up for "Troy," and I didn't get the part, I lost that one. But I went on and did "King Arthur" with Antoine Fuqua [as Bors], who's a brilliant guy. We had fun. There was a huge set that they built; it was 3/4 of a mile long. Its fabulous when you have a huge set that you're working with. It's like being a kid again. It's like playing "soldiers." That was wonderful to do. Q: When you think of war films at your age, do you think you can only play a restricted roles like the "general?" RW: Yeah. do you know what I mean? But you can now. That's my face at 20. I got pictures of me at home when I was boxing at 20. The body ain't, I only had a three-pack then. But with the film, they pick up everything and you've got to make sure you don't overdo it because it picks it up. |
