Post by Dianne on Sept 10, 2008 4:46:44 GMT -5
Exclusive Q&A: Guy Ritchie on 'RockNRolla'
We go one on one with Guy Ritchie at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival about his latest slick heist flick 'RockNRolla.' Plus, more 'Sherlock' bad-assery, and details about a 'RockNRolla' trilogy!
By Jenni Miller
After taking London by storm with the premiere of his new film RockNRolla, Guy Ritchie turned his attention to North America with an appearance at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. His first film since 2005's Revolver is getting very positive reviews in the press; after, Ritchie admits, being "on the sharp end of the stick for some time [in London]... it's nice to feel a bit of love in the house, as they say." Though RockNRolla is in the same vein as his earlier films, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, it reflects a very different London: "London has become sort of the new Wild West to a degree," says Ritchie, except uber-rich Russian mobsters and real estate rule the new black market.
RockNRolla features star turns from Gerard Butler and Idris Elba as small-timers One Two and Mumbles, Tom Wilkinson as the head of the London criminal underground, Mark Strong as his right-hand man, Thandie Newton as a sexy, crooked accountant, and newcomer Toby Kebbell as the wayward son slash junkie rock star. The intertwined stories of the high- and low-lifes of London are set to a thumping soundtrack, quick quips, and plenty of sexual tension.
In person, Ritchie is genial and highly intelligent with a dry sense of humor. He's just as happy to talk about the stretched lobes of the Maoris as the "nefarious" characters that populate his stories. We also managed to pry some details out of him about a possible RockNRolla trilogy ("We sketched out number three, but we don't want to get too cocky"), Sherlock Holmes, and the adaptation of his comic book Gamekeeper. And as far as that other Sherlock Holmes? Ritchie jokes, "We"re doing as much as we can to sabotage that from ever happening."
So what exactly is a rocknrolla?
A rocknrolla, I think, has come to mean someone who's like a live wire, who has a strong desire for all things that contain energy in life.... It usually means they're a live wire, someone that's volatile and drawn to anything that contains energy and this usually has significance or ramifications to their search for excitement. How's that? Not bad. By the way, I haven't said that before so you get a new version.
The most literal rocknrolla person in the movie is Toby Kebbell's character Johnny Quid, and he seems to be sort of who the plot hinges on. I'm wondering how you came up with that character; he's really fascinating.
[Johnny] was an amalgamation of both tabloid headlines and experience of different individuals I've known to have taken walks on the wild side. He's based on a talented, philosophical individual who I suspect has become more philosophical as they've tortured, but also I like the idea that he went to one of England's most cultured schools and simultaneously has one of England's least cultured fathers. So I like the meeting of those worlds.
Johnny Quid also has one of the most violent scenes, the one where he beats up the bouncer.
The idea of that being... there was some history to his aggression, that he's a tortured soul and I suppose his frustration manifests through aggression and self-destruction, which ultimately is aggression.
You've spoken of the poetry of street slang, and obviously your scripts are very rich with language. Where do you draw your inspiration?
From wherever I can, actually. I don't care what culture it comes. I'm just interested in what I deem to be colorful speak. The poetry of everyday language seems to be a thing that diminishes within our culture, and it's a sad loss. But I try and at least integrate a more colorful speak within a film.
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There's much more to the article!
