If you thought THE DARK KNIGHT RISES was the most eagerly-anticipated movie of 2012 you’re plum wrong my friends and obviously the third coming of the Caped Crusader has clouded your ability to think clearly. Why? Because this week Adam Sandler’s latest movie JACK AND JILL hits cinema screens around the country…pause for raucous cheers and applause…What Nothing!?
Okay, so obviously we’re being silly. THN knows that most cinema goers would prefer Sandler literally shitting in their eyes rather than figuratively with this two for one comedy where he plays his own twin sister. Regardless of your take on Sandler (this THN scribe actually has a lot of time for his particular comedy stylings) JACK AND JILL’s release has got us thinking about films throughout the ages where an actor has played different characters in the same film. Here are 10 of our favourites.
10. Eddie Murphy In COMING TO AMERICA (1988) Prince Akeem & Randy Watson
Let’s get the ball rolling with one of Hollywood’s serial offenders. Unlike more recent celluloid skid-marks (i.e. NORBIT 2007), Murphy’s early cinematic double-ups were comedy gold, and none more so than COMING TO AMERICA. In the film Prince Akeem (of the fictitious African nation Zamunda) travels to America to find a woman who will love him as a pauper rather than a prince – cue hilarious fish-out-of-water hi-jinks. Murphy actually plays a number of parts but the most noteworthy has to be Randy Watson, lead singer of Sexual Chocolate. Randy’s screen time is minimal but he is great as a shitty function band performer whose nasally tones, toothy whistle and pervy crotch thrusts are hilarious whilst his odd stage exit is one of the best ever. Murphy we salute you for this one (and to a lesser extent BOWFINGER) but The Nutty Professor can choke on our Twinkie!
9. Jerry Lewis In THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963) Prof. Julius Kelp & Buddy Love
The original 1960s version of THE NUTTY PROFESSOR is head and shoulders above Eddie Murphy’s 1996 remake (hence the Twinkie choking). If you haven’t watched it – watch it! The film is a vibrant time capsule for both the quaint cinematic style and youth culture of the day. Identical in concept but different in form to the Fatty Professor, Jerry Lewis plays Professor Julius Kelp, an über nerd with buck teeth and a voice that could curdle milk, who discovers a ‘cool’ potion that turns Sir dorks-a-lot into Mr Smooth lounge singer Buddy Love. A sweet, sexy nostalgia trip that doesn’t rely on the make-up and FX bells and whistles of the remake.
8. Michael Keaton In MULTIPLICITY (1996) Doug Kinney & his clones
We have a saying at THN HQ – ‘you can never have too much Michael Keaton’, so boy is MULTIPLICITY a treat for us with Keatsy playing no less than FOUR characters! Okay so we’re cheating a little as he actually plays Doug and his three clones – genetically they’re one, but they’ve all got different personalities so it still counts. There’s Original Doug, Gay Doug, Surly Doug and Retarded Doug. In the film Doug has lots to do and not enough time to do it so obviously he opts to clone himself getting more than he bargained for in the process. Bold 90s family fun directed by comedy legend Harold Ramis – so you know it’s good!
7. Lindsey Lohan In THE PARENT TRAP (1998) Hallie Parker & Annie James
Clearly there was a low standard of acting quality in twins around the globe in 1998 as this film’s producers would rather cast one girl and FX her in as her own long lost sibling. Or perhaps the risk of having ‘an evil’ twin running around a film set was too great!? Either way Lohan did a splendid job in this minxy tale about long lost twins swapping places – her English accent wasn’t bad either! This one’s worth mentioning if only for the fact it launched the career of an ‘iconic’ actress whose tumultuous social life has kept the editors of Heat in business for the past five years.
6. Dick Van Dyke In MARY POPPINS (1964) Bert & Mr Dawes Senior
Before he stole the day-time TV murder mystery crown from Angela Lansbury, Mr Dick Van Dyke was quite the star, so we thought we’d pay tribute to both a classic film and screen legend by including his dual role in MARRY POPPINS. Despite the perpetration of the worst British accent ever committed to film, Van Dyke’s chimney sweep Bert is a perennial nice guy whose goofy grin and wacky tom-foolery make him the kind of guy you’d be happy to leave your kids with. Mr Dawes Senior on the other hand is a rickety old miser with an aversion to feeding the birds. Two very different characters but Van Dyke applies his slapstick trade with gusto much to the joy of kids throughout the ages.
5. Leonardo Di Caprio In THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK (1998) King Louis XVI & Philipee
Cast your mind back dear readers to the days when DiCaprio was hotter than the month of July. It’s little wonder that the film-makers would try and increase the box-office gross by having two-times the pulling power with the film star’s boyish good looks. In recent years THN has noted a positive correlation in the decline of Leo’s cherubic features and the ascent of his acting abilities that we’ve dubbed ‘The Scorsese Effect’. MAN IN THE IRON MASK is a classic musketeers movie that was a welcome shot in the arm for the swashbuckling swordsmen genre and far better than the recent 3D (D for Dirge) affliction we’ve just endured.
4. Jack Nicholson In MARS ATTACKS! (1996) President James Dale & Art Land
Just like Michael Keaton, a glut of Nicholson is definitely a good thing! It’s just a shame that the brilliant MARS ATTACKS! has just The Two Jacks (see what we did there?), although we guess the film is already burgeoning with more star power than it can handle. Nicholson plays narcissistic President Dale and shyster business man Art Land, both of whom get their comeuppance for character flaws perpetrated throughout the movie. With an awesome dramatic career under his belt it’s great to see Nicholson having fun with tongue-in-cheek portrayals of comical assholes.
3. Mike Myers In AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY (1997) Austin Powers & Dr Evil
Regardless that the franchise has been diluted to the point where its water content is higher than economy sandwich meats, AUSTIN POWERS is actually a splendid spy spoof that showcases Myers as a great comedy writer and performer. One can measure the impact of a legendary character when you can attend any fancy dress party and always find that some unimaginative ass-hat has come as Austin Powers and spends the rest of the night shouting ‘Groovy’ and ‘Yeah Baby’! Anyway…alongside friendly jibes of Britain in the swinging 60s are rib-ticklers about the childhood years of an evil genius, absurd and unnecessarily complicated methods of dispatching enemies, the family lives of evil henchmen AND makes puerile cock gags funny. It’s even got Clint Howard in too – what more could you ask for? Myers is a brilliant hero and villain and equally as funny both. A great comedy that’s knows when to be clever and silly.
2. Sam Rockwell In MOON (2009) Sam Bell & Sam Bell
Okay time for a serious one. MOON was without a doubt THN’s favourite movie of the Noughties (the decade not naughty things) and most of that is down to the brilliant Sam Rockwell. MOON is a contemplative sci-fi flick that deals with a clone’s realisation that he’s not the person he thought he was. Initially the movie seems like a mystery but the on-screen circumstances of the new Sam Bell’s appearance makes it pretty clear what has happened and the movie is really about the original Sam’s fears and feelings of insignificance. It’s great to watch the deterioration of the of the original clone from the very beginning (with his mild complaints of an upset tummy). A slow builder, tense and emotional. A truly great story and a brilliant writer/director debut from Duncan Jones (sure SOURCE CODE was so-so but we got faith in the fruit of the Thin White Duke’s loins).
1. Charlie Chaplin In THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940) Hynkel, Dictator of Tomania & A Jewish Barber
If you’re not too busy getting a boner over THE ARTIST hows about checking out the original artist: Mr Charles Chaplin. Granted this one in particular is a talkie but his career is flawless from start to finish. THE GREAT DICTATOR was the TEAM AMERICA of its time, brazenly parodying Mr Hitler just as he was getting stuck in to us Brits. THE GREAT DICTATOR is a comedy of errors story with a significant and glaring message about the plight of the Jewish people in Germany. It is a cultural, social and political landmark and should be mandatory viewing for all school children. Sure the drama is a little slow compared to contemporary standards, but it has all the charm and comedy of Chaplin’s usual films along with great heart and one of the most profound and optimistic speeches ever given, on film or otherwise. An awesome and inspiring moment in cinema.
Worst and the Weirdest
Lea Thompson In BACK TO THE FUTURE PART III (1900) Maggie McFly & Lorraine McFly
On a recent viewing of BTTF III it occurred to THN how odd it is that when Marty McFly happens upon his great grandfather Seamus McFly back in 1885 not only is he the split of him (which makes perfect genetic sense), but his missus, Maggie, is identical to Marty’s mother Lorraine Baines?! Keep in mind that they are in no way blood relations to each other whatsoever! Either this is a random quirk of filmic fate or in actuality the gene pool in Hill Valley is so scant that it’s little wonder that Marty ended up with Parkinson’s…sorry, sorry, SO SORRY! That wasn’t funny, but this is an Adam Sandler promo after all!
JACK AND JILL is out Friday 3rd February – You have been warned!
