Since its premiere season, which saw a modern-day madman recreating the gruesome murders of Jack the Ripper in 21st century London, the UK crime drama Whitechapel has made the district of the title the epicentre for some truly nasty crimes.
It begs the question: is Whitechapel actually a nice place to live? Does anyone even really want to go there?
“It is nice, actually,” Whitechapel star Rupert Penry-Jones chuckled.
“It’s become a very trendy part of London. It wasn’t always but now it’s where the young, cool people tend to go. I love it there – it’s got real atmosphere.”
Well, if the fourth season of Whitechapel is any indication, the area not only attracts the young and the cool but the crazy and the bloodthirsty.
The six episodes making up the season are split into three two-episode investigations undertaken by Penry-Jones’ DI Joseph Chandler, Phil Davis’ DS Ray Miles and their team, including unofficial consultant Edward Buchan (Steve Pemberton), a true-crime enthusiast.
And the cases they’re trying to crack? A witch hunt where the victims are crushed under boulders and burned alive at the stake, for one.
Then there’s mysterious deaths in the sewers that may be the result of feral pigs.
“And there’s one where someone is skinning people,” Penry-Jones said dryly. “This is possibly the most grisly season yet.”
But the actor, whose other notable small-screen roles include Spooks and Silk, rather likes it that way.
“To be honest, the scarier and more gruesome the better, as far I am concerned,” he said.
HOLLYWOOD – There have been many movies about the history of the movie industry, but it’s surprising it took this long for someone to bring the life of Alfred Hitchcock to the big screen. The legendary filmmaker captained an impressive list of classic films including “Vertigo,” “North by Northwest,” “The 39 Steps,” “The Lady Vanishes” and “Dial M for Murder” among others. And with his TV series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents…” he became one of the most recognizable directors and celebrities of the 1950’s. His biggest hit, however, was one of his latter films, 1960’s “Psycho.” Hitchcock’s obsession with making that “horror” film sets the stage for Sacha Gervasi’s “Hitchcock,” which opened the 2012 AFI Film Fest Thursday night.
Coming off the success of “Northwest,” the picture finds Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) seemingly bored and uninterested in the numerous projects Hollywood is throwing his way. That all changes, however, when he learns about Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein (an almost unrecognizable Michael Wincott) who has stunned authorities by digging his mother up from the grave and murdering and then mutilating a number of young women. The crimes inspired Robert Bloch to write the fiction novel “Psycho,” although at the time he claimed he didn’t realize how close his book about the off-kilter Norman Bates was to Gein’s own story. Unfortunately for the famous filmmaker, Paramount Pictures – a studio that he owes one more film to – has no interest in funding “Psycho.” So, Hitchcock decides in order to feel creative again he'll mortgage his house and use his own savings to fund the $800,000 picture.
What role has had the biggest impact for you?
Adam Carter in Spooks. It made me someone people would cast. I was offered similar things. I took some but didn’t want to be the guy who saved London every week.
Why did you decide to become an actor?
I did youth theatre instead of going on summer holiday with my friends. I was happy on stage.
Did any early performances convince you to pursue acting?
Playing Caliban in The Tempest aged 13, I thought: ‘This is what I’m good at.’ I didn’t consider other careers. If you do have options, pursue them but I just had to stick with it.
Your parents are actors. Did they worry about you joining the profession?
Yes. They thought I couldn’t handle rejection and they were right. It always gets you down and your moods are governed by the work you’re getting or not. You never get used to it. You just learn to deal with it.
Have you ever been rejected in a rude way?
I was dropped from a show in the US, which wasn’t pleasant. They sometimes recast shows if it isn’t working. They got rid of me and the lead girl, recast it and it still didn’t work but they did it quite unceremoniously. It’s sometimes done in a cack-handed way. They imply they want you, then you hear from a friend they’ve got the job instead.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Keep your head down and mind your own business. Unfortunately, I’m not always very good at that. If I see someone being treated unfairly, I’ll say something, which has got me into trouble with producers in the past. The best advice is be punctual. If people are late, it gives the impression they think their time is more important than everyone else’s. If you work with me, don’t be late as I will tell you off.
With the US release of the espionage thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy tomorrow, I thought I would look back over the years and bring together a list of my top ten favorite British spy movies.
Take a look at the list of films I have chosen then let me know if you agree with my choices in the comments section below.
10. Goldfinger
When you think of British spy films, who else could possibly spring to mind before James Bond? With his dapper suits and alluring charm he’s a man who oozes with cool. Never has this been more apparent than in Goldfinger in which Sean Connery is at his very best as the iconic agent. Perhaps it’s dated a little bit, but that trademark look and those classic scenes will never grow old.
09. The Deadly Affair
The recently deceased Sidney Lumet, director of Dog Day Afternoon and 12 Angry Men, adapted this John Le Carre story for the big screen in 1966. It’s hardly his greatest work, but it’s nonetheless a tremendously engaging portrait of British intelligence’s battle with communism. It’s got all the mystery, intrigue and political undertones you would want in a Le Carre plot excellently handled by Lumet and well performed by its cast.
08. The Ipcress File
A young Michael Caine stars in this mystery movie about a spy trying to discover why scientists are being kidnapped and brainwashed. It all sounds a bit silly, but in practice this is a wonderfully low-key, suspenseful little spy flick and the best of the Harry Palmer series. Caine is predictably excellent in the lead role too.
07. Contraband
This early film from legendary Powell and Pressburger is as smart, wry, sexy and engaging as anything Alfred Hitchcock made during his prime. Set in the early days of wartime Britain during the blackouts, it’s a film that few have seen but really deserves to be discovered. It’s an incredibly entertaining flick.
06. The Man Who Knew Too Much
It may only run over an hour in length, but The Man Who Knew Too Much is the film that put Alfred Hitchcock on the map. It was this film that got him recognized by Hollywood and set the master of suspense firmly on his path to success. It’s fast, witty and a perfect example of the world’s greatest film-maker finding his feet.
05. Casino Royale
The finest of all the James Bond films, Casino Royale finally decided to ditch the traditional, by-the-book approach to how you make a Bond film and instead aspired to just be a terrific piece of action cinema. And my goodness, does it succeed. The story is top-notch with an excellently unique performance from Daniel Craig giving what was previously a tired franchise a huge boost of adrenaline.
04. The Lady Vanishes
Still one of the finest films Alfred Hitchcock made, The Lady Vanishes displays great dialogue, excellent acting and a fantastic sense of humour in a way that makes the film impossible not to adore. It will never be recognized in the way that Vertigo and North By Northwest are, but it really does rival them for entertainment.
03. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Anyone off to see the latest adaptation of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy this weekend is in for a treat as it’s easily one of the finest British spy films ever made. Its stunning cast all bring their A-game to the table in this suspenseful tale of a retired agent trying to find a mole at the top of MI5. But the most interesting aspect is how it switches the gloss of James Bond to uproot the murky underbelly of British espionage, painting its story on a canvas of mistrust, deception and double-crossing. It’s mesmerizing stuff from beginning to end. Our review is here.
02. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
Like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, there is little fun to be had in this early John Le Carre adaptation. There is no spectacle, glamour or excitement here. Instead, what you get in The Spy Who Came In From The Cold is a bleak insight into Cold War espionage; a colourless world void of warmth and charm that will inevitably drain you as you consume it. Nonetheless, though it’s tough to watch, this Oscar nominee was a profoundly brave step in a new direction during an era in which James Bond was at its most popular. It, therefore, makes for one of the most accomplished spy movies ever.
01. The 39 Steps
Film history was made in 1935 when Alfred Hitchcock, at the time a little known, run of the mill film director, received a contract to bring a low budget spy thriller to the big screen. He launched himself at the film and used the opportunity to provide his studio with a masterpiece of the genre, establishing his reputation as the master of suspense. From motifs and MacGuffins to dark comedy and intriguing characters it’s a quintessential Hitchcock movie that remains among his finest work ever.
