kittyP
Pluviophile
As Badgers said, Jean Reno asked for a lot of stuff in the origional screen play to be taken out as he couldn't do it.
I think the troubling bit though is that it is her that is overtly sexual not him.
Leon - Natalie Portman
- Thread starter AnnO'Neemus
- Start date
As Badgers said, Jean Reno asked for a lot of stuff in the origional screen play to be taken out as he couldn't do it.
I think the troubling bit though is that it is her that is overtly sexual not him.
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
Leon, in many ways, is more a child than she is. His illiteracy, the father/son relationship he has with mob dude, whereas Matilda is precocious and her enthisiasm for the hit, her dissappointment at not using live rounds contrast with Leon's strange maturity over his work.
WRT Nikita...suposedly the character of 'The Cleaner' was Besson's inspiration for Leon - the notion of a total professional who comes in and cleans up someone else's mess, whom Tarantino references in Pulp Fiction in the character of Mr Winston Wolf.
WRT Nikita...suposedly the character of 'The Cleaner' was Besson's inspiration for Leon - the notion of a total professional who comes in and cleans up someone else's mess, whom Tarantino references in Pulp Fiction in the character of Mr Winston Wolf.
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
BTW, if anyone reading this has a Demonoid account, the international version is on there as a 6.37gb DVD ISO file.
So if someone were really public spirited, they could dl it and convert it into something easy like an AVI. Not me I hasten to add, I don't have the tools...
So if someone were really public spirited, they could dl it and convert it into something easy like an AVI. Not me I hasten to add, I don't have the tools...
gsv
liminally queer
Got it on VHS. In really low resolution. With Japanese subtitles.
And it's still worth watching.
GS(v)
That was cool and true-to-life though. Children are sexual and adults are very uncomfortable with it, the feelings of what one should do and consciousness of the conflict between desire and socialisation is exactly what separates Leon from Mathilde, and justifies his refusal of sexual contact even though it is clear that they love each other so much it hurts. It's a great film
dilute micro
esse quam videri
camouflage
gaslit at scale.
I've been saying there should be the film Mathilda for years, literally, years. Hoping some producer will somehow through the magic ethers pick up on the idea and give Besson a call.
Obviously Leon is dead, so the film Mathilda would be about Mathilda all grown up, having left the school for girls, and maybe having become an assasin, or just abit dodgy with a... 'dramatic' ability to take care of herself and get things done.
I agree that the moments of sexual-tension were an important part of the film, and Leon's backing away from that was an important and very sweet dimension to his character, as was his complete perplexity at how to deal the child generaly, it all went to underline the essential innosence of this dangerous killer. And Gary Oldman was really good as the evil cop, all that Bethoven (or was it Mozart) and the pills he was alwasy popping, one of his best rolls in my opinion. The film certainly put Jean Reno on the map for me as well. And the little girl was really good too, I have'nt recognized her in any of her modern roles but would hope if there was a Mathilda she would be in it, Besson to direct, and Reno in a flash-backs from the past or inner-thoughts ghost sort of thing.
And let's not forget the soundtrack! Brilliant film!
Obviously Leon is dead, so the film Mathilda would be about Mathilda all grown up, having left the school for girls, and maybe having become an assasin, or just abit dodgy with a... 'dramatic' ability to take care of herself and get things done.
I agree that the moments of sexual-tension were an important part of the film, and Leon's backing away from that was an important and very sweet dimension to his character, as was his complete perplexity at how to deal the child generaly, it all went to underline the essential innosence of this dangerous killer. And Gary Oldman was really good as the evil cop, all that Bethoven (or was it Mozart) and the pills he was alwasy popping, one of his best rolls in my opinion. The film certainly put Jean Reno on the map for me as well. And the little girl was really good too, I have'nt recognized her in any of her modern roles but would hope if there was a Mathilda she would be in it, Besson to direct, and Reno in a flash-backs from the past or inner-thoughts ghost sort of thing.
And let's not forget the soundtrack! Brilliant film!
kittyP
Pluviophile
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
is the 'international' version also the Directors cut? Cos I've got an avi of that. I'd guess it is as the description says 'you'll learn why Leon became a hit-man and why he had to come to America. You also get to see more of Mathilda in training missions, which means more action as well. Highly recommended even if the Lolita factor is more pronounced.'
Portman will do a sequel once her career turns to shit
camouflage
gaslit at scale.
Louloubelle
Well-Known Member
I completely agree with this, excellent post
The film, IMO, demonstrated Leon's childlike naivety and his love for Mathilda. It's one thing to notice that a girl is growing up and starting to have feelings that she is too young to act upon, it's another thing entirely to abuse the girl and the situation by acting on those feelings.
Paradoxically the film showed the goodness within an evil man and the seductiveness of an innocent girl. Nothing is ever one thing, everything is complicated and the film demonstrated this beautifully. IMO
kittyP
Pluviophile
I have though I have! Why the roll-eye?
The 'have you been out' was to dilute micro and click on the
in other post 
steveo87
22/11/2022 - got a maths joke.
Give us two days, I'll write the script, you get the cameras toghether, I'll make a few phone calls and next year...... HOLLYWOOD!!!!!
camouflage
gaslit at scale.
The 'have you been out' was to dilute micro and click on the
Ouch. That's that idea down the pan then.
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
I would just like to throw my hat into the no to a sequel side of the ring. I think it would be a bad idea and the Leon sits beautifully as it stands needing no prologue or furthering of the story...
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
I'd agree here. The tale told was perfect as it is. Any furtherance would be at best a unrelated tale and at worst a bums on seats shitefest
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
What I want to know is what those little pills Gary Oldman's character kept taking were supposed to be. Nice facial reaction every time he swallowed one
This ruins the film for my rather literal mum. 'ee wouldn't react that quick off of a pill. And what is it ee's having anyway'
Shippou-Sensei
4:1:2.5
placebo effect?
Sabu
Poo stick
kittyP
Pluviophile
What I want to know is what those little pills Gary Oldman's character kept taking were supposed to be. Nice facial reaction every time he swallowed one
Those bits are some of my favorite parts of the film.
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Yep I've always wanted to see the US version...shame they haven't thought of doing a nice DVD package with it, loads of extras etc...
maybe they could do a prequel?
I was about 12 when this film first came out and found Matilda quite....arousing
I was about 12 when this film first came out and found Matilda quite....arousing
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
No.
Look people have to get this into their heads; the film works in the main because of the relationship between the man and the girl. A prequel wouldn’t have the girl; a sequel couldn’t have the man (not without some crappy flashback crap).
End. Of. Story.
It’s a great film that stands on its own, stands the test of time and needs nothing more, leave it be!
cliche guevara
Well-Known Member
Agree entirely, there is no need to mess with it, as it stands it's a classic, and anything else would taint it.
Sure, I think its a great film in its own right and see no real need for a pre/sequal. But a prequal could work. Like "Leon, the early years". Maybe something about the GF in italy, about his training and early days as an assassin. Maybe combine that with Matildas later life. Follow the format of the Godfather 2. Just take it in a completely different direction.
Anyway, why get so precious about a film? I mean, its a good film no doubt. But trying to do something related wouldn't take anything away from it. I mean, Godfather 1 + 2 are not shit just because of Godfather 3. Same for robocop 1 + 2, just because of 3. And look at Mad Max, the first was brilliant, but the second was much better still. Saying there should be no sequal just because the first was so good is a bit silly.
Anyway, why get so precious about a film? I mean, its a good film no doubt. But trying to do something related wouldn't take anything away from it. I mean, Godfather 1 + 2 are not shit just because of Godfather 3. Same for robocop 1 + 2, just because of 3. And look at Mad Max, the first was brilliant, but the second was much better still. Saying there should be no sequal just because the first was so good is a bit silly.
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
LOL! And hoping for a bunch of weaker films isn't? I bet you cheered for joy when you first saw the Phantom Menace dintcha? Go on admit it!
Would the prequel just have Matilida or Leon?
