V for Vendetta (1995)

V for Vendetta poster

As I talked about it in another post, I really should upload my thoughts on this film. With an amazing and at time surprising cast (I never expected Stephen Fry or Eddie Marsan) this is both a classic and almost timeless dystopian fable. The mask and iconography is possibly more famous than the film these days, with life imitating art and it being used at protests and rallies, which is odd considering its based on Guy Fawkes, who was to all intents a purposes a gormless patsy and mercenary rather than being any great revolutionary or planner of plots himself.

It made a big impact when it came out, and has stood up to changing times remarkably well, and like The Crow, was unusual in matching the brilliance of a graphic novel (by the brilliant Alan Moore) without aping it, and making an alternate interpretation of the themes. If you’re familiar with one version but haven’t tried the other I’d highly recommend you give it a go for a very different experience.

The reason I’m including it here is that my own Man in the Bath draws on some of the ideas and imagery (you can also see the shadow of a V from the shower hose as an easter egg on the cover), and I still watch this film for its visuals and soundtrack as much as the dialogue and plot, as I find it an excellent for evoking certain moods.

I can’t decide whether baldy Natalie Portman reminds me more of Sinaed O’Connor or Tripitaka from the 80s series Monkey but either way, she rocks the look.