Lead Me Into Temptation...
March 29th 2009 07:13
Danger is an alluring thing. I know I’m not alone. Why else do people have sex in public, surf trains and/or wear six-inch heels? I tell you, it’s the irresistibility of a risky situation.
It should be no surprise then, to find that villains are quite regularly more appealing than heroes. It’s a given for the ladies – femme fatales like Bond’s Xenia Onatopp and O-ren Ishii of Kill Bill are by definition attractive and overtly seductive. With the men, it’s not always so obvious. Is it simply that evil often seems to be paired with wit and charm, or is the danger of wickedness itself enough to tempt us to the dark side?
Let’s consider: John Malkovich in Dangerous Liasons, Gerard Butler in The Phantom of the Opera, Guy Pearce in The Count of Monte Cristo, Christian Bale in American Psycho and Alan Rickman in… just about any role you care to name. Would they still be so good if they weren’t so bad?
What about someone with less aesthetic appeal, like Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs. He’s occasionally effeminate and might eat your face off, but he’s also forceful and daring, compelling and intelligent, and has a warped, incongruous sense of honour. In short, he makes Prince Charming look more than a little dull.
So who does it for you? The hero or the villain, the angel or the demon? If you were enchanted by the snake, would you bite?
Michaelie Clark
It should be no surprise then, to find that villains are quite regularly more appealing than heroes. It’s a given for the ladies – femme fatales like Bond’s Xenia Onatopp and O-ren Ishii of Kill Bill are by definition attractive and overtly seductive. With the men, it’s not always so obvious. Is it simply that evil often seems to be paired with wit and charm, or is the danger of wickedness itself enough to tempt us to the dark side?
Image courtesy of stockillustration.com
Let’s consider: John Malkovich in Dangerous Liasons, Gerard Butler in The Phantom of the Opera, Guy Pearce in The Count of Monte Cristo, Christian Bale in American Psycho and Alan Rickman in… just about any role you care to name. Would they still be so good if they weren’t so bad?
What about someone with less aesthetic appeal, like Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs. He’s occasionally effeminate and might eat your face off, but he’s also forceful and daring, compelling and intelligent, and has a warped, incongruous sense of honour. In short, he makes Prince Charming look more than a little dull.
So who does it for you? The hero or the villain, the angel or the demon? If you were enchanted by the snake, would you bite?
Michaelie Clark
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Comment by Morgan Bell
Science News
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
i like the ones that display raw emotion or complex motivations . . . the ones that show a glimmer of human need beneath all their plotting and schemes
villains are the ones with the faults so they are more easy to relate to . . . they also usually have the most commanding presence on screen
great to see you back Michaelie!
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Perfection is not attractive, you need the flaws.
Thanks Morgan, hopefully back on track with this again! I'll be doing the rounds soonest.
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
Good to see you up and running again!
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Unfortunately, I like people that are are at least a little bit wicked in real life too!
Thanks, I'll be around shortly
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
The women talk about liking villians on the virtual world of the screen but can't stand them in real life.
I'm glad I'm leaving. I'll puke if i read much more of Morgan's false flattery.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Science News
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
i wish you would puke, and choke on it
what ever happened to the days of you being so constantly drunk that you couldnt possibly write or read coherantly? if anyone around here is false it is you, David
your threats to leave in are just a desperate attempt to garner sympathy and attention . . . do you notice noone is begging you to stay?
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I know I have more on my list so I'll have to come back when they pop into my head.
Byeee!!!
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
I'm sure there are some villains I really don't like, but I'm not sure I prefer the hero.
Thanks Trace!
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Good to see your still going strong.
Always the villian for me too because as we all know its easier to be bad than good in real life. Easier to provoke a reaction or generate the primal emotion of HATE with evil.
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Don't know about strong, but still going at least. Hobbling, at best, I would say.
Nevertheless, it's worth it when I get visited by ones such as those I get visited by!
Knew you'd plump for the baddie
Cheers JD
Michaelie
Comment by Mountain Fog
My personal favourite is Hannibal Lecter, what a performance, the malevolence of presence... and Jack Nicholson's character in The Shining, that film still freaks me out!!
cheers
fog
Comment by The Rusty Can
Everything
Good to see you back Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
You may well be right, but for me, it's also that element of 'playing with fire'. It's just more interesting than being good, isn't it?
Silence of the Lambs still scares the bejesus out of me.
Thanks Fog!
Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Cheers!
Michaelie