Interview: British Comedian Steve Coogan Rocks Sexy Jesus Character in -Hamlet 2'
www.hollywoodchicago.com - 30th Aug 2008
Steve Coogan: CHICAGO“
Steve Coogan is a British comedy icon. Forging a career from creating an array of characters, though, he's not as well known in America (except to BBC cultists).He brings this talent for characterization to the lead role of an American high school drama teacher in the new film “Hamlet 2”.
Coogan adds some peculiar quirks to the depiction of the clueless soul who seemingly will do anything to project his dramatic “vision”.“Hamlet 2” star
Steve Coogan in Chicago on July 30, 2008.Photo credit: Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com
Steve Coogan stars in Andy
Fleming's comedy “Hamlet 2”.Photo credit: Cathy KanavyIn a recent HollywoodChicago.com interview with
Coogan, he philosophized about the nature of his comedy and how he hopes it can translate both in “Hamlet 2” and within the larger entertainment scope as his career progresses.Describing the roots of his basis in developing characters,
Coogan went back to his childhood in Manchester, England.“As a kid before cable or VCRs, I used to use an audio cassette recorder to tape TV shows,”
Coogan recalled.He added: “[I did it] just to get the audio tracks. Also there was a lot of comedy on records. I would listen to Monty Python and older British comedy like Tony Hancock and The Goon Show.”
Steve Coogan (center) and Skylar Astin (right) star in Andy
Fleming's comedy “Hamlet 2”.Photo credit: Cathy KanavyRating: 2.5/5.0“Often people would describe their favorite moments on the TV shows or records,” he continued. “I would say: -No. You've got it wrong.' I would start to mimic what was accurate on those shows. I would enjoy the retelling of the stuff. I would enjoy people's reaction to it once I did it.”“Hamlet 2” is a bit of a departure from the British scene. It depicts
Coogan as Dana Marschz: a down and out American actor forced to teach bad drama in a high school in Tucson, Ariz. His student body consists of two worshipful pupils who do stage recreations of movies like “Erin Brockovich”.When Dana is forced to take some rougher students into his classes, it's within the context that the school system is about to cut the drama department entirely. What is necessary is a big production. It must be something the bureaucracy can't ignore.Dana Marschz will come up with the sequel to one of Shakespeare's best. He'll call it “Hamlet 2”.
Coogan added: “What attracted me to the character of Dana was that it's a funny part.”
Steve Coogan (left),
Elisabeth Shue (center) and
Amy Poehler (right) star in Andy
Fleming's comedy “Hamlet 2”.Photo credit: Focus Features
Melonie Diaz (left),
Steve Coogan (center) and Phoebe Strole (right) star in Andy
Fleming's comedy “Hamlet 2”.Photo credit: Cathy KanavyHe continued: “He is vulnerable, which was a departure from characters I've played who are unlikable. I am attracted toward dysfunctional people because I find them more interesting. It's a challenge to play someone odd or dysfunctional and still make the audience care about them.”While Dana plots his masterpiece, his marriage dissolves around him. Still, the plucky and gullible dramatist forges on.His play will revolve around a time machine (so the dead characters in the first “Hamlet” can be revived), musical numbers and the character of “Sexy Jesus” for the big finish.“We talked about how to make Jesus sexy,”
Coogan explained. “That's why we settled on the jeans and T-shirt. The hair was always kind of cool.”“It did make me a little nervous to play Jesus,” he admitted. “I did wonder whether (writer/director) Andy (Fleming) was just trying to be provocative to annoy Christians in a certain way or if it was just funny. I wasn't quite sure, but in the end, I just did it.”Coogan also talked about playing Dana as an American and the differences between that freedom and the more repressed British psychology.RELATEDIMAGEGALLERYView our full, high-resolution “Hamlet 2” image gallery.RELATEDREADINGMore film reviews from critic Patrick McDonald.“As a generalization, I think Americans are less repressed than British people,” he said. “Culturally, people from America come from somewhere else, so there's the risk factor within the personality that makes them more free.” “There is no subtext with Dana,”
Coogan added. “The challenge was how to make it interesting when he's so big and demonstrative “ without making it over the top “ especially in contrast with the other characters in the film who are more grounded.”In his final thoughts,
Coogan mentioned why he sometimes has trouble being pigeonholed in the way he's cast in movies.“I like variety. I don't like to repeat myself,” he said. “In this marketplace, that is difficult because representatives sometimes don't know how to sell me. I do so many different things. But it satisfies me creatively.”“Hamlet 2,” which is written and directed by
Andrew Fleming, features
Steve Coogan,
Catherine Keener,
David Arquette,
Elisabeth Shue,
Amy Poehler,
Melonie Diaz, Phoebe Strole and Skylar Astin. The film opened on Aug. 22, 2008.By PATRICK McDONALDStaff WriterHollywoodChicago.compat@hollywoodchicago.com 2008 Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com
Read full story at www.hollywoodchicago.com
In This Story
Hamlet 2 (Second Opinion)
Hamlet 2
Starring: Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Joseph Julian Soria, Melonie Diaz, David Arquette, Elisabeth Shue, Phoebe Strole, Skylar Astin, Amy Poehler
Directed By: Andrew Fleming
Written By: Andrew Fleming, Pam Brady
Release: 2008
Grade: B-From a young age Dana Marchz (Coogan) wanted nothing more than to be an actor. He was in a few commercials, but never made it upon realizing that he wasn’t very good. Well you know what they say: those who can’t do teach. So Dana follows this and becomes a hig
Movie Review for Hamlet 2 (2008)
Click Poster to Purchasedigg_url = 'http://movieEVERYday.blogspot.com/2008/08/movie-review-for-hamlet-2-2008.html';Review #675 of 365Movie Review of Hamlet 2 (2008) [R] 92 minutesWIP™ Scale: $12.50Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, COWhen Seen: 22 August 2008 @ 5:10 pmDVD Release Date: Unscheduled (please check back)Throughout the Credits: scenes of Hamlet 2 opening on BroadwaySoundtrack: Download now from - or - order the CD belowDirected by: Andrew Fleming (Nancy Drew)W
Spoiler Points for Hamlet 2 (2008)
Did you walk out of Hamlet 2 before the ending? Here's your opportunity to have burning questions answered:
• Who's the father of Brie Marschz's baby?
• Is Elizabeth Shue's role worth seeing the movie?
• What is the climax of the film?
• Is "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" as controversial as they make it sound?
• How does it end?
Movie Review of Hamlet 2 (2008) [R] 92 minutes
"…is Hamlet 2 truly artistically great or just art for art's sake for Pete's sake?" read more from the independent film review site, movieEVERYday.com -- not owned by any big media company, not receiving swag for praise, just honest reviews by an honest film critic.
Who Should NOT See Hamlet 2 (2008)
• Fans of Catherine Keener
• Fans hoping this will revitalize Elizabeth Shue's career like Being John Malkovich revived the career of John Malkovich.
plus 8 other types who shouldn't see it AND
plus 9 types of people who SHOULD SEE HAMLET 2.
2cOrNot2c.net takes its unique movie review style and applies it properly to this un-sequel to Hamlet starring: Steve Coogan • Catherine Keener • David Arquette • Elisabeth Shue
Hamlet 2 / *** (R)
"Hamlet 2" (R, 92 minutes). British comedian Steve Coogan stars as the harassed flywheel of a drama teacher in a Tuscon high school. Threatened with a shutdown of his program, he desperately stages a sequel to "Hamlet," using a time machine to bring back all the characters, as well as Jesus and Einstein. Manic and funny, with a perfect cameo by Elisabeth Shue, as herself--sort of. Rating: Three stars.
Movie Review: The Rest Was Silence, but Then Came the Sequel
“Hamlet 2” belongs to the school of free-for-all satiric farce whose creators ball up wads of ideas, apply chewing gum and hurl them against the wall to see what sticks. If the style smacks of desperation, enough of the jokes cling to make “Hamlet 2,” directed by Andrew Fleming, intermittently funny.
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movies: news• premieres• awards• star birthdays• new to DVD• coming soonposters: just in• hottest• extravaganzas• stand-ups | capsules: previous]Most Recent Movie Reviews:review archive: 2005• 2006• 2007• 2008(click a poster to purchase a poster)Movie Review of The House Bunny (2008) [PG-13] 97 minutesWIP™ Scale: $9.50Pitched as a comedy with a decidedly feminist leaning, Anna Faris's risky House Bunny hops onto the screen filled with parts that, unfortunately, may induce a lot mo
"Hamlet 2" | Focus Features Hopes: Blithe Comedy + Well-Known Entertainers = Late Summer Hit - indieWIRE
In a key scene halfway through "Hamlet 2," a downtrodden Arizona high school theater teacher named Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan), whose raunchy, quasi-autobiographical play has raised the ire of the local community, gets his confidence boosted by Cricket Feldstein (Amy Poehler), a fiery representative from the American Civil Liberties Union. With a twinge of excitement, Cricket explains that the school's attempt to suppress his work constitutes a First Amendment violation, and he stands a good chance of winni
"Hamlet 2" | Focus Features Hopes: Blithe Comedy + Well-Known Entertainers = Late Summer Hit
In a key scene halfway through "Hamlet 2," a downtrodden Arizona high school theater teacher named Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan), whose raunchy, quasi-autobiographical play has raised the ire of the local community, gets his confidence boosted by Cricket Feldstein (Amy Poehler), a fiery representative from the American Civil Liberties Union. With a twinge of excitement, Cricket explains that the school's attempt to suppress his work constitutes a First Amendment violation, and he stands a good chance of winni
Film: To Be, or to Be Broad, in Service of ‘Hamlet 2’
Despite appearances in many movies, Steve Coogan, the star of the indie comedy “Hamlet 2,” is scarcely known in the United States.
Steve Coogan gets his British foot in U.S. door
To be or not to be famous in America? That is the question for Steve Coogan. In his native land, the British funnyman is as revered ...
Stars in Rewind: A Retro, Silent Hamlet
Filed under: Classics, Trailers and Clips, Stars in Rewind
The unthinkable has happened -- Steve Coogan treaded on William Shakespeare's grave and created the super-saucy Hamlet 2. But as the film continues to expand its screening reach, I thought I'd go back in time -- way, way back in time, beyond many of the Hamlet films that have graced our Shakespeare-insatiable eyes.
The above film was not meant to be a comedy, but you have got to see the silent version of Hamlet above. The music alone is peppy en
"Hamlet 2" Review
Movie: Hamlet 2 * Official Site * Trailer
In Theaters: August 29, 2008
Runtime: 92 minutes
Directed by: Andrew Fleming
MPAA Rating: R for language, including sexual references, brief nudity, and some drug content
Gecko Rating:
There’s no doubt that English comedian Steve Coogan is a brilliant actor. In fact, if not for him, this movie would flounder [...]
FEATURE - A Mirthful Mancunian - FilmStew.com
Flawed characters have made Steve Coogan a star in his native England. This summer, the Manchester native is aiming to broadside the U.S.
Insert Caption: Hamlet 2
Filed under: Fandom, Contests, Insert CaptionWelcome back to another edition of Insert Caption -- the game where we definitely rock it with sexy Jesus all night long. Last week we asked you to strap in Statham-style and race to be the first one to knock us over with a caption for an image from the flick Death Race. Congrats to all three of our winners -- your thirst for speed, prison humor and bald men is quite inspiring to us all.
1. "You sank my battleship!!" -- Jason F.
2. "Unfortunately, the Death St
Steve Coogan unleashes his inner Bard
British comedian Steve Coogan's specialty is over-the-top characters. In Britain, he gained notoriety as radio personality Alan Partridge, and in the U.S., he currently appears in the Hollywood action flick send-up "Tropic Thunder" opposite Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black and Ben Stiller, who also directed the movie.Now Coogan, 42, is appearing in one of this summer's most eagerly awaited "sequels" — "Hamlet 2," which debuts in major U.S. cities on Friday — playing a high school drama teacher who attempts
Steve Coogan Isn't Who You Think He Is
Reading, 'riting, and rock 'n' roll may be the curriculum of high school musicals, but its genre changing themes and topics teach us all a lesson on the evolution of youth culture.
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‘Hamlet 2’ rocks with racy musical numbers
"Rock Me Sexy Jesus." "You're As Gay As the Day is Long." "Raped in the Face."These aren't insults. They're song titles from the new film "Hamlet 2," which opened over the weekend.The movie follows an eternally optimistic but marginally talented high school drama teacher as he mounts an ambitious musical sequel to "Hamlet" that he hopes will save the school's drama department. The irreverent songs come as choreographed musical numbers in the student production, which closes the film.Story continues below ?a
On the Travers Take: Reviews of “Hamlet 2,”“The Rocker”
What’s funnier: Steve Coogan as an out-of-place drama teacher penning his own bizarro high school musical in “Hamlet 2″ or Rainn Wilson living out his rock & roll dreams with a band of confused kids in “The Rocker”? Peter Travers tackles both films in his weekly video podcast at the Travers Take.
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A Night Out With | Elisabeth Shue: Adventures in Acting
Hanging out with Elisabeth Shue, who tries to explain her new film “Hamlet 2.”
A Night Out With | Elisabeth Shue: Adventures in Acting
Hanging out with Elisabeth Shue, who tries to explain her new film “Hamlet 2.”
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