“Remember remember the
5th of November…”
This month marks the 10th anniversary of James
McTeigue’s
V FOR VENDETTA.
V FOR VENDETTA.
Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore in which a masked freedom
fighter named V attempts to start a revolution against a tyrannical neo-fascist
government in a future United Kingdom, V FOR VENDETTA was James McTeigue’s
directorial debut, and was produced by the (then) Wachowski Brothers, who were
coming off their successful run with THE MATRIX franchise.
Using history and literature as inspiration, including the
Guy Fawkes’ Gunpowder Plot of 1605, along with Alexandre Dumas’ novel The Count of Monte Cristo and the
writings of William Shakespeare, Moore’s graphic novel was adapted for the
screen by the Wachowski’s. It was an ambitious and bold project, with a
narrative led by a masked terrorist fighting against a government which ruled
with an iron fist. The Wachowski’s wrote the script even before their first
MATRIX was complete, and revised and revisited it over the years. When things
finally started rolling, the directing job went to McTeigue, who had served as
an assistant director for the two MATRIX sequels, along with STAR WARS: EPISODE
II.
The important role of V, the masked main-character, was
first given to James Purefoy, who spent six weeks filming before leaving the
production. The role was filled by Hugo Weaving, who had previously starred in
THE MATRIX trilogy, and was enjoying fame from his role in THE LORD OF THE
RINGS. The role of Evey Hammond, the young girl who falls in with V, went to
Natalie Portman, who had impressed McTeigue during their time working together
on STAR WARS. The super-villain-esque role of the Supreme Chancellor, Adam
Sutler, went to the great John Hurt. The rest of the cast was rounded out by
Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, Tim Pigott-Smith, Rupert Graves, and a young Imogen
Poots.
Once filming was complete, V FOR VENDETTA was slated to be
released on the 400th anniversary of Guy Fawkes’ historic plot to destroy Parliament,
with the tag line “Remember remember the 5th of November”, which was
taken from the traditional rhyme about the event. However, due to the extensive
visual effects work, the film was delayed four months into March of 2006. The missed
opportunity did not hurt, as V FOR VENDETTA opened number one at the U.S. Box
Office and in five other countries. Famed critics Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper
gave the film “two thumbs up”. It would win few awards, although Natalie
Portman would win Best Actress at the 2007 Saturn Awards. The character V,
whose face is never revealed, was included in Fandomania magazine’s list of The
Greatest 100 Fictional Characters.
*
V FOR VENDETTA did not win any Oscars, has not been selected for
preservation in the National Film Registry, and as a movie based on a graphic
novel, it is often lost among the flood of comic-book adaptations involving men
of steel and caped crusaders. But the strong symbolism in V FOR VENDETTA has
made the film one of the most significant entries into pop culture and society since
STAR WARS. The film itself speaks to how the famed mask is a symbol, and that
has become true as the face of Guy Fawkes has become a symbol today for the
oppressed, for fighting for freedom, and seeking truth. As a film, the film is
very progressive as it tackles an evil government which persecutes women and
gays, and watching it today one has to wonder just how far from that fictional
storyline we really are in reality. The dramatic prose, characters, and
commitment to history and the arts give the film a richness, and the action
scenes, which are fantastic while remaining tempered, make V FOR VENDETTA one
of the most entertaining and worthwhile action-flicks in the modern era. This Blogger
keeps this film in his personal Top 20, proudly displays the poster at home,
and revisits the film once a year; always on the 5th of November…and
often wonders when the world will catch up to V.
“People should not be
afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.”
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