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Chris McKenna in "King of the Ants"
courtesy of Creative Talent Communications
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"Chris McKenna Is A Likeable Villain"
Chris McKenna is the star of the film "King of the Ants," and turns in a pretty startling performance. His character's name in the film is Sean Crawley and this man is a killer with a killer smile. It is hard to play a role like this as fearful and likeable but somehow McKenna manages to pull it off.
I spoke with McKenna by phone recently and he is as affable and good-natured over the phone as he appears in the movie. He is only twenty-six but he has twenty years of acting experience under his belt. "Yeah, I started when I was seven. I was cast as 'Dopey' in a production of 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.' I guess that was type casting," he said.
This performance hooked McKenna on acting and he pursued roles in regional theater and eventually landed a role on the soap opera "One Life To Live" when he was twelve. He stayed with the soap for three years or so. Then he started attending Hofstra University. "I didn't graduate," he said. "I went about two years and then decided to move out to Los Angeles. I asked my professors what they thought and they said I should do it."
"I've done some TV, a movie, and some other things but 'King of the Ants' was my big break. When I first read the book I didn't think I had a chance for the part. The guy was short and not really noticeable. Me, I'm six three and weigh two hundred and twenty pounds. It just didn't seem to be a match," he explained.
Still he did go read for it and got called back to read again. "When I got the call saying I got the part I was really excited. Then when we started rehearsals I found I was the very last person cast," he continued.
The film has some brutal scenes as well as some fairly explicit sexual ones. "I was a little bit nervous about some of them," he said, "but Stuart (Gordon, the director) is just the nicest guy. He told me if I felt uncomfortable in any way just to let him know. So I was okay with it."
Chris is hoping this solid role will lead to some bigger and better parts. His next venture on screen will be under the direction of Terry Zwigoff, the director of "Ghost World." He also is working with John Durante, a relative of Jimmy Durante's, on a one-man show about that show business legend. Chris is the co-writer and John would be the star.
When I asked Chris why he thought he got the role in "King of the Ants" he answered, "They told me I was likeable - even though I was a killer in the film, they thought the audience would like me." Maybe it is his demeanor or maybe it is his killer smile, but the audience does like him even as he is wreaking havoc on screen.
Another creepy movie available on DVD/VHS this week is "Secret Window." And no wonder it is creepy, it is based on a Stephen King story. Plus it stars Mr. Creepy himself Johnny Depp.
Depp plays a writer whose wife has left him. He also has to fend off a weird guy (John Turturro) who says he stole his story. Things get odder and odder and more mystifying as Depp's life spirals out of control.
This is a movie full of shocks from beginning to end, and it is fascinating because of this. Depp is at his quirkiest best and Turturro matches him in intensity. Maria Bello is also solid as his estranged wife.
If you are a Depp fan, a Stephen King fan, or both; you won't want to miss this shiveringly good movie.
"Bad Santa" on the other hand is a matter of taste. Your taste that is, the movie is just solid bad taste. Billy Bob Thornton plays a department store Santa who hates kids and is a drunk to boot. He is obnoxious, boorish, profane and disgusting - and those are his good traits.
Some people love crude humor and this is some of the crudest. Even Lauren Graham ("Gilmore Girls") gets drawn into the web of trash. And if you really like this film you will want to get the DVD version that is unrated. It is "Badder Santa" and it moves the crudity notch a little higher.
Don't wait for Christmas to watch this film. If you are going to rent it, do so now. |
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©2004 Jackie K. Cooper |
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