If you’ve never seen Mike Leigh’s “Naked” (1993) stop what you’re doing right now. Leave work, go home, rent the movie, turn out all the lights, watch it and then coddle yourself in the fetal position for the next 24 hours.
If you barely know Leigh’s work, chances are you still probably know “Naked,” as this harrowing, brutal and disturbing look at a loudmouth, philosophizing fatalist in a two-three night stretch around London appeals to the grimmer, darker film lover and has become a nihilist classic (fans of “The Dark Knight” would surely appreciate this if they already don’t). The film is a black as pitch, depressing and bleak as all get out, but it’s certainly one you must see at least once. Thewlis’ performance as a chain-smoking, drunken agitator is thrilling and without him there’s no film.
Apparently the dreary personal drama has just come out on DVD in the U.K. now (it’s been out in the U.S. for years) and lead actor David Thewlis hasn’t talked about the film in years, but it’s hard for him to forget, an experience he calls, “super intense.” He also goes into detail describing Mike Leigh’s insane, method-like process which is kind of pathological and sometimes almost provokes real violence.
“There are very strict rules. You’re not allowed to come out of character, unless Mike says so, no matter what is happening, short of it getting too violent in a way that Mike may not realize.It happened on “Naked” with me and Ewen Bremner. I had a sharpened screwdriver and I nearly attacked him with it. I was thinking of stopping the improvisation because I was thinking: The character will stab him, but Mike doesn’t know I’ve got the screwdriver.”
Thewlis, who basically got major acclaim and attention from the immersive role of Johnny, says that’s one character that’s never left him.
“Most parts I’ve played since “Naked” I can barely remember who they were, let alone repeat any lines. Even with “The Omen” recently, I couldn’t tell you what the hell that character was called. But I remember lots of things about Johnny’s life. It was super-intense.”
Leigh’s legendary techniques are to basically trap actors in a room for days, get them to improvise in character for weeks and then he writes the script based on their interactions, but this movie sounds like it went off the charts and probably with good a reason considering the uber-bleak subject matter of pathetic, homeless, but hyper-intelligent and cogitating drifter that despises humanity and can’t connect with anyone. Leigh even sent Thewlis to a morgue to get psychically connected to the character.
“Mike sent me to see a dead body. I was surprised, as we hadn’t said that Johnny had seen one. He thought it might help compound my fear of death. I was like: My fear of death’s pretty compact, thanks mate. He sent me down to a morgue. It’s a very bizarre story. The mortician was a major lunatic.
‘It was horrific, not because I saw dead bodies but because I met the guy who cuts them up. He was a real freak.
‘Most directors don’t work that way because they don’t need to. If you already have a script, you don’t need to do all that work. It’s said I was unhappy at not getting a writing credit for “Naked” but that was blown out of proportion. But, you know, the actors in Mike’s films contribute an enormous amount to what they say. And that’s not just me, but every actor who’s ever worked with him.”
If that sounds intense, shit, just watch “Naked” again for all the rape scenes, the unromantic and harsh violence, the misanthropy and misery… god. It’s amazing, but brutal, be forewarned. PS. Greg Cuttwell’s role as Sebastian Hawk was his feature film debut. We’re not sure what ever really came of that actor, but Hawk is still one of the most vile characters to ever come on screen and Cuttwell will always have the distinction of having brought the cruel bastard to life.
Leigh’s upcoming fall film, “Happy Go-Lucky” is like the antichrist to “Naked,” it’s a romantic comedy, that’s all cheerful, colorful and effervescent. Frankly, he needed a change of pace and mood. It looks kind of sweet. Lord knows, Americans don’t really know how to pull off romantic comedies these days without them being mainstream cheese-fests, but Leigh looks like he’s got the right touch to make this one genuine.
Trailer: “Naked”
Ewen Bremmner and David Thewlis in “Naked”
