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Berkoff's film career revives with roles in major films such as The Tourist and The Girl with the Green Tattoo.
Berkoff back again with Spandau Ballet's Martin and Gary Kemp (The Krays). This time it is DaVinci Code territory. The first film for director William Steel. 2010.
Josef Rusnak directs and Jesse Bradford stars in a confused story with little interest. The films starts with strange editing effects, presumably trying to come up with the unique editing of Easy Rider but failing. After about 20 minutes this editing style is dropped. The film links childhood memories with drug induced bravado. But it fails on all fronts and is pretentious and tedious. The two covers show it is another film the marketing department couldn't decide on- I doubt they watched the film to the end.
Berkoff has a more prominent role that in other films from this period, and is good in his role with a perceptive gentleness. He acts well. In the USA it is called Perfect Victims. 2010. Actresses Emily Hamilton and Eliza Bennett also appeared with Berkoff in Hans Christian Andersen and By the Pricking of my Thumbs respectively, and editor Peter Davies also edited Berkoff in Octopussy. The non-artistic credits include "taxi hire"- does this need to be credited? But the best name from the credits is stunt performer Nicolas de Pruyssenaere.
The first film by director Nic Auerbach, a British gangster story. Leo Gregory stars and Berkoff and Michael Madsen are there to add some star quality. Madsen has a large role, and Berkoff a small role (I guess one day's filming) as an auctioneer selling off trafficked women who will be forced to become prostitutes. In the credits his role is given as "Mc"- shouldn't it be "MC"? The film tries to be a Pulp Fiction, with interwoven strands of story and bursts of extreme violence, but it never rises beyond the tedious. Robert Fucilla plays Floyd, and is also Executive Producer, Producer and Consulting Producer. William and Anthony Fucilla are Production Managers. Not difficult to work out why the film lacks edge. 2010.
Another new director, Philip Alderton in a weak comedy about the fashion world. The top model dies just before a major campaign, but they decide to carry on using her. Berkoff plays Claudio Vestigues the fashion designer, "She fell asleep modelling my clothes! Is she a critic?". The role is very similar to that in Another Nine and a Half Weeks, 2010.
Directed by Steven Lawson in 2010, a mokumentary about the film industry. Berkoff plays DP Mike Rosberry. Actor Philip Davis worked on two other Berkoff films, The Big I Am in the same year as this film, and Transmutations in 1985.
Steven Lawson directs his second film in a row with Berkoff, a vampire film with gangsters from 2010. Berkoff plays Kenneth Mason.
Berkoff finally doing a major film, German director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's The Tourist with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. Timothy Dalton also stars, Berkoff previously worked with him on Sins. Berkoff writes "Got an interesting call this morning from a director with the fabulous name of Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. He wants me to be in his film the tourist. It is very last minute but a reasonable role. I am to play a cultivated, dynamic, unpredictable Russian gangster called Ivan Demidov. the film also stars Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. Florian wants me on the first available flight to Venice. the downside is I don't get to go home first." He also adds about Angelina Jolie "A major star does not talk to you about your work. You talk to them about their work". Conversely "Johnny Depp... arrived, unannounced and came over at once. I told him I was honoured to be working with him and he said: "No, I am honoured to be working with you. I have such respect for your work." It was so unexpected. So real. Performing the scene was effortless for him. It's like he isn't acting he is so relaxed. He doesn't have any schtick or manner. He just comes in as himself. He is playful and funny. What a joy." The quotes come from here.
Berkoff is measured for a suit, pauses to strangle someone with the tape measure, then asks if the suit looks alright.
Berkoff tortures Angelina Jolie but Johnny Depp interrupts.
Mark Tierney directs his first film. Michael Greco and Jake Maskall from the British soap EastEnders star and Berkoff plays Lawrence Masters. Most of the other actors are newcomers. The film was originally called Naked in London and was filmed in 2004/2005 but has still to be released.
Another first time director, this time Ricky Grover. Grover plays Bulla and stand-up comedian Omid Djalili is also on the cast. This was going to be called Bulla and it would have been Berkoff's third film in a row for director Steven Lawson, but it seems to have moved on. The films ends with a voiceover "If you are wondering what this movie is about, don't. I have not got a clue either." Precisely.
"Someone has betrayed me" in this last supper scene.
Berkoff plays Guru Shahm, spiritual advisor to Bulla.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The remake of a Swedish film and Stieg Larsson's novel by David Fincher with Daniel Craig (taking time off from James Bond) and Rooney Mara. Journalist, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) and computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara)- with tattoos- investigate a disappearance years ago. Berkoff plays the lawyer Dirch Frode, one of his best roles in a major film. Christopher Plummer also appears in the film- he and Berkoff worked together on a television filming of Hamlet in 1964. Best name from the credits is Matti Rintala von Knorring, who is one of the Swedish carpenters.
Strippers vs. Werewolves
A horror comedy directed by Jonathan Glendening in 2012. But this film is dire. Bad script, acting, direction, editing etc. A film with 20 producers is not going to succeed. One of the worst films I have ever experienced. Nightmare on Elm Street's Robert Englund and Berkoff are guest stars. Berkoff appears after six minutes and thankfully after nine he is dead. Not the best three minutes of his acting career. Berkoff was among known people: Billy Murray previously acted with Berkoff in Dead Cert, Just for the Record and The Rapture and earlier McVicar; Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet in The Rapture and The Krays; Simon Phillips in The Rapture; Joe Egan in Dead Cert and Just for the Record; Coralie Rose in Dead Cert; Shaun Lucas in Big Fat Gypsy Gangster; Mo Idriss in Dead Cert and Big Fat Gypsy Gangster.
It does not end well for Berkoff- was it the strippers or the werewolves? Do we care? Best name from the credits, Lloyds de Vere of Onger.
RED2
Bruce Willis revives his role as a RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous) member of the CIA alongside John Malkovich and British spook Helen Mirren. Hit man Byung-hun Lee is hired to kill Willis.
Lee meets Berkoff, in his best Chinese cliché character, but negotiations do not go well and Berkoff is killed by an origami weapon. Berkoff is on film for under a minute. Directed by Dean Parisot in 2013. Brian Cox who plays Ivan was in The Flying Scotsman with Berkoff, and extras David Papova was in The Borgias, Lee Asquith-Coe was in Strippers vs Werewolves, Gino Picciano was in Dead Cert. |
