MovieChat Forums > The Relic (1997) Discussion > PENDERGAST...

PENDERGAST...

posted 16 years ago by ihateyoudiepart2
54 replies | jump to latest

First off, I will say that I am like many others vexed that our fave FBI agent didn't make it into this film...but consider how difficult it would have been for a studio to put such a character into a mainstream film aimed at the general idiotic public, based on a best selling novel...let's face it Pendergast is an odd duck. Granted in the years since this film's release we have had the joy of seeing some rather strange characters in some big films...in the late 90's however, ehh not so much.

Now on to my point. #1

I am a huge fan of the P/C novels, i have been for years, and i like many would love to see the entire series make it to the screen. Lately i have been checking the message board here to see what people think as to the idea of casting and I must say that i am stunned.
All anyone seems to come up with is Malcovich or Crispin Glover...

In order to have a successful franchise you need to get butts in the seats AND it doesn't hurt to have talent as well. So I wonder what you all will think of my casting of Pendergast...

Johnny Depp...anyone want to kill me yet? my reasons are simple.
1 talent...anyone who thinks he cant act is shackled to some misguided indie-film ideal that should be gotten over by at least your mid-twenties. look at his hunter, captain jack, dean corso, and libertine for evidence of talent(among other movies, of course)
2 his name is big...people would show up just for him. plus, if he would take the role, there is more likely a chance that the films would attract actual good and talented directors and writers!!!!
3 anyone who is good at photoshop...find a pic of him in a suit bleach him to an albino state, make his eyes grey-blue, and give him platinum blond/almost white hair and tell me he doesn't look the part.
4...if not JD ROBERT DOWNEY JR. same level of talent, another big name, and look at him with the ridiculous blue eyes and blond hair in TROPIC THUNDER...Eh?

anyway...that's it for now. i would have tried to make a more elaborate case...but i am drunk and very sleepy.

PS Which book do y'all think would be a good starting point if they were to make it to film the right way? I think Still Life... easy stand alone story lot of action and a good setting.

peace out

[–] Quel_Fara 16 years ago

Now don't get me wrong, I love Johnny. I really do. But he is just too commercial now for Aloysius. He is extremely talented, but Pendergast has to be unique.

Aloysius, is very tall, thin, and almost white haired. I can almost only see him in Anime, He is total Bishonen. Perhaps along the lines of Dr. Muraki in Descendants of Darkness, but for good not evil. http://www.freewebs.com/rpgroups/Muraki.jpg Oh, and straight of course!

He's larger than life, smarter, kinder, faster, almost supernatural himself. He is Dr. Who in a Ten. Williams play. He is a lost survivor of the house of Usher. His family heavy with insanity, he is the translucent marble standing out with the scarlet vein of madness of Diogenes, his Aunt and others. He is a darling, anachronistic, unattainable, perfect man.

I think Pendergast should be a very talented unknown. Someone, perhaps along the lines of a young Julian Sands. OF course Aloysius is not all that young, perhaps Sands could pull it off after all.

Okay, now I've had my moment of gushing.

I've been to the Darkside. They totally lied about the cookie thing.

[–] melliem42 14 years ago

He is Dr. Who in a Ten. Williams play

PERFECT way of describing him.

[–] jrpelt 13 years ago

I would go with describing him as a kind of post-modern, designed-by-a-British-writer* version of Doc Savage.

*Grant Morrison, _maybe_ Alan Moore.

[–] eewebb66 13 years ago

Hah! I totally pictured him as Julian Sands when I first started reading the Pendergast books! I'm glad someone else thought he would be fitting as well. He's handsome- close the the physique and quite elegant.

[–] sullylou42 15 years ago

I know he may be a little young, but what about Giovanni Ribisi ? Watch Flight of The Pheonix with Dennis Quaid. That's the movie that made me think he work well in the role despite age.

" A man with no enemies is a man with no character. "

[–] jak_dc 15 years ago

I think Aaron Eckhart would do a great job of portraying Pendergast. I see much potential and he looks so darn good....

[–] eb72186 15 years ago

I know he is not an actor, but I kind of see Anderson Cooper as Pendergast. Hee hee. He's slender, pale and has really light hair, and I find him charming.

[–] drea999 12 years ago

HAHA!! Right from the start, I always pictured Pendergast as looking exactly like Anderson Cooper! I wonder if he can act?

[–] mindthinkr 9 years ago

Now that would be a dream come true!

[–] norrisdavid 15 years ago

How can they leave out Pendergast? He is the only reason I wanted to see the movie.

[–] jacksonwma 15 years ago

My selection to play Mr. Pendergast would be Matthew Goode who recently played Ozymandius/Adrian Veidt in Watchmen.If you have not seen it,please do so.He looks almost exactly the way Pendergst is described in the novel or at least He does in that film.

[–] gr1mm13 14 years ago

Reading the story line for the movie I was interested in seeing the movie then I noticed no Pendergast.. I will not watch the movie at all..

I think a good choice for Pendergast would possibly be Neal McDonough he has very light hair and the eyes would work fairly well also.. I could be wrong but hey thats ok too..

Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy)?? Possible not real sure though.

[–] BeachDreamer 14 years ago

Late coming into this one, but I can definitely see Jason Isaacs as Pendergast. Just rediscovered the novels and would love to see more of them made into films.

Driver picks the music. Shotgun shuts his cakehole

[–] knowledgefiend 13 years ago

Spot on gr1mm13. I like both your choices, but Jason Isaacs could without a doubt fill Pendergast's shoes. He's a great and underrated actor, plus his eyes remind me of the character. He also is able to exude a certain charisma...

"Sunday Bloody Sunday. What a great song... It really encapsulates the frustration of a Sunday, doesn't it?"

-Alan Partridge

[–] BertramWilberforceWooster 11 years ago

For the same reason they left out my favorite character: Bill Smithback.

--
Once upon a time, we had a love affair with fire.
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[–] vinaybar 14 years ago

I was shocked when I found out that this movie didn't have Pendergast.It borders on sacrilegious.

As far as casting for Pendergast is concerned,my vote goes to Paul Bettany.He's a great actor,and at the same time can pull of Pendergast's unconventional look, a la Silas from the Da Vinci Code.He could also play Diogenes if they adapt the Diogenes trilogy,and I sure hope they do!

[–] Frogfisher 14 years ago

Actually... at the time he was just a supporting character so not really sacrilegious!

Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others.

[–] zClassicz 14 years ago

I would have to say that I absolutely love Pendergast's character. He's just extremely unique and that's a little hard to come by these days, which kind of confused me when they didn't include the character of Pendergast in the film Relic. Although, I can see that at the time the film was made there was only one novel written. I don't think anyone could have anticipated that such a character as Pendergast would certainly become the protaganist to his own series of books. I think that today we should probably start from the beginning and potentially create a Pendergast franchise in the film industry. That's what is dominating the screens nowadays: sequels and franchises. Pendergast's story and background is just so unique and, well, thrilling, that making films out of these books would be a genius idea.
As for the casting of Pendergast, it's a hard decision. I think that the actor should be a "nobody". Even though a familiar face can potentially draw in an audience, I believe that the content (if the film stayed true to the books) is enough to draw in a huge audience. Although some of the actors mentioned are okay, I think that my choice would be Andreas Wisniewski. I know you're not familiar with the name. You might know him as Tony, the German terrorist who John McClane first kills in the first Die Hard film. (If you dont' remember, McClane wrote "now i have a machine gun ho-ho-ho" on his shirt after he killed him, then placed him in the elevator). He's tall, lanky, light blonde hair, and blue eyes. His facial structure is what I would imagine Pendergast's to look like. The only flaw in this actor is that he's German. Therefore he has a heavy accent. If only he could speak with a New Orleans-like accent, we would be in business.
These are mearly my opinions, not anything to get anyone riled up about. I love these books and I've nearly finished the whole series in only a matter of two months. I plan to re-read them for a long time to come. I would love to hear your comments.

Sincerely,
Amanda :)

[–] davis28834 12 years ago

Paul Bettany would be my choice if we couldn't turn back time and have a young Peter O'Toole.

[–] smakar 14 years ago

Coming in REALLY late, but for what it's worth, while there were many great suggestions (particularly Paul Bettany) I would also suggest Jude Law, who I feel has the perfect balance of uniqueness with intellect (at least, the appearance of intellect <g>).

[–] BloodBang 14 years ago

haven't read the novel - could somebody please tell me something about that Pendergast?

what's he like?

Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Omegamorph 13 years ago

Pendergast is described as tall, distinct, blonde (almost white hair) and blue eyes.
I think David Tennant with blue contact lenses, some dye and a different haircut would pull it off, personally.

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