When the novel "Murder on the Orient Express" first met with the world on January 1, 1934, did its author "grandma" Agatha Christie expect that today, after more than 80 years, this Is the story still being retold?
Whether "Murder on the Orient Express" is Agatha's best detective novel may be a matter of opinion, but if it is her most famous one, I believe there should be not many people who refute it. Back in 1974, Sidney Lumei's version was nominated for five Oscars at the 47th Academy Awards, including leading actor and screenplay adaptation. (Click [The Orient Express of the Strongest Remake IP] to view other remake versions) Now, Hollywood is targeting this classic again.
As a group play, there is nothing more enjoyable than seeing more than 10 powerful actors with a solid foundation gather together on the big screen to compete with each other. Let's take a closer look at the roles and secrets each of them take on today.
they are the closest to the truth
1. The Detective (Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot)
One of the most beloved characters in Granny's writings
Hercule Poirot is arguably Agatha Christie's most beloved character. He appeared in her 33 novels and 50 short stories in total, and was also called "Pineapple" by Chinese fans who loved the nickname.
Poirot, a retired Belgian police officer, is often mistaken for French because his native language is French. He moved to the UK as a refugee during World War I and started his second career as a private detective.
In his works, he is fascinated by symmetrical proportions (which is also strongly portrayed in the new film), and any detail that escapes the balance of beauty will be infinitely magnified in his eyes - this has become his unique quality as a private detective. .
A well-maintained and proud mustache is his symbol, and he even wears a delicate beard case for protection when he sleeps on the train (more on his beard later).
Poirot liked to dress well, with shiny patent-leather shoes, and was a petite old man with extreme cleanliness, who sometimes acted in a comical manner that, according to popular parlance, was "a lot of drama". He is good at digging out seemingly unrelated points in chat-like interrogation, and often uses eavesdropping to observe the psychology of characters.
The new Poirot is younger and more dynamic
In the past few decades, Poirot actor's image is different interpretation of many times, such as the 1974 movie " Murder on the Orient Express played his" in Albert Finney , and "Hercule Poirot" The first David Suchet in season one and thirteenth.
Now, Kenneth Branagh is about to reprise the world-famous mustache detective, but he's decided to do something different based on Poirot's past as an officer and police officer. Branagh said:
He had a background in the military and was a police officer, and I wanted to give him a little bit of flair this time around.
Undoubtedly, Poirot's wisdom is his greatest gift to the world, but the director and screenwriter chose to "younger" and "action-oriented" this character - this should be the same as in the past, whether in literature or in film and television, with a big belly and inconvenience. The image of the old Poirot forms a huge contrast. (You can click [Interview with "Murder on the Orient Express" director Kenneth Branagh] to see what the director himself said~)
However, like the 1934 novel and the 1974 film, Poirot played by Branagh will continue to interrogate different characters in the carriage to find the final clue to solving the case this time. So how do you make a "younger" pineapple breathe new life into an old story? You have to go to the cinema to find out.
Branagh competes with Poirot's beard
Branagh, who is also a "patient" of obsessive-compulsive disorder with Poirot, not only has his own persistence in character characterization, but also put a lot of effort into the presentation of his iconic beard.
With the help of the company, he collected all of Agatha's descriptions of Poirot's beard. After 9 months of research, they finally produced this pair of beards that Agatha hailed as "the most elegant beard in England".
"He was also very picky, and he was very particular about his appearance, especially his big beard. Christie believed that Poirot had a special vanity for beards, and Poirot was proud of that." Branagh If so.
The creative team knew that Christie's "great beard" was what it looked like in her day, but the designers and Branagh thought it should really be twice as big as a normal beard, which they felt was "Poirot's amazing ability." manifestation". Because this mustache is constantly mentioned in the book, it should be very eye-catching.
According to Branagh, the process was full of hardships:
We keep questioning whether the beard satisfies the character's needs, and is guaranteed to do so every time? In a murder case, the character has such a beard, and the audience can't stop thinking about the meaning of the beard. So it's really a very critical tool for us.
Wait a minute, who the hell is Branagh?
Kenneth Branagh, born in Northern Ireland in 1960, is an all-rounder born for the film and television industry .
Director, producer, actor; film, television, stage play, all proficient.
Opening his resume, it was so dazzling that people couldn't take their eyes off it:
At the age of 25, he graduated from the Royal Academy of Arts and starred in the stage play "Henry V".
At the age of 29, he wrote and directed the film version of " Henry V ". The film won a number of Oscar nominations including Best Director, Best Costume Design, and Best Actor in the same year.
In 2015, he directed " Cinderella " and won the title of "Restore the Most True Fairy Tale" director; while directing the superhero movie " Thor ", he gained both fans and word of mouth.
Not only did the director do a good job, but the actors did their due diligence: "Harry Potter" plays the narcissist Death Eater Professor Lockhart, and the combination of small movements and eyes makes the character's narcissism undoubtedly revealed.
The government minister who wanted to shut down " Pirate Radio " was "horrified" by fans when they found out that he was Professor Lockhart.
In this year's " Dunkirk ", he played the commander Bolt again . One look and one action all revealed his extraordinary acting skills.
And this time, how will Branagh, the all-rounder with obsessive-compulsive disorder, play the great detective "Pineapple" again with the "Delicate Beard"? We will wait and see.
2. Gangster (Johnny Depp as Edward Ratchett)
He's a bad guy, he should die
If one were to pick one of the most sinister people in all British suspense literature, it would probably be this one named Samuel Edward Ratchett. He robs, he kidnaps, he kills, it can be said that he is a beast among men. All the characters in the novel express their hatred for him in different ways. His evil is unparalleled and his sin is unforgivable.
He seems to be the only real villain in the whole train. He's the culprit behind the film's invisible storyline, the Armstrong case.
In the preview, Ratchett is preoccupied and restless, but also takes the time to flirt with Michelle Pfeiffer. He found many threatening notes against him on the train, and turned to Poirot for help, but he threatened Poirot with a gun. From now on, we know that on this Orient Express, his presence made everyone uneasy.
The black humor that only belongs to Uncle Depp
And having Johnny Depp play the villain was a no-brainer.
"From the moment Ratchett showed up, you could feel the madness and anxiety that radiated from him, eager to befriend Poirot so that the detective could protect him. The elegance of the train mirrored Ratchett's self-conscious Big, coupled with his disgusting confidence, and he ended up with a character that was extremely repulsive and a little funny." Depp analyzed his role.
Branagh chose Depp because he believes that only a good actor can really interpret such a sharp, dangerous and very smart gangster. Depp's iconic depression and darkness just meet the needs of the role, and his own black humor The temperament makes the villain's image more three-dimensional.
Josh Gad, who played his assistant, was full of praise for the "Master": "Johnny Depp has a unique leadership temperament, charming and confident, and is the cutest, most caring, and most suitable star for filming together. Chet is almost his opposite, but he just brings the role to life, and his acting is amazing."
they walk with the devil
3. Assistant (Josh Gad as Hector McQueen)
Then we talk about this assistant.
The young American McQueen was Ratchett's assistant, his father was the attorney in charge of the Armstrong case, and he himself (after the murder) never concealed his distaste for his master. During the interrogation, he had made an alibi for another suspect's doctor, but whether this certificate is true or not is unknown.
McQueen's complex background created his equally complex character. He's like Ratchett's slave—a frightened, restless secretary for a tyrannical and demanding boss. The previous anger and dare not speak, triggered the subsequent outbreak.
Josh's performance softens the injury
Josh Gad has been active in the world of voice acting, and his unique sense of humor has created endearing animated characters such as Snowball from Frozen and Mole from Ice Age.
While McQueen has suffered in life, Josh's performance deals with it with aplomb. It made the character very interesting, and it made Ratchett the master and McQueen secretary form a very close but contradictory combination.
"The beauty of this film is that you think you know everything when you know nothing. McQueen is part of the puzzle," Josh said of his character.
4. The Butler (Derrick Jacoby as Edward Masterman, the Butler)
In addition to the assistant, there is another person by Ratchett's side who can't be ignored - his housekeeper Masterman. This British-style butler is deeply trusted by his master.
And under the shape of Derek Jacoby , the identity of the former military officer hidden behind the housekeeper was revealed inadvertently. This makes the characters with few roles in themselves more attractive to everyone because of a layer of mystery.
He was an orderly during the war and later a valet. Now that he has such a disgusting master as Ratchett as a servant, he also has his own anger in his heart. Masterman became a little more irritable and irritable as he got older. Because of his serious illness , he began to have no scruples about the future, and the fire of revenge that slowly grew in his heart became more and more intense.
Jacoby and director Branagh are an old pair who have worked together many times in theater and filmmaking. When Jacoby was offered the role of steward, he accepted without hesitation. As an East Londoner, it can be said that it has a natural advantage to play the British butler.
They lose their tenderness, just for the justice in their hearts
Several female passengers in the carriage, with different poses and expressions, can be said to present a pair of sentient beings who are full of spirit and determination.
5. The Widow (Michelle Pfeiffer as Caroline Hubbard/Mrs. Hubbard)
Lonely and ferocious carnivore
I believe the most eye-catching segment in the trailer is the flirtation scene between Pfeiffer and Depp in the cramped car. The former is charming and the latter is deceptive, but in the corners of the eyes and brows, I always feel that there are some secrets that cannot be revealed. .
Mrs. Herbard, the widow played by Pfeiffer, can be said to be a single "old" woman with a catchphrase of "my ex-husband", but when asked how many times she was in office, she began to be confused again. And confuse each other, or everything is made up.
In fact, in such a golden age, on an exotic Orient Express, there is a pompous single woman talking like no one else, which itself is already a challenge to tradition. And this courage will gradually take off the coat of style as the story develops, and become eye-catching and trembling.
The acting goddess transformed from a sexy stunner
Of course, Michelle Pfeiffer is not a vegetarian. After 30 years of ups and downs in Hollywood, she has gradually transformed from a sexy stunner to an acting goddess.
She is the woman that Al Pacino took from the boss in " Scarface " ;
She is the " Age of Innocence " in Daniel Day-Lewis secretly loved unlikely people;
She is the mafia wife who was born and died with Robert De Niro in " Don't Mess with Me " ;
She is " Mother! The mysterious uninvited guest in .
Let's see how she plays the most important person behind this perfect murder today.
6. Missionary (Penelope Cruz as Missionary Pilar Estravados)
A borrowed character, a perfect match
The character in the original is actually a Swede, slow and cowardly, and even speaks incongruously. In the 1974 version of the movie, Hollywood superstar Ingrid Bergman starred in disfigurement, and won her the honor of Best Supporting Actress Oscar. .
In the new work, director Brana changed the character slightly, not only the name was changed to "Pilar", who was from a Spanish-speaking country at first sight, but his character was also more grateful and full of enthusiasm.
She travels the world with a passion, doing what she can to improve this imperfect world both spiritually and philosophically, with dedication and secrets of her own.
In fact, Pilar's role originated from another Poirot detective novel by Agatha Christie, Poirot Christmas Detective. It can be said that the name and character are all "borrowed".
But it is this borrowed role, played by Penelope, who is no less beautiful than Bowman, and achieves just the right perfection- when sexy is imprisoned by clothing, the soul bursts out.
The goddess returns to simplicity, and the secret is also hidden
This character in the film prefers to hide his charm. Whether it is appearance or inner feeling, this time Penelope makes people feel simple and solemn.
Penelope Cruz is often called the most beautiful woman in the world, with smooth and shiny long hair, seductive eyes, sexy and plump red lips, with the wild and uninhibited uniqueness of Spanish girls, the exotic wild beauty makes the whole world Can't stop.
Walked out of Almodovar's movies, landed in Hollywood, rose and fell with the title of "vase", and finally became a screen rose that can always bloom and be competent for different roles. When the unrestrained returns to simplicity, maybe everything is just to cover up the secret buried deep in my heart.
7. The Princess (Judi Dench as Princess Drogomiroff)
The princess looked unhappy from the moment she appeared, and it was clear that the current carriage was far from the standard of this member of the Russian royal family. She is domineering, contemptuous, arrogant, and disgusted with almost everything around her, and she only stops complaining when she pets the dog .
So, we have a very stern, intimidating, somewhat mischievous and hilarious character at the same time. In addition to being scary and funny at the same time, like everyone else, she also harbors secrets and hides herself.
And there may be no other actors who can easily interpret all these levels except Judi Dench . Similar to director Branagh, Judi Dench is also an all-round actor in film, television and stage.
11 BAFTA Awards, 7 Lawrence Olivier Awards, 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards, 1 Academy Award (plus 6 nominations), 2 Golden Globe Awards and Tony Awards have fully reflected Her outstanding contributions to British theatre and international cinema. The title of Dame of the British Empire is perhaps the most appropriate recognition for this great artist.
8. The Maid (Olivia Colman as Sidgarty Schmidt)
The master-servant relationship is one of the chemistry that is often touched on in movies. In the film we can see both the master-servant relationship between Ratchett and McQueen, and the relationship between the princess and her maid, Hidgardi. Agatha Christie, as well as her Poirot, like to expand on the complexities of this relationship.
Hidgardi is the princess' maid. She has a bright personality and always likes to complain (with the master). She is polite and intelligent, but she is also very quiet at times. Her prudence will make you wonder if she's hiding something. You must know that the people who appear in this train, even the servants, are not accessories of anyone.
9. The Female Teacher (Daisy Ridley as Mary Debenham)
A female teacher with good geography who likes photography - in that era, such a character setting was destined to be extraordinary for this character.
Schoolgirl Mary is the closest thing to Agatha Christie's character. Agatha and her husband were about the same age as Mary when they started their round-the-world journey, during which she (Agatha) even learned to surf in Hawaii. She instills courage and a tough adventurous spirit in Mary, while new Star Wars heroine Daisy Ridley brings an edgy and daring modernity to the character.
10. The Countess (Lucy Boynton as Countess Anne Rainey)
Almost all of the female characters on the Orient Express are flamboyant and present—even if they may not want to be—with the exception of this countess. She appeared few times, and the background was not very clear. After getting in the car, she was never seen again until the second half of the film.
In Agatha's deliberately arranged story, our way of understanding her was cut off, but in the director's handling afterward, our desire to understand this beautiful woman who looks like a fairy but is like a gossamer has actually strengthened. His love affair with the Count, the cause of her drug addiction, and her mysterious background as a ballerina all underline this woman's unusualness.
They take risks, just for the ones they love
And the men "besides" these women silently bury themselves in various identities, and sacrifice their future for their unspeakable love.
11. The Count (Sergei Punonin as Count Anne Rainey)
The Earl's love is his wife. His wife was the light in his life, and he didn't want her to step into the darkness again. He knew that as long as he survived "this time", his wife would get better, and the light would shine into their love again.
12. The Doctor (Leslie Odom Jr. as Dr. Constantine)
A doctor's love is a female teacher. But because of the difference in race, he couldn't release his soulful romance, and because of his past experiences, he had to clear his suspicions by "assisting in the investigation".
This "double hidden" identity made his life on the Orient Express difficult, but since his lover is by his side, there is still hope for everything.
13. The Professor (Willem Dafoe as Gerhard Hardmann)
The professor's love is his deceased girlfriend. Compared with others, his love was buried deeper. He has extreme disgusting political rhetoric, he is completely ignorant of other people's feelings, he likes to incite, he likes to provoke people. All his madness is to cover up his once love.
And Willem Dafoe 's unique secret is to make those annoying people cute. After all, as long as there is love in the heart, maybe people are not too bad.
14. The train conductor (Chico Kenzari as conductor Pierre Michel)
The conductor's love is his deceased relatives. Nothing is more heartbreaking and painful than the death of a mother and sister.
But he has his own job, he is a train ticket inspector, he has to take care of every passenger in the car, and he can't show the pain. Therefore, his sensitivity and kindness helped him complete his "job" well, while his forbearance and stubbornness strengthened his "faith" in his heart.
The super-luxurious cast lineup is just to serve this story about justice and law, morality and humanity. Heart pregnant ulterior motive to violence with violence or, misfortune nowhere sound worth mentioning, that 80 years has passed the baptism of the story, how the mind can still tap in the new era? Approach (enter) these people again, and we may all have our own answers.
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