HELLBOY
US, 2004, 122 minutes, Colour.
Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Selma Blair, Jeffrey Tambour, Karel Rodin, Brian Steele, Doug Jones, Rupert Evans.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Guillermo del Toro (director of Mimic and Blade 2 as well as the fine Spanish Civil War drama, The Devil’s Backbone) became a fan of Mike K.Mignola’s comic book, Hellboy. He lobbied for the job of directing and wrote the screenplay. Mignola himself (who acted as an art director on Blade 2) acts as producer, declaring that del Toro has given a striking visual interpretation of his character and events.
And it is a striking production, visually, full of exotic characters and locations, special effects and stunt work. Hellboy, apparently, came into this world through a portal in space in Scotland, 1944, in a ritual presided over by the Nazis, since Hitler had become involved for some years in the occult. American allies are able to disrupt the ceremonies (presided over by a revivified Rasputin) and Hellboy grows up under the care of a kindly professor (John Hurt) becoming very American in attitudes, language and behaviour, a rather laid back daredevil who has chosen good instead of evil but has not really grown up and is spoilt and petulant. The professor has also collected a number of paranormal individuals, including a merman and a firestarter. Their exploits are a build-up to the final apocalyptic confrontation that should end the world. Plenty of action here.
Hellboy gives Ron Perlman a starring role. He is once again a variation of the Beast who is in love with the beauty (Selma Blair as the firestarter). Perlman creates an unusual character, a hero, monstrous looking but both childlike and childish – and a lot of deadpan humour. He has to face moral choices like any good hero, to give his life for the girl, to vindicate and, of course, to save the universe.
This is comic book heroics with a difference, plus a mish-mash of mythologies and Catholic imagery, and is above average for this kind of action thriller.
1.The popularity of comic strip films, mutant characters, characters from other worlds? The character portrayal, the battles against (between?) good and evil? Hell Boy as different? Similar?
2.The visual impact of the film, the comic aspects, the special effects, the stunts, the action? The range of locations: Scotland 1944, the institute, the New York subway, the Halloween celebration, Moscow, the cemetery, the underworld? The portals from outer space? The strong attention to detail, design, colour schemes? The musical score?
3.The mixture of mythologies, the Nazis, Hitler and the SS? The professor and the paranormal? The Catholic imagery, the professor as a Catholic? Heaven and Hell? The apocalyptic aspects of the film? Yet the ordinariness, Hell Boy growing up as an ordinary American, the heroics – in the X-Men? style? Audiences able to suspend disbelief?
4.A different kind of hero? The prologue, the opening of the portals, the rituals, the child coming from Hell, the fact that it was a child, the appearance? Brought up as human? Experiencing human care? Human nature, monstrous nature? Appearance, horns, the fist? In action? The heroic nature combined with the ordinary petulant emotions of an adolescent? Hell Boy’s ability to sit and chat? Hell Boy and his paternal relationship with the professor? In love with Liz? Friends with John Salter, clashes with him, jealousy? The FBI agents and their following him, pressure on him? The Russian enemies, the Nazi enemies, the battles? The choices, the possibility of evil and ruling the world, his ultimate decisions?
5.Hell Boy and his first appearance, the child, growing up, his appearance, sense of mission? Growing up in the family? Liz and the ‘beauty and the beast’ theme? The cigar-chomping superhero? As a character, personality, conversations, jealousy, the motivation, especially with the death of the professor?
6.Professor Blume, in 1944, his role in the Roosevelt government? His experience of the rituals, interpretation? Sixty years passing, his institute, the merman and the swimming and communication, Liz and her pyrotechnics? His being ready with his group to confront Evil? His role with the government, the confrontation by Rasputin and the Nazis, the death and the challenge to Hell Boy?
7.Abe Sapien and his swimming, knowledge and insight, the first encounter with John, seeing him in action? His role in the professor’s team?
8.Liz, her history, fire, anger? The institution, being away, coming back? The bonds with Hell Boy? Her talks with John? Her mission, her self-sacrifice, the final fire – and the future with Hell Boy?
9.The history of Rasputin, his death in Moscow? His being present at the ritual in Scotland, living after his death? His Aryan assistant? With the Nazis, the motivation, his power to open the portal? His reappearance in the 21st century, the confrontation with the professor, with Hell Boy? The grave under Moscow, the underworld, the confrontations? His being presented as monstrous? His destruction? His assistant, her living on with him, with the Nazis? Seeking for power, her destruction?
10.Kronen, the metallic creature, in 1944, in the present, the fights, the knives, the confrontation with Hell Boy?
11.The range of creatures, the Devil’s spoors, monsters?
12.The contrast with the humans, John, the FBI, naïve, infatuation with Liz? The point of view and observing Hell Boy? Tom Manning, his pompousness, the FBI, helping Hell Boy with his cigar, participation in the final confrontation in Moscow, his being trapped?
13.This kind of exotic and eccentric comic strip film as a fable about good and evil, choices, ordinariness and power?
