With tongue firmly in cheeks, yesterday we were reflecting on the hazards of having a passion for Jake Gyllenhaal - following the tall and unlikely story that an employee at Ealing Studios was given the boot for proclaiming her undying lust for said actor. Quite apart from this inspiring some poetic types to retell the story through limerick, it also made me want to take a quick look (yes please) at one of the mighty weapons that Jake has in his arsenal. A short time ago, we looked at that formidable piece of kit - the kiss - so it seems only right to illustrate today's post with another of Jake's masterly techniques for reducing us all to mush - The Gyllenhug.
The Gyllenhug is not something to be treated lightly. On the set of Zodiac, David Fincher saw fit to warn fellow crew memers about the hug, as reported in Total Film back in 2007. When Jake approached cinematographer Harry Savides, Finched warned 'Watch out... You'll get a hug'. Fortunately, the arrival of a tray of Starbucks saved the day.
But David Fincher is not immune himself - he too has fallen slave to Jake's hug. As has another director, Gavin Hood.
Fellow Zodiac castmembers have also succumbed, including Robert Downey Jr but, most especially, Mark Ruffalo, who has been hugged at awards ceremonies and at fortuitous meetings in the street. In addition to the encounter outside the NYC restaurant (notable for being decorated with giant pencil crayons), GQ magazine, way back in February last year, recorded that Mark had been in Hugo's restaurant when Jake arrived and Mark did not escape the resulting clinch.
The awards ceremony is a convenient and very suitable venue to hug Jake. The exchange of awards makes hugging entirely apropriate and desirable. The best example of this is when Jake presented Jennifer Aniston with her GLAAD, leading to not just the type of hug that makes one forget one's in a packed out theatre but also to a little sway.
But premieres and the euphoria that goes with the red carpet is another very popular place for a hug and close embrace.
But Jake doesn't just need a formal occasion for a hug - the street provides ample opportunities, especially in NYC and LA. However, it is worth bearing in mind that the majority of people that Jake hugs in the street know him. But not always...
If the street is too open for an embrace, there is always the outdoor seating area of a restaurant.
It is a well known fact that people especially want to hug gorgeous, sexy young actors when they are holding a little cute puppy. While it can be argued that the little cute puppy can be used as a convenient excuse to hug said gorgeous, sexy actors, it is perhaps a useful tip to store away. However, having said all that, the hugging evidence below is confined to family - and the puppy may be receiving more hugs than anyone - and so maybe this tip does have its limitations.
And then there are the people lucky enough to work for Jake and/or to be his friend, because the rewarding hugs seem frequent, freely given and heartfelt.
What can be said with no fear of contradiction is no-one can resist.
It's taken me too long but, at long last, I got to see Rendition with Gavin Hood's commentary, and it made me think long and hard about a film I thought I was well used to and very familiar with - and possibly overly attached to - after the film festival treats of Toronto and Rome. However, I realised Gavin Hood had done a good job when, towards the end, I turned off his commentary so that I could watch the events of the story unfold, and appreciate its silent observer, who finally felt able to cross that line and make a difference.
So, in this post tonight, I wanted to look just a little at some of the issues that Gavin Hood raised. Some I had already considered, but, generally, when I see a film, I am an undemanding sponge (in a manner of speaking) and I can fall headfirst into plot holes without a second thought and with complete abandon.
Colour and movement
This one I had got and it illuminates Rendition - how each geographical location has its own colour. We have browns and neutrals in Chicago, blues and steels in Washington, and oranges and reds in the exotic country known only as 'North Africa'. When Reese Witherspoon's character, Isabella, takes her case to Alan and Washington, she is the odd one out, wearing browns against blues. Douglas - Jake Gyllenhaal's character - is likewise singled out in his North African location by his grey suits.
But also there is a change in movement - in Washington the camera is fixed, while in Morocco a scene shows more movement. Washington represents old standards and is solid, but Gavin Hood focuses on less obvious Washington monuments and architectural styles, or just shows little glimpses of evocative emblems. Instead, modern architecture is used to indicate that the old ideals are at threat from a new order, in which extraordinary rendition can be a tool, even though the United States government 'does not torture' (in the words of Corrine Whitman). The camera is used to frame a scene in which the old Washington is pushed into the background - an ideal that is no longer perceived as relevant.
Silent witness
In a film that comprises several stories, not to mention timelines, there is very little time and opportunity for characters to establish themselves. Fat must be cut and the focus must be tight. Gavin Hood says that he avoids clutter in a film and he avoids clutter in a scene. He also relishes the difference between cinema and the theatre - in a film, the director can direct his audience to focus on the listener during a dialogue and not to the person speaking, adding another perspective to the words uttered on the screen.
Gavin speaks with great respect of Jake Gyllenhaal. Jake was given fewer words than almost anyone in Rendition, with a disproportionate amount of screen time, and yet he had an impossible task. Jake was asked to indicate to the audience, through passivity, his increasing disgust with what he was observing. At the same time, he was supposed to suggest to Abasi Fawal that he was unmoved and unmoveable. Jake managed it, showing yet again that he is the master of the pause and the ellipse, speaking in volumes to his audience through a lip sucked or a brow creased. The key to Jake's skill, in Gavin's word, is 'stillness'. The best way to understand the impact of what's happening is by watching the expression on Jake's face.
We watch a man shutting down, just as his lover finds he will roll away from her on the bed and say nothing other than that he had 'a bad day'. But what else can he say? As Gavin says: 'In a way he's two steps behind what actually is happening to him in terms of his own psychological understanding of what's going on.' 'A bad day' says it all.
Defining moments
Life is full of moments that cannot be forgotten and that define the rest of our lives. Several of the characters in Rendition undergo defining moments - including those that result from the loss of a child or the absence of a spouse - but for some these moments are decisions, which, once made, influence a lifetime. Alan and Douglas are the obvious examples - both cross the line.
Peter Sarsgaard's character, Alan, has a suggested history with Isabella and he wants to help until he inevitably reaches his crossroads and he has to make a decision. He takes the road that leaves him a flourishing career, shredding evidence of his altruism. I read this scene in a completely different way from Gavin - I saw Peter drinking that champagne as a way of cementing his choice, regrets went in the bin along with the chewed up picture of Anwar. Gavin says in the commentary that this was a reluctant choice, almost that the champagne caught in the throat: this would be a moment that would lead to selfdoubt and regret.
As for Jake - Douglas crossed the line when he raised his hand in violence against another human being - grasping the throat of Anwar. From that moment, and from that decision, Douglas could not be anything but involved and he gave up a witness' privileges. According to Gavin, it was always important to Jake that there was never a moment when he just knew he had to do something. By contrast, I always felt that there was a moment when Douglas knew he had to try and find some control - and that was the moment when he grabbed Anwar's throat and Douglas knew for himself that physical violence does not work, partly because he had tried it for himself.
Innocence
Isabella never shouts out her husband's innocence - instead, her plea is that she wants to be looked in the eye by someone who can tell her what her husband is supposed to have done. She wants justice. Innocence or guilt is almost not an issue and it is an area into which Isabella is afraid to venture. Gavin says that at one early screening a viewer said that it may have been better if Anwar's guilt had been established - this would make the final debate harder - does guilt justify these means?
Looking one in the eye
Gavin's style is to film at eyelevel, to have one of a speaking pair close to the camera while the eyes of the other are level with the camera and so with us. Also, in this way, we see the story and the cycle of violence through the eyes of the participants and witnesses, most especially through the troubled eyes of Jake's Douglas.
Rendition Day is here at last and, while the film hasn't arrived on my own doorstep unfortunately, at least I can enjoy the screencaps posted at IHJ, which hint of deleted scenes with Jake in them. Although why any director would wish to delete an instant of film that contained Jake Gyllenhaal will always be a mystery to me.
Looking at Jake in these pictures, so soon after seeing him in Beverly Hills all shaven, reminded me of this old quote of Jake's that I read sometime ago and has now re-emerged along with Jake's beautiful chin: 'Hollywood heart-throb JAKE GYLLENHAAL has developed a huge dislike for facials, after an ex-girlfriend forced him to go through the beauty procedure. The 23-year-old actor, ex-boyfriend of SPIDER-MAN beauty KIRSTEN DUNST, finds the widely-used beautification technique unbearable. He says, "A girlfriend took me to get a facial once. It was weird to have a person pushing on your skin for an hour. I suffered for a week with little red marks."'
For those of us not fortunate enough to be able to settle back tonight with kicked-off shoes to watch Rendition, here is a reposting of a Making of documentary, which at least contains some additional Jake and is definitely worth a rewatch.
Jake's Rendition scenes were, of course, filmed in Morocco and I've spent some time today remembering back to the early part of 2007 when I imagined Jake in some exotic and warm location. Rendition's filming was a big source of interest for the Moroccan media and many local blogs. For instance, we hear of filming at El Badia palace in Marrakesh and at the coastal town of Essaouira. This interesting article by Emmanuel Levy looks at the visual style of Rendition and explores the ways in which Gavin Hood and his crew and actors recreated and visualised the grey area between right and wrong.
This was partly achieved through the opposing ways in which the worlds of Morocco and Washington were captured. There is a great account of what filming in Morocco was like for the cast. '"I think it is wonderful when you walk on the set and you have South Africans, and Moroccans, Americans and Brits," says Jake Gyllenhaal. "There is a real open heart here. I think that comes from Gavin Hood. I think every set I've been on is defined by the director."
"Shooting in Morocco with an international cast and crew was an amazing experience," adds cast member Igal Naor. "For me, as an Israeli, to feel free, and to feel comfortable, to not be afraid of anyone or anything--I felt as if I was in London or Paris. It was great. I met so many Muslims who became good friends and after two weeks, we said to ourselves, 'How can we be together? How can we have fun?? Look how close we are. Judiaism and Islam are so much the same. And it's something that makes me very happy. I have many Arab and Palestinian friends in Israel, too. Why can't it always be like that?"
Hood adds, "One of the fun things about this movie was the fact that we had crew made up from people all over the world working on a film that is essentially about the struggle of different cultures in this very stressful modern time. The debates among the crew members about the issues at hand were wonderful because I watched people grow and come to understand each other and enjoy being with each other. I hope this film reminds us that we are all just people with emotional issues and needs. I get so frustrated the way people want to talk about how people are different, yet we don't talk enough about the ways in which we are the same."'
I hope people will forgive me if I finish this post with some gratuitous Rendition Jake. Just to console those of us who have yet to receive the DVD, you understand.
With a day to go before the end of what has been a fabulous year, today I'm remembering 7 September 2007, which was not only one of the best days I've ever experienced, it was also important and so memorable for more than one member of the community here. This post is dedicated to each of you.
The Toronto International Film Festival couldn't have come at a better time for me. Nothing helps you get over these little trials better than a Jake Gyllenhaal adventure and the company of some fellow Jakers. This flying visit was spectacular from the very beginning - although arriving at Toronto's airport probably no more than 10 minutes after Jake walked through it was a little... vexing. I saw the luggage carousel from his plane (as I later discovered) and it was just about empty. But that evening, while walking off the jetlag and enjoying the heat, I came across what turned out to be Jake's hotel - the Hazeldene - and I couldn't believe my luck that, just as I was about to head back to my hotel, I saw Jake leave his hotel and be driven out of the back in one of the festival's infamous SUVs.
Staying at the hotel where the press conferences were taking place was a bonus and, thanks to a kind Australian journalist, we found out when the Rendition press conference was and we were able to watch Jake and the others enter the side door. Even better, when they came out, we were close enough to speak to Jake and Peter, get an autograph or two, whilst almost being smothered by the paps behind.
I was papped too! Here is me (far right) talking to Peter, Jake having been driven off just a moment before.
That night we went down to the Roy Thomson Hall and waited inside the foyer for Jake to walk through to the lift. The attendants were great, by the way. They seemed to realise what all this meant to us. Jake's friend Chris came through first and then Jake turned the corner (the cries of 'Jake! Jake!' were a clue he was on the way) and he walked smiling past us, being rushed and pulled along by the lady we saw at the Baftas and in Cannes. We then ran to get our seats in the balcony - in the rush I noticed Reese walking past me to the right and managed to get a photograph of the back of her head - this goes nicely with the other picture I took of the back of Reese's head in Rome. She doesn't half walk quickly.
Watching Gavin Hood, Kelley Sane and the actors come on stage one at a time, was a wonderful moment. It did mean though that I didn't get to see too much of the film. It was overwhelming and I was grateful to the friends on either side. The film received a standing ovation. We went back to Yorkville to enjoy the party atmosphere. Later that night, I saw Peter and Chris again in the street and heard that Jake and Reese were at George Clooney's party round the corner. An amazing day and I have to thank Bobbyanna, her lovely daughter, Becky and Felicia for their wonderful company. In the picture below, the other ticket is from the Rome gala.
As we were having our amazing experience, so too were another trio, Em, Missy and Thomas from EnnisJack. I am so grateful to Em for her account of their adventure, which she sent me to share here. I also know how much their account of the whole encounter meant to everyone at EJ; both Christie and Rosie have said that to me. Em, Missy and Tomas' Jake encounter made the frontpages of the Toronto papers and, it's hardly surprising because they got Jake to sign one of his Brokeback shirts, which he did, above the heart. Here are Em's words and, as many of us know, Em is a fine, fine writer and she just took me write back with this. The video follows.
'My favourite Jake moment of 2007 is at the Rendition World Premiere at the TIFF. No surprise, because I can be heard screaming Jake's name in a manner that would make even a banshee cringe in horror in the vid I shot of the event. I remember standing there amidst a crowd of people, what must have been a sea of nameless faces to Jake, and feeling like, for a brief moment, he knew me. Such a fanciful notion, I know, but it seemed like all around me was chaos and the only time everything became quiet and still was when Jake was standing in front of me.'
'I went with two EJ friends, MississaugaRed and Thomas. We also had one of the shirts Jake wore for the confrontation scene in BBM, a piece of clothing Thomas had purchased at an auction. We had no idea what we were doing because this was our first time at the TIFF. But, somehow, we stumbled upon the perfect spot to catch a glimpse of Jake because we were surrounded by TIFF veterans who knew some of the senior volunteers and officials. When those around us realized we had Jake's BBM shirt they were determined to help us in getting it signed. When Jake showed up, the TIFF veterans around us called out to one of the officials, Cheryl, and told her we had one of Jake's shirts from BBM and could he come over and sign it?'
[I love this 'wow' moment from Jake - WDW]
'I could feel my dear Thomas trembling beside me when Jake came within sight of us. Thomas asked Jake to sign the shirt and Jake immediately said, "Yeah, sure." Jake looked down at the shirt and he mouthed "Wow" and carefully signed the shirt on the left side, above where his heart would have been if he wore it. Thomas said "Thank you" and Jake kind of nodded and gave a little smile but his eyes were very soft and solemn. And, you know, he didn't say "You're welcome" but, standing there, I felt welcomed. I felt like Jake had invited us in, just for a few intimate seconds, into his world.'
'As soon as Jake was whisked away we ran across the street to get in line for the screening with only fifteen minutes to spare. While we were in line I showed both Thomas and Missy the vid I just took and we still couldn't quite believe what we had experienced just minutes before. We couldn't wait to tell our friends that Jake had signed the shirt. Little did we know that while we were watching Rendition, Associated Press released a picture of Jake getting his picture taken with one of the TIFF veterans beside us and in that picture both Thomas and Missy are beaming at Jake in adoration!' 'So that's my favourite Jake moment of 2007. In fact, one of my favourite moments EVER in 2007. Thomas said it best when he said there are so many things to love about Jake. But the best thing is...Jake brought us all together. At the TIFF. At EJ. At WDW. Whether he's doing Snakes On a Plane, calling himself Jake Gooberballs, or simply signing an autograph...there's a very real sense of hospitality within him that seems to invite us into parts of his world. Through that, he becomes ours... and we become his. And being in Jake's world is a good place to be.'
This picture of mine below is another of my famous nearmiss photographs. Except for showing Jake's feet, this could well be just before the event described by Em.
I discovered afterwards that two others were there that night - Chillinwitgyllen and Get Real. CWG can have been no more than a few feet away from me in the theatre foyer and it's such a pleasant feeling thinking both CWG and Get Real were also in the auditorium. Here are a couple of pictures that CWG sent me from that incredible time. Next time, I trust we can all do it together!
