Liev Schreiber's Sabretooth Loves Comics and Dancing
Filed under: Action, Fandom, 20th Century Fox, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
This is a quote that is not going to make a certain crowd of men happy -- the guys who yelled "Don't do it Wolverine!" during The Boy From Oz, or the Fox suits who shift uncomfortably at the Tony Awards. When it comes to X-Men Origins: Wolverine press, we haven't heard a ton from the new Sabretooth, Liev Schreiber. But SciFi Wire caught up with him, and he was all too happy to discuss playing Wolverine's nemesis. "The character I play is incredibly brutal and feral and has a bloodlust unlike any other character I've ever played. This guy is a real killer."
It turns out that Schreiber is a longtime fan of Wolverine's solo adventures, which delights me to no end. "I was a fan of the comic books. I just loved the character of Wolverine. I always have. That sort of deeply ironic and very urban sensibility on a superhero was something that I thought was really groundbreaking, the style of writing, particularly the very sort of editorial style. I just always loved it, and I think that we were able to capture some of that darkness in this movie, so I'm very proud."
But here's the bit that will make some squirm "Just to do [a] fight scene with Hugh was really terrific, because as a dancer he has that kind of discipline and choreography. I always studied to be a fight choreographer and wanted to be a dancer, too, but didn't quite have the feet for it. We have some remarkable fight scenes together, and I'm looking forward to people seeing those."
There's a Sasha Fierce joke in there, but I'm not going to be the one to make it. I'm kidding, of course. I know dancers are ripped and tough like Hugh Jackman and Summer Glau, they're exactly who you want for action flicks. But I am willing to bet there's a fan forum screaming "Dancing Wolverine = doom!" as we speak, and a studio chairmen going "Don't ever reference Broadway again, you two. This is a manly picture."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-10-2008 @ 8:09PM
Beeslo said...
Honestly, I'm okay with him bringing up dancing when it comes to the fight scenes. Because in a way, he is right. It takes some impeccable timing and precision to make a fight scene look awesome versus a fake and lame fight scene due to no outside skill. Hell, if that Dancing with the Stars show proves anything, there are a lot of NFL players who really have a lot of moves and it comes to no surprising when you see how some of the maneuver out there on the field.
So there's nothing wrong with talking about dancing as a crafting tool to making an awesome fight scene in a comic movie...
But there is everything wrong with inserting random dancing into a comic book movie...ahem...I'm looking at you Sam Raimi and Spider-Man 3.
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12-11-2008 @ 9:10AM
ML said...
A great fight scene requires great physical skill and timing, the very same skills, required, by ...? The attitude towards dancing just shows misconceptions and bias. Gene Kelly worked his entire career to change these attitudes and when he disappeared from the scene? Gone, in the twinkling of an eye. Sigh. Not only are there plenty of "manly" dancers (and others who might enter the field but are driven away by these very biases), you can find plenty of "manly" choreography. (Where in God's name did this attitude toward one of the basic woman-wooing techniques arise?) Dancing is one of the toughest professions you can enter, and you have to have guts to pursue it, "pansy" or not. Sorry, hope that wasn't too much of a rant, and, no, I'm not a dancer, but I appreciate the art.
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12-11-2008 @ 10:03AM
mcafee_matthew said...
Gotta agree with the comments...dancing is only ridiculed by intolerance and homophobes... most intelligent and open minded people know and understand that most physical professions (whether in art or sport) are more than tough...and the study of movement is hugely important not just in the fight sequences but just in controlling the expressions of ones body...I do hope there are some seriously kick-ass fight scenes in Wolverine...I have faith in Jackman and Schreiber.
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12-11-2008 @ 10:32AM
Brant said...
"That sort of deeply ironic and very urban sensibility on a superhero was something that I thought was really groundbreaking, the style of writing, particularly the very sort of editorial style."
What the hell does this even mean? Schreiber's just talking out of his ass.
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