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NICOLAS CAGE FORUM - CAGEALOT CASTLE -> Nicolas Cage General Discussion -> Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
Post Info TOPIC: Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
9Justin3


Nic Newbie

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Date: 10:43 AM, 02/03/11
Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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I'm currently studying 'Film' at A2 level, for my coursework I have decided to ask and answer the question 'How Far is the actor Nicolas Cage seen as an action Hero?'.
Luckily I have found this wonderful website on Nicolas Cage. So I was wondering if perhaps you guys could help me answer my question please?

So how far do you see Nicolas Cage as an action Hero? (Please give reasons, and any references to films would be fantastic)
Thank you for your help!
Justin Jchickendance



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Lula Argante


Faery Queen of Cagealot Castle

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Date: 11:36 AM, 02/03/11
Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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Hi Justin! wow this is deja vu! lol! yellowflowergrin

So I will begin by sharing the links I did yesterday, just so those who newly discover the thread know you've seen ' em flowerface

To give you some pointers that may be of interest to start, The Knight's Display has a detailed filmography and synopsisi for each movie to give you an overview of his range and you may want to peruse the following:

The Unlikeliest Action Hero: Good Interview From 1997

The Top Ten Nicolas Cage Myths Deconstructed


So...come on everyone, let's get stuck into this great discussion question!

>>>>> HOW FAR IS NICOLAS CAGE SEEN AS AN ACTION HERO? 


First up from me I would have to say it depends on how each person individually perceives him, I don't think there is more divided opinion over any actor than Nicolas Cage.
His body of work is delightfully eclectic and that's what makes me a fan! There can be no doubt that he is 'an' action hero, he is the lead in some of the greatest ever action films: The Rock, Con Air, Face/Off to name a few that are highly popular, and indeed it seems to me that some of his younger fans found him through these films.

But, he is not AN ation hero, his range extends from intimate drama to fantasy sci fi and plenty more in between! so to label him thus would be only celebrating a small proportion of his work and  putting him in a box...when in fact what I celebrate about him as an actor is he constantly steps outside the box. 

Also, define action? we have historical action adventure with National Treasure, Sci fi action with Next and Face / Off....and another of Nicolas Cage's strengths is not only the range of genres of films but the blending and subverting of individual genre within one movie, for example in The Rock he played a reluctant nerdy yet highly heroic action man!
Something that deserves a mention here, in 1995 Nic gave his Oscar winning performance in Leaving Las Vegas in a harrowing beautiful film. after winning his Oscar he subverted the path that would be  'expected' by appearing in his first ever action movie The Rock. The movie going public loved it but the actorly types criticised him making, in their eyes, a less than 'actorly' choice,and he has continued to buck expectations all the way, and followed his own integrity in making choices, much to the chagrin of the critics and boy don't they go on about it!

Lol, I have gone on enough, but in short, my answer is nicolas cage is a master of many genres, but servant to none. He is an action hero because he plays action roles so uniquely, but it is not his label, that is only one string of his bow, and he definitely plays it differently to the sterotypical tune.
nicstar




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Lady Trueheart


Nicalicious

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Date: 2:51 PM, 02/03/11
RE: Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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Hi Justin,

Nicolas Cage is widely seen as an action hero, I believe, because of his extremely well-known action movie roles. But they are only a small part of his repertoire. Face/Off, The Rock, Gone In 60 Seconds and Con-Air are all good examples of that genre.
I do not think of him that way. I actually do not put him into any one category, because in my view he is quite wide-ranging and impossible to categorize. Certainly there is no comparison between Nicolas Cage and other widely accepted action hero stars. His roles are so diverse and his range so broad. Comedy, farce, romance, drama, action, thriller, science fiction/fantasy and horror are all part of his widely acclaimed body of work. Adaptation, Leaving Las Vegas, Raising Arizona, Bad Lieutenant, Knowing and City of Angels are just some movies that encompass these various genres.
Perhaps he has that reputation because there is something intrinsically physical and  present about him. He has an imposing physical presence, as many of his co-stars and directors have stated, and in roles that are predominantly based on characterization more than the action of the movie, he uses his body and movements to help the viewer understand the character. So, I do think he can be called a man of action!




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9Justin3


Nic Newbie

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Date: 7:21 PM, 02/03/11
RE: Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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You guys are awesome, thank you so much for all this help and for the quick replies. This is exactly what I need for my research on Nicolas Cage. These points are all really good and I hope you don't mind me quoting you guys in my presentation? I will definitely advertise this website to the other Nicolas Cage lovers! (If you don't mind that is?) :D
You guys are fantastic.
Thank you
Justin :)

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Lula Argante


Faery Queen of Cagealot Castle

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Posts: 8403
Date: 8:17 PM, 02/03/11
RE: Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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Hey justin, you are welcome!chickendance cool, that'll be a first for us to appear in someone's footnotes! lol!
It would be awesome to see your finished essay if you felt given to share.

And....don't go holding out on us.....what do you think about Nic's status as an 'Action Hero'?? yellowflowergrin

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Lady Trueheart


Nicalicious

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Posts: 6722
Date: 4:33 AM, 02/04/11
RE: Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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Yeah, enquiring minds want to know!!

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Lula Argante


Faery Queen of Cagealot Castle

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Posts: 8403
Date: 10:25 AM, 02/04/11
RE: Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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Lady Trueheart wrote:

Yeah, enquiring minds want to know!!


we do!! chickendance
and what synchronicity too find this interview this morning, Action REWIND

 



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9Justin3


Nic Newbie

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Posts: 6
Date: 1:47 PM, 02/04/11
RE: Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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Sorry about the late reply, only just managed to get onto the internet again. Well I also wouldn't categorize him in any particular genre or at all say he is an action hero. But he could also be seen as one (as he could be seen as doing a lot of dramas, thrillers and other genres) especially for perhaps a younger generation, they may not have seen the likes of 'Leaving Las Vegas' but instead the newer more fast paced mainstream films such as 'The Sorcerer’s Apprentice', and 'Kick Ass'. For me he is an all-rounded actor and can't be categorized. But it's interesting to study how he could be seen as a hero, because for me he is like a hero. He was the one who got me interested in films, in the likes of 'Lord Of War' and 'Gone in 60seconds', he is truly inspirational to anybody in the film industry due to his variety in acting roles, and I thought perhaps it would be interesting to study him as a hero.
Thank you Lula again for giving me more links. :D They help a hell of a lot!
You guys are AMAZING
And I will definitly share my presentation when it's finished on the website if you want me to that is?
Thank you
Justin :)

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Lula Argante


Faery Queen of Cagealot Castle

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Posts: 8403
Date: 3:01 PM, 02/04/11
RE: Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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9Justin3 wrote:

Sorry about the late reply, only just managed to get onto the internet again. Well I also wouldn't categorize him in any particular genre or at all say he is an action hero. But he could also be seen as one (as he could be seen as doing a lot of dramas, thrillers and other genres) especially for perhaps a younger generation, they may not have seen the likes of 'Leaving Las Vegas' but instead the newer more fast paced mainstream films such as 'The Sorcerer’s Apprentice', and 'Kick Ass'. For me he is an all-rounded actor and can't be categorized. But it's interesting to study how he could be seen as a hero, because for me he is like a hero. He was the one who got me interested in films, in the likes of 'Lord Of War' and 'Gone in 60seconds', he is truly inspirational to anybody in the film industry due to his variety in acting roles, and I thought perhaps it would be interesting to study him as a hero.
Thank you Lula again for giving me more links. :D They help a hell of a lot!
You guys are AMAZING
And I will definitly share my presentation when it's finished on the website if you want me to that is?
Thank you
Justin :)


Hi Justin, I agree with all of that, it is a misconception that Nic is an action hero as his main label, and i think you may be right  about the reason why. I feel i need to qualify my first post in response...I don't mean Nic is an action hero in the sense that this is his identity in the film world. i mean that within the action genre for me he is THE action hero over all action heroes,who brings that little something extra that only Nic as an actor can bring, to those kind of films. perhaps an interesting counter question then..... is nicolas cage NOT an action hero? he can do it for sure, with bells on!! But that is not his main forte...but it would be a  struggle to say what is right? and this is precisely what makes him a magnificant actor..excelling in many genres.  

Ooh...very interesting to broaden it out into the idea of Nicolas Cage being 'a hero'! I don't know how i would answer that, i am not looking to make someone my hero...and I can only experience his characters and movies, but certainly many of his characters are heroes to me!

We have that in common then Justin, Nic movies got me interested in film, his films in particular!!

and are you kidding? yes please...we have got to see the results of your efforts if you are happy to share! do you have a deadline? chickendance



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Lula Argante


Faery Queen of Cagealot Castle

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Date: 12:05 PM, 02/08/11
RE: Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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I came across this today and thought it would make an interesting catalyst for further discussion on Nic as an Action hero! chickendance


http://kykernel.com/2011/02/07/where-are-all-the-action-heroes/

This in particular grabbed my attention....do you agree?

While I’m on the subject of acting talent, it can be argued that Christian Bale, Will Smith, Nicolas Cage and Matt Damon were all successfully turned into action stars, but I counter that argument by pointing out that they have always been actors first and action heroes second – and there’s a big difference between an actor and an action hero.

Those guys are fine actors who manage to find success in the action genre whenever they dabble in it, but they don’t really feel like true action heroes.

Whenever they do an action movie, it feels like they’re playing “action hero dress-up” and throwing the audiences a bone so they can earn enough box office clout to go and make an “important” film.

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Lady Trueheart


Nicalicious

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Date: 3:36 PM, 02/08/11
RE: Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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Very interesting article, probably right about the newer actors, I don't know much about them, but I haven't heard of anyone who is obviously going to be an action star, like Jason Stratham. But I don't agree that an action hero has to be always the same, he used Clint Eastwood as an example of a true action hero, yet that statement refutes itself, Because Clint has so much going on, always did, even in those spaghetti westerns he did. Sly and Arnold, well really, I guess they pretty well embody the image, but did he mention Charles Bronson, who was truly what I think he means by an action hero. And I would argue that is not the case with Bruce Willis either. Action movies such as Sly and Arnold make bore the h*** out of me, I like an actor who I can care about. I don't think Nic dabbles when he makes an action movie, or condescends, he likes making them, and he adds some flavour to them too, that makes them so popular. Maybe  this guy just likes the grunt hulky action guys. I watch lots of action movies with my dh, used to hate them, now I even enjoy some of them. He didn't mention Seagal, did he, he was cool, and he always great for a laugh. Fun read, though.



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Lula Argante


Faery Queen of Cagealot Castle

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Date: 1:40 PM, 04/10/11
RE: Nicolas Cage as an Action Hero?
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Hey Justin! If you are still popping by, I would love to see your finished piece on Nic as an action hero! chickendance



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