CHRISTIAN BALE (BRUCE WAYNE, BATMAN)
Though Bale's take on the Dark Knight, especially his layered portrayal of Bruce Wayne, has rocketed him to stardom (raspy Bat-voice and all), to many Latter-Day Saints he will always be roguish paperboy Jack "Cowboy" Kelly in Disney's 1992 musical Newsies. Though the film was a critical and commercial bomb, it has since become a cult classic in many circles. The Latter-Day Saint community took to it immediately, however, embracing it as family-friendly entertainment with catchy tunes. I have it on good authority that the show-stopping dance numbers by strapping young males made this movie a staple of many Beehive and Mia Maid sleepovers. Though Bale now looks upon the film with a kind of fond embarrassment, Mormon culture owes him a debt of gratitude for feeding our insatiable hunger for cheese.
Before she suited up as Gotham City's preeminent femme fatale, Anne Hathaway popped up on our radars as Jean, a swing-dancing, fun-loving Mormon girl who captures the heart of young John Groberg (Christopher Gorham, TV's Covert Affairs) at Brigham Young University. Her love ultimately keeps him alive while they're apart. Based on the incredible true story of Elder Groberg's perilous LDS mission to Tonga in the 1950's, The Other Side of Heaven is a handsomely-produced tale of faith, compassion, and cultural appreciation. Above all, it is a timeless romance that Box-Office Magazine described as an "undeniably uplifting story, made all the more inspirational by the fact that it's true."
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT (OFFICER JOHN BLAKE)
How Joseph Gordon-Levitt's police officer fits into the plot of The Dark Knight Rises is unknown, but judging by the most recent trailer his role is substantial. Before wearing a cop's badge, however, he wore the name-tag of a Mormon missionary in the gay-cinema drama Latter-Days. Gordon-Levitt plays the judgmental companion of a secretly homosexual elder who falls for their neighbor. Though I've not seen this decidedly R-rated approach to our faith, I understand that it doesn't portray us in a kind light. That said, Gordon-Levitt is a terrific actor (I loved his work in Inception) and I'm sure he'll impress us again come July. For now, enjoy this awesome clip from 500 Days of Summer, where his joy at finally getting the girl overwhelms him.
AARON ECKHART (HARVEY DENT, TWO-FACE)
The sad downfall of Harvey Dent, Gotham City's virtuous, "white knight" District Attorney, provided The Dark Knight (2008) with the emotional core of an epic tragedy. Brigham Young University graduate Aaron Eckhart gives a dynamic performance, more than holding his own onscreen with Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning Joker. The fact that Eckhart was raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is well-known. That he served a two-year LDS mission to France and Switzerland is also common knowledge. What many forget is that one of his first acting roles was in a New Testament video produced by the Church, the classic Godly Sorrow. He plays the square-jawed fiance of a young woman who has been unchaste with a previous boyfriend (see Eckhart's scenes below or the full video here). Of his religion, Eckhart told Entertainment Weekly "I'm sure people think I'm a Mormon, but I don't know that I'm a Mormon anymore, you know? To be honest, to be perfectly clear, I'd be a hypocrite if I did say that I was, just because I haven't lived that lifestyle for so many years.'' That said, Eckhart remains a friend to the faith, often praising the virtues of its people, even though his life has taken a different path.
Feel free to let me know if there are any connections between Batman and the Latter-Day Saint faith that I've missed. I personally cannot wait for July 20, when our local multiplex is screening all three of Nolan's Batman films on the opening night of The Dark Knight Rises. I wouldn't miss it (and I won't).
Hey there! I found you via the friday hop and just added myself to your followers! Maybe you could follow back? :) Also I wanted to invite you to come enter a huge Steve Madden giveaway I'm having right now!!
ReplyDeleteHope to see you there! And thanks so much!
Emily
http://emilymmeyers.blogspot.com/2012/06/steve-madden-giveaway.html
Consider yourself followed!
Delete