What's your mood?

 Hi everyone,

Since last time, I've been immersed in the Blogging Your Way Masterclass. There are lessons and homework every week, but I got a specific assignment from teacher Holly Becker before class even began: Transfer your blog over to Squarespace. Excited to get this push with a May 15 deadline, I dove in quickly but left the blog page for last.

That's where I am now and will be for months. Because Blogger has a completely different layout than Squarespace, I need to rebuild each post one by one in the new platform. So far, I'm through 2006 (50 posts), and I've already questioned several times whether this is worth it. 

However, as Holly suspected, I am much happier with the look of my blog. An unexpected bonus is that going through my old posts and drawings shows how prolific and consistent I was with goals and deadlines and, more importantly, how much I enjoyed making each drawing. I'll let you know if I still feel warm and fuzzy when I'm in the 400s, or if I'll want to jump out of a window. 

This is all to say, my revamped blog launch is a while away. Hopefully, it'll be worth the wait. In the meantime, here's my latest mood board for the new home of Melissa's Kitties. 

If you haven't guessed already, the blog will have a new name but the same Kitties. I couldn't think of anything else to call it but The Mother Kitty, after the magical cat who started it all. What do you think? 

She and you keep me inspired. I'll keep you posted on my progress with the Kitties new home. (Someday, it will be ready.) 

Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #47 – Tusk (2014)

[What is Johnny Kitties? See Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp for all the details. Visit the new Johnny Kitties page for a full list of Johnny Depp's filmography and links to all previous Johnny Kitties blog posts.]

I pushed whimsy all the way into making a movie, one of my favorite movies I've ever made....a movie that absolutely changed my life....Push whimsy; that's all I'm gonna say.

Never mind what the marketplace demands. Nobody's looking for a movie about a guy who turns another guy into a walrus except you. Make it the ultimate movie that you wanna watch.

Let's see how weird we can take this.

– Writer/Director Kevin Smith on making Tusk

What kind of movie is this?

In Tusk, a horror movie written and directed by Kevin Smith, controversial podcaster Wallace Bryton (Justin Long) gets into a bad situation while looking for a story for next week's episode. He meets old seafaring adventurer Howard Howe (Michael Parks), who has a story to tell and a hidden agenda. Eventually, Mr. Howe reveals that, while trapped on an island, he formed a life-changing connection to a walrus and, since then, intends to find someone to replace his long-lost friend. Wallace's podcast partner (Haley Joel Osment) and girlfriend (Genesis Rodriguez) become alarmed by phone messages from Wallace, saying that he's in the backwoods of Canada, trapped in a creepy house with a crazy guy who wants to turn him into a walrus. So, they set off to rescue him with the help of a special investigator who's already on the trail. 

Why does Johnny have to be in this movie?

I've never been so freaked out about seeing a movie. You might remember that, these days, scary movies really scare me. I must have watched An American Werewolf in London and Poltergeist too many times as a kid. 

When Tusk arrived in D.C., I planned to see it in the middle of the afternoon so that I'd be able to go home in broad daylight and have the rest of the day to shake it off. As it happened, however, I was out of town over opening weekend and realized the following Thursday that Tusk wasn't going to last in theaters. I had to go that night, if at all. I texted my dilemma to a friend, who always helps me reason these things out:

Me: I think Tusk is leaving local theaters today. I might have to see it tonight, in the dark. 

Her: Don't do it! For your own sake!

Me: Really? Is it THAT bad?

Her: It depends on your tolerance, but the trailers are not encouraging.

Me: I know, yet I'm hoping for some Kevin Smith humor to diffuse things...I'm reading moviegoer reviews... 

Me, a little later: Reviews are not helping to make up my mind.

I made it across the street from my apartment before I realized that my friend is right: there is no shame in waiting for the DVD so that I could be freaked out in the comfort of my own apartment with my cat for company. Netflix delivered Tusk to me in January, and I texted my friend the news:

Me: I just watched Tusk and survived.

Her: Ewww!

   

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I really like this movie! I started out peeking through my fingers to watch it, waiting for something sudden, awful, and disgusting to happen. I was cozy under a blanket with my cat by my side and found myself entertained, intrigued, and impressed. 

See where creativity can lead?

Kevin Smith and SModcast
partner in crime, Scott Moiser

I think most people know Kevin Smith from his popular films Clerks, Chasing Amy, and Dogma. As his popularity grew, so did his studio offers. One of the best things about Kevin Smith's work, though, is that he fully immerses himself in it by writing the story and script and filming it as he sees it. When he started getting hired as a director for movies he had nothing to do with developing, he didn't see the point and became disenchanted by the movie business. So, he walked away from Hollywood, content to make a decent living doing other things, like making live appearances about his work and podcasting.

Since 2007, Kevin Smith has been broadcasting podcasts (or SModcasts, as he calls them) through his company, SModCo. During his SModcast, called "The Walrus and The Carpenter," he mentioned an ad that he saw in a British newspaper: someone has a room to rent, and all you have to do to live there is dress up like a walrus for 2 hours every day. "The line that really captured my imagination was, 'I have for some time been constructing a realistic walrus costume.'" The story was a hoax, but by the end of the podcast, Kevin Smith had worked out a horror flick based on the story. He called for the opinions of his listeners: if they want to see this movie, tell him through Twitter by using #WalrusYes. If not, use #WalrusNo. More people responded positively, so he got started on a script. "I could've been stopped any step of the way," he says. "I could've been stopped easily, but I just pushed whimsy every day. I said, 'let me see how far I can take this.'" Along the way, many people encouraged him because they just wanted to see if he could pull off this crazy idea. 

Why didn't this horror movie traumatize me as expected? 

Apparently, Kevin Smith and I love movies for the same reasons. 

Good acting gets us every time; it beats car chases and explosions, hands down. "The movie magic to me is always performance. Acting is the real magic trick of movies to me – that goes beyond even movies, into theater and stuff like that – telling a lie that tells the truth. So for me, the idea of Tusk was a movie about acting. It's an acting movie. It's actor porn. It's like watching people delve so deeply into their character that you forget."

Michael Parks is in some things I've seen, like the Twin Peaks TV series, Kill Bill Volume 1, and Argo, but I don't remember him in those. In Tusk, he's amazing as a calm, creepy psycho. I was hooked very early on by his lengthy conversations with Justin Long, which slowly reveal that he's off his rocker. As Kevin Smith says, this is Michael Parks's movie. 

Kevin Smith takes the best approach to horror. 

Because this movie is so focused on the actors' performances, you only get suggestions of something disgusting. I appreciate that! This movie only shows a few glimpses of blood and gore and let's your imagination do the rest. Your imagination can probably create something scarier than anything anyone could physically show you. The gross factor is not overplayed in Tusk. It's on film purposefully, though the premise of Tusk does call for a little shock value: after all, this crazy guy has a hostage whom he plans to turn into a walrus. Be prepared: you will see some making of a walrus costume out of disgusting materials. You will see the walrus costume itself, which is disgusting (especially when you think about how it was made and with what). 

But don't worry; it's movie magic! Makeup and special effects expert Robert Kurtzman created the walrus costume lovingly, thoughtfully, and with skilled detail. "Where I think Bob really earns his money is in the eyes, Production Designer John D. Kretschmer says. "He created these wonderful imaginary creatures for the show, and for several weeks, we saw the creatures on the worktable, but what really surprised me is how elegantly and seamlessly he can join the actor to the creature. The money's in the eyes – the expression, the emotion, stuff that prevailed in the walrus suit is amazing, and that's truly where I see his genius." I can handle it when you put it that way. 

Kevin Smith is a clever writer and makes me laugh. 
As I had hoped, Kevin Smith did for Tusk's script what he does for all his scripts. Tusk is infused with smart dialogue and his sense of humor. What you get is a great mix of creepiness and horror with a wink to the over-the-top ridiculousness of this situation. "Tusk is best viewed through a comedic lens," he says. Some lines in this movie made me laugh out loud. One of my favorite conversations follows, courtesy of Hayley Joel Osment as Wallace's best friend Teddy and Johnny Depp as investigator Guy LaPointe:

Guy: "These are guns."

Teddy: "I don't want one."

Guy: "You don't want a gun? What kind of American are you?"

Teddy: "The kind that's never used a gun before!"

Can you believe I haven't mentioned Johnny until now? 

Johnny's involvement in Tusk was kept pretty well under wraps. The credits even say that "Guy LaPointe" is played by Guy LaPointe. I found out about his secret role through other fans and eagerly awaited this collaboration with Kevin Smith, despite my reservations about the genre. Guy LaPointe is a character from one of Kevin Smith's older SModcasts. Originally, Quentin Tarantino was approached to play the part but turned it down to focus on non-acting pursuits. I'm glad because I immediately fell in love with Johnny's  performance – the accent, mannerisms, and humor. I should disclose that I was also very relieved to see him and that he offered some laughs after all the stress that Michael Parks was inflicting on me. Some reviewers think that Johnny's performance in Tusk is out of place but most were just surprised by it and his unrecognizable look. Entertainment Weekly's synopsis of Tusk recommended, "Wait until an uncredited A-lister (we won't say who) turns up two-thirds of the way through to hand in his most berserk performance to date (and that's saying something)." I won't ruin it for you, but I agree.  

Buddies, Harley Smith and Lily-Rose Depp, in character

The Kitties are in Canada. 

The most exciting thing about this movie for me is that Johnny's daughter Lily-Rose makes her screen debut. Kevin Smith's daughter Harley is always in his movies somehow, but Tusk offers her first speaking role as a  teenage store clerk. I think Kevin Smith and Johnny have been good friends since their daughters met in kindergarten, and the day Harley shot her scenes, Lily-Rose came to the set. Kevin asked Johnny if he thought she'd want to be in the scenes with Harley, they asked, and stars were born! 

Aside from these girls' convincing performances as teens tied to their cell phones and bored by their after-school jobs, I love the store's Canadian decor with a bunch of flags of all sizes, tourist traps, and a wall of maple syrup. I also love that when Guy LaPointe does his trick with the pad of paper, Teddy (Comet) explains to Wallace's girlfriend (Ashes) that it was done in The Big Lebowski (because that's the first thing I thought of when he started scratching away with that pencil). 

Tusk is among Kevin Smith's favorite film experiences for many reasons: 

• It gave him the opportunity to share the creative process with his fans from start to finish. The moment of inspiration and brainstorming phase are captured on that infamous SModcast episode. His followers encouraged him from the beginning to move his idea forward, and they watched it grow from there to silver screen. 

• The experience of making Tusk was similar to that of Clerks: he was making a movie because he wanted to see it, and he did whatever he could to take his inspiration as far as it could go. The experience reawakened his love for filmmaking. 

• He worked with his daughter and witnessed how she and Lily-Rose discovered how much they liked acting. Their few scenes in this movie led him to write another movie, called Yoga Hosers, in which they are central characters. (Guy LaPointe returns in that movie too!) In fact, Kevin Smith was so inspired by Tusk that he turned it into The True North Trilogy. Can you guess what the third installment, Moose Jaws, is about? 

• Because of Tusk, he has the money to finance Clerks 3, a sequel that continues Kevin Smith's cult classic. 

See what can happen when you get the silliest of ideas and a little encouragement? Kevin Smith is a believer and he hopes we all are too: "It costs you nothing to pat an artist on the back, man, and the potential yield from it: maybe you get your favorite movie, a song that saves your life, or an idea where you get to express yourself through art. Keep doing that! People who are really profoundly affected by the movie, they're going to make some art, and that to me is one of the many reasons the whole journey was worth it, man. That's a cool thing! Art begets art, even weird art." I'm a little late to the party, but #WalrusYes!

Johnny seems more like himself here. 

In 2013, Johnny made a quick appearance in a film called Lucky Them. In this movie, a music journalist (Toni Colette), whose musician boyfriend released a spectacular and hugely popular debut album and soon after disappeared, is tasked with trying to find him 10 years later. As I watched this movie, at first, I was unsympathetic toward Toni Collette's unlikeable character until I realized that, if I were traumatized by my boyfriend's disappearance and possible suicide, I'd probably be pretty messed up too. Then, the ending credits turned me into a fan of this movie. It is sweetly dedicated to one of my heros, Paul Newman, and produced by his wife Joanne Woodward! Here's the scoop:

Lucky Them is written by Emily Wachtel, who is great friends with one of Paul Newman's daughters. He read drafts of her script, gave her some advice about it, and even  planned to be in the movie. Years went by, he got sick and died, and his wife helped out once the project started to gain momentum. Johnny was the first choice for his role, and I see why the character appeals to him. Besides that, a couple of his old friends are in this movie: Thomas Hayden Church, whom he first met on the set of 21 Jump Street, and Oliver Platt, with whom he costarred in Benny and Joon). For me, Lucky Them is as close as I'm going to get to my dream of having Johnny and Paul Newman work together. I'll take it, even if one of them is only helping out in eternal spirit.

And I think Johnny did this too. 

Johnny and Amber
at the Texas Film Awards, May 2014

Though they haven't confirmed it, evidence is out that Johnny and Amber Heard, his costar in The Rum Diary, got married last month in a private ceremony at home in Los Angeles on February 3. They followed that with a fancier ceremony and party the following weekend on Johnny's private island in the Caribbean. Congratulations to the happy couple. I'd share photos, but they're not. 

What's next? 

Let's go Into the Woods, but beware the Big, Bad Wolf! This DVD is set for release on March 24, 2015. A Johnny Kitties tribute to it will soon follow. 

To read more film reviews and artwork celebrating Johnny Depp's work, visit the new Johnny Kitties page. 

Credits: All Tusk images: © Demarest Films/SModcast Pictures; Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier photo © unknown; Lucky Them DVD cover © IFC Films; Johnny Depp and Amber Heard photo © Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

It's winter?

Hi everyone,

I'd been down and out with a cold for practically the entire month of December, so I'm a little late in wishing you happy holidays. Don't worry, the Kitties have been playing nonstop while waiting for my energy to return. It's not snowing here in D.C., so I don't know where they've been!

Here's to 2015,

Theatre

Hi everyone,

At the end of October, I took the train up to New York for a three-day Broadway Extravaganza. I saw four fantastic shows!

(Illustration Friday: November 14, 2014)

• The River, at Circle in the Square, is a drama about a guy with relationship issues and his love for fishing. In the scene here, our man (Hugh Jackman/B.J.) is surprised by his girlfriend's (Laura Donnelly/Mini) beginner's luck. 

• Cabaret, at Studio 54, is an iconic musical set in 1930s Berlin about a cabaret singer and her relationship with an American as the Nazis begin to gain power. In this scene, the cabaret's emcee, played by Alan Cumming/Simon introduces some of the cabaret's dancers (Ashes and Lily), including its main attraction Sally Bowles (Michelle Williams/Mini). 

• Set to some amazing music by Sting, The Last Ship at the Neil Simon Theatre is a new musical about a man (Michael Esper) who, after 15 years, returns to his hometown  – a working-class shipbuilding community in Northern England, where he faces his first love Meg (Rachel Tucker) and unresolved issues with his father. As Father O'Brien (Fred Applegate), the town's beloved minister, brings the community together to give the dying industry a proper send off by building one last ship, memories arise and old wounds begin to heal. Here, the foreman Jackie White (Jimmy Nail/B.J.) directs his workers (Comet, Gordon, and Simon) as they build the massive ship with Father O'Brien (Norman), Meg (Lily), and her son Tom (Colin Kelly Sordelet/Tyrone) watching the feat.     

• On the Town, at Lyric Theatre, is the classic musical about three Navy sailors (Tony Yazbeck, Jay Armstrong Johnson, and Clyde Alves) on 24-hour leave in New York City. In this scene, the boys (Comet, Gordon, and B.J.) get off the boat at 6 a.m. to start their day, just as a construction worker (Philip Boykin/Norman) arrives for work.

I've been slow drawing and blogging these days, but I hope to post reviews of these shows here sometime soon. In the meantime, get your tickets now because these shows are all worth seeing! Cabaret now stars Emma Stone in the role of Sally Bowles! The Last Ship, my favorite of the four, now has Sting himself in the role of Jackie White for a limited time through January 10th! What are you waiting for? Treat yourself and go!

Best,

Paper

They never get tired of this stuff.

(Illustration Friday: November 7, 2014)

Octopus

Norman really loves his Halloween costume this year. No one is sure when he's planning to take it off.

(Illustration Friday: October 10, 2014)

Silence!

You should always listen to your elders.

(Illustration Friday: October 3, 2013)

Wish

During those long nights in the sewer, Tyrone wished for a better home for himself and his family. I can tell you now because it came true.

(Illustration Friday: September 26, 2014)

Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #46–Transcendence (2014)

[What is Johnny Kitties? See Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp for all the details.]

What fascinated me more than anything is the correlation between technology and power–the idea that a guy who is able to download his sentient being into a machine can become god, or a version of god. Religion is a fascinating black hole to me. 
– Johnny Depp on researching his role for Transcendence. 





What?

When I read the first few blurbs trying to quickly sum up the plot of Transcendence, I rarely made it much farther than the first sentence. Passing by terms like "artificial intelligence," "super computer," and "uploaded consciousness." I gave up and decided to wait for it. 

In this movie, Johnny Depp plays Will Caster, a computer scientist studying the point at which artificial intelligence and human intelligence will achieve singularity or, as he calls it, transcendence. About 15 minutes into it, he is shot by an anti-technology activist using poisoned bullets. When Will finds out that he has about a month left to live, his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) convinces him to try to upload his mind into the quantum computer he'd invented. About 10 minutes after he settles into the computer, his ghostly voice asks for more power, and his soul ends up online. 

He instructs Evelyn to buy land in the middle of nowhere, and she contracts the development of an underground facility there so that Will can continue his work. With his heightened capabilities, he is able to heal the sick and disabled, which at first seems like  amazing good fortune. Soon, however, it is discovered that everyone Will heals becomes a part of him, inheriting his strengths, and the townspeople become a kind of superhuman army. Morgan Freeman describes Transcendence pretty well: "The whole movie is about the development of artificial intelligence and a situation that gets out of hand." 

It's a leap of faith.

As far-fetched as this movie sounds, everyone involved who researched it thinks that we are well on our way. Some scientists believe we could reach this kind of immortality in the next 30 years. "The combination of technology and biology–I think it's inevitable," producer Aaron Ryder says. "We did a fair bit of research and talked to a lot of different people in this field. What was astounding to us was how advanced technology was and how close we were at things that I always thought were just science fiction as being reality."

Transcendence got mixed reviews, some of which were as complicated as the movie sounds. Overall, I think this movie has too many big, stretchy ideas for a 2-hour story. But I didn't really mind that. Here are my own issues with this movie:

• As I warned earlier, Johnny starts dying about 15 minutes into the movie, which is depressing enough. Then, he's basically on a TV screen for rest of it. I suppose I'm used to Johnny Movies in which he has more to do. 

• When I first heard about this project, I was most excited by the prospect of Johnny working with Morgan Freeman. It turns out that they only have a few short scenes together, and one of them is when Johnny is already uploaded. Does that one really count?

• There are lots of computers, coding, and typing in this movie, and no matter what you do with it, that's just not interesting–unless you're an artificial intelligence scientist, I suppose. 

But just go with it.
There are things I like about this movie too. Yes, the premise is outlandish, and the creepy half-human/half-machine population Will creates is over the top. Yet, whenever I watch Transcendence, I get into it. Its big, stretchy ideas are fantastic and make me think for a long time afterward, which was apparently one of the goals. "This film will force people to ask questions," Johnny says. "How far should any of it go? That kind of intelligence in the wrong hands could be quite devastating." Adding to that warning, Wally Pfister notes, "It's my hope that people will think carefully whether technology can be used for the betterment of mankind or to its detriment." 

Wally Pfister was Christopher Nolan's cinematographer for many years, so the special effects in this movie are impressive. I love the visuals and the starkness and clean lines of the sets in the laboratory. 

While I'm disappointed that Johnny and Morgan Freeman didn't have much to do together in this movie, Transcendence also offers a great ensemble cast. I particularly like Paul Bettany as Max, Will and Evelyn's old friend, who serves as the voice of reason and gets most of the action in this story. Paul Bettany worked with Johnny previously in The Tourist and has already finished working with him on another upcoming film. Whenever interviewed about these projects, he's often asked how it feels to be in a Johnny Depp movie and responds jokingly that the question should really be asking how Johnny feels about being in a Paul Bettany movie. To me, Transcendence really is more of a Paul Bettany movie (and that's not a bad thing). 

What's really going on here?
For this Johnny Kitties tribute, I wanted a scene that included Johnny with Morgan Freeman, which meant I had few choices. I decided against depicting Johnny in dying mode and instead opted for a healthier-looking computer-generated version. Here, Evelyn (Lily) leads Will's colleague Joseph (Morgan Freeman/B.J.) and FBI agent Buchanan (Cillian Murphy/Tyrone) into Brightwood Data Center's underground laboratory, where Will makes a surprise appearance.

Don't forget to see For No Good Reason too!

Shortly after the release of Transcendence, Johnny showed up at my local theater in a 2012  documentary called For No Good Reason, which explores the life and work of artist Ralph Steadman. Ralph Steadman is most famous for his collaborations with Hunter Thompson, for whom he provided illustrations to pair with the writer's Rolling Stone articles, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and other publications. In this fascinating documentary, Johnny pays his quiet friend a visit  and serves as interviewer from a fan's perspective. 

I loved this documentary for shining light on Ralph Steadman's amazing talent and artistry, which I always felt was considered secondary to the work of his more outspoken, eccentric friend. In the documentary, someone commented that while Hunter was considered the crazy one, Ralph was actually more fearless in his artwork. Check it out, and you will see what he means. One of my favorite parts of this documentary is witnessing the artist create an illustration from start to finish. He just doesn't see things like the rest of us. As Johnny puts it, "Wow." 

What's next?
Johnny Kitties is going on hiatus again until more of Johnny's movies are released on DVD sometime next year. The movies that are next in line, Tusk and Into The Woods, have to hit theaters first. 

Tusk, a horror flick written and directed by Kevin Smith, is due out September 19! While Johnny's role has been kept pretty well under wraps, here's the trailer to get you excited about the creepy weirdness of this story:

(© Demarest Films–YouTube video: http://youtu.be/60EUG-CDC_k) 

For those who are interested, Johnny's daughter, Lily-Rose, appears in this film alongside her friend Harley, Kevin Smith's daughter. You can see them in this trailer as the store clerks. (Lily Rose is the one who doesn't speak.) It was announced recently that these characters will have much bigger roles in another upcoming Kevin Smith movie with Johnny, a comedy called Yoga Hosers! So, if Tusk doesn't freak you out too much, we have another Kevin Smith treat in store for next year!   

But I digress. Into the Woods, a Stephen Sondheim musical directed by Rob Marshall, will be released on Christmas Day! In this fairy tale, Johnny plays The Wolf. I think it's safe to say that all Johnny fans are pacing the floors for this one, and the studio apparently knows it. Here's the teaser trailer that barely gives us a glimpse of what's to come:    

 © Walt Disney Pictures–YouTube video: http://youtu.be/sNVGDZHRJXM)

It's pretty much all I want for Christmas. 

Photo credits: All Transcendence images © Alcon Entertainment. 

King

This happens every time we watch The Wizard of Oz at my sister's house.

(Illustration Friday: August 8, 2014)

For all of you who want to sing along and practice the speech in front of your own mirror (it works for Comet), here's the real thing.... Enjoy! 

(YouTube video: http://youtu.be/Ak3J5DayiCk © MGM)

Golden

Hi everyone,

I just finished this one recently... Tyrone made his way to the top, of course. He's a climber.

(Illustration Friday: July 25, 2014)

This illustration was partly inspired by another piece of golden artwork that I have on my living room wall, which is made completely of fabric by local artist Jamie Langhoff. 

Check out her website, Seeing in Fabric, to see more of her amazing work. 

Best, 

Peace

Hi everyone,

Lately, most of the news is bad out there, so this week's Illustration Friday topic, peace, instantly made me  think of John Lennon's iconic song, "Give Peace a Chance." But I'm more familiar with Sean Lennon's 1991 version, which was produced by Lenny Kravitz and performed by a slew of musicians from varied genres. The video, below, was on MTV a lot at the time, and I was excited that the song was back and updated for a new generation.

©Virgin/EMI

Sadly, this song–now nearly 25 years old–is still pretty accurate, but it's a good one! All together now...

(Illustration Friday: August 1, 2014)

Best,

Summer, Take 2

Hi everyone,

The steamy summer days have me drawing at a snail's pace, but the Kitties have been enjoying the sunshine!

(Illustration Friday: June 20, 2014)

This drawing is an update from last year's summer snapshot:



Since then, Tyrone has joined our family, though I'm not sure he likes the heat as much as the rest of us. He's a winter guy.

Happy summer, everyone!

Best,

Mask

It's impossible to get 10 cats to agree on one mask and who will wear it, so they all brought their own ideas. 

(Illustration Friday: June 13, 2014)

• B.J. is still attached to his Lone Ranger costume. (Wouldn't you be?) 

• Always a class act, The Mother Kitty is ready for her next costume ball. 

• Lily showed up in full Scream costume and scared everyone. I complained, so she picked a medical mask instead and gave us a lecture on germs. 

• I tried to explain to Norman and Mini that what they were wearing were not masks but helmets, but they can't hear me (and I'm letting it slide because they look awesome). 

• Comet and Ashes are all about the theatre after watching the Tonys with me. 

• As always, Tyrone is ready to play ball. 

• And, well, Simon, Gordon, and I are in the middle of a Breaking Bad marathon right now, so these are the masks they wanted to wear. Don't ask me where or how they got the prop they're sitting on. (Disclaimer: We do not endorse this behavior, though it does make great television.)

Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #45–The Lone Ranger (2013)

[What is Johnny Kitties? See Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp for all the details.]

First things first....

Happy birthday, Johnny!!!

Participating in a tribute to friend Don Rickles
at New York's Apollo Theatre May 6, 2014

Okay, on to this month's Johnny Kitties....

We're just gonna give you a big, expansive experience, which is what I wanted when I was a kid–to go to a summer movie that really enthralled me, excited me, and moved me–and that's what The Lone Ranger does. 

– Johnny Depp

Who is the Lone Ranger?

Reduced to a tourist attraction in 1933, outcast Comanche Indian Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the tale of the Lone Ranger in an adventure that began more than 30 years earlier. When lawyer John Reid (Armie Hammer) returns home in 1869 to Colby, Texas, he accompanies the Texas Rangers on a hunt for bandit Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner). Headed by John's big brother Dan (James Badge Dale), the Rangers are ambushed by the outlaw and his gang, and John Reid is left for dead.

When Tonto discovers the massacre, his task of burying the rangers is interrupted by the arrival of a white horse. White horses are considered by the Comanche to be "spirit animals," ones that are able to cross the realms of the living and the dead. Reluctantly, Tonto gives in to the horse's choice of John Reid as sole survivor.

Despite Tonto's bad first impression of John on their train ride into town, he teams up with him to bring Dan's murderer to justice. (However, Tonto also has a history with Butch Cavendish and is fixed on his own revenge.) On their quest, he advises John Reid to mask his identity and, together, they build the legend of the Lone Ranger. Their mission, however, leads them to a bigger problem–a power play to steal Native American territories in the name of progress through the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Why?
Even though I was never a big fan of The Lone Ranger, which reached the height of its popularity on radio and TV before my time, I was very excited when I heard that Johnny signed on for this movie. Of course, he would play Tonto, I thought. Of course, he would make Tonto the cool one, erasing the sidekick reputation he's been stuck with all this time. This Lone Ranger would be different.

The day The Lone Ranger came out was a day I scheduled a massage after work. I hadn't intended to see the movie on its opening day, but I was feeling amazing after my massage! So, I decided to head to the theater on my way home.

I was so relaxed and eager to see The Lone Ranger, yet about one-forth of the way through, I realized I had been studying it for flaws. Weeks before the movie was released, I'd seen (without looking for them) nothing but negative headlines noting how this summer blockbuster is a sprawling hot mess with Johnny Depp in the middle of it as an insulting Native American caricature. I only skimmed a few of these reviews, and it is clear to me that some of them were written by people who hadn't bothered to see the movie. (How is that allowed?) Thanks to them, I watched the movie with questions swirling in my head: Is it too long? Does this story make sense? Does Johnny look too goofy? Is Johnny acting too goofy? So for the next 90 minutes, I was angry about the whole experience, and all the benefits of my massage disappeared. Thanks, critics.

Kirby Sattler's painting (above left) inspired Tonto's look.

Shortly before the movie came out, photos of Johnny in full costume began circulating, and all I heard about his Tonto was that he had a bird on his head. Yes, that is odd–especially at first glance when looking at it out of context. Johnny received mixed reviews from Native American groups, some saying that his portrayal of Tonto is disrespectful and unrealistic and others saying that it is perfectly respectful and very realistic. To me, that seems like the normal reaction Johnny usually gets about everything he does. I was not concerned.

As usual, Johnny has his reasons behind his take on the character he's playing. Tonto's look was inspired by a painting by Kirby Sattler called "I Am Crow." When Johnny first saw it, he thought the bird in the painting was actually on the man's head rather than flying behind him. In the movie, the bird on Tonto's head has significance that is explained. To Tonto, the bird isn't dead at all, and after a while, you forget that he has a bird on his head because he's Tonto, a lost Comanche warrior on a mission to avenge the death of his family and regain the respect of his tribe. So what if he's got a bird on his head? He probably has post-traumatic stress disorder too!

The idea of bringing The Lone Ranger back to the big screen had been swirling around for years with various scripts and, this time around, producers were disappointed to hear that Johnny intended to portray Tonto instead of the Lone Ranger. (I cannot imagine that!) It was only when Johnny shared a photo of himself in full Tonto regalia, bird and all, that everyone was convinced it would work.

There are moments in this movie where Tonto is being silly, but 1)  this is a Disney movie for the summer crowd, and 2) as I've said before, Johnny always goes for the laugh, even in his most serious movies. I can safely say Johnny took the role of Tonto very seriously. His integrity and work ethic aside, he has his own Native American ancestry to honor. Even since he was a kid, he had rooted for Tonto and felt that he could pay him due respect through this movie. "Since cinema has been around, Native Americans have been treated very poorly by Hollywood," he says. "What I wanted to do was play Tonto not as the sidekick–like 'go fetch a soda for me, boy!'–but as a warrior with integrity and dignity. It's my small sliver of a contribution to try to right the wrongs of the past."

With LaDonna Harris during the formal adoption ceremony

While filming, Johnny did his usual exhaustive research and spent a good amount of time with members of the Comanche Nation. In a traditional ceremony, Comanche activist LaDonna Harris even adopted him as a son into the Nation, giving him the name Shape Shifter. "Johnny is reprising the historic role of Tonto, and it seemed like a natural fit to officially welcome him into our Comanche family," she says. "Welcoming Johnny into the family in the traditional way was so fitting. He's a very thoughtful human being, and throughout his life and career, he has exhibited traits that are aligned with the values and worldview that indigenous peoples share." If Johnny's got the Comanche Nation's approval, I think Tonto must be all right.

If at first you're in a bad mood, try, try again.

Three weeks later, having taken the day off from work for my birthday, I walked down the street to see The Lone Ranger again, this time without any negative feedback in my head. It's a good thing I took the day off because at the theater near me, the movie was only showing at 10:30 a.m., daily. This time, instead of a crowded theater, I only shared the place with one guy and his son. That's fine with me!

Since seeing this movie the first time, I had heard a few positive reviews. One came from a legitimate film critic who said other critics just aren't getting what The Lone Ranger is supposed to be. The others came from moviegoers, including my 10-year-old nephew, who loved it–no questions asked.

The Lone Ranger is a great movie! I've determined that all those naysayers had ridiculous expectations because it was coming from "The Team that Brought You Pirates of the Caribbean" and because the budget expanded a bit during production. They didn't have to see the movie because they had already envisioned it to be Pirates of the Caribbean, western style. "The Lone Ranger deals with more gravitas," director Gore Verbinski explains. "You're talking about the plight of the Native American. It's called The Lone Ranger because six of the seven rangers are killed, including his own brother. The characters are borne out of tragic events, and you don't want to be cavalier about that."

While The Lone Ranger may be considered a little long by some, aren't all Gore Verbinski movies around the same length since he packs so much story and action into his films? I don't see anything wrong with that, as long as the story makes sense. Looking at it with my 10-year-old nephew in mind, I thought some of the scenes were pretty violent. However, the movie accurately depicts what happened to Native Americans at the time, just in case that's not covered in school.

From the devastating mass murder of tribes protesting the takeover of their land to a little romance and precisely choreographed comic action sequences, this movie offers a little of everything.  Also, on the big screen, the scenery is gorgeous. "We made a big Western the old-fashioned way. You have to go there," Gore Verbinski says. They filmed in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and California. I really enjoyed the action sequences here too, especially when paired with the Lone Ranger's classic theme music, Gioachino Rossini's William Tell Overture. How can that not be a crowd-pleaser? I loved The Lone Ranger the second time around.

All we needed is a fresh perspective.

One of the best things about this movie is that Tonto spins the tale. "No one had heard The Lone Ranger story from Tonto's perspective." Gore Verbinski says. "We kept all the archetypes–the white hat, the silver bullet, the white horse, but we created them through the thread of Tonto. This is the origin story, and it was Tonto that created the Lone Ranger. That's what made this project interesting to me." In this version, the Lone Ranger, wonderfully played by Armie Hammer, starts out as square, innocent, and naive and Tonto loosens him up. It's a buddy movie with an extremely odd couple. "A lot of the humor is situational and based off the difference in world view or difference in opinion and how a situation should be handled," Armie Hammer says. "There's a lot of rub in the relationship: How do they live together? How do they stay buddies and work together? What's their process? This is all about two guys who are on the same path but who have come from two very different worlds."

To prepare for their roles, Johnny and Armie Hammer enrolled in Old West boot camp. Armie Hammer learned to dismount at full gallop, and Johnny perfected bareback riding. While Johnny was promoting the movie, he told everyone about a scary accident he had while filming. While shooting a scene, riding full gallop, his makeshift saddle slid sideways and he slid along with it. He figured he had two options: 1) hang on and ride it out while trying to avoid getting hit by any hooves, or 2) drop. He opted for the latter. The horse jumped over him, barely avoiding landing on him! (Thank you, horse!) Johnny got up and walked away with minor bruises (and all the angels surrounding him flew off for a drink).

My favorite character in The Lone Ranger is a horse, but not Johnny's (though Johnny and his fans everywhere are eternally grateful to his horse). In this movie, Silver made me laugh the most! From arguing with Tonto to rescuing the Lone Ranger from the oddest of situations, Silver may be the brains in this group. What an actor!

This cast offers plenty of other colorful characters. Aside from the eccentricities of Tonto and lovable dopey innocence of the Lone Ranger, super villain Butch Cavendish is a great contrast to proper business magnate Lantham Cole (Tom Wilkinson). Despite serving as the story's necessary love interest, Ruth Wilson brings strength and conviction to her character Rebecca, John Reid's widowed sister-in-law, and her son Will, played by Mason Cook, shares her fiery spirit. I was most excited to see Helena Bonham Carter in this movie, the first with Johnny that isn't directed by Tim Burton. In those days, probably no one ran a saloon quite like her character Red Harrington with her ivory fire-armed leg.

This may be an unusual summer movie, but I think that's a good thing. With a little bit of everything for people of all ages, The Lone Ranger is quite a ride. I'd just advise not taking the train.

The Kitties are in on it.
This movie is full of long how'd-they-do-that action sequences, and one of my favorites is the big finish when everything is revealed and all the pieces of the tale Tonto weaves come together. While big explosions in movies don't typically excite me, the build up to this one was pretty well done.

Here, you'll find Tonto and the Lone Ranger (B.J.) standing on the edge as they, having pulled off their plan, watch as transcontinental railway hit a snag. The bridge is out, and cars full of silver plunge to the depths below along with the ultimate bad guy (Norman), who shall remain nameless in case you haven't seen the movie yet. What are you waiting for?

What's happens now?

Can you believe it? We've nearly caught up with Johnny, having celebrated all the movies listed in his filmography so far, except for his latest, Transcendence! What are the odds of completing the bulk of the Johnny Kitties series on Johnny's birthday, just as we started it on his birthday four years ago? Gordon doesn't care; he's gone off to take a well-deserved nap. (I can't blame him: had I considered the enormity of this task, I might have talked myself out of it.) But what fun it's been! I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have. Johnny Kitties will resume once Transcendence is released on DVD in late July. Look for its tribute soon on a 9th thereafter.

Although Johnny Kitties is changing its monthly schedule to one that offers a more sporadic treat from here on out, don't worry: Johnny has quite a few upcoming movies lined up for us. Here's a glimpse of current projects that Johnny Kitties will be celebrating:

• Transcendence (2014). In this sci-fi thriller, out now, research scientist Will Caster (Johnny) uploads his consciousness online and tests the boundaries of artificial intelligence. Look forward to a new Johnny Kitties tribute to Transcendence later this summer! 

• For No Good Reason (2014). For this inspiring documentary, Johnny pays a visit to and spotlights his friend Ralph Steadman, the British artist best known for his collaborations with Hunter S. Thompson. 

• Lucky Them (2013). Toni Collette stars as a music journalist on the hunt for Matthew Smith (Johnny), her long-lost ex-boyfriend. Although this movie was completed last year and set to be released at the end of May this year, I'm still not sure where or when to see this one. 

• Tusk (2014). A rumor is floating around that Johnny has an uncredited role in this Kevin Smith film about another hunt for a missing person. Maybe Johnny's character is missing in this movie too. 

• London Fields (2014). Amber Heard stars as a clairvoyant living with premonitions about her impending murder. Johnny plays some sort of cameo role here, but I haven't looked into it because I want to be surprised.   

• Into The Woods (2014). Based on Stephen Sondheim's Broadway show of the same name and directed by Rob Marshall (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), this story is set in a fairy tale world and involves the Baker and his Wife, who discover they are childless because of a curse cast on them by a vengeful witch. As they set out to find her and lift the curse, their journey intertwines several story lines from the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, and Johnny plays the Wolf. Look for this one on Christmas Day!

• Mordecai (2015). Directed by David Koepp (Secret Window), this film follows art dealer Charles Mordecai (Johnny) as he hunts for a missing painting that's linked to a lost bank account full of Nazi gold. 

• Black Mass (2015). Filming now in Boston, this movie tells the true story of crime boss Whitey Bulger (Johnny) and the ties between the Irish Mob and FBI as they try to take down the city's Italian Mafia.  

• Through the Looking Glass (2016). Based on Lewis Carroll's novel but not directed by Tim Burton, Johnny will reprise his role as the Mad Hatter in this sequel to Alice in Wonderland. 

• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2016). Jack will return! Do you really need to know the plot? 

Johnny has also been working for years on a still-untitled documentary about his friend and guitar hero Kieth Richards. Someday, he'll finish and hopefully share it with us.

For now, thanks to everyone for following this series! 

Johnny Kitties will return later this summer to celebrate Transcendence! 

Copyright credits: All images from The Lone Ranger © Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films; "I Am Crow" painting © Kirby Sattler; photo of Johnny with LaDonna Harris © AP; illustrations © Melissa Connolly