#peytonwestlake

[freegreatmovies]

Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand for Sam Raimi’s Darkman (1990). #liamneeson #francesmcdormand #samraimi #darkman #peytonwestlake https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj8TGJjJ4l6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[josebarrmageddon]

Darkman 30th Anniversary

Before Sam Raimi directed Spider-Man, he brought his own comic book creation to the big screen with Darkman. Liam Neeson plays Peyton Westlake, a scientist who is working on synthetic skin. After achieving a breakthrough, his lab is invaded and ransacked by mobsters who beat him up, blow up his lab, and leave him for dead. He regains consciousness, but is left horribly disfigured. Now, with the ability to imitate skin, he dons different appearances and seeks revenge against the mobsters.

Sam Raimi originally tried to make a movie based on The Shadow, 1930’s radio series, but was unable to get the rights, so he created his own character, Darkman. The movie is in the vein of a comic book, but instead of dispensing justice, Peyton is just out for his revenge and specifically targets the men responsible for his accident, all led by a man named Durant. He stalks and photographs them, later using his synthetic skin to reconstruct their faces into masks for him to wear. He impersonates them in order to dismantle their schemes and takes them out one by one. The skin is sensitive to light and only lasts for about 90 minutes before it melts away. This makes for great suspense as now, Peyton has a limited amount of time to make sure his plan works.  

Throughout all this, Peyton is also trying to reconnect with his girlfriend, Julie, played by Frances McDormand. He makes a mask of his face and is able to pick up where he left off with her. They’re truly in love and Julie wants to be with him, but he keeps her at bay because of his situation. In one scene, they are at a carnival and while Julie is enjoying her self, spending time with her man, Peyton is consistently bothered by the sideshow freaks and his ticking watch. He eventually snaps and makes a scene, terrifying Julie. He tearfully apologizes and runs off. Its heartbreaking as both are forced to realize that their relationship has changed and they may never be able to be together again. 

While Darkman takes influence from characters like The Shadow and Batman, it also takes inspiration from the Universal horror movies like Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, and The Phantom of the Opera. You have science experiments going wrong, like in Frankenstein and The Invisible Man, The main character turning monstrous, like The Wolf Man or Phantom of the Opera, and the monster yearning to be with a beautiful woman, like in...well, all of them. There are many shots that resemble the classic monster movies like him brooding on a rooftop with gargoyles and Peyton’s new appearance looks like a cross between the Invisible Man and the Phantom of the Opera. Even the idea of Darkman is creepy, the fact that he can wear anyone’s face, blend in and do terrible things from the shadows.

Though there is an overall fun tone, with its action set pieces, crazy camera shots, zany score, and one-liners, the movie has a rather depressing theme, of a man becoming a monster, the loss of humanity. There is a scene where Peyton’s hand catches fire, but he has no reaction to it, as if he’s lost all feeling. By the end, Peyton’s quest for vengeance leaves him forever changed and can’t go back to his old life, turning him into an outcast. Though maybe not a superhero movie, Darkman has the all the elements of an entertaining comic book movie. 

-Jose Barr (8-24-2020)

[cosplayfame]

“I’m everyone and no one. Everywhere... and nowhere.” #Darkman #peytonwestlake #darkman2thereturnofdurant #diedarkmandie #callmedarkman #samraimi #hero #cosplay #darkmancosplay #cosplayfame #floridacosplay #cosplayflorida #megacon #megacon2018 #megacontampa #megacontampabay #celebratefandom #megacontampabay2018 #megacontampa2018 #photo taken @officialmegacon Tampa Bay #photography by @cosplayfame If anyone knows this man, send their link our way! Contact us at [email protected] (at MegaCon Tampa Bay) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrMTbBfgfny/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16fnxk7tlz6cp