THE LIBERTINE

[bookworm14]

After reading some of the forum comments, I can't say I'm surprised to see things never change but hopefully we're getting a little better in our view of bisexuality. The quote below is from a movie called THE LIBERTINE. For those that haven't seen it, it's about John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester,a poet and bisexual back in the time the English monarchy regained control of England from the Puritans. Depp (Wilmot) and Malkovich (King Charles) are the main characters with Samantha Morton playing an actress Wilmot helped to fame.

My point is, some the reviews of the movie were brutal and even unfounded. It a good movie in my eyes and very comical at times. My point is: are we ready to bring bisexuality into main stream viewing and drop the "greedy" tag associated with us. As one gay man told me, he didn't understand bi's. His thinking you're either gay or straight.

Johny Depp's opening lines:

"Allow me to be frank at the commencement. You will not like me. The gentlemen will be envious and the ladies will be repelled. You will not like me now and you will like me a good deal less as we go on. Ladies, an announcement: I am up for it, all the time. That is not a boast or an opinion, it is bone hard medical fact. I put it round you know. And you will watch me putting it round and sigh for it. Don't. It is a deal of trouble for you and you are better off watching and drawing your conclusions from a distance than you would be if I got my tarse up your petticoats. Gentlemen. Do not despair, I am up for that as well. And the same warning applies. Still your cheesy erections till I have had my say. But later when you shag - and later you will shag, I shall expect it of you and I will know if you have let me down - I wish you to shag with my homuncular image rattling in your gonads. Feel how it was for me, how it is for me and ponder. 'Was that shudder the same shudder he sensed? Did he know something more profound? Or is there some wall of wretchedness that we all batter with our heads at that shining, livelong moment. That is it. That is my prologue, nothing in rhyme, no protestations of modesty, you were not expecting that I hope. I am John Wilmot, Second Earl of Rochester and I do not want you to like me."

I hear you John!

[sammie19]

I have seen the Libertine and thought it was a really good film. Johnny Depp looks both as beautiful as I have ever seen him and also as ugly as it is possible to be. I found it quite an uncomfortable film to watch but well worth the perseverance.

I know a confirmed lesbian who would fall all too easily on her knees at the altar of Johnny Depp and who dreams of the day when he will woo her with his all too obvious charm.

To be honest I wouldn't mind him paying court myself as he is rather dreamy.:bigrin:

If I have one small complaint about the film it is that by its end I actually did quite like The Earl of Rochester although for most of the film he was quite hateful but at times he did display a perverse kind of honour.


PS. To whom it may concern. I know he is over 40. But he is a very special kind of over 40 and I have been known to make an exception very occasionally.;)

[Annika L]

OMG, I was only remotely aware of a movie by this name...knew nothing about it, including that Johnny Depp and John Malkovich were in it. And we truly see extremely few movies, anyway.

But after reading Depp's opening lines and sharing them with my partner, we agree that this is a movie we *must* see! :tong:

Thanks for sharing that, bookworm!

[tenni]

Below are the actual opening and ending lines with video showing Depp speaking the above lines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSFbFJA0wrg

[bookworm14]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. Hope the you enjoy Annika. Maybe it's the writer in me, but I found myself liking Depp's Wilmot throughout the film despite his personality flaws, arrogance and mouth - poets are natural shit disturbers.

"Any experiment in life will be carried out at your own expense. Mark it and mark it well." This Wilmot tells his soon to be male lover Billy Downs. Can't tell you why Annika (spoiler).

[BiDaveDtown]

This is nothing new.

Don't people actually read or study history anymore?

I remember writing a paper about him in college and his bisexuality and that was decades ago.

As for the movie I'll skip watching it.

Depp is overrated, not "hot" or "sexy", a media whore, and his best movies so far were A nightmare on Elm St., Crybaby, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

[DareMe]

This is nothing new.

Don't people actually read or study history anymore?

I remember writing a paper about him in college and his bisexuality and that was decades ago.

As for the movie I'll skip watching it.

Depp is overrated, not "hot" or "sexy", a media whore, and his best movies so far were A nightmare on Elm St., Crybaby, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Depp is an interesting actor precisely because he chooses complex roles that will disturb and shock the accepted intelligentsia. I can't say I am a huge fan, but I respect the artistic choices he makes.

As for the opening line, I can only dream of ever writing something so beautifully vile.

DM

[sammie19]

This is nothing new.

Don't people actually read or study history anymore?

I remember writing a paper about him in college and his bisexuality and that was decades ago.

As for the movie I'll skip watching it.

Depp is overrated, not "hot" or "sexy", a media whore, and his best movies so far were A nightmare on Elm St., Crybaby, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Do I detect Depp envy in this post? Not that it matters. Beauty (and sex appeal) is in the eye of the beholder as the old cliche goes.

No, I don't read history much, but I have enough English history to know that Rochester was a bit part player of no great importance. That's a subjective judgement but one I have happily made.

As for skipping the movie, that's your decision and your loss. Another subjective judgement. But each of my judgements are every bit as relevant and valid as any of your bitter, twisted and arrogant pronouncements of expertise.

[BiDaveDtown]

Do I detect Depp envy in this post? Not that it matters. Beauty (and sex appeal) is in the eye of the beholder as the old cliche goes.

No, I don't read history much, but I have enough English history to know that Rochester was a bit part player of no great importance. That's a subjective judgement but one I have happily made.

As for skipping the movie, that's your decision and your loss. Another subjective judgement. But each of my judgements are every bit as relevant and valid as any of your bitter, twisted and arrogant pronouncements of expertise.

Nope. I don't envy him, he's a celebrity and an over-hyped actor.

I forgot the movie Edward Scissorhands, he was good in that movie since he didn't speak for the first half of the movie. ;)

[Realist]

Sounds interesting; I ordered The Libertine on netflix, today.

[drugstore cowboy]

Depp is an interesting actor precisely because he chooses complex roles that will disturb and shock the accepted intelligentsia. I can't say I am a huge fan, but I respect the artistic choices he makes.

As for the opening line, I can only dream of ever writing something so beautifully vile.

DM

Depp is not "shocking" or "disturbing" and never has been as others have pointed out.

The same people who think that anything that Depp has ever said or done is somehow "shocking" or "disturbing", and who worship him are the same type of people who think that Madonna and Lady Caca are "shocking".

[Pasadenacpl2]

I happen to like Depp. I haven't liked everything he's ever done, but he has brought forward some of my favorite characters. Everything from Fear and Loathing (there was a very nice callback to that in RANGO, btw) to the Charlie Chaplin echos in Benny and June, to crossdressing film maker Ed Wood.

His range is fantastic. His body awareness is just about the best in the business. He has dramatic range and comedic timing and a willingness to do every kind of part.

My only knock against him is that he chooses to live in France.

Pasa

[bookworm14]

Depp is Depp, and I wasn't waving the flag for him. Of note in the movie, there's a steamy MF sex scene but nothing about Wilmot burying his cock up a man's ass, kissing or sucking a guy off.

Can we imagine, maninstream Depp, Brad Pitt and Jolie in a threesome and shakes hands on the subject of John Wilmot? He tried to speak the truth, right?