Tim Burton's ‘Mars Attacks!' --the thinking person's ‘Independence Day' -- involves the cackling Martians landing and announcing they have come in peace. And then they whip out their weapons and blast anyone and everything. It's a problem for bumbling President James Dale. ‘I wanted Jack for that role but after he read the script I just kindda waved my arms and said:” Which part do you want to play?” He said: “How about all of them?” There's no better actor to go up against the Martians than Jack -- I enjoy seeing somebody who is really strong and who just goes for it. Jack is willing to do anything no matter how crazy it seems.He's the greatest and to have him in two roles is amazing'. Also, impressive is Nicholson's longterm friendship with director Bob Rafelson. ‘Blood and Wine' which opens next week (March 7)is their fifth film together and the completion of a trilogy about dysfunctional families. In ‘Five Easy Pieces' Nicholson was the son, in ‘The King of the Marvin Gardens ' the brother and in the last the father. With Rafelson he also made the less well received ‘Man Trouble' with Ellen Barkin and the remake of ‘The Postman Always Rings Twice' co-starring Jessica Lange. Now, Nicholson is a Miami wine merchant who when his business gets into trouble steals a diamond necklace aided by his lover Jennifer Lopez and safecracker Michael Caine. Naturally, with Nicholson and Rafelson nothing is simple except the robbery. The complication is Nicholson's former wife Judy Davis and stepson Stephen Dorff. Diamonds, as it turns, out are no one's best friend. Although he complains about the lack of strong material Nicholson can be lured in front of a camera by film-makers like Burton and Rafelson -- as he could by his surrogate ‘father' the late John Huston -- and despite all the years and all the movies jump in with enthusiasm. He didn't need to be asked twice to reprise his role of astronaut Garrett Breedlove and join Shirley MacLaine in ‘Evening Star' -- it will be seen later this year -- the follow on to his Oscar winning ‘Terms of Endearment'. His favourite basketball team, the Los Angeles Lakers, were playing at the same Texas town during his week of filming. He's won two Oscars and been nominated for seven others. He made more than $50 million dollars as The Joker in ‘Batman' because, he says, he is an astute businessman. His investments -- including oils by names like Picasso, Matisse and Soutine -- have put estimates of his personal fortune at more than $300 million dollars. He's beloved. And he's most certainly bankable. He's also an inveterate womaniser and full of surprises. A member of the over-50 paternity fraternity -- along with friends Warren Beatty, Al Pacino and Dennis Hopper -- he is the father of two youngsters by former waitress Rebecca Broussard who is the same age as his first born daughter. |
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