Well blockbusters are certainly back in the cinemas. For the last week it has felt that there are no other films in the cinema as the two titans Godzilla and Kong have dominated cinema box office takings as they face off in Godzilla vs Kong.
Of course those two giants need some human support throughout the film and one of those ‘supporters’ is actress Rebecca Hall who plays Kong’s carer, Dr Ilene Andrews, in the film. There are some who maybe asking why an actress known for doing arthouse films like Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Shakespearian theatre productions would want to be involved with an action blockbuster like Godzilla vs Kong but Hall says there were no hesitations for her to work on the project.
“There were a couple of things that really pulled me towards it,” says Hall reflecting on her decision to join the cast. “I found it really interesting that in a lot of the King Kong films there is kind of this dynamic where he falls in love with a beautiful lady and he wants to save her, and then that is the general thrust of the film. Often it is a blonde beautiful lady but I found with this one it was really interesting because the person that Kong has the most intimate relationship with is a child.”
The other element that really intrigued Hall was the fact that Kong’s closest confidant was in fact deaf. “When I found out that they had someone who was legally deaf (actress Kaylee Hottle) playing the part I thought that was really interesting… and valid. Then I realised that the character that they wanted me to play was the Jane Goodell kind of character for King Kong and I thought that was pretty interesting. This was the kind of alliteration of this film where there was something different… and I liked that about it.”
Of course the question on everybody’s lips is what causes Kong and Godzilla to come to blows and Hall laughs when she is asked that question. “Well it comes to a head when on they are on the way to Hollow Earth,” says Hall laughing even more at how absurd her sentence sounds when spoken.
“Godzilla is on the loose and there is a sort of theory held by myself, Ilene Andrews, that the titans will found each out and there is a long-held, ancient rivalry between these two figures,” she said as she composes herself. “And she believes that if you put them in the same vicinity that they will probably find each other and it will probably go a little bit pear-shaped… and she is right.”
Of course one thing that many people seem to have forgotten about this film is that it is very much part of the Universal Monster universe that the studio is hoping will continue to entertain audiences for years to come, but that is something that Hall is very aware of.
“These are two of the classic monsters that have popped up on our screen for years and years,” he explains with excitement clear in her voice. “They go head-to-head. The film is about them, I am not the focus. There is excitement around what will happen between them, there is an excitement to see that. But on top of all that and what is special about this one is that there is a really good story. There are some really fun interesting characters… this is not your standard archetypal heroes and villains. It is all very unexpected and fun and there is quite a bit of humor in it.”
Godzilla vs Kong is currently screening in Phuket. It is classified ‘G’.
