National Treasure: Nicolas Cage
Lindsay Gibb, 90 pgs, ECW Press, ecwpress.com. $12.95
Take a moment and Google image search the words “Nicolas Cage meme” and prepare to be baffled: Nicolas Cage as Michael Jackson on the cover of Thriller! Nicolas Cage as all of your favourite Disney princesses! Nicolas Cage as a frosted cupcake soaring through the universe, wishing you a happy birthday! Who is this odd man? “Nicolas Cage is a genius,” claims librarian, journalist, former Broken Pencil editor and all-around Cage-aficionado Lindsay Gibb. You don’t say!
In National Treasure, Gibb passionately argues that Cage is one of the most gifted and fascinating actors of our time. The book draws from a range of sources, including interviews with the man himself, his directors, and his reviewers, as well as academic articles on the psychology of art and human movement in cinema. Gibb confronts critics who write Cage off as a hack. Instead, she explains, Cage is to be commended for building an impressive career out of notable roles spanning multiple genres and for cultivating a unique performance style (“Nouveau Shamanic,” as he calls it) that blends elements of Method acting, German Expressionism, and Japanese Kabuki. For Gibb, Cage’s charm lies in his unpredictability, his bold performance choices, and his steadfast commitment to his characters. Gibb’s enthusiasm for her subject is as clever as it is infectious. “Cage is a reminder that it’s ok to care, even if you look ridiculous,” she writes, effectively telling us that he, an actor best known for playing characters who lose their shit, can truly serve as an inspiration to us all.
You don’t need to be a fan of Nicolas Cage to enjoy this fun romp through his strange and wonderful film career. On the contrary, Gibb’s heartfelt tribute will convince you to start a Nic Cage binge-watch-a-thon faster than you can say, “No, not the bees!” (Melissa Hergott)