Thursday, April 9, 1998
Earning his wings
FIM: Nicolas Cage brings childlike innocence to the ‘City of
Angels’
By Terry Tang
Daily Bruin Contributor
With macho movies like "The Rock," "Con Air" and "Face/Off"
under his acting belt, Nicolas Cage recently seems like the
ultimate action hero. However, in his latest film, the sparring
actor trades fists of fury for a pair of wings, returning to the
dramatic roots which earned him an Academy Award for "Leaving Las
Vegas."
A kinder, gentler Nicolas Cage soars to the screen in "City of
Angels," which opens tomorrow. Loosely based on the Wim Wenders
1987 film "Wings of Desire," the movie is Hollywood’s latest spin
on these heavenly creatures. The plot revolves around Seth (Cage),
one of many dark-clothed angels who dwell in the nooks and crannies
of Los Angeles. Hidden from the human eye, Seth and his celestial
sidekicks walk the Earth while reading people’s thoughts. Although
the angels lack the ability to feel things physically and
emotionally, they try to comfort others after death.
However, when Seth falls for beautiful heart surgeon Maggie Rice
(Meg Ryan), he becomes increasingly inquisitive about the human
sensations that he misses. Soon, Seth contemplates giving up
eternal angel status for a chance at manhood and love.
Looking sleek in a midnight-blue suit and relaxing with a glass
of Mango Madness in a hotel suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel,
Nicolas Cage appears ready to play a thoughtful, romantic lead, not
a gun-toting warrior.
After playing butt-kicking tough guys, Cage decided to pursue a
more heartfelt role. In "City of Angels," the actor felt he found a
movie which could reach out to audiences on many levels. The love
portrayed in the film is not limited to a romantic one between
Cage’s and Ryan’s characters, but also is a love of life.
"Those of us who live long enough to go through pain and grief,
we need to remind ourselves of the simple pleasures that bring us
back, bring us out of our funk. And that’s what ‘City of Angels’ is
about," Cage says. "I hope people go to this movie and walk out of
it feeling uplifted, some sense of solace, that maybe death isn’t
that bad, but stick around because life is really a miracle."
At first, playing a spiritual yet naive character who has no
grasp of love, fear or pride proved somewhat restrictive for Cage.
As an unseen and unheard figure, much of Seth’s reactions toward
human thoughts and actions had to be expressed through his
eyes.
"What was important to me was that Seth have the eyes of a
child, the awe, the love and the excitement of something that we
would all sort of ignore, like the texture of a leaf," Cage says.
"Kids do. I wanted to have that blissful, childlike
expression."
Even director Brad Silberling admits that Cage’s ability to
communicate with simple facial expressions puts the actor in a
class by himself.
"Nick was a name that came up early on. (The role) needed the
gifts of a silent movie star. You needed someone who’s going to
spend the first three reels with very few words, but who has to
convey a very specific performance, and sort of do a dance around
Meg and others," Silberling says.
Silberling also gave the city of Los Angeles the supporting role
of backdrop. In order to capture an angel’s perspective of a life
separate from down-to-earth humans, many scenes between Seth and
his confidante, Cassiel (Andre Braugher) are staged atop typical
L.A. sites, ranging from a Sunset Boulevard billboard to a freeway
sign.
Not every image, however, was first filmed in front of a blue
screen. One scene with Seth and his mortal friend Nathan Messinger
(Dennis Franz) sitting on a construction beam actually required
Cage and Franz to dangle 40 stories above downtown L.A. Although
the actors were securely recessed in from the edge of the building,
they bonded over their mutual anxiety of shooting so high up. Franz
admits he had to rely on his co-star for support.
"He was just staring at me the whole time, and he says ‘If you
get nervous, just look at me.’ I’m looking and he has these big ol’
eyes just burning holes through me," Franz. "I’m trying to look at
him and feel comfortable about doing the scene."
After viewing the tops of buildings and trees and three-inch
high people on the streets, Franz recalls the relief he felt. After
finishing the scene, he and Cage were able to celebrate.
"We were happy to get it over with. We finished up and we went
downstairs, went to his trailer and shared a bottle of scotch."
says Franz.
Instead of concentrating on the hereafter, "City of Angels"
focuses primarily on the celebration of life during one’s time on
Earth. One of the film’s resounding themes is that too often,
people take little things in life for granted – feeling and
touching – which are things Cage’s character covets more than
anything else.
"Seth, because he’s an angel, he has so much love for people in
general," Cage explains. "My interpretation of angels is that they
think people are God’s greatest creation. They love us because we
have flesh and light, whereas they are only light, so that they
want to be us."
Although Cage holds little faith in the idea of winged angels
plucking at harp strings up above, he remains open to the
possibility that there are "protective energies" keeping people out
of harm’s way. A belief in this continuous energy helps the actor
reconcile experiences from his own life in which he somehow emerged
unscathed.
"I was driving a car and I accidentally hit the transmission the
wrong way and I did a 180 and was facing traffic on the freeway and
I was driving backwards on the freeway. And I managed to live,"
Cage reveals. "So, I thought for sure something protected me,"
Cage will soon be donning a cape and tights for another role as
an alien fascinated by the human race – in the form of Superman.
Although the comic-book hero has surfaced through many film and TV
incarnations, the actor believes there is still much unexplored
depth to a character like Superman.
"I came on board the Superman project because I wanted to say
something to children and I know Superman appeals to all age
groups," Cage says. "It comes from the child’s universe.
"I remember what I felt like as a child in school, being
teased," he continues. "And if there’s one kid out there who’s
being called a weirdo or a freak or a something, he goes home and
he’s just not having a good day and his life in school is just
hell. If he sees Superman and he says ‘Well, you know, Superman is
a weirdo or he’s considered different; maybe I’m Superman.’ That’s
enough for me to feel good about making the movie."
FILM: "City of Angels" opens Friday.Photos courtesy of Warner
Brothers
Photos courtesy of Warner Brothers
(Upper left) Nicolas Cage plays an angel who is curious about
human life. (Left) Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage star in "City of
Angels." (Above) Dennis Franz, with Ryan, also stars.
Warner Brothers