MY MOVIE LIFE
The films that make Dominic Monaghan laugh, cry and cringe…
THE FIRST FILM I EVER SAW
The first movie I have a vague memory of is THE AMAZING MR. BLUNDEN. That one really stuck in my head. These two kids move into a house and there’s clearly ghosts there and they have to help them on their journey. It’s spooky and freaky. I remember my Dad bringing it back and me being really interested and obsessed with it and thinking the special effects were amazing. It’s very well written and made. That was the one that made me think ‘wow, there’s something quite big in movies when they’re done right.’
THE LAST FILM I SAW AT THE CINEMA
The last movie I saw at the cinema pre-lockdown was CATS. I knew it was going to be absolute shite and I went for that reason. I’d read some scathing reviews and thought, ‘how can it be so bad?’ but I really enjoyed it because it’s so bad. I’m friends with Ian McKellen and when we were last chatting, we mentioned none of the Lord Of The Rings cast have a poster signed by everyone. I asked Ian, “Don’t you have one?” He said, “No darling, I don’t - but I have about 200 Cats posters if you want them,” which made me laugh.
THE FILM THAT SCARES ME MOST
My favourite scary movie is LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, the Swedish original. I like horror films that tell a story but just happen to be scary. I’m not interested in films that are like ‘Sit down - we’re going to scare you!’ Let The Right One In is the story of a young boy’s relationship with a young girl who just happens to be a vampire. He doesn’t know at first and she’s trying to hide it. It’s beautifully shot and scary at times - but the acting is phenomenal. It’s probably in my top 10 films of all time. I think it’s a work of brilliance.
THE FILM THAT ALWAYS MAKES ME CRY
THE FOUNTAIN. It was a slightly maligned movie and people didn’t seem to think it resonated but it really resonated with me. I love the star-crossed lovers storyline in any movie - where you want them to be together but ultimately it’s not going to happen. The music by Clint Mansell is really spectacular and it made me start crying from the 20-minute mark right up until the end of the film. I’m a pushover when it comes to crying at movies. I didn’t get over E.T. for a good few years when I was a kid.
THE FILM THAT ALWAYS MAKES ME LAUGH
My favourite funny movie that I’ve watched the most is THIS IS SPINAL TAP. The amount of jokes they fit into a tight hour and a half and the relationship between Nigel Tufnel and David St. Hubbins is incredible. Everything about it is funny. Dumb And Dumber is a real masterpiece and the Monty Python team are the Beatles of comedy, so Holy Grail and Life Of Brian are up there too. But if you put a meter on my wrist to find out how many times I laughed at a movie, Spinal Tap would be top.
MY FAVOURITE FILM
APOCALYPSE NOW, which is interesting because it mirrors Edge Of The World, the movie I recently made with Jonathan Rhys Meyers. You’ve got Coppola at the top of his game, Dennis Hopper being an absolute kook, Martin Sheen being crazy; they stayed five times longer than they were supposed to... It was the first time I realised editing was an art form. I never get tired of watching Apocalypse Now. SB
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