The Cell (or, The Celluloid Albatross)

USA had this movie on this afternoon, and I watched it because I wanted to see D'Onofrio's performance. I really, really wish I hadn't watched it.

I started not to. Long ago, I decided it was a "Film I Don't Want to See." Friends of mine went to see it during its theatrical release, and I distinctly remember them saying how disturbing they'd found the film at the time. I try to avoid stuff like that. I don't like movies that linger because of blood or evil. There's a surfeit of evil everyday in the news and in the things people to do one another in the real world.

I decided that I would only watch enough of it to see what it might be like and to see why my friends had warned me about it. I'd only peek in to satisfy my curiosity. That, of course, is the classic mistake. The next thing I knew, the end credits were rolling and I knew I was stuck with it, a celluloid albatross around my neck.

Of course, I didn't see the whole film. It was on USA in the middle of the afternoon, so chances are I saw less than 2/3 the original film. There were really obvious omissions and cuts, including the ever-popular gloss over of profanity. I think, but have no way to know for sure, that they cut out most of the most profoundly disturbing parts. What was left was sort of a hodge-podge, but it was enough to do it for me.

D'Onofrio was, as always, very good. The more I see of him in things, the more of him I want to see. I think he'd be a very interesting person to talk to. I want to ask him how he does what he does.

That's probably one of those questions that can't be answered, like when people ask me how I write about this or that. I don't know how I do it. It's an automatic response, like fish in the water.

I wonder if it's that way for him. I wonder if that ability to slip into another person is comfortable. I wonder how he can bear characters like Stargher, or if they stay with him at all. I would hope that they don't. After awhile, I think it would get very crowded inside if they do.

I don't see how that particular role could have been played better. The character evoked an odd mixture of loathing and sympathy. Even though the character was a serial killer, a monster, it was also possible to see in him the damaged child. Maybe that was part of what makes it linger. If there hadn't been something almost pitiful and so desperately in need of protection under the surface of the demon, I think I could have turned my back on the whole thing and not thought about it again.

In any case, I can say that I've seen it in some form now. I still wish I'd left well enough alone. Oh well, so I'll probably have a few bad dreams. I might have done anyway, to be honest. This is a small price to pay when compared to all the other less scary interesting places my curiosity has led me. This time, the thing I had to know about was unsettling. Next time, it might be something shiny and wonderful. As long as that option is open, I know I'll keep following that itching need to know.