Ever since we shared that Harry Potter "Consider..." book, I've been meaning open to crack open the other FYC ads that have arrived. So let's do that starting with Shame.
Shame... Why didn't this one come in a black plastic or brown paper wrapping like porn? The cover blurb courtesy of New York magazine says
Michael Fassbender has arrived."
Where? We'll be right over!
We get the meaning but that happened with Hunger, thank you, and was immediately confirmed over and over again for the next year and change with the consecutive openings of Inglourious Basterds, Jane Eyre and X-Men First Class and so on. He's not only arrived, he's moved in.
More Shame and modest FYC proposals after the jump
"Time" gets the splash page quote beside that familiar image of Fassbender giving us the bedroom eyes on the subway:
Michael Fassbender is one of the most thrilling actors of his generation. His storm-cloud charisma, readiness for extreme physical transformation and melodic Irish lilt position him as an heir to Daniel Day-Lewis."
I don't quite get the qualifier "one of" when its more potent and true to just say "the". But "Storm-cloud charisma" is a great description so well done whomever at Time. The next page enlists four more magazines to collect eleven adjectives on Fassy & Shame's behalf which are: Brilliant (x2), Ferocious, Incredible, Devastating, Worthy, Scorching (x2), Best, Haunting, Stunning, Chilling, and Fascinating.
Oscary Name Dropping in this booklet: DDL, Midnight Cowboy, Leaving Las Vegas
The next fold out is all quotes for its Best Actor candidate again though Carey Mulligan's face sneaks in on the outer edges. Though Fassy remains clothed throughout the book these quotes make sure you know he gets starkers... "courage performance by a full-frontal Fassbender"... "completely unselfconscious about the full-frontal nudity and graphically simulated sex acts required of him...." What's perhaps most interesting beyond the frequent reminders of his trouser-dropping (which isn't a typical Oscar selling point since... ever) is that other Oscar-winners are name-checked:
Michael Fassbender's role, playing a Manhattan sex addict, is on par with Nicolas Cage's Oscar-winning turn as an alcoholic in 'Leaving Las Vegas'"
The next fold out is two imagines from the "New York New York" sequence with Brandon crying on one side and Sissy singing on the other. The adjective "Massive" is used and not in reference to Brandon's cock, but to the size of the acting.
Carey Mulligan gets the last fold out to herself and Variety gets the last word:
Carey Mulligan energizes the picture. Her character's musical solo is one of the many exquisite interludes that give this tough-minded picture a soul."
The back cover is a nightscape of the city and it only asks voters to consider it for Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress (in large type) and Director, Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography and Score nominations (in small type). That might seem for a tall order for a small controversial film like Shame but its completely modest compared to almost every other FYC ad out there. You should see the screeners! Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy asks you to consider 10 different men for Supporting Actor and Young Adult's screener even asks you to think about its visual effects! If by visual effects they mean Charlize Theron's impossible beauty, and how she can make it ugly with her moods, consider it considered!
Would you vote for Shame in any categories?