Frankly my dear, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better flock of Franks…
The brilliantly bizarre and wonderfully weird Frank is released in Irish cinemas this week and, to mark the occasion, JOE is taking a look at five of our favourite Franks in film.
Frank is the latest film from the supremely-talented Dublin director Lenny Abrahamson (Adam & Paul, Garage, What Richard Did) and stars two of this country’s greatest acting talents; Domhnall ‘holy sh*t I’m going to be in Star Wars’ Gleeson and the magnificent Michael Fassbender as the titular Frank – a mysterious music man in a mask.
Fassbender’s the one on the left in case you weren’t sure…
Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen – the Naked Gun series)
Or, to respectfully give him his full title, Sergeant Frank Drebin, Detective Lieutenant Police Squad of The Naked Gun fame.
What a man, what a cop, what a hapless hero…
Frank Abagnale (Leonardo DiCaprio – Catch Me If You Can)
Based on the incredible true story of a fantastic fraudster called, well, Frank, Steven Spielberg’s super 2002 film saw a baby-faced Leonardo DiCaprio star as the lying lead man opposite an all-star cast, featuring a triumvirate of JOE favourites; the terrific Tom Hanks, the magnificent Martin Sheen and the ever cool Christopher Walken.
Frank Cross (Bill Murray – Scrooged)
It’s Bill Murray, what more do you need to know?
OK, we’ll tell you. The comic genius starred in this modern adaption of Charles Dickens’ classic novel, A Christmas Carol, as Frank Cross, a horribly cynical TV executive and a man who is forced to examine the consequences of his life’s actions. In a really funny way of course.
Following on from the success of the great Ghostbusters, which was released four years earlier in 1984, the terrific tagline for Scrooged was “Bill Murray is back amongst the ghosts, only this time, it’s three against one.”
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder – Young Frankenstein)
Ah don’t be a spoilsport, we know his name technically isn’t Frank but, as JOE’s Granny always used to say, “you can’t have a Frankenstein without a Frank.. and a Stein.”
She really needs some new phrases our Granny does.
Mel Brooks’ 1974 comedy classic stars Gene ‘Willy Wonka’ Wilder as the titular young star, but just make sure you pronounce his name properly, yeah? It’s not “Frankenstein”, it’s “Frankensteeeeen.”
And last, but most certainly not least, it’s… Frank (Michael Fassbender – Frank)
This superb Irish drama/comedy (dramedy? comma?) is loosely based on the excellent memoirs of journalist Jon Ronson and the time that he spent touring and gigging with comedian Frank Sidebottom. Nothing out of the ordinary there you might say… apart from the fact that Frank just happened to wear a giant round mask on his head at all times.
Frank the film follows Jon the aspiring musician (Domhnall Gleeson) as he chances upon an eccentric American band called The Soronprfbs (don’t worry, not even the band members can pronounce the name of their own group), a collection of musical misfits led by the genius – or possibly very idiotic – Frank (Michael Fassbender).
All will be revealed in this awesome, odd film…
Frank heads into Irish cinema on Friday 9 May. Go see it.
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