Nov 12, 2015 there are a lot of films you first see as a kid that still loom large for you years later, but upon a rewatch disappoint. Financial analysis of leon 1994 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. A corrupt dea agent, he manages a drugdealing operation on the streets of new york, maintaining profitable connections with many of the citys crime syndicates in the process. Wanting to avenge the death of her brother, mathilda makes a deal with leon to become his protegee in. The professional hit theaters, and were willing to bet that youve yet to shake off how the movie made you feel. Leon is hinted to be mentally challenged in some capacity. It stars jean reno, gary oldman, and natalie portman in her film debut. Im taking a course on action cinema right now, and i can think of few examples of the straight up action movie done better than this film. It is typical of a illinformed critic audience to miss the primary point of luc bessons breakout bildungsroman that centres around a female protagonist coming of age story, but leon. The professional is so exceptionally well cast that fortunately the cast never miss bessons point either that or besson has a talent for choosing an. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing leon.
Nov 24, 2016 its little wonder that lion has collected quite a few audience awards at festivals since premiering in toronto in september. Leon, titled leon in the uk and australia and originally titled the professional in the us, is a 1994 englishlanguage french actionthriller film written and directed by luc besson. Unlike other 1994 crime films pulp fiction, natural born killers, etc. Actually three scenes because they are all intimately linked. Apr 16, 2017 at age 32, he married and had a child with a 15 year old girl. We first meet the young protagonist of luc bessons 1994 film leon.
Leon played by jean reno lives in new york and is a professional hit man. And just the scene previously oldman going apeshit, orchestrating a massacre in the familys apartment is both so entertaining yet haunting. The plot follows leon reno, a professional hitman, who reluctantly takes in 12yearold mathilda. The professional is a wonderful character study, enriched by outstanding performances, thrilling action, and a wellrounded script that gives the film an intriguing amount of depth. Bessons women who kick ass leon the professional film. Then a little girl comes along and hes able to break out of his unsatisfying gangster movie existence with a real human connection. The professional is one of the finest action movies of all time precisely.
The professional is a tragic story of love, loss, and revenge. She discovers that leon is a professional assassin, working for tony danny aiello, a mob kingpin based in little italy. Its a movie that really should not be missed, unless you are concerned with its amorality. Aloof jean reno alongside tiny punk natalie portman make a compelling duo in what has to be on the top of the list for actionthriller. As ive mentioned before about some films that i love, there are some where you can well imagine. Leon, titled leon in the uk and australia and originally titled the professional in the us, is a 1994 englishlanguage french action thriller film written and directed by luc besson. The acting is well done by actors such as jean reno, gary oldman and natalie portman. The professional 1994 was a controversial film at the time of its release. The original cut of the film, now considered the international version, the directors cut, or the long version, is luc bessons intended cut of the film. One day, a drug kingpin, stansfield gary oldman, kills her entire family due to something her father did. History repeats itself, the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce. When his nextdoor neighbors are murdered, leon becomes the unwilling guardian of the familys sole survivor 12yearold mathilda portman, but mathilda doesnt a goforbroke thriller about a. He gives leon almost paternal advice, looks out for his wellbeing, holds on to his money for him, and genuinely mourns him following his death.
Aggressive and deranged from habitual drug use, stansfield will do anything to ensure his operation runs. The relationship between leon and mathilda is a rather complicated one, and is pretty much the cornerstone of the whole movie. Like many foreign made films, leon suffered from the inevitable editing for the dumbeddown american audience, but fortunately, the international version is widely available and the 25 critical minutes are restored to the film. Her father stores drugs for a local corrupt cop, norman stansfield gary oldman. Leon s a professional killer and tonys a mafioso, but he seems to be the only actual friend leon has outside of work. Its little wonder that lion has collected quite a few audience awards at festivals since premiering in toronto in september. May 23, 2018 when luc besson did leon, the story of a yearold girl in love with an older man, it was very inspired by us since it was written while our story started. The professional via a gliding shot that takes in her tiny form. The professional synopsis favorite theater button overview. Nov 06, 2016 this feature is not available right now.
He even honors leons request to leave all his money to. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. We see him at work, in opening scenes of startling violence and grim efficiency. The man who has come whizzing through the streets is leon, a skillful but uneducated cleaner, or professional hitman. Every aspect of the movie delivers to the audience and makes an impressive overall package. Now he has made the professional, about a tough child who wants to become a professional killer, and civilizes. In leon, the professional 1994 luc besson the eponymous central figure is a ruthless assassin.
The symbols that do appear in the movie, however, provide the viewer with information about the inner workings of leon and mathilda. The professional or leon europe, the professional usa year. As ive mentioned before about some films that i love, there are some where you can well imagine why they might get on the tits of some people. Jean reno, gary oldman, natalie portman, danny aiello. The analysis of moving image music videos, films, television programmes is how the images in the frames have been created for a specific meaning. Leon blog click on link mise en scene is an expression used to describe the aspects of theatre or film production essentially meaning a visual theme everything that appears in the frame. There are a lot of films you first see as a kid that still loom large for you years later, but upon a rewatch disappoint. Women are far more likely to be raped by males they know at any time in their life, it is the small insular world of family life the womb safety young males take. After leon steps out of the shower mathilda pours him a glass of milk and puts 20. Before long, mathildas thoughts turn to revenge, and. And dont be leon is less violent than many action movies and the unusual relationship between the main characters is handled mostly with genuine feeling and tact.
An unusual relationship forms as she becomes his protegee and learns the assassins trade. Its been over two decades since writerdirector luc bessons leon. A 12 year old girl named matilda lives with her dysfunctional family and is beaten by her parents and sister but is very protective of her four year old brother. Feb 27, 2014 leon blog click on link mise en scene is an expression used to describe the aspects of theatre or film production essentially meaning a visual theme everything that appears in the frame. The symbolic power of mathildas choker in leon little white lies. Currently, we are building the largest digital library of film and television inquiry and related. The professional critics consensus pivoting on the unusual relationship between seasoned hitman and his 12yearold apprentice a breakout turn by young natalie portman luc bessons.
Leon 1994 soundtrack complete list of songs whatsong. Jean reno, gary oldman, natalie portman and danny aiello star in leon the professional, a goforbroke thriller about a professional assassin whose work becomes dangerously personal. American audiences responded poorly to many of the scenes between leon jean reno and mathilda natalie portman, so much that the film was edited down by almost a half hour and retitled for american theatres. Both main characters alex and leon are seen drinking milk many times in the films. He cant read and despite his prowess as an assassin is very naive and is easily fooled by tony and mathilda. The professional, released in 1994 and directed by luc besson, was shot on film using arriflex 35 bl4 camera, arriflex 35 iii camera and angenieux hr zoom lenses, technovision lenses with thierry arbogast as cinematographer and editing by sylvie landra. Stansfeild leon and alex aco both listen to beethoven to stimulate their violence and the song singing in the rain is featured in both films. The professional mathilda natalie portman, a twelveyear old new york girl, is living an undesirable life among her halffamily. In the course of the movie, leon will, in effect, adopt his neighbor matilda natalie portman, a. In the professional, reclusive new york city hitman leon lets his nurturing side come out after rescuing 12yearold mathilda natalie portman. The only adult relationship leon has is with the italian mobster tony, who leon mistakenly regards as a protective paternal figure. The professional 1994 has undergone cuts that create substantial differences between the film versions the original cut of the film, now considered the international version, the directors cut, or the long version, is luc bessons intended cut of the film. Listen to and download the music, ost, score, list of songs and trailers. The professional is not a pedophile movie when knowing the film was actually made by a legitimate pedophile.
Its one of my absolute favorite films, and a film that really gets to me emotionally like few others do. The man who has come whizzing through the streets is leon jean reno, a skillful but uneducated cleaner, or professional hitman. Leon is not perfect but it has so many great moments that all its flaws can be forgiven. Its a scene that doesnt seem to pay off in a practical way, and it cant have been more than a quarter of a page on the script, but it says volumes about just how innocent his character is. Portman plays a little girl named mathilda who lives with an abusive family, and her only joy is her four year old brother. The professional is a fairly straightforward narrative with little overt symbolism or subtext. There are many similarities between a clockwork orange and the film leon. The professional is an englishlanguage french film written and directed by luc besson. The international versiondirectors cut was recently released in the usa, deepdiscountdvd has it here.
Calling himself a cleaner, the mysterious leon is new yorks top hit man. Leon 1994 financial information where data and the movie business meet. The professional 1994 has undergone cuts that create substantial differences between the film versions. It is a touching but action packed tale between a hitman and a young girl. All 27 songs from the leon 1994 movie soundtrack, with scene descriptions.
The scene with matilda begging outside of leons apartment is so heartrending. One of his neighbors, mathilda natalie portman, is a 12year old girl with family problems, one of which is that her father is a petty criminal. After her father, stepmother, stepsister and little brother are killed by her fathers employers, the 12yearold daughter of an. One day, a drug kingpin, stansfield gary oldman, kills her entire family due to. He even honors leon s request to leave all his money to. Mathilda takes refuge in the apartment of her secretive neighbor, leon, who takes her in with a certain reluctance. When leon declines mathilda puts the gun to her head and pulls the trigger, but leon saves her by hitting the gun away and the bullet hits a lamp. It was a brilliant movie and i loved your analysis. Leon, who has lived like a hermit for years, discovers a strong paternal instinct when he takes the girl in. Mathildas abusive upbringing has hardened her to violence and forced her to grow up fast, yet shes still youthful enough to love dressup. Leons a professional killer and tonys a mafioso, but he seems to be the only actual friend leon has outside of work. The extreme violence of leon the professional is the perfect metaphor of the violence that almost always accompanies the youthful females right of passage into her own autonomy.
The only adult relationship leon has is with the italian mobster tony, who leon mistakenly regards as a. Oct 05, 2015 unlike other 1994 crime films pulp fiction, natural born killers, etc. With jean reno, gary oldman, natalie portman, danny aiello. May 15, 2014 seeing leon watch gene kelly roller skate around in the movie theater, that look of just pure childlike joy on his face. At age 32, he married and had a child with a 15 year old girl.
But when his nextdoor neighbors are wiped out by a loosecannon dea agent, he becomes the unwilling custodian of 12yearold mathilda. When her entire family gets killed by a psychopathic dea agent oldman, she turns to the only person she can, her neighbor leon. The crime thriller that launched natalie portmans career, and put french actor jean reno front and center in hollywood, leon tells the story of a professional. A goforbroke thriller about a professional assassin whose work becomes dangerously personal. The professional starring jean reno and natalie portman, which she says has a script with originality, a sound plot and meaningful characters. For a short while, back in the early 90s, i think leon was my favourite film of all time. Then a little girl comes along and hes able to break out of his unsatisfying gangster movie existence with a. It is an absolutely bonkers and sometimes completely unbelievable action.
Mathilda, a 12yearold girl, is reluctantly taken in by leon, a professional assassin, after her family is murdered. Calling himself a cleaner, the mysterious leon reno is new yorks top hitman. Truly intelligent crowdpleasers that avoid blatant manipulation are a rarity, but director garth davis tvs top of the lake and screenwriter luke davies mostly keep any sentimental overload at bay until the very endand, by that time, it is exactly. Luc besson and the disturbing true story behind leon. The professional, how are sexual and mature concepts.
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