Not all heroes wear capes. Take, for instance, Jordan Erickson, an intrepid movie-goer, smartly spent a big chunk of his summer at the cinema to fill up all of his punchcard for the Trylon’s massive Nic Cage: National Treasure series. DISPATCH checks in with Erickson after his envious achievement.
DISPATCH: How did it feel leaving Mandy knowing you saw all of the Cage series?
Jordan Erickson: After the excitement of Mandy died I initially felt relief. I looked forward to most movies in the series but it was occasionally a struggle to try and fit each movie into a busy summer schedule. Buying tickets in advance became a must. Sadness followed, as this was my big summer activity and wrapping up the series meant summer was wrapping up as well. As I think about it now I really just appreciate the accomplishment, even if that only entailed buying a movie ticket and showing up.
Much like asking which is your favorite child, which was your favorite Cage film of the series?
I absolutely fell in love with Moonstruck but that’s more of a Cher vehicle that just happens to feature Cage. My favorite movie I’d seen before was Face/Off (a must-see with a crowd, every time Cage or Travolta do the little face brush gesture the audience howled). Having finally watched Twin Peaks this year, my favorite I hadn’t seen yet was Wild At Heart. Cage and Dern have incredible chemistry and I can’t stop thinking about the weird feverish nightmare love story it morphs into.
Maybe not even favorite Cage movie, but what’s your favorite era of Cage? Early and swarthy? Later and unhinged?
It was a real marvel to see some of the pre-1996 Cage canon. Before he became a blockbuster star he was a little more self-conscious and you got to see him take really odd swings in movies like Wild at Heart and Moonstruck. I like it when Cage gets to play an earnest nerd like H.I. in Raising Arizona because I secretly think that’s closest to what he’s like in real life.
How did you balance the swings between Moonstruck and, say, Con Air?
Honestly Moonstruck and Con Air were both a lot of fun to see with a big crowd. They’re both funny (whether intentional or not) and quick, which makes for a great time. The real swing was between those films and anything that took itself more seriously. Leaving Las Vegas, for example, is about a suicidal alcoholic who befriends a prostitute and has a real somber tone. Since it’s a movie about VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECTS (but a real 90s understanding of them) it’s tough to sit back and enjoy the ride in the same way you would some of the more lighthearted fare from previous weeks.
How do you think you’ve changed?
I certainly have a deeper respect for Nic Cage and his acting. The man puts 100% into every role no matter how desperately he needed the money to pay off his tax debt (this is my call to please watch the incredible b-movie Drive Angry).
How has the world changed since the series started?
I don’t know about the world as a whole but I was excited to introduce a small part of it to the Trylon via my friend group. This was the biggest number of people I’ve seen consistently show up there week after week and I hope it encourages people to take advantage of all the different film series the Trylon has to offer.
Did you have a name for the camaraderie you developed with other regulars, like maybe Cage Boyz?
I’ve just been screaming “SUMMER OF CAGE!!!!” to anyone who will listen (I also added that as a tag in my Letterboxd reviews haha)
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.