Books
Four decades of daring (and counting)
The History Center in Tompkins County presents
Facing Our Census
BVC examines the ‘Age of Cage’ By Br yan VanC ampe n
I
’m taking a week to rest, see some new mances choices — there’s that word again. Cage has been in the business long enough movies and regenerate, as we apthat he probably has entire generations of proach 2022’s mid-point. This week, I’m taking this space to recommend a new fans that don’t know he changed his name from Coppola to Cage when he auditioned book, because I can’t write well unless I’m for Martha Coolidge’s “Valley reading something. With Girl” (1983). Phipps is able the meta-reflexive comedy to boil his origin story down “The Unbearable Weight of to just 11 pages, although he Massive Talent” still playing also makes room for menat Regal, it’s perfect timing tions of his marriages, chilfor Keith Phipps’ new tome dren and Cage’s extravagant “Age of Cage,” taking in the spending habits which led entire four decades of film to tax troubles in the 2010s: performances from the one Cage’s “VOD” era. and only Nicolas Cage. There’s a sadness to this Here’s something interestsection, as Cage cranks out ing: I’d wanted to be an actor more movies than anyone since I was a toddler, but until wants to see, but Phipps is I read a “Rolling Stone” interstill able to shine a spotlight view with Bill Murray when he Keith Phipps examines Nic Cage’s career on several underrated Cage was promoting “Ghostbusters” in “Age of Cage.” vehicles like “Joe” (2013), (1984), I’d never heard the (Photo: Provided) “Kick-Ass” (2010), “World acting term “choices.” Murray Trade Center” (2006), “Pig” talked about John Belushi (2021), “Teen Titans Go to the Movies” and how he made great choices onstage in (2019) and “Spider-Man: Into the SpiderSecond City, the kind of choices that could Verse” (2018). solve a scene that might be listing. It was “Age of Cage” would be worth readan epiphany to me: playing a role involves ing just for Phipps’ detailed history of making choices. How would you play this Nicolas Cage memes, but there’s even part? Does the character have an accent? A limp? It’s all about choices, and it’s safe to say more fun pop detritus to be discovered that Nicolas Cage makes some of the boldest here. In 2014, an episode of “Community” featured a storyline where Abed Nadir choices imaginable, and he’s been doing it (Danny Pudi) takes a Nicolas Cage course since the early days of his career. at Greendale Community College, and But Phipps is after another goal here, plunges down a Cage rabbit hole of rebreaking down the changes and trends in film since Cage’s first gig, a failed TV pilot, search and conspiracy theories. Just when I wondered if Phipps would mention this, in 1981, So as Phipps is writing thoughthe makes it a pivot point in one chapter. ful critiques of Cage titles like “The Rock” And if Phipps did nothing but shine an (1996), “Vampire’s Kiss” (1989), “Leaving appreciative light on Spike Jonze’s “AdaptaLas Vegas” (1995), “Willy’s Wonderland” tion” (2002) and Ridley Scott’s “Matchstick (2019) and “Moonstruck” (1987), he’s also Men” (2003), “Age of Cage” justifies its writing about the artistic gulf between the existence in examining the ripples of pop ‘90s Michael Bay action aesthetic versus culture. the game-changing John Woo Hong Kong style, and David Caruso’s failed bid for Recommended: “Petite Maman” at movie stardom. Again and again, he finds Cinemapolis ways of looking at Cage’s filmography RIP: Fred Ward (“Tremors”, “The Right through the lens of Hollywood history. Stuff,” “Southern Comfort,” “The Player,” Phipps is only interested in biography “Short Cuts”) as it relates to Cage’s career and perfor-
ON EXHIBIT THE HISTORY CENTER IN TOMPKINS COUNTY in the Tompkins Center for History & Culture
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