Harris Dickinson names his four favourite movies of all time
Harris Dickinson seems to have come out of nowhere. One day, nobody had ever heard of him, the next, he was everywhere. From a leading role in the cult movie Beach Rats to popping up in major blockbusters like Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and The King’s Man to having his first directorial effort premiere at Cannes, the Englishman has gone from zero to hero in record time. Things are only going to get more crazy when he takes on the role of John Lennon in Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles biopics.
Despite having only been a megastar for a few years, Dickinson clearly has a passion for movies and knows his way around a good one. He’s already been nominated for several BAFTAs and featured in some highly-acclaimed stuff, from Triangle of Sadness to The Iron Claw. He’s been in plenty of good stuff, but what does he think is the cream of the crop? Luckily, Letterboxd was on hand to ask him just that.
Following the release Babygirl, in which Dickinson stars as a younger man who becomes embroiled in an affair with his older boss (Nicole Kidman), the online film-logging platform cornered the young star with their trademark ‘Four Favourites’ question. “Oh God,” he exclaimed, before rattling through his answers at breakneck pace. “I’m gonna do… The Big Lebowski… The Master… Naked… and Manila in the Claws of Light.” Short, sweet, and to the point. Cheers, Harris.
The first of those movies listed is perhaps the most famous. Directed by the Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski is a classic slacker/surrealist comedy, helmed by Jeff Bridges in one of his greatest ever roles. Dickinson’s second pick stars another cast member from The Big Lebowski – the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman. The iconic Oscar-winner plays a cult leader who corrupts the mind of Joaquin Phoenix, aided by his glamorous and conniving wife, played by Amy Adams.
There are multiple films called Naked. A German comedy from 2002; a musical short by filmmaker Sean Robinson; a Netflix film starring Marlon Wayans that just so happens to be a remake of a Swedish film called ‘Naken’. Dickinson wasn’t referring to any of these, however. Thanks to a little picture graphic included in the interval, we can tell that he meant Mike Leigh’s 1993 dark drama. Set in a bleak version of London, the film follows Johnny Fletcher (David Thewlis, another Big Lebowski alum) as he traverses the city at night and takes out his anger on random strangers. It catapulted Leigh and Thewlis to international stardom, with the former scooping the ‘Best Director’ prize at Cannes for his efforts.
That just leaves Manila in the Claws of Light, possibly Dickinson’s artsiest choice. This Filipino-language drama from director Lino Brocka stars Bembol Roco as Julio, a fisherman from a secluded village who travels to the nation’s capital to rescue his girlfriend. Widely regarded as one of the greatest Filipino movies ever made, and was one of the few movies made during the Marcos era of the country that achieved any sort of international recognition.
Four picks, four very different films, each from a different era with very different stories behind them. If that isn’t enough proof that Dickinson is a proper cinephile, then nothing will be.
