Léon
E: Hi, dear audience! Welcome to Screen Age from VOE foreign language radio. I’m Elisabeth. (I’m Bob.)Recently, high- tech visual films bomb our eyeballs. So this time, let us bring you to the classical period to enjoy this love story. The name is Leon.
B: Leon, are you talking about that classical movie released in 1994? 翻译成中文就是这个杀手不太冷。
E: Exactly. This movie was filmed in New York and was permeated all around the world. So, Bob, introduce this movie to our audience please.
B: ok. Mathilda, a twelve-year old New York girl, is living an undesirable life among her half-family. Her father stores drugs for two-faced cop Norman Stansfield. Only her little brother keeps Mathilda from breaking apart. One day, Stansfield and his team take cruel revenge on her father for stretching the drugs a little, thus killing the whole family. Only Mathilda, who was out shopping, survives by finding shelter in Leon’s apartment in the moment of highest need. Soon, she finds out about the strange neighbor’s unusual profession - killing - and desperately seeks his help in taking revenge for her little brother. Leon, who is completely inexperienced in fatherly tasks, and in friendships, does his best to keep Mathilda out of trouble - unsuccessfully. Now, the conflict between a killer, who slowly discovers his abilities to live, to feel, to love and a corrupt police officer, who does anything in his might to get rid of an eye witness, arises to immeasurable proportions - all for the sake of a little twelve-year old girl, who has nearly nothing to lose.
E: What a pity! Leon died in the final. After his death, the little girl said, I know the best love is to live your life. You know with enough blood and gore to please any fan of action movies, and a unique love story to please the ladies, this is a great movie for couples to watch together. However, to truly comprehend the beauty of this film, you must see the European Cut.
B: I agree with you. I think the U.S. version is still a great movie, but it cuts out 24 minutes which contain much of the heart of the movie and most of what makes the film a work of art instead of the usual action fodder. Elements of the story which are only hinted at in the U.S. cut become the centerpiece of the story when the un-cut version is seen.
E: But the cut one is still attractive and classical. Now let’s hear some reviews.
B: Luc Besson's movie Léon (The Professional) gives us an intense story which is maximized in potential by the casting of the movie done by Todd Thaler. Every aspect of the movie delivers to the audience and makes an impressive overall package. Jean Reno plays a character named Léon who has learned to repress his emotions in order to perform his job as a "cleaner", or hit-man. His secluded world is shattered by the young girl named Mathilda who lives on the same floor as he does in an apartment building. When she turns to him for help, he learns about living a normal life, even if the circumstances which unite them are far from normal.
E: The performance delivered by the eleven-year old Natalie Portman as Mathilda is nothing short of brilliant. Her ability to relate to others with body movement and facial gestures is matched by few, she really brings raw emotion and believability to a difficult role. Mathilda and Léon are unexpectedly thrown together, but learn to value life from their chance encounter, and how valuable a friendship can be.
B: Jean Reno as Léon gives us a solemn and calculated character that sets all of his energy on his assignments until her is given something else to care about. Mathilda gives him the daughter that he never had, while Léon serves as a father and friend to her. Gary Oldman, as the corrupt DEA Agent Norman Stansfield, offers the viewers an amazingly wired and electrical performance which pushes the envelope. He moves the story along by his actions. Oldman offers us a memorable portrait of a sadistically obsessed man who stops short of nothing to get what he wants.
E: The Professional is what movie-making is all about. Without the overuse of special effects, a large shooting location, or a commercially star studded cast, we are given all that could possibly be asked for in a movie. Portman, Oldman, and Reno, along with Danny Aiello as the hit-contractor Tony remind us that there is no substitute for great acting. There are elements of comedy, drama, and action, and great original music by Eric Serra adds to the energy the film already encapsulates. The most impressive thing about the movie is its story which is basic but is maximized by all the other elements which go into the making of the movie. Simply put, an intense and impressive movie.
B: What a nice story. The heroine of Leon-- Natalie Portman was discovered by an agent in a pizza parlor at the age of 11. She was pushed towards a career in modeling but she decided that she would rather pursue a career in acting. She was featured in many live performances, but she made her powerful film debut in the movie Leon.
E: You know she graduated with honors, and her academic achievements allowed her to attend Harvard University! She even received an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Black Swan (2010). She is a winner in life.
B: I agree with you. Have you enjoy our movie today? It’s time to say goodbye. 感谢制作人张巧玉。See you next time. I’m Bob.
E: I’m Elisabeth. Bye~
