Tattoo

It's no secret that I prefer character actor's over stars, and Bruce Dern is one hell of a character. He has a level of creepy intensity that rivals that of Dennis Hopper and Harry Dean Stanton. He's worked with everyone from Alfred Hitchcock to Hal Ashby to Joe Dante to Walter Hill. When he's onscreen, he always gives a performance that demands your attention. In the last couple of years, Dern has been back in the spotlight for his Oscar nominated performance in Alexander Payne's Nebraska. And now is appearing in Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight, an actor and director match that seems made in heaven. One of his best and most intense performances seems to get overlooked, 1981's Tattoo.

Dern plays Karl Kinsky , a deranged tattoo artist who's been hired to create temporary tattoo's for a group of models. He becomes obsessed with Maddy, Maude Adams, one of the models he is working with. He see's her body as the ultimate canvas for what will be his masterpiece in the inked art. Karl kidnaps Maddy and forces his art onto her body. He also hopes to win her love. Maddy tries desperately to escape, but Karl is always one step ahead.

Like I mentioned earlier, Dern is at his creepiest best. His demented obsession comes off as chilling. Adams, a former Bond girl, does an ok job of displaying the fear that Maddy goes through.

I remember this being a really controversial movie when it was released, almost earning an X rating. It even played at the scuzzier theater when it came to my town. It surprises me that it's not better remembered since there was so much hoopla over the subject matter. It's not even available on dvd.

After the film was released, Dern stated that his sex scenes with Adams were real. Adams denied this, but it definately makes you wonder. As method as Dern is, it wouldn't surprise me.

Some of it does come off as a bit sleazy, but Dern's performance elevates the proceedings.