Right! fellow ABers and Film Buffs! help me!

[mucko]

i noticed that the main characters in films usually have names relating to the sub-plot. when describing this to someone in the office i struggled to remember the examples that i had thought of previously. for example the only one i could remember was Jim Carrey's character in the Truman Show as he was kinda a fake person and just wanted to be a 'true man'. can anyone else think of examples or am i talking ballls?

[LeMarchand]

I think "usually" is a bit strong - I'd say "occasionally"! Anyway, how about Han Solo, who is a bit of a loner?

[boognish76]

Yeah, and Edward Scissorhands, who, erm... had scissors for hands.

[mucko]

yeah LeMarchand i meant sometimes, obvioulsy in cases like what boognish described is not what i'm talking about but hey! i've not got much further have i?!

[SavageMonkey]

Yeah, and "Leatherface" from the Texas Chain Saw Massacre. A sub-plot is that he wears a mask made of leather.

Yeah I agree with LeMarchand, you're generalising a bit.

[LeMarchand]

I'm sure you're right and there are more, but the only ones coming to mind at the moment are "comedy" ones (which I don't think is what you mean). Most of the characters in the "Austin Powers" movies - interestingly, Michael York's character had his surname dropped after the first movie as not enough people knew what "exposition" was to get the joke! Also the inspiration for the AP names - the Bond girls: Solitaire, Plenty O'Toole, Pussy Galore et al. There's also Rik Mayall's Alan B'stard. The final one (at least for now) is in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" - Truly Scrumptious (strangely enough, Ian Fleming wrote that one too).

[mucko]

ah! thought of another one - in Meet Joe Black, Brad Pitt's character is the grim reaper (black=death). wouldn't have been as effective if he was called larry sunshine!

[bobbobley]

you're right! superman was a super man, batman was a man dressed like a bat, spiderman was a man dressed like a spider's web etc. etc.

Withnail and I, the I character narrated it and it was like he was the "eyes" seeing the story. brilliant. well spotted mucko.

actually, I think your last sentence may be right, you're talking balls.

[mucko]

ah good one bobbobley! nice to see you took the time to reply! good old answerbank - dont you just love this place?! yeeehaaa its friday!

[tartanwiz]

Examples from Star Wars: Darth Vader (darkness / death / invader). Chewbacca (he's tough and chews tobacco). Example from Poltergeist: the Freeling family (free-ling = children of the 'free', i.e. typical American family). Examples from The Matrix: Neo (neo means 'new' and he represents a 'new start', for humanity, a hope for the future), Morpheus (the Greek god of sleep and dreams. In the Matrix, the human race is asleep, but Morph has a dream of a better future). Example from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: Caraticus Potts ('crack-pot', like his crazy inventions and ideas).

[mucko]

excellent answer wizard! nice to see your not all time wasters ;-)