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Nicolas Cage isn't a big fan of the 'Cage rage' meme phenomenon

Nicolas Cage isn't a big fan of the 'Cage rage' meme phenomenon

Let's be honest here, we all love a good meme. But have you ever stopped to think about who might be on the receiving end of them?

We can't really feel sorry for the likes of Donald Trump or Rudy Guliani, but maybe we should spare a thought for people who have terrible dating experiences or writers who use bizarre sex euphemisms.

Maybe we should include Nicolas Cage in the latter category, as he isn't happy about the memes that he keeps cropping up in.

The 54-year-old has spoken out against the 'Cage Rage' memes which have been prominent on the internet for a number of years now, mostly thanks to the actor's unbelievable ability to go stark raving mad at a moments notice.

Be it pictures of the actor with a crazed look on his face or compilations of some of his finest ever scenes, 'Cage Rage' is a big internet hit, but he doesn't want it to ruin his new action/horror movie, Mandy.

Speaking toIndie Wire, Cage said:

The issue is, with the advent of the internet, doing these mash-ups, where they pull these choice moments without the context of the whole film around it to support it, has created this meme-ification, if you will.

It’s been branded 'Cage Rage', and it’s frustrating. I’m sure it’s frustrating for Panos, who has made what I consider a very lyrical, internal, and poetic work of art, to have this 'Cage Rage' thing slammed all over his movie.

It’s one thing for me, because I’d like to think I could continue to work with Panos, but the internet has kind of done the movie a disservice.

Cage added that he feels that Mandy isn't being given a fair look my critics because of all the memes and stated that he has studied a number of obscure acting styles to perfect the role.

I think that the movie haven’t been given perhaps a fair viewing by virtue of the fact that the internet has mashed them up with these moments that have been cherry-picked, that aren’t really in the context of the character or how the character got there. I have to be honest.

I did make certain choices to realise my abstract and more ontological fantasies with film performance, by playing people who were crazy, or by playing people who were on drugs, or supernaturally possessed — so that I have the license, if you will, to explore the German Expressionistic style of acting, or the Western kabuki.

Whatever you want to call it.

So, there you go. Stop making fun of Nic Cage, especially when he is in good movies and not stuff like Ghost Rider or Drive Angry.

For the record, this writer would like to say that Cage is a criminally misunderstood actor whose ability to make awful films watchable thanks to his larger than life performances is a skill to be admired.

HT Guardian

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