Friday, April 18, 2014

Fan Favorite Friday: The Joy of Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp's newest film Transcendence comes out today. While it will still be a few months before you can check it out at the library, we have movies, book and even an audiobook featuring Depp to help you get geared up for Transcendence.

Here are just 10 of the items you can borrow, stream or download to get your daily Depp fix.

1. 21 Jump Street. The first time most people heard of Depp was when he played Officer Tom Hanson on 21 Jump Street. You can borrow the first five seasons of the show from us. Depp and some of his castmates also appeared in the 21 Jump Street movie that came out in 2012.

2. Edward Scissorhands. Depp appeared as a victim in A Nightmare on Elm Street and a bilingual private in Platoon, but he didn't shake off his teen-idol image until he linked with director Tim Burton and created a series of iconic losers—Depp's words, not mine—including Ed Woods and Sweeney Todd.

3. Chocolat. Usually, Depp plays against his looks. He obscures his features with ridiculous facial hair, deathly pallor and, well, scissorhands. But occasionally he allows himself to play the romantic lead. My personal favorite: Chocolat, based up on a Joanne Harris novel of the same name, in which he plays a handsome Gypsy who is attracted to a chocolatier.

4. Pirates of the Caribbean. The difference between star and superstar isn't a matter of talent. There are plenty of talented actors who never quite make that leap to the A-list. Often the difference is one iconic role; and, for, Depp that role is Jack Sparrow—excuse me, Captain Jack Sparrow. In addition to having all four movies, you can also borrow the soundtracks and even the Pirates video game.

5. Corpse Bride. No long paragraph here. I really like Corpse Bride. Rango's pretty good too.

6. Alice in Wonderland. Lately, Burton and Depp have teamed for a series of remake/revisions of classic stories, including Sweeney Todd and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. My favorite, thus far, is their version of Lewis Carroll's story.

7. Johnny Depp biographies. Depp has resisted the urge to write an autobiography, but there are still plenty of books written about the man.

8. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Depp was a friend of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, and Thompson's work has influenced Depp in several ways. Depp played Thompson in the pseudobiographical film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He also played the lead in The Rum Diary, a film based on a Thompson novel. Finally, Depp himself wrote the introduction for Thompson's oral biography Gonzo.

9. Sweeney Todd Soundtrack. Lest we ever forget, Depp once played the lead in a Sondheim musical. If you liked the music from Sweeney Todd, you can borrow the CD from us or stream the soundtrack directly onto your phone, computer or tablet via Hoopla.

10. Life CD Book. And if you can't get enough of Depp's mellifluous voice, he is also one of the two narrators for the audio version Keith Richards' autobiography. No, seriously.

Come back every week for more Fan Favorite Fridays.

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