Willem Dafoe, the renowned American actor, has been the subject of numerous rumors and speculation regarding a supposed curse. This curse, as the story goes, has allegedly plagued the actor throughout his career. While the details of the curse are murky, some believe that it dates back to his breakthrough role in the 1986 film "Platoon." It is said that Dafoe's intense dedication to his craft, often immersing himself fully into his characters, led him to attract negative energy and mystical forces that have followed him ever since. These rumored curses are said to have affected both his personal and professional life, leading to a string of unfortunate events and hardships. One widely known incident occurred during the filming of "Shadow of the Vampire" in 2000.

Willem Dafoe: Thomas Wake

Thomas Wake : Yer fond of me lobster aint' ye? I seen it - yer fond of me lobster! Say it! Say it. Say it! Ephraim Winslow : I don't have to say nothin'. Thomas Wake : Damn ye! Let Neptune strike ye dead Winslow! HAAARK! Thomas Wake : Hark Triton, hark! Bellow, bid our father the Sea King rise from the depths full foul in his fury! Black waves teeming with salt foam to smother this young mouth with pungent slime, to choke ye, engorging your organs til' ye turn blue and bloated with bilge and brine and can scream no more - only when he, crowned in cockle shells with slitherin' tentacle tail and steaming beard take up his fell be-finned arm, his coral-tine trident screeches banshee-like in the tempest and plunges right through yer gullet, bursting ye - a bulging bladder no more, but a blasted bloody film now and nothing for the harpies and the souls of dead sailors to peck and claw and feed upon only to be lapped up and swallowed by the infinite waters of the Dread Emperor himself - forgotten to any man, to any time, forgotten to any god or devil, forgotten even to the sea, for any stuff for part of Winslow, even any scantling of your soul is Winslow no more, but is now itself the sea! Ephraim Winslow : Alright, have it your way. I like your cookin'.

Thomas Wake : Why'd ya spill yer beans?

Ephraim Winslow : You think yer so damned high and mighty cause yer a goddamned lighthouse keeper? Well, you ain't a captain of no ship and you never was, you ain't no general, no copper, you ain't the president, and you ain't my father -- and I'm sick of you actin' like you is! I'm sick of your laugh, your snoring, and your goddamned farts. Your damned goddamned farts. Goddamn yer farts! You smell like piss, you smell like jism, like rotten dick, like curdled foreskin, like hot onions fucked a farmyard shit-house. And I'm sick of yer smell. I'm sick of it! I'm sick of it, you goddamned drunk. You goddamned, no-account, drunken, son-of-a-bitch-bastard liar! That's what you are, you're a goddamned drunken horse-shitting -- short -- shit liar. A liar! Thomas Wake : Y'have a way with words, Tommy.

Thomas Wake : Should pale death, with treble dread, make the ocean caves our bed, God who hears the surges roll deign to save our suppliant soul. [Some time later] Thomas Wake : Should pale death, with treble dread, make the ocean caves our bed, God who hears the surges roll deign to save the suppliant soul.

Thomas Wake : DAMN YE! Let Neptune strike ye dead, Winslow! HAAAAAARK!

Thomas Wake : How long have we been on this rock? Five weeks? Two Days? Where are we? Help me to recollect

Ephraim Winslow : What made your last keeper leave? Thomas Wake : He believed that there was some enchantment in the light. Went mad, he did. Ephraim Winslow : Tall tales. Thomas Wake : What?

Thomas Wake : Since we're gettin' too friendly, Ephraim Winslow, ell me, what's a timberman want with being a wicky. Not enough quiet for ye up north? Sawdust itchin' yer nethers? Foreman found ye too high tempered for carryin' an axe? Ephraim Winslow : It's like you said, I just. had enough of trees, I guess. Since I left dad, I'd done every kind of work that can pay a man. Some I ain't near proud of. Thomas Wake : Drifter, eh? Ephraim Winslow : No, just. can't find a post I could take a real shine to, so I keep movin' along. I ain't the kind to look back what's behind him, see? Thomas Wake : On the run? Ephraim Winslow : Now look here! Ain't nothin' wrong with a man startin' fresh, startin' new. Just looking to earn a livin'. Thomas Wake : No. Ephraim Winslow : . Just like any man.

Thomas Wake : And if I tells ye to yank out every single nail from every molderin' nail-hole and suck off every speck of rust till all them nails sparkle like a sperm whale's pecker, and then carpenter the whole light station back together from scrap, and then do it all over again, you'll do it! And by God and by golly, you'll do it smilin', lad, 'cause you'll like it. You'll like it 'cause I says you will! Contradict me again, and I'll dock your wages.

Thomas Wake : And I'm damn-well wedded to this here light, and she's been a finer, truer, quieter wife than any alive-blooded woman.

Ephraim Winslow : Say, why is it bad luck to kill a gull? Thomas Wake : In 'em's the souls of sailors what met their maker. You a prayin' man, Winslow? Ephraim Winslow : Not as often as I might. But I'm God-fearin', if that's what you're askin'.

Thomas Wake : Should pale death with treble dread / make the ocean caves our bed, / God who hear'st the surges roll, / deign to save our suppliant soul.

Thomas Wake : O what Protean forms swim up from men's minds, and melt in hot Promethean plunder, scorching eyes, with divine shames and horror. And casting them down to Davy Jones. The others, still blind, yet in it see all the divine graces and to Fiddler's Green sent,where no man is suffered to want or toil,but is. Ancient. Mutable and unchanging as the she who girdles 'round the globe. Them's truth.

Ephraim Winslow : Goddamn your farts! You smell like piss, you smell like jism, like rotten dick, like curdled foreskin, like hot onions fucked a farmyard shit house. And I'm sick of your smell. I'm sick of it! I'm sick of it, you goddamned drunk. You goddamned no-account, son-of-a-bitch-bastard liar! That's what you are! You're a goddamned drunken, horse-shitting, short, shit liar. A liar! Thomas Wake : Ye have a way with words, Tommy.

Thomas Wake : Doldrums. Doldrums. Eviler than the Devil. Boredom makes men to villains, and the water goes quick, lad, vanished. The only med'cine is drink. Keeps them sailors happy, keeps 'em agreeable, keeps 'em calm..

Thomas Wake : Ooh! Monkey pump!

Thomas Wake : Yer relieved o' yer duties. Thomas Howard : [giggles hysterically] No need to tell me, old-timer! [he goes to the other room and comes back with Wake's logbook] Thomas Howard : [reading various entries] "Assistant slept late. Work below standard. Attitude hostile. Assistant missing. Given to habitual self-abuse in supply shed. Drunk on duty. Attempted to abandon his post. Assault. Theft. Recommend severance without pay." [he throws the book at the wall in fury] Thomas Howard : SEVERANCE WITHOUT PAY? You tryin' to ruin me? I'm a hard worker. I am. I work as hard as any man. Thomas Wake : Ye lie, Thomas. Thomas Howard : Stop it! Thomas Wake : Ye lie to yerself, but y'ain't have the sauce to see it. Thomas Howard : [getting down on his knees] Please. just let me into the light, old man. I've learned so much from you. Just let me show you, another chance. Forgive and forget, I says. Just let me into that lantern, is all. Don't make me beg, or I'll beg. I'll beg, if that's what you want, I'll beg. [pleading] Thomas Howard : Please. Please, please, please! Thomas Wake : Stand down. Thomas Howard : [lurching to his feet] You selfish bastard! Keepin' it all to yourself! You left your old lady, your children, for what? For what? Thomas Wake : Look at ye, handsome lad with eyes bright as a lady. Come to this rock, playin' the tough. Ye make me laugh with yer false grum. Ye pretended to some mystery in yer quietudes, but. there ain't no mystery. Yer an open book. A picture, says I. A painted actress screamin' in the footlights, a bitch what wants to be coveted for nothin' but bein' born, cryin' 'bout the silver spoon what shoulda been yers! Now look at ye, cryin'. "Boo. boo. " What ye gonna do? Will ye kill me? Will ye? Will ye kill me like ye done that gull? Thomas Howard : I didn't! Thomas Wake : LIAR! Ye murd'rin' dog! 'Twas ye what changed the wind on us! 'Twas ye what damned us, dog, 'twas ye! Will ye do what ye wished ye'd done to ol' Winslow? Will ye best me then? For Winslow were right, Thomas! Yer a dog! A filthy dog! A DOG!

Thomas Wake : You're too slow - you a dullard? Ephraim Winslow : No sir. Thomas Wake : Fooled me. Thomas Wake : See to your duties. The light is mine. Thomas Wake : Keepin secrets eh? Ephraim Winslow : No sir Thomas Wake : This place is a sty. Ephraim Winslow : Mornin' to you too.

[Wake wakes to find Winslow standing over his bed with a knife] Thomas Wake : Queer way to wear your shoes. Ephraim Winslow : I didn't want to wake you is all.

Thomas Wake : Who are you again, Tommy? I'm probably a figment of yer imagination. This rock is a figment of yer imagination, too. Yer probably wanderin' through a grove of tag alders, up north in Canady, like a frostbitten maniac talkin' to yerself, knee-deep in the snow, the blizzard overtakin' ye.

Thomas Wake : I seen ye sparrin' with a gull. Best ye leave 'em be. Bad luck to kill a sea bird. Ephraim Winslow : More tall tales? [Wake suddenly throws his drink at Winslow and looks at him deadly seriously] Thomas Wake : *Bad luck to kill a sea bird!*

Robert Pattinson: Thomas Howard

Ephraim Winslow : If I had a steak. I'd fuck it.

Ephraim Winslow : What made your last keeper leave? Thomas Wake : He believed that there was some enchantment in the light. Went mad, he did. Ephraim Winslow : Tall tales. Thomas Wake : What?

Thomas Wake : You're too slow - you a dullard? Ephraim Winslow : No sir. Thomas Wake : Fooled me.

[last lines] Ephraim Winslow : Should pale death with treble dread, make ocean caves our bed, God who hear'st the surges roll, design to save the suppliant soul.

Ephraim Winslow : If i had a steak. . i would fuck it. Thomas Wake : Keepin secrets eh? Ephraim Winslow : No sir Thomas Wake : This place is a sty. Ephraim Winslow : Mornin' to you too.

[Wake wakes to find Winslow standing over his bed with a knife] Thomas Wake : Queer way to wear your shoes. Ephraim Winslow : I didn't want to wake you is all.

Curse of The Lighthouse

Apart from being a powerful portrayal of fragile human minds in isolation, “The Lighthouse” also has an unusual crossover of mythologoloical characters. Robert Eggers himself has revealed that this film is like Proteus and Prometheus hanging out together! I’d say the director deliberately gave away the reference to have a better quality of viewing experience and it has worked out for me very well in the second viewing. Many redditors have shared about this mythologoloical reference in the film and here is mine. After “Joker”, this is the movie that I loved deciphering!

Ephraim Winslow / Tommy Howard is Prometheus, the trickster Titan who is known for stealing the Flame of Olympia. He was punished by Zeus for this act by tying him to a rock and an eagle would come to eat his liver everyday. This reference is clearly evident when we look at the final shot of the film. The Greeks symbolise Prometheus as fire and Ephraim is showed working near fire often. Also there is a scene where Thomas Wake is searching for matchstick to light his pipe and inspite of all the dampness around, Ephraim lights a matchstick out of nowhere to fire the pipe! Like Prometheus, Ephraim defies God and doesn’t believe in any of the myths that Thomas tells him.

Thomas Wake is Proteus, the old man of the sea, son of Poseidon. “Proteus”, the name means “flexibility”. In an isolated piece of land, maintaining sanity is the foremost difficulty one could face and Thomas proves to be mentally stronger because of his flexible mind. He also has the ability to manipulate weaker Ephraim, who had a traumatic past. We see Thomas as a man of myths. He tells Ephraim not to hurt birds as it may bring bad luck. Unfortunately Ephraim ends up doing the opposite and the weather worsens thereafter. Myths say Proteus can foresee future and he is a man of knowledge. The knowledge he bears can never be extracted unless he is killed. Similarly Thomas never shares his knowledge about the lighthouse to Ephraim and maintains the secret about whats on the top floor of it. The aquatic form that Thomas assumes during the fight is a big hint that the director has given, as Proteus, the shape shifter is represented similarly in various paintings.

Psychological breakdowns are common in isolation and also in people who travel by sea for a long period of time. That’s why water represents ‘fluidity of thoughts’ or ‘insanity’ in mythologies. Ephraim experiences frequent surreal dreams. One among them is a mermaid, with whom he fantasises having sex often. This is a representation of Ephraim’s altered sexual behaviour. With water all around, his sexual fantasy has become less terrestrial and more aquatic.

Eggers has sprinkled artistic references throughout the film. He said in an interview that he looked at a lot of symbolism artists for inspiration. A dream sequence where Thomas is seen having a strong eye contact with Ephraim through a ray of light is a spitting image of Sascha Schneider’s “Hypnose”. Redittors say that this shot represents homosexuality (a representation of Ephraim’s altered sexual behaviour once again) but I think this is a symbolism of Hypnotism which Thomas often tries on Ephraim. Thomas is clearly mentally stronger than fragile Ephraim which makes him have an upper hand and control over the other.

At the end, Ephraim reaches the top of the lighthouse after killing Thomas. He now sees the secret that Thomas has kept from him all these days. He makes a contact with it but he could not handle its power and finally falls downs the stairs to get injured badly. I beleive that the lighthouse had some kind of a curse that Thomas has been guarding all these days. Like the curse of Zeus which punished Prometheus, Ephraim suffers the curse of the lighthouse to lie helplessly on rocks and get eaten by the birds of the sea. Eggers is seriously a man of myth!

Willem Dafoe Gives A Shining Performance In The Lighthouse

If making a black-and-white film in this age can be a make-or-break affair, successfully pulling off a black-and-white film with a 1:1 aspect ratio demands miraculous cinematic brilliance. The 2019 psychological horror film The Lighthouse, directed and co-written by Robert Eggers, achieves this brilliance, aided by extraordinary performances by its only two speaking actors – Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson.

Set in nineteenth-century Massachusetts, the film focuses on Thomas Wake (Dafoe) and Ephraim Winslow (Pattinson) – two lighthouse keepers who arrive at a lighthouse near New England and must tend to the place for four weeks till relief comes. Winslow is new at sea and Wake serves as his boss, ordering him around and crudely commenting on his job performance every now and then ("Contradict me again and I will dock your wages!"; "Swab, dog! Swab!"). Over the next few weeks, as the weather at sea becomes more tumultuous and dangerous, Wake and Winslow end up discovering some secrets about each other as well as the lighthouse. Soon, the audience learns that Eggers has created a world of unreliable protagonists, where mermaids and supernatural seagulls exist, where light from a lighthouse is hypnotic and hallucinogenic, where folklore has the power to come alive.

Convincingly conveying a story like this is tough as it is. A black-and-white film with a square aspect ratio makes it critically important for the actors to give impeccable performances because every single expression on their faces is all the more conspicuous and stark, especially because there are few other distractions on which to focus. Since The Lighthouse is set in nineteenth-century Massachusetts, it was also important that the lead actors speak in the right accent and anachronistic sailor language. Plus, the story is rooted in New England folk culture and superstitions of the sea folk, which may be unfamiliar to many audience members. Thus, the actors' performances must unequivocally communicate the perils and the 'truth' of these superstitions in the film's world. Finally, the film demands not only emotional evocation from the two actors, but also the physical depiction of old-timey lighthouse keepers – Dafoe had to deliver long dialogues with a cigar in his mouth, while Pattinson's character had to perform a lot of physical work such as lugging bags of chalk, pushing barrows full of coal (sometimes on slippery slopes in the rain) and dragging oil drums up the stairs. This physicality clearly added to the list of things the actors had to get right for this film to work. Both Dafoe and Pattinson overcame all these challenges outstandingly, but without diminishing Pattinson's excellence, I have to talk about Dafoe's performance in a couple of crucial scenes in the film.

Throughout the film, Wake shares with Winslow the myths and superstitions of the sailor-folk – "Bad luck to leave a toast unfinished, lad!" or "Bad luck to kill a sea bird!". When Winslow dismisses the latter superstition as "tall tales" in one scene, Wake hits him and repeats himself fiercely. His lips quiver and he trembles ever so slightly, almost admitting that he has himself experienced something supernatural in the past, that he knows more about the seabirds than he is letting on, that he may be harbouring many a scary secret. Since many of the scenes in The Lighthouse, including this one, are interior shots covering the discussions the two characters have over dinner, sources of natural light are minimal to none. Therefore, to depict the intensity of dialogue, cinematographer Jarin Blaschke (nominated for this film at the 92nd Academy Awards) had to take close-up shots of the actors' faces. So, it is all the more impressive that Dafoe powerfully conveys so many ideas in a matter of a couple of seconds in this scene. One might even say that it is Dafoe's performance in this scene that firmly establishes the demonic powers of the lighthouse's seagulls which, arguably, are important characters in themselves.

Another powerful scene which showcases Dafoe's skills as an actor is when Wake and Winslow get drunk after they realize that they missed the tender that was to take them back from the lighthouse. In a drunken jabber, Winslow confesses to Wake how tired he is of the latter's cooking. An equally drunk Wake seems to be genuinely hurt by this confession and desperately wants Winslow to say that he loved his "lobster". It is clear in that moment, conveyed powerfully through Dafoe's expressive face alone, that his anger was not only about the lobster. Winslow's confession meant more to him. Perhaps it meant that he could not trust Winslow anymore, that his companion was lying about other things too, that he was concealing some important details about his life. In his anger, Wake 'curses' Winslow to an unceremonious death (which proves to be an important prediction later) in a rather wordy dialogue. Here, Dafoe's acting makes the audience feel as if he is possessed by the spirits of sailors whose superstitions he talks about. He maintains an intimidating posture with eyes wide open throughout the scene to bring out an unwavering dramatic effect. Such is Dafoe's skill that his hands can still be seen shaking with wrath moments after he has 'cursed' Winslow in this scene.

The effectiveness of Dafoe's performance can be better judged if we imagine it as being distinct and detached from the other elements of the mise en scène. If we take out the black-and-white screen, the lighting, the camera angles, and even the story thus far – if we visualize these two scenes as independent pieces of work – they will still be able to create exactly the same aura of fear. In scenes such as these, Dafoe mesmerises his audience much like the lighthouse's light hypnotizes its beholder, rendering a performance that shines through this literally and figuratively dark film.

One widely known incident occurred during the filming of "Shadow of the Vampire" in 2000. Dafoe, who played the vampire in the film, allegedly had a supernatural encounter during the shoot. It is believed that the curse intensified during this time, causing eerie incidents on set, including unexplained technical difficulties and unexplained injuries to the cast and crew.

Another notable occurrence took place during the production of "Antichrist" in 2009. Dafoe's co-star, Charlotte Gainsbourg, suffered a serious injury while shooting a particularly gruesome scene. Some attributed this misfortune to the alleged curse surrounding Dafoe. Throughout his career, Dafoe has also faced numerous financial setbacks and personal difficulties. While it is unclear whether these occurrences can be solely attributed to a curse or if they are simply the challenges that come with a successful career in Hollywood, the notion of a curse surrounding Dafoe has lingered in popular culture. It is important to note that these claims of a curse on Willem Dafoe are unsubstantiated and purely speculative. There is no concrete evidence to support the existence of a curse or any supernatural elements affecting the actor's life and career. Nevertheless, the idea of a curse on a talented and respected actor like Dafoe fuels the imagination and adds an air of mystery to his persona. Ultimately, whether the curse is real or simply a product of rumors and hearsay, Willem Dafoe's talent and versatility as an actor continue to shine through despite any supposed supernatural obstacles..

Reviews for "Willem Dafoe and the Curse of the Cursed: An exploration of the actor's alleged curse"

- Sarah - 1/5 stars - I found "Willem dafoe cursed" to be extremely disappointing. The storyline felt disjointed and confusing, leaving me with more questions than answers. The acting was also subpar, with Willem Dafoe's performance feeling lackluster and unconvincing. Overall, I would not recommend this film.

- James - 2/5 stars - "Willem Dafoe Cursed" had a interesting concept, but it failed to deliver. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow, making it difficult to stay engaged throughout the movie. The special effects were underwhelming and didn't add anything to the overall experience. While I appreciate the attempt to bring something unique to the horror genre, the execution fell short.

- Emily - 2/5 stars - Unfortunately, "Willem Dafoe Cursed" didn't live up to my expectations. The pacing was slow, and the suspense never built up enough to make it truly thrilling. The script felt lackluster, with unconvincing dialogue and predictable twists. While Willem Dafoe gave a decent performance, it wasn't enough to save the film from being forgettable. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and wouldn't recommend it to others.

- Michael - 1/5 stars - "Willem Dafoe Cursed" was a complete waste of my time. The story lacked depth and originality, feeling like a recycled version of countless other horror films. The scares were predictable, and the characters were one-dimensional. I couldn't find anything redeeming about this movie and would strongly advise others to avoid it.

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