On its surface, Choke is a story about sex addicts and choking fetishists. From the book by Chuck Palahniuk, it deals with the more sordid side of life. It is also a family drama, seen through this prism.
Angelica Huston Tries Not to Choke
"I think it's about the love, obviously it's a perverted love at this point, between these two people but it's about love between mother and son," said Angelica Huston, who plays the main character's mother. "I seem to have a kind of taste for twisted mamas, mamas with an edge. So I feel good with it and it's nice to still be asked to play mothers as opposed to grandmothers which generally happens to women over 35 in this business. So I'm good with it."
The timing of Choke's release coincides with a different sort of political family values issue. Huston prefers her characters to the likes of Sarah Palin. "I don't know, I find them more interesting than the bland hockey mom of present day choice. Yes, give me Morticia Addams for vice president any day. They're fun to play, these parts. They're different. They're off the wall and as you say, it's always a lot more fun to play kind of strangely sexy than to play at home, perky and perfect. For me, anyway."
With the author's source material at her disposal, Huston was not trying to put her own stamp on the character. Rather, she sought ways in which she could embody the author's creation.
Choke
"I don't really think that way when I go to work on something. I try to find the things that I understand the most or that I feel the most from a character on the page. So really if I were to do something extra then that might be another choice but it's not really about trying to find differences for me. It's about trying to find similarities and ways in which I can move the character to the place that I want it to be."
Working on Choke may have inspired some of her other job choices. Medium fans can thank Palahniuk for Huston's TV appearance.
"I've been recently over the last couple of years working slightly further afield than my normal comfort area. I decided to do Medium last year but that was a big challenge for me and I did it right after Choke. It was in a way inspired by Choke in that I went out to New Jersey with these guys for very little money and we hung out in this really horrible old hospital, mental hospital built by the guys who gave us Ellis Island. It was hideous and Clark Gregg and the fabulous Sam Rockwell and the brave, stalwart Kelly MacDonald, that was really fun. It was great working with these guys and it kind of breathes life back into you as an actor."
Choke is out in theaters now.
For the poster, trailer and more movie info, go to the Choke Movie Page.
Choke
Add to Heffee!
