Tattoos in films

[Anisya]

I know many of you are film lovers but there doesn't seem to be a thread about tattoos in films....I decided to start with my favourite from 'Eastern Promises'

(this picture doesn't include stars on each knee that he had in the film, as far as I remember)

I don't think people realize that most tattoos you see in the cinema are the work of theatrical make-up artists....I think they've made a good job on Viggo and those tattoos are also very important to the film plot as we realize that we are dealing with real Russian mafia, not some plain criminal...and that there is some tragic history behind each of those marks....

Anyone has a favourite tattoo from a film?

Or maybe an opinion on how tattoos are represented by the movie industry? And why is there so much TRIBAL?? In the era of HD TV and digital cameras the excuse that some tattoos don't film well and it's best to use bold black designs is no longer enough to justify all those designs!

[Hunter Morrow]

[Hunter Morrow]

Here is the bone tattoo Russell Crowe had in Romper Stomper.

[Anisya]

Cape Fear, God it was ages, I forgot about this one...

[Gregor]

Snake pliSskin !!!!

[Anisya]

Here is the bone tattoo Russell Crowe had in Romper Stomper.

Don't like this one. Not one bit. And it looks fake...didn't do a good job there....

[kylegrey]

Once Were Warriors .

[Gregor]

@kylegrey fucking awesome and fucking awesome film

[DrewA]

I have no picture, but the Girl with a Dragon Tattoo is the immediate one that comes to mind. I liked the suspense of the movie, but imo the tattoo wasn't the greatest.

[Anisya]

I have no picture, but the Girl with a Dragon Tattoo is the immediate one that comes to mind. I liked the suspense of the movie, but imo the tattoo wasn't the greatest.

Yeah, it was even worse in the original film. it is much better in the book ;)

[David Flores]

Red Dragon with Ralph Fiennes

[slave]

From the movie Boulevard Nights; always cracks me up!

[Hands On]

A couple that come to mind are the dude in The Hangover 2 and Edward Norton in American History X.

There's a few tattoo scenes in American Me. I think the dude at 1:25 is a little heavy handed...

[PhilB]

For crude but realistic looking prison tattoos, Chopper

[Tight-Lines]

Brad Pitt in Snatch.

Fucking awesome.

[cibo]

@kylegrey fucking awesome and fucking awesome film

totally agree on both counts :)

[Shmitty]

George Clooney has the much replicated tribal flame sleeve in From Dusk Til' Dawn and how can we forget the Boondock Saints.

[Anisya]

George Clooney has the much replicated tribal flame sleeve in From Dusk Til' Dawn.

That's actually a tattoo I don't get! It doesn't do anything for the film, just distracts throughout and when we finally see it, in the last act, is quite disappointing...I know they've made it to show the character is such a 'bad ass' but we already know he is!

[Anisya]

Brad Pitt in Snatch.

Fucking awesome.

[Tittleton]

"They're not tattoos, they're skin illustrations! Don't you ever call them tattoos! "

[kylegrey]

The Pikey bare-knuckle boxing champ also had a black n grey last supper back piece .

[Anisya]

"They're not tattoos, they're skin illustrations! Don't you ever call them tattoos! "

Is this 'The Illustrated Man'? I haven't seen it...any good?

[taaarro]

The Indian Runner (Sean Penn, 1991)

[taaarro]

The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955)

[taaarro]

Down by Law (Jim Jarmusch, 1986)

This might not count because I think Tom Waits' tattoos are real.