Not sure where to go with this thread; a couple of directions suggest themselves. There's some nice shots in that photo essay - I particularly liked Rosie Perez doing her girl-gang member face. Also, after watching Predator 2 the other night it's nice to be reminded that Danny Glover has quite an expressive face, and that used well - like in peerless comedy The Royal Tenenbaums - he's really good. So character actors though, eh? Funny thing, because you'd expect all actors to be character actors, but obviously not. Who are the favourites round here? Luxury of going PF means I get to pluck a few low hanging apples on this, so I'm goign to suggest America's greatest living actor...
Gene Hackman. One of the great things about Gene is that no matter what duff piece of total shit he happens to be in (and lord knows he's no stranger to complete garbage), he never puts in a substandard performance. PLus - you know - compared to cult favourites like Christopher Walken he's versatile. Compare - again - Royal Tenenbaum, Little Bill Dagget from Unforgiven and Harry from Get Shorty, all different, all brilliant.
However, I struggle to think of anyone young who's going to take over the whole wierd character mantle from the likes of Steve Buscemi. Say they're remaking Fargo in a decade - which current 20 something is going to play the "sorta funny looking one"?
Still, if that doesn't tickle you, my other idea for this thread is that people pick one of the 'scenarios' described above (you know - concerned grandad etc) and take a photo of you doing that face and post it here. That one, I'll have to PF later, though.
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Not sure if Shaw falls into character actor catagory, but I'd like to think so.
Anyway, Gene Hackman, as stated above, is never bad, even in bad films, even duff with Jennifer Love Hewitt in it, he is just mesmorising to watch. Yeah, he has his little ticks, the kind of chuckle that, depending on what type of person he is playing, can warm your heart or make you terrorfied.
He makes bad films great, just little moments of magic. Watch the Will Smith shiney nonsense that is Enemy of the State. Will's alright, kind of annoying, got his schtik down - then compare his whole performance to the moment that Gene spots him in the hotel by the lift, and mouths "f**k you" to him. Now that is acting.
I also kind of like Roy Schider (not just for Jaws with Robert Shaw, and French Connection with Gene) he's performance is amazing in All That Jazz.
I worry that Steve Buscemi's thing has been belittle to the stage that people think that Napolean Dynamite twat can take over.
Oh, another great great character actor about at the moment, that is a newish one, who will get better, and I tip for an oscar at some point, as long as he steers away from the romantic comedies - Mark Ruffalo.
And Benicio Del Toro can still do it when he wants.
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Probably my favourite character actor ever was Thomas Mitchell, who regularly provided sterling support for pretty much every major star of the old Hollywood.
Of recent character actors I think John Tuturro gets far too little work for someone of his copious talents, but maybe that’s because I watched Miller’s Crossing again last week. He is scarily good as Bernie Bernbaum.
As for who’d step into the Steve Buscemi ‘kinda funny looking’ gap, I bet they wondered who could follow Jack Elam...
..but I'll get back to you.
[ 25.05.2006, 07:03: Message edited by: Boy Racer ]
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I keep thinking of my favourite films and have come up with:
Everyone in The Philadelphia Story, but mainly Ruth Hussey, though that's more of a supporting role than a character actor -- there is a difference apparently, and I would say that the Gene Hackmans of the movie world are normally supporting actors rather than character actors.
Anton Rodgers in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. "Not ze royal ring!"
Claude Rains as "supporting" and Sidney Greenstreet (Ferrari), Madelaine LeBeau (Yvonne) and Leonid Kinskey (Sascha) as "character" actors in Casablanca.
quote:Originally posted by mart: I would say that the Gene Hackmans of the movie world are normally supporting actors rather than character actors.
The Supporting/Charactor actor thing is difficult I'll admit, I think Hackman could be seen as either or both simultaneously, depending on which of his films you look at. The same could be said for Mitchell, I think it depends on the size of the role as well as the qualities/looks of the actor.
Nods approvingly at Barry.
[ 25.05.2006, 07:14: Message edited by: Boy Racer ]
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My brain's only up to being totally fucking predictable, so - PARKER POSEY! Whether she's the beautiful bully of Dazed and Confused, the shambling sister of (can't remember filme - where they go on a trip and find out the brother is gay) or the evil Fiona in Josie and the PussyCats, she's just so ace... so mean and twisted and cruelly cool. I love her.
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I love Dazed and Confused; especially that scene. Yeah, Parker Posey is good. she even put up a game performance in the excrementitious Blade III despite playing a vampire with fangs in her vagina while Ryan Reynolds called her a cock juggling thunderc**t. God that was a bad movie.
The male-centric movie business sometimes makes it kind of difficult to identify really great character turns by actresses, unless they've done a great job of turning a nothing role into something special.
But! Patricia Clarkson probably warrants a mention just for her turn in the Station Agent where, she's kind of mad, funny and attractive (actually all three main characters probably warrant a mention for that.) Also - I reckon Maggie Gyllenhal is going to be great judging by Donnie Darko and Secretary. Although maybe she'll just become a superstar instead.
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I've always really really liked Richard Dreyfuss. He's good. That voice.
Have any of you seen Moon Over Parador? A bit like Club Paradise (in terms of long-forgotten, never seen, etc.), only not as good, and er, totally different.
The whole female character actor thing is pretty difficult too. Given that the majority of male character actors are, you know, kinda interesting looking. Women who get character roles tend to be older, larger and possible ethnic, and lord knows there's tons of interesting, substantial, roles for them. Anjelica Huston and Catherine O'Hara are two actressess that spring to mind immediately that seem to do ok.
[ 25.05.2006, 07:54: Message edited by: Boy Racer ]
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Frances MacDorland? (Is that right? The one out of Fargo.) She's good! Janeane Garafalo. Julianne Moore? Isabelle Huppert? Those last two aren't character actresses, are they. Um.
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Benny Hill played some really diverse roles. Doctors, lawyers, bus drivers, computer experts, you name it, he acted it. And with a charm and style which made every character his own.
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I never figured out why they didn't get Brian Blessed to play Gimli in LOTR. He'd make an awesome Dwarf. Maybe the part was too small for him or something. Heheh, too small, geddit?
I'm on fire today. No, really.
I was thinking about Charlton Heston but he's another one who always seems to play the same kind of character.
quote:Originally posted by Boy Racer: Good old Gary 'Exposition' Busey and his weird fucking mouth.
Heh. He's in Predator 2, too. Actually so is Bill Paxton who's also fantastic (I mean hello! Aliens!), capable of screen magic. And Rueben Blades! And Robert Davi! Fucking hell, Predator 2 has one of the best casts ever! How the hell did it manage to suck so bad?
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I actually prefer Predator 2 to the the original. Rasta alien hunters tearing up 80s urban america is the bomb. and Gary Busey totally rocks - can't wait to see Valley of the Wolves.
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![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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