Range of Character

Re: Range of Characters

lukasblu — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:11:57 GMT

Jerusalemski sindrom(2004)-never heard about it or knew about it not until yesterday (when i checked out his credits in imdb);it does not say what it is about,no trailer,can not find it on rental or for sale But it did win an international peace award at venice film awards,if that means anything;maybe it is some culture/spiritual/philosophical movie???i only assume that,cause it got a peace award.

DOES anyone know????more info.????/

speaking of the culkins,is any one here a great fan of his brothers work?

Rory Culkin- i saw him in Igby Goes Down (2002)Mean Creek (2004) Signs (2002) and my very fave twisted ,very cool young cast movie,etc..The Chumscrubber (2005) ; Chumscrubber is about a twisted kidnapping/ drugs/parental ignorance/video game/dolphin/coincidences in a small well to do suburban block/local high school movie;it has a talented supporting adult cast as well;its got a very cool script!!

Kieran Culkin- i saw him in The Mighty (1998), The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002) and Igby Goes Down(2004)

Re: Range of Characters

lukasblu — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 18:08:31 GMT

i too would love to see the lookout;it has the best reviews and he's my new found young fave actor since i saw him in mysterious skin;he was also in Shadowboxer (2005),Havoc (2005) and Latter Days (2003);he did not play the lead role in these movies but nevertheless good roles (especially at shadowboxer where he plays a very young doctor)

Re: Range of Characters

joem18b — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 06:26:47 GMT

Culkin was in a Croatian movie in 2004, too. Any idea what that was about?

Re: Range of Characters

lukasblu — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 04:11:18 GMT

macaulay culkin-although he has not played much roles since his blockbuster children days(home alone,home alone 2:lost in new york,my girl,uncle buck),the ones that he made more recently are a complete change to a more controversial character:he grew out of his childhood days and personal problems and took on more indie roles as a young adult

Saved! (2004)he plays a wheelchair bound misfit-teen that goes to a christian high school

Party Monster(2003)he plays a club-kid promoter,that became famous,had his own record label,in magazines ,and had his own club 2000;he had the most outrageous outfits,a lot of them scantily clad,did a lot of drugs and eventually his life went downhill and went even worse when he along with another roommate murdered his drug-dealer roommate

Re: Range of Characters

joem18b — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 03:00:21 GMT

I was just thinking Pacino. Maybe you're thinking, oh no, Pacino is always Pacino, but jeez, watching him be himself in Looking for Richard and sitting here thinking about Angels in America... Check out these characters, from a very long list:

Roy Cohn - Angels in America
Don Michael Corleone - The Godfather trilogy
Sonny - Dog Day Afternoon
Frank Serpico - Serpico
Steve Burns - Cruising (Friedkin's underrated flick)
Tony Montana - Scarface
Shylock - Merchant of Venice
Big Boy Caprice - Dick Tracy
Ricky Roma - Glengarry Glen Ross

I'm thinking of him playing Satan in The Devil's Advocate vs that Insomnia performance vs the blind officer in Scent of a Woman. He can tango! I love this guy. And just think, he's #13 in Ocean's Thirteen.

Re: Range of Characters

joem18b — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 01:27:56 GMT

Just to mention Gary Sinese, because I loved him in Truman and he also did a good George Wallace. Plus the usual assortment of good guys and bad guys, including Nathan Zuckerman.

Re: Range of Characters

Jymkata — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:38:09 GMT

Concerning the quickly developing Joseph Gordon-Levitt again, he supposedly has added to his impressive resume of ;ate. I can't wait to see The Lookout - which I have heard is another homerun for him.

Re: Range of Characters

GradysGhost — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:20:32 GMT

Concerning Joseph Gordon-Levitt, you should watch Mysterious Skin. My wife and best friend both hated it because it's borderline gay porn, but the message is powerful, and Gordon-Levitt shows even more range.

1 - Teenage boy, typecast, stereotypical in 3rd Rock and in 10 Things I Hate About You.

2 - Teenage boy, Sam Spade clone, fast-talking, quick-moving, smart detective type in Brick.

3 - Emotionally and physically scarred victim of homosexual pedophelia in Mysterious Skin.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, if he can continue to survive the "young actor" stigma, will be a hell of an asset to the future of filmmaking.

Re: Range of Characters

patches — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 15:22:25 GMT

I loved her in Almost Famous what a terrific Mother she was. I love the family whistle...

Another young actor with great promise, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, in Brick. He started out as the whiney teenaged boy in Third Rock from the Sun, but shows great promise and range as the lead actor in highschool-based Neo-Noir Brick (2005).

I'm pretty certain he has it in him to keep playing with his roles, push the proverbial envelope.

Re: Range of Characters

Puhnner — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:03:47 GMT

I rather like Francis Mcdormand; whether as a 'character actor' or as the 'lead'

Re: Range of Characters

Risselada — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:57:18 GMT

Yeah I was really pleasently surprised Heath him in The Brother's Grimm. I think he has shown talent and has real potential to reach the highest tier of character acting.

Re: Range of Characters

patches — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:41:12 GMT

I don't know if I agree the Andy... To me he's played the bad boy with the bedroom eyes... I'm not convinced that he's got it in him to be that flexible. He was good in Lords, but he played himself basically...

You know who also doesn't have a great range of character? Renée Zellweger.... What a trainwreck of type-casting.

Re: Range of Characters

AndyLaBryn — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 14:16:20 GMT

Heath Ledger. Sure he started out with movies like A Knights Tale, but he has done Lords of Dogtown, Brothers Grimm and Brokeback mountain

I can agree 100% on this. Although he does not have the most admirable library of films under his belt, to see him go from the role in a Knights Tale ( which as a movie suprised me ) to playing skip in Lords, to me was amazing.

I saw LOD with out knowing anything about the film beside the fact it was the story of the Z-boys, which I was familiar with.

For the first half of the movie I could not be convinced that it was Heath Ledger playing Skip.

If he dosen't become addicted to crack, he could turn out to be a powerful actor.

Havn't seen Brokeback yet

Re: Range of Characters

urtown2 — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 17:48:55 GMT

I agree that Edward Norton does show a wide range of characters from his first role in Primal Fear, to Fight Club, Death to Smoochy, The illusionist and even the painted veil.

Note worthy actor, although not quite "New", is Heath Ledger. Sure he started out with movies like A Knights Tale, but he has done Lords of Dogtown, Brothers Grimm and Brokeback mountain. The accents and characters he developed for the movies were complex and completly original and seperate from each previous role. In one year he appaered as a womanizer with a british accent in Casonova and a homosexual cowboy with a western one in BrokeBack. I feel that he is more than just a pretty face for romantic comedies like Ten Things I hate about you and A knights Tale and is on par with Depp and Norton.

Re: Range of Characters

pippin06 — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 17:32:15 GMT

DeNiro has played lots of mob types, but I see his range as more subtle. I guess subtle is not what we're going for here.

Actually, some other people that have come to mind that as I consider this: Ed Harris (he's been his own brand of chameleon with all of the character parts he's played in addition to starring turns like in Pollock) and Jodie Foster (not so much recently but definitely in the 80s and 90s).

Re: Range of Characters

Risselada — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 16:18:42 GMT

Seven, American Beauty, The Usual Suspects, and L.A. Confidential. And I saw the latter two so long ago I cannot even remember them much at all. I guess I've just seen enough bits of other movie's he's in and trailers, and maybe even quotes and live appearances that he just always seemed to have that smugness to him. I remember the trailer for that Bobby Darin movie and he seemed like the biggest smartass around.

I think I probably just watch Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas too often that Johnny Depp has become Hunter S. Thompson to me.

I can't say I've seen enough Cary Grant movies to make a fair assessment either. Maybe I was just repeating something I heard someone else say about him.

Yeah I didn't say anything about DeNiro, although I actually don't think he has a huge range either. He always hold a lot of himself in every role. But I guess I see his different roles not as different people, but more as what if Robert DeNiro had grown up in the situation of this character, how would he act.

Re: Range of Characters

porcupine — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 03:11:25 GMT

Yes! John Turturro! Any actor that can change ethnicities without using makeup is just amazing. His part as Jesus in Big Lebowski is unreal.

Re: Range of Characters

Puhnner — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:49:41 GMT

John Turturro; hell, I even like saying his name.

Re: Range of Characters

AndyLaBryn — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:24:25 GMT

One that pops in my mind quickly was Edward Norton. Seems to have the same smarmy tone to his voice all the time, but I guess it's to be expected.

I thought he perfomed brilliantly in Primal Fear, southern accent and all, and then you think about how bad ass he came across in American History X.

Played a very convincing degenerate in Rounders and I think it can be widely agreed upon that playing the role of a downtroden office employee suited him very well. Seemed to fall right into his role in Fight Club, like it was comfortable and normal for him.

The role in 25th hour wasn't necessarily the most demanding in the way of acting, but he certainly didn't disappoint.

Didn't see all of Everyone Says I Love you, but the parts I saw were convincing. Musical and all. (not the biggest fan)

I hear The Illusionist is worth seeing as well.

It was easy to hate him in Death To Smoochy. And he didn't do too terrible as Larry Flynt's lawyer either.

Just wanted to point out too. I love Hunter S. Thompson, and I agree with Risselada, Johnny Depp will forever be Hunter S. Thompson.

Re: Range of Characters

patches — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 21:17:47 GMT

Sweeney Todd? Really? Huh.

Are there any new or young actors that are showing a promising range of character?

Re: Range of Characters

pippin06 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 19:15:33 GMT

Um, ok. I'm not married to any of my choices, I was just tossing out a few names that represented to me some diverse and rangey acting. Now, maybe they aren't the rangiest of actors, but the question was what are some..., not what is the...? So, I tossed out a few. I can be convinced either way, but I usually am attracted to actors who do have the wide span, who aren't quite so predictable. And these popped into my head (Meryl Streep would have too). I noticed you didn't comment on DeNiro, by the by.

I would agree to disagree about Kevin Spacey. The only trait he *sometimes* retains is that Kevin Spacey voice that always has an edge of smartass to him. I've seen an awful lot of his flicks, and I really don't believe he is limited in his range. I agree that Philip Seymour Hoffman is a chameleon in some ways, and perhaps Kevin doesn't fit that criteria, but from Verbal Kint to that lieutentant in LA Confidential to Jim Williams in Midnight to Lester Burnham to David Gale to Bobby Darin to Lex Luthor, to name a few. I'm having trouble drawing similar traits across all those lines other than the occasional smartass delivery (a la Verbal, Lester, and Lex).

I don't get that same feeling about Johnny Depp, no, at least not recently as Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka and J.M. Barrie...plus, he's about to frickin' play Sweeney Todd, where he'll be singing...Um, so no. I don't think he's carried that role with him.

As for Cary Grant, I guess I'm comparing his earlier films to his later films, which were mainly romance comedies or dramas. When he was a younger man, it wasn't about him being handsome, and he really played very different roles. The one that shoots glaringly to mind is Bringing Up Baby. He was purposefully made not so handsome and was whiny and silly and Katharine Hepburn's screwball counterpart...David was his name in that. Sure, when he got old and made An Affair to Remember, stuff like that became his trademark.

I guess I was also trying to think of someone from the old guard who could command that range, but the old guard is a tough sell on range because actors weren't bred to take risks and challenge themselves back in those days. The ones who tried were considered eccentric. Stars were brand names, after all. Now, I'm not hard and fast on Cary Grant, but to suggest he was just a handsome charming man born to play lead seems to be doing somewhat of an injustice to him and his acting ability and range.

Re: Range of Characters

Risselada — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:30:22 GMT

Sorry I don't mean to pick on you here, but I just don't agree with a lot of these.

pippin06:
I would also add Kevin Spacey (consider The Usual Suspects, American Beauty, Midnight in the Garden..., Superman Returns...);

Ok, I haven't seen that many of his movies, but to me he seems to retain certain traits every time I see him. I saw something on another web page where someone was saying every character he plays is always very smug. That seemed pretty true to me.

pippin06:
Johnny Depp. Johnny's repertoire is so wide and varied, even if half of his films were directed by Tim Burton. Remember: he was Cry Baby and Edward Scissorhands and Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka and George Jung (I think that was his name) and Agent Sands and Ichabod Crane and a whole bunch of characters from the straight-laced to the weird yet wonderful.

Depp is good, although doesn't it feel like every movie he's done since Fear & Loathing still has a lingering bit of Hunter S. Thompson in him?

pippin06:
Of the old ilk, I nominate Cary Grant. He played comedies, dramas, thrillers, screwballs...he had quite a few different types of roles in his decades of acting.

I just cannot fathom how Cary Grant came to your mind here. He seems like the total opposite of what we are talking about here. I've always seen him as the quintessential lead actor who always plays himself in every movie. But he's handsome and charming and consistant, and that's usually what makes a lead actor like that. Maybe I'm wrong and haven't seen enough of his films.

Re: Range of Characters

pippin06 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:38:37 GMT

Here's a corollary to the new thought: Hoffman's "leading actor" status was only officially cemented with Capote; in many of his other films, he's been a supporting actor. Perhaps the rangiest actors are character actors who typically take on supporting (if that) roles, even ones that aren't so famous...just thinking off the top of my head.

Re: Range of Characters

wonga — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:25:14 GMT

absolutely Philip Seymour Hoffman. don't forget drag queen (Flawless) and gasoline huffer (Love, Liza)!

Re: Range of Characters

patches — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:18:35 GMT

Philip Seymour Hoffman, yes. The Spout podcast just mentioned him in FilmCouch #4, strangely enough. He's a crazed killer in Mission Impossible III, a crouching-masturbator in Happiness, a literary genious in Capote, a bit part as mattress/phone sex business owner in Punch Drunk love.

I don't know if he's a lunatic or fun Uncle Philip that pulls quarters out from behind my ears.

Re: Range of Characters

porcupine — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 03:09:47 GMT

I'm noticing a trend. Earlier I nominated Liam Neeson, but as I've thought about it more, and thinking about Robert DeNiro and Johnny Depp, it seems that a lot of these guys can play leading roles in really diverse movies, but all the characters share certain trademark qualities. Take Neeson for instance. Like I pointed out earlier, he does well as a Nazi hiding Jews, a sex therapist, a Christ-like lion, a Jedi, and the list goes on and on. But even that diverse list of characters share many traits. They all have strong, virtuous personalities, but with a little bit of a badass attitude mixed in.

New thought: Philip Seymour Hoffman. Very little carries over between roles for him. I feel like I have no idea what that guy is really like. The mark of a true chameleon.

Re: Range of Characters

pippin06 — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 21:52:44 GMT

Interesting topic. I would second wonga's nomination for Meryl Streep. She's simply amazing! Don't forget the Hours!

I would also add Kevin Spacey (consider The Usual Suspects, American Beauty, Midnight in the Garden..., Superman Returns...); Robert DeNiro (he's done the whole range from weird to straight, even if many of them are Italian); and Johnny Depp. Johnny's repertoire is so wide and varied, even if half of his films were directed by Tim Burton. Remember: he was Cry Baby and Edward Scissorhands and Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka and George Jung (I think that was his name) and Agent Sands and Ichabod Crane and a whole bunch of characters from the straight-laced to the weird yet wonderful.

Of the old ilk, I nominate Cary Grant. He played comedies, dramas, thrillers, screwballs...he had quite a few different types of roles in his decades of acting.

Re: Range of Characters

Puhnner — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 21:25:40 GMT

If the universe, does indeed, function as I think it, 'NO', but I think, stranger things have happened before and shall happen since a Mr. Gary Coleman graces our screens; think of it, he in his wavelengths of TV broadcasts, are now, as I write this missive, heading to the furthest reaches of the known universe. And when this broad universe all collapses inward, readying itself for the next 'big bang', he is there to begin again to journey forth. And I shall renew life again as a pissmire...

Coleman!!!

Re: Range of Characters

Risselada — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:11:29 GMT

Puhnner:
though, for one very very sick moment, I thought I read Gary 'Waz it to you shitbag Willis?' Coleman and then I corrected myself...

Will it ever be fasionable not to pick on Gary Coleman?

Re: Range of Characters

Puhnner — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 17:17:56 GMT

Gary Oldman!!! absolutely, an actor of considerable genuis.

It was Cagney who starred 'in the man of 1000 faces'

though, for one very very sick moment, I thought I read Gary 'Waz it to you shitbag Willis?' Coleman and then I corrected myself...

Re: Range of Characters

Risselada — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 16:35:33 GMT

The most obvious answer to me seems to be Peter Sellers, whose calling card was usually playing several characters in the same movie.

I think that Alec Guinness often did the same and was even referred to as "The Man of 1,000 Faces"

Although I don't think I've ever seen one of his movies yet, I know Lon Chaney was one of the first film actors to have a reputation for a wide range of character, often also due to the fact that he was a good makeup artist.

In recent years, I would pick out Gary Oldman as one of the better actors to slip into vastly different roles.

Re: Range of Characters

porcupine — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:50:56 GMT

Another one: Liam Neeson. What else could the following films have in common?

Les Miserables
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Batman Begins
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Schindler's List
Kinsey

Sex therapist, Christ-like lion, AND Jedi? Beat that range.

Re: Range of Characters

porcupine — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:05:48 GMT

While he doesn't yet have the kind of career that Dustin Hoffman or Maryl Streep have, I've got to throw John C. Reilly into the ring. He's a really great dramatic actor, but he's full of surprises. In Chicago we found out he could sing, then in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby he definitely holds his own with Will Ferrell. How do you do that? Has he been doing sketch comedy in his basement for years, waiting for the right moment to show the world how funny he is?

Re: Range of Characters

wonga — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 14:29:45 GMT

thanks for the invite! it sounds kind of obvious, but i think Meryl Streep could be considered. as far as i'm concerned she can play anything; comedy, biopic, epic romance, etc. she has played all kinds of women over the years and she manages to look and sound different with each one. yes, she's great with the accents but that's only part of what she does so well. some examples:

Postcards From The Edge
The Devil Wears Prada
Sophie's Choice
Death Becomes Her
Bridges Of Madison County
Music Of The Heart
Silkwood
Prairie Home Companion

i'm looking forward to seeing her in the Mamma Mia movie and lots more to come i hope!

Re: Range of Characters

Puhnner — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 13:46:40 GMT

For whatever reasons, I find Dustin Hoffman extremely irritating now, but I do not mean to diminish his acting. I just simply do not enjoy watching his recent work ( last 10-15 years; but I continue to enjoy 'Little Big Man' and watch that at least once a year ), which is similar to how I feel about Jack Nicholson's current work with the exception probably, of 'the Pledge'. Off the top of my head, Helen Mirren and would rank as one of my longtime favorites, who I get as much enjoyment out of watching as anyone, and with as much range as any actor/actress I can think of.

I will think of more, there are plenty-and write later.

Range of Characters

dickbuist — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 03:38:06 GMT

I would like to start a discussion regarding which actor and actress you feel has the greatest range of character portrayal. I believe Dustin Hoffman should be considered as actor with the widest range since he has been a woman in Tootsie, an autisic in Rain Man, Captain Hook in Hook, a near-sighted convict in Papilion, Mumbles in Dick Tracy, and many more. He's not like Jack Nicholson who is pretty much the same character in most of the movies he's been in. I can't off the top of my head think of an actress with a wide range of character portrayal. Please suggest some. Would love to hear some discussion regarding this topic.