Latter-day shite at the movies.

[davywavy]

One of the factoids to come out of the marketing blitz surrounding the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is that JK Rowling has had meetings with various important members of the cast not only to chat about what she intends for their characters and their motivations, but also to ask the actors what they think should happen to their character development.
This is an unusual thing to happen - literary adaptations to the cinema are nothing new - but the fact that Harry Potter books and films are being produced at the same time means that this sort of collaboration is possible. It would not be happening, however, if the actors in the films had not come to so strongly define the characters who are portrayed. Even the author is now basing her characterisation upon the actors - I challenge anyone to read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and tell me that JK Rowling is not channelling Maggie Smith's interpretation of McGonagall in her writing.

In the history of television and cinema, many books have been adapted many times and some of these adaptations have come to be regarded as 'definitive', as have some actors portrayals of a character. Old theatre hands enthuse of Olivier's Hamlet, and geeks like me point to Max von Sydow and Brian Blessed as perfect casting in Flash Gordon. As Alan Rickman has come to exemplify Professor Snape, so have some other actors given what are seen as the definitive performance of literary or historical characters; performances which when that character is played by anyone else will always be held up as the measure to which they must aspire. With this in mind I've created a short list of actor portrayals of literary characters which some consider definitive - and not-so-definitive. I'd be interested in any you might think I've missed out, too.

[Poll #617812]

Comments

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

Colin Firth as Mr Darcy

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

What about MacFayden in the new version?

[davedevil.livejournal.com]

Jeremey Bret was the definative Sherlock Holmes

I disagree!

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Basil Rathbone was!

[silver-blue.livejournal.com]

Bah.

And having just spent a weekend in a very "Hounds of the Baskerville" style country house/castle, I feel a suitable identification with Mr Holmes. :D

...incidentally, the castle was amazing - see here (http://www.astbury.org/landmt/tixall/txlov3.jpg) - imagine that with freezing mist across the field etc. Run by The Landmark Trust (http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/) and they have loads of similar places. I couldn't help but think of you and your plots for one-off RP events in great locations. Hell, you can even hire an entire village!

[sherbetsaucers.livejournal.com]

Chris? What about Bella!!!

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Bella?

Are you referring to Bella Emberg's seminal performance as Lady Hamilton on Russ Abbott's Madhouse?

[sherbetsaucers.livejournal.com]

Also I think that Eddie is a little unfair, after all it's not like the movie itself was particually close to the book, so why should his interperation be?

But Lee... I mean, REALLY. His 'definitive' version owed so much to Bellas work it's unreal. Bella Lugosi created the widdowed peaked, tuxedo wearing count dracula that children today still dress up as.

[mrmmarc.livejournal.com]

Lets out Bella Lugosi's work in perspective.
"Dracula" started its modern reinvention as a stage play.
Which began in London and starred an unknown actor, Bella Lugosi.
HIS version, the first seen on stage, was THE version.
When the show toured the USA it was a huge smash (the SPFX's were great- Bella would stand there and four men would jump him on stage and he would vanish in front of the audiences eyes, leaving them holding only a cloak).
WHen the first proper Hollywood version of the Big D was to be made, there was only ONE choice for the part- and several have suggested that without the power of Bella's performance there would have been no success and thus no version of it.
Of course at no point does bella actually do Bram's Dracula. It was always the adapted theatrical/film version, but he IS the boy!
:)

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

I think Mel Gibson played Hamlet, not Macbeth. Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet it was.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099726/

[sherbetsaucers.livejournal.com]

Oooh... he did indeed play Hamlet and not Macbeth, I missed that one.

I dunno, Wade goes around trying to be all superior...

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

You're right. Oops. Some movie buff I turned out to be.

[tooth-fairy.livejournal.com]

I reckoned the interpretation of Lestat and Frankenstein were quite good actually.

Why Frankenstein was terrible:

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Live! Liiiiiive!!! LIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVVVVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

Grudgingly, I have to concur - at least insofar as Lestat is concerned. I've no problem admitting Branagh's Frankenstein was quite passable. Shame about the script.

And no thinking woman ever *really* wanted to see that particular piece of crumpet thrashing around in a tub of afterbirth, I'm fairly certain.

[christ1974.livejournal.com]

I actually liked Jim Carey as the Riddler. can't stand him in most of his movies but enjoyed him in that one.

As was torn between ir Micheal Horden (RIP) and Ian McKellen for Gandalf.

Due to growing up with the radio 4 adaptation of the lord of the rings.

I heard a Rumour that Daniel Radcliffe isn't doing the next movie (I pray they find an Actor to replace him, although cardboard would manage to replace daniel himself I doubt it would do a good performance.)

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

The radio adaptation was brilliant, true. I was tempted by Ian Holm as Frodo.
Apparently Peter Jackson gave everyone in the cast of the films copies of the BBC version to let them know what to be doing.

Definitively

[(Anonymous)]

Ron Moody as Fagin
Alastair Sim as Scrooge
Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple
Dame Edith Evans as Lady Bracknell

H

Re: Definitively

[(Anonymous)]

Kurt Russel as Jack Burton

[inskauldrak.livejournal.com]

Mel Gibson did a version of Macbeth?!?! Haven't seen it, but it must be the worst!

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Hamlet, not macbeth. My mistake.

[arralethe.livejournal.com]

I'm amazed you haven't got a deathmatch going between Kyle McLachlan or Alec Newman as Paul Atreides.

[mrmmarc.livejournal.com]

KYLE!
End of story.
Anyone who has worked THAT long with David Lynch has to have the correct weird mindset!

[hiromasaki.livejournal.com]

I must put in my $0.02 about the Batman bit...

Batman basically has two personalities. Batman, and Bruce Wayne.

Michael Keaton did well with both.
George Clooney did poor with both.
Val Kilmer was at least a decent Bruce, even if his Batman was "eh" at best.

[(Anonymous)]

Of course the definitive Batman has to be Adam West.

H

[applez.livejournal.com]

American-speaking British liberator against tyranny? (oh, and fighting time-travelling Picts for good measure) Clearly Kevin Costner as Robin Hood is the worst to near-worst abomination.

Especially when there was that far cleverer version filmed about the same time with Patrick Bergin in the lead role, playing opposite Uma Thurman (of all people)...

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000920/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102797/

[winterbadger]

I have to agree with the Jeremy Brett faction.

[winterbadger]

I see you wisely steer clear of the massive "definitive James Bond" controversy. ;-) Tha may be another instance of the dichotomy that tooth_fairy identifies between "definitive as foudn in the original book" and "definitive as recognized by popular culture".

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Connery almost made it into the 'definitive' poll - he didn't for two reasons; firstly, each actor to play Bond has brought something new and Connery wasn't necessarily best because he was first, and second, because LJ only gives you a maximum 15 boxes and there were far more worthy entrants to take up space.