Latter-day shite at the movies.
Nov. 22nd, 2005 09:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
davywavyOne 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]
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]
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Date: 2005-11-22 02:22 pm (UTC)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.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-22 02:53 pm (UTC)H
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Date: 2005-11-22 05:38 pm (UTC)The failure of his movie and his Batman was done to ONE man only- Joel 'I couldn't direct my way out of apaperbag' S. the worst director in Hollywood.
Aside from Tigerland (which was still over rated) the guy kills every movie he ever touches.
This is the guy who took "8mm" the edgy follow on from 'Se7en' and managed to make it crap. he did it all by himself. Joel Schumaker took a dodgy Batman script and then masturbated over it; pushed his actors in entirely the wrong direction and is 1000% responsible for the abortion that was "Batman and Robin". Clooney took the heat for it- which was a travesty as they should have LYNCHED Joel for that peice of excrament! Clooney did try and actually did well- considering how much the script blew. Remember this was the movie that made Uma Thurman and Alicia Silverstone look crap! To do THAT needs some serious inability!