Wednesday 21 October 2015

Alternate Best Actor 1995: Mel Gibson in Braveheart

Mel Gibson did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying William Wallace in Braveheart.

Braveheart is a film that's suffered in reputation over the years leaving even its qualities that should be unimpeachable, the production design, the costume design, the score, and the cinematography oddly forgotten despite their quality. Now I'll put it out there I think its an excellent film, and that Gibson's work in terms of the battle scenes in particular is probably more influential than given credit for. Of course Braveheart did do the worst thing that a film can do for its reputation, that's of course win Best Picture, nothing will derive quicker hatred than that. This is only compounded by being consistently attacked for its historical accuracy, something that tends to only matters if a person likes the film to begin with. I actually find that particularly baffling since the film itself states its falsehood in its opening narration. The idea of the film itself seems misunderstood when measured in accuracy as though the film itself is striving to be a historical document or even a realistic telling of a man's life. That's not the case in the least, although I would hope one would notice the fact that it is called Braveheart after all, its about the creation of a legend. The final nail in Braveheart's reputation as a deserved Best Picture though comes with its director and star who happen to be the same man.

Now Mel Gibson's personal reputation has suffered even more than the film's reputation, which I'll admit is more deserved than the film's loss. This has extended to making anything he's associated with, for some, to be blighted in some way, and has become a bit of someone to kick around an extra bit, even being Razzie nominated for The Expendables 3 despite giving the best performance in that film. This hatred can easily extend to his work in Braveheart as a director and particularly an actor. I'll start with what's easiest to be seen in a negative light in regards to this performance. I'll admit that Gibson has a very modern look about him that does not make the hair or the clothes to seem perfectly fitting for him. Then of course there is a matter of the accent which is an unforgivable point for some. Again I'm never an excessive stickler when it comes to accents to begin with, but I'll admit this is not clearly an authentic Scottish accent. Then again Wallace's accent, as told by his background in the film, which was living in all sorts of countries with his uncle, which actually would likely result in a slightly wonky Scottish accent, you know like Christopher Lambert's accent.

Well with all that out of the way let's examine the rest of his performance. Again Braveheart is not really about an actual depiction of the real William Wallace, but rather an image of him as a romantic hero. This follows suit with the way his early adult scenes are depicted as he just wishes to live a simple life in Scotland, but man those English just have to keep getting in the way. Gibson in the early scenes though just presents Wallace as a simple likable sort of man falling upon his usual charm in an effective fashion. In the tragically brief relationship between Wallace and his wife Murron (Catherine McCormack) Gibson realizes just the simplest of warmth and love in these scenes. The interactions between the two most certainly are not all that complex though they carry a natural sweetness that establishes the proper motivation for Wallace when Murron is swiftly murdered by the English. The scene where Wallace gets his revenge by taking the English encampment and killing is an outstanding moment for Gibson. Gibson does not just go through the motion rather he depicts the sheer intensity in Wallace of the moment, and the emotional quality in the attack. Gibson is especially strong just before he kills the man responsible for Murron's death, as the sheer hate, as well as sadness in his loss, can be seen in his eyes as he makes the killing stroke.

This sets Wallace on a quest for Scottish independence taking the fight directly to the English. Gibson does bring the needed presence for a man such as Wallace, and brings the necessary command as well as ease in camaraderie that would ensure Wallace's popularity as a leader. As the battles wage Gibson continues to carry the film and importantly never loses the emotional quality to his performance since it is never just a simple duty for Wallace to fight the British. Gibson realizes Wallace as the romantic hero he needs to be for this film. With that though Gibson matches any quality the film needs to bestow upon this Wallace. There are even a few comic moments thrown in there which Gibson is able to quickly and naturally just make them part of Wallace's personal style. There is even the other romance, which I think should prove the intentions of the story, which again Gibson delivers in bringing the right tender quality that does succeed in creating the relationship, and importantly a different one than he had in Murron. It's less true love and more of an eloquent understanding that Gibson realizes. The most pivotal aspect behind the man though is his unquestionable determination, which Gibson completely captures with his performance. This is perhaps best shown in what is probably the most noted moment in the film which is when Wallace rallies some fearful Scots into facing the large English army. Gibson absolutely brings the needed passion and persuasion into the speech, and the speech would not be as iconic as it is without Gibson's delivery which matches the power of the words.

Braveheart is an epic and Gibson matches the duty of carrying such, which I often find is an undervalued in appraisals of such performances. Gibson certainly never becomes lost in the spectacle of the film, and is essential in keeping the story grounded in the right fashion. The moments where Wallace recalls his lost love are made particularly poignant, and once again Gibson does so much within his expressions as Wallace, as the real weight of Wallace's personal losses is keenly felt. Gibson attaches what each battle means with his portrayal of Wallace's own vendetta but also his own belief in what is to gain from every encounter. Eventually Wallace is betrayed and captured by the English leaving only one last thing for a hero of legend to do, which is to die in a grand fashion. Of course this is made difficult through the level of torture that Wallace must endure in an attempt to break him. Again Gibson is fantastic in his portrayal of the scene. He certainly gets across the resolve of Wallace in the moment, but what's most remarkable is how he manages to amplify the severity of the scene. In this sequence Gibson, as director, actually stays fairly reserved shying away from the graphic details, but Gibson offers them nonetheless as an actor. This is seen best in the castration scene, which we do not see even a slight detail of visually, but we do not need to because of Gibson's reaction which is almost too effective. Gibson does not hold off on the pain in his depiction of Wallace, though still being convincing in keeping Wallace's refusal, and making his final words quite powerful by showing it to be from the last ounce of strength man has. This may not be a performance for everyone, but I think Gibson more than makes do with his own compromise, he actually had to play the central role in order to direct. Gibson as an actor and director go hand in hand in painting a compelling portrait of a man, not of history, but rather of legend. Now I know what the Braveheart fan will say who has lost hope "The haters are too many!". To that I saw, Aye, fight for the film and you may lose credibility in their eyes. Agree, and you'll maintain it... at least a while. And lying about opinion, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade all the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell all those haters that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM....to love Braveheart.

127 comments:

Robert MacFarlane said...

*flips table*
*sulks in corner*

Luke Higham said...

I agree with this rating.

L Rime said...

Didn't like the movie, but I don't really like Epics to begin with.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I have the capacity to like epics. Love, even. This is not one of them.

mcofra7 said...

I don't mind Gibson as an actor, but I am so glad he did not get a five.

Michael McCarthy said...

I say easy 3.5.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I actually find there's a smugness to a lot of his work as an actor that I find usually tiresome. Which I quite frankly found to be on full display here where he allowed himself to run free with it playing a painfully obvious Christ figure.

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Robert: Avatar is the epic that has that effect for me. If I see it again, I might even hate it. As for this one, Gibson is a 3.5 for me. Pretty good, but there are many other performances I like more. When it comes to the film as a whole, I liked it, but like Avatar, if I were to see it again, I might not like it. It stands as the fifth worst epic I have seen losing only to A Bridge Too Far (which I can't really remember), Avatar, The Patriot, and AD The Bible Continues (miniseries), which I hate more each time I think about it. Even so, it is my least favorite Best Picture winner, losing to the likes of Cavalcade. Yeah, I don't understand that either.

Psifonian said...

One of the most unfairly hated performances of all time, in my book. It's a performance that is pure, electric charisma, oozing with sex appeal and a larger-than-life screen presence that few modern actors can match. What, his accent is a bit dodgy? This guy spent most of his formative years traveling the known world, so I can forgive that. This is raw, unfiltered work from a truly mad genius. Gibson wanted Daniel Day-Lewis for the part, but honestly, I don't see how even my favorite actor could've been better for the role. His accent might've been a bit more convincing, but that's it.

"Braveheart" was my favorite winner for the last 20-odd years, until "Birdman" took flight. I am its staunchest defender and I am delighted that Louis didn't beat it down.

Robert MacFarlane said...

You call it charisma, I call it smarm.

Deiner said...

Great review, I've only seen this one once and it was many years ago so I don't really remember much of it. The battle scenes were great. I'm certainly rewatching it after reading your review.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Eh, I guess this'll just be another performance Louis likes that I sort of hate. I'll file him next to William Hurt in A History of Violence.

L Rime said...

Robert:

I kind of agree with you about Mel. It's why I don't really try to watch his movies. I think the only time I've ever liked him was in the Mad Max trilogy.

RatedRStar said...

Robert: I am less stunned by your dislike of Braveheart and more stunned that you hated William Hurt in A History of Violence, I mean its frightening to think out of the 2005 supporting nominees who you would have chosen?

What about Galipoli, did you not like Gibson in that?

Psifonian: I agree that there is sex appeal in him in this movie, I mean I imagine one of the reasons most audiences loved the film is purely because of how Gibson looks, in the same way that a fan would fancy the main singer of a band, he is quite handsome in this.

Louis: I still think you were a bit harsh on Gibson for an equally passionate performance in The Bounty lol.

RatedRStar said...

Louis: I should say I do agree with all your points on Gibson, I reckon there is a part of you that wants to give this a 5 =D.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Just as I expected. By the way, since you disliked Cooper in Sergeant York and Pride of the Yankees, which actors do you think would have been better suited for those roles?

Robert MacFarlane said...

@RatedRStar: Hurt's work in A History of Violence is an overblown slice of ham. He makes his character a mugging cartoon in a film that really, really didn't need one. The fact such a self-indulgent cameo became the first Cronenberg performance nominated is almost insulting.

For the record, I more or less hate the 2005 Supporting Actor lineup outside of Gyllenhaal, and he's a very obvious case of category fraud.

Matt Mustin said...

Oh man, I love this review so much. I'm not a huge Braveheart fan, although I don't have near the disdain for it that Robert does, but this review is just so wonderfully done. Kudos.

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Robert: I'm too curious now. What are your thought and ratings on the 2005 supporting actor nominees? And is it just them that you dislike, or is the feeling mutual with the other acting nominees?

Calvin Law said...

Luke: I absolutely adored The End of the Tour. Segel and Eiseberg were both incredible, and looks like Lead Actor is already at thr strongest it's ever been :)

1. McKellen (re-watch solidified his place)
2. Damon
3. Segel
4. Hardy
5. Fassbender
6. Depp
7. Courtenay
8. Eisenberg
9. Edgerton
10. Bateman

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: I'm glad you liked it. The more I think about it, the more I was impressed by the main performances, so both of them are now a 5 and 4.5 respectively.

Michael McCarthy said...

I'm glad people are liking The End of the Tour so much. I'll honestly be completely satisfied if Segel stays my winner for the year.

Robert MacFarlane said...

@ruthiehenshallfan99: Technically speaking Dillon and Giamatti aren't bad, but they were far from worthy of being called two of the Best Supporting Actors of 2005. Giamatti's nomination was an obvious apology for his Sideways snub, and Dillon had the "juiciest" role in the inexplicable Best Picture winner that year. (Though I will admit I can sort of see the appeal of Dillon's work.) The actual winner, Clooney in Syriana, might be my least favorite winner in the category's history. Dull presence, lobotomized of charisma in a role that's supposed to be the audience's guide into the seedy world of the film. Apparently Harrison Ford was offered the role and turned it down, and my God would that have been a better choice. I've already made my thoughts clear on Hurt being an obtrusive sore thumb. As for Gyllenhaal, he is very clearly (in my eyes) the best of the bunch, but I can't get behind a case of category fraud so damn obvious. His nomination prevented actual character actors from getting nominated.

As for my lineup, my 5 would have been;

Mickey Rourke in Sin City
Clifton Collins Jr. in Capote
Kevin Costner in The Upside of Anger
Val Kilmer in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Maurice Bénichou in Cache

Calvin Law said...

Great shout-out to Collins Jr., he would've been a fantastic choice.

Calvin Law said...

Michael: Segel probably won't overtake Damon and McKellen for me but I still loved him. If anything though Eisenberg might go up, I thought he was actually pretty incredible, verging on a 5 like Courtenay.

L Rime said...

Calvin:

Thanks for bringing The End Of The Tour to my attention again. Completely forgot about that movie until you mentioned it here. Just got done watching it. Eisenberg is actually more of a shoe in for a 5 than Segel, at least for me, but I think both of them reach the mark regardless. Their performances were really remarkable.

Eisenberg has done some really great work in the last year or two. The Double, Night Moves, and now The End Of The Tour. He even elevated a very shoddy script in American Ultra. He's been on a nice little roll.

Michael McCarthy said...

What was great about the two of them is that Segel gave a very mannered performance, and rightly so giving what his character was all about, but Eisenberg, who's usually a very mannered actor, gave one of the most restrained performances I've ever seen from him. It was a fantastic balance.

Calvin Law said...

Yes, Eisnberg's restraint was really impressive, and Segel actually reminded me a bit of PSH in Capote: the resemblance to the real David Foster Wallace wasn't uncanny, but he beautifully brought out the essence of what made him him.

Michael: is it one of your favourite films of the year?

L Rime: Agree about Eisenberg, he's been giving consistently 4+ performances for me in recent years.

Michael McCarthy said...

Calvin: it's currently my number 5, behind Mad Max, Ex Machina, Inside Out, and Bridge of Spies.

Louis Morgan said...

Deiner: Thanks.

RatedRStar: I possibly was, I have not seen The Bounty in some time.

Anonymous:

Well really I don't think he was miscast in either case, he perhaps just needed to try a bit harder. I really can't say some one else for Gehrig because Cooper, despite being much older, did have the right look. For York I'd say probably Melvyn Douglas.

Matt:

Thank you.

Michael McCarthy said...

I just saw Steve Jobs (for real this time) and wow was it a mixed bag. For the most part I actually really liked Boyle's direction, it did a great job keeping me engaged even though the film's structure very much revolved around dialogue. I also thought the score was wonderfully inventive and framed the themes of each segment quite well.

Going back to the script though...I can REALLY see the problems people have with Sorkin's writing now. The character of Steve Jobs stays essentially static for the first two segments of the film, and then in the third segment he has some nice development early on, but then really overcompensates in the last 20 minutes or so to the point where he's practically Ebenezer Scrooge trying to make things right with everyone before Christmas is over. It led to an ending that I found to be uncomfortably tidy.

Fassbender: 3.5
Winslet: 4
Rogen: 3.5
Daniels: 4
Stuhlbarg: 3.5
Waterston: 3

Calvin Law said...

Damn, Fassbender a 3.5? Bit worried now actually because Michael's tastes in performances often comes very close to mine...

On the other hand, glad you liked Daniels and Winslet. Also, even if Fassbender disappoints, he still has Macbeth. I'm actually incredibly tempted to move him over Hardy now (whose performance I'm ashamed to say, has kind of waned in terms of power over me as time goes by).

Michael McCarthy said...

To be clear, I don't blame Fassbender at all for the flaws in his performance. The way he was written in the first two thirds of the film made it so he basically had to play Jobs as Lex Luthor, and that went on for so long that it was incredibly hard to buy the amount of warmth he had to portray in the end. He did do his best to realize Jobs's complexities where they kind of existed, such as his shame at being cut down by Wozniak and his relationship with his daughter (which was also handled kind of awkwardly in the script).

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: I'm not particularly worried at the moment, I'd rather wait until more opinions come in, Louis' especially.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Do you think In A Lonely Place would have been better if it was directed by Huston instead of Ray? If he had directed it, I'm sure you would have liked Bogart's performance. Lauren Bacall and Ginger Rogers were also choices for Laurel. What do you think of these choices?

Anonymous said...

Louis: I think Rogers would have been miscast.

Anonymous said...

Louis: By the way, what are your ratings and thoughts on Skip Homeier in The Gunfighter and Brock Peters in The Pawnbroker?

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

To answer your question from last review, The Gift and The End of the Tour.

Anonymous:

I do believe Huston likely would have made a better film and gotten a better performance from Bogart since my biggest problems with the film is how overdone the scenes are that allude to a possibly guilty Dix. Huston likely would have handled those scenes with more subtly than Ray. I think Grahame was right for that part to begin with, and don't think Bacall or Ginger Rogers would have fared better.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

I barely remember Homeier.

Peters - 1(I thought he was way too over the top in the role. I'll admit his speech does not exactly have a lot a subtly to it to begin with but Peters plays into that too much seeming like some super villain rather just a tough man putting down a rough truth that he believes.)

Anonymous said...

Louis: I assume Homeier would be a 1,5. Who would have been your choices for Dixon Steele in the 60's, 70's and 80's? And director and Laurel as well.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Thoughts on those two films and ratings & thoughts on the casts.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Consider saving Bateman. I've found that his performance has stuck with me far more than I thought he would.

Also, I saw Crimson Peak, which I'm still trying to figure out my opinions of, but I must say I was VERY taken aback by the end to realize my favorite of the cast was not Chastain, but Mia Wasikowska.

Anonymous said...

Also think that Wasikowska is Cirmson Peak's MVP. A 4 or 4.5 for me. As usual, I tought Chastain did not make the most out of the character. It was a fine performance, but definetly could have been great.

Just saw Polanski's Macbeth, and I really doubt Cotillard's Lady MacBeth is less evil than Anni's one. Lot of people say that the performance makes her Lady M the 'bitchless' one, but Anni's has nearly zero touch of evilness.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Ratings for Hiddleston and Chastain. I just want to note, that Chastain has waned a bit for me and agree that Wasikowska was the MVP.

Your thoughts on Polanski's Macbeth and your ratings and thoughts on Finch and Annis.

Robert MacFarlane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Luke: Wait, I still haven't seen Crimson Peak. It is the other anonymous user who has made some grammar errors. I rarely make grammar errors.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: That's OK. :)

Luke Higham said...

To the Anonymous user, who saw Polanski's Macbeth, your thoughts on the film, as well as your ratings and thoughts on Finch And Annis.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: With the Grammar Errors, it could be, though it's probably not John Smith.

Luke Higham said...

*Grammatical

Robert MacFarlane said...

This may sound weird coming from me considering my aversion to histrionics, but Chastain could have afforded a tad more bug-eyed scenery chewing. That being said, the taste I got certainly was delicious.

Anonymous said...

English is not my native language, so, please, forgive my grammatical errors. :)

Polanski's version: I loved it. It's not on Throne of Blood level, but his profane, increasingly violent approach is really remarkable. Using the voice-over for the intimate soliloques and monologues was a great choice, making the internal conflicts even more powerful. But if, on one hand, Polanski direction is superb, I think the actors mostly didn't follow his greatness. Finch's line delivery is terrific, but his body work didn't convey the madness with THAT intensity. Annis is pretty good, but a little too emotional, and since the beggining. She's supportive but not necessarily evil, and always looking she's on the edge of despair, even if hidden, which does not give an arc to her Lady M. Bayler as MacDuff is quite lacking - I think he didn't manage the great sadness and fury of his character, making me wonder Sean Harris may be A LOT better.

Finch 4.5
Annis 3.5

Anonymous said...

"Chastain could have afforded a tad more bug-eyed scenery chewing". Agreed.

Chastain: Differently of most of you, guys, I don't like Chastain work THAT much, Eleanor Rigby aside (which is a 4.5 for me). I always feel her performances don't make the most of the characters. This time is not different. Her obscure and mysterious side in the first half and the more histrionic one in the second were both not really remarkable, and it could have been. It's strange to describe, but what I mean is that I think she goes with the right notes, but doesn't play them with the necessary punch.

Hiddleston: He's convincing in every single aspect - the mysterious stranger, the seductive lover, the conflicted man between two (differently) beloved women, the a bit crazy one. It's a character that was not built to be the standout, and isn't.

Wasikowska: Yet again, excellent. Few actresses (only Cotillard and Mara that I remember now) convey with so much power internal conflicts using subtlety like her. And when it's needed to put subtlety aside and play that more emotional scenes, she (they) also delivers with strength (when she sees her dead father, for example). She's great not being the usually boring lead in this kind of film, balancing smartness, independence, passion and the necessary dose of naïveness.

Wasikowska: 4.5 (I think she would have been terrific playing Chastain's character)
Hiddleston: 3.5
Chastain: 3 (a standard, usual, 3).

Calvin Law said...

Wasikowska was definitely the highlight for me, too. Hope Louis liked The End of the Tour :)

Went to a special screening of Suffragette today with special guests in attendance. It's vying with The Martian, Mr Holmes and Mad Max for a spot in the top 4; a beautifully handled, masterfully directed and incredibly important feature film.

Mulligan: 5 (amazing, amazing performance. She so effortlessly conveyed not only her character's transition but also all the little bits in between, her emotional scenes were fantastic and you really get chills down your spine in the scenes where she asserts her rights)

Bonham Carter: 4 (quite a limited role actually, but I thought she did a lot within them, carrying a motherly warmth as well as cold efficiency to her actions, she also showed the physical wear and tear of her character very well)

Duff: 4 (I thought within her confines she created a very compelling portrait of perhaps the most emotional of the suffragettes, and had so much energy to all her scenes.

Gleeson: 4 (verging on a 4.5, he makes the authoritarian figure into so much more than just an adversary, he adds so much character to the film in his scenes, and his interactions with Mulligan were my favourite parts of the film)

Streep: 3.5 (short short cameo but I actually really liked it!)

Whishaw: 3 (unfortunately the weak link, he was a bit miscast

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

60's:

Dixon: Kirk Douglas
Laurel: Patricia Neal

Directed By: John Frankenheimer

70's:

Dixon: Gene Wilder
Laurel: Faye Dunaway

Directed By: Roman Polanski

80's:

Dixon: James Woods
Laurel: Susan Sarandon

Directed By: David Cronenberg

Luke:

The Gift I thought was a rather surprising psychological thriller, the biggest surprise though probably was Jason Bateman who I am saving. Edgerton as a director has a fine eye, and a good ear as writer. I could see how some might take some issue with some of thing plot machinations, but they did not bother me. Edgerton knows how to really build and maintain that tension while also keeping the emotional connection always intact. I particularly loved some of the subversion that Edgerton three in such as what happens with the dog, as well as a sudden broken window late in the film. It's a strong debut and I hope Edgerton goes behind the camera again soon.

Hall - 4(I have to say Hall is always pretty much forced to be the sane centerpiece to some insanity. She's once again good at it here. It's a purposefully to the point but she does well with just realizing the straight forward nature of her character)

Edgerton - 4(It is funny how Edgerton does double duties in making Gordo a chilling villain by giving the sense of the man when he's off screen as a director, and obviously directly portraying him when he's on. Edgerton treads just the right line between disturbing and awkward with his performance keeping in question of just how off Gordo is. I especially like how there is this hollowness yet volatility that Edgerton realizes in the character as though the mistreatment has made him distant but so emotional within that distance.)

I really enjoyed The End of the Tour which really made the personal interview process incredibly compelling. I liked how, just like Wallace's own insistence, that it does not attempt to force this greater sense of importance about the two's interactions. It let's them flow very naturally and I found moments where they both just stated their love for Die Hard as interesting as their discussions on what it means to be a writer. I found the development of the relationship between the two captivating while maintaining this very honest casual feeling to the whole thing.

I'm saving Segel.

Eisenberg - 4.5(I agree with Michael McCarthy that Eisenberg's performance really works because of just how restrained it is. Eisenberg is very good though in making his "normal guy" character stay dynamic with the obviously more eccentric Wallace right there. I like the way Eisenberg plays the various roles as the interviewer at times, others as basically a jealous man at a man seemingly with more talent, other times a fascinated fan, and at times just a man who could potentially be his friend. Eisenberg finds the right balance in his own work, and also helps to amplify Segel's performance as the two really strike up a very effective chemistry that never pigeon holes itself. It instead flows in different ways changing and going back forth, and importantly always feels very natural.)

Luke Higham said...

Predictions
Bateman - 4.5
Segel - 5 (By the look of things, it's a guarantee)

Anonymous said...

Luke: To me, Segel will get a 4,5 from Louis. It's more likely to me.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I think he will get a 5, but that's just how I feel at the moment.

I plan to watch Mississippi Grind tonight and Bone Tomahawk tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Luke: You know, despite having more talent than her fool of a husband, one has to wonder what Shelley Winters saw in him...

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: He seduced her, plain and simple. :)

Anonymous said...

Luke: But then again, you'd expect her to know better that he could be such a prick. :)

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Yep. :)

Anonymous said...

Luke: I think you remember that I told you that a Napoleon film made by Stanley Kubrick was one of the best films never made.
Anyway, I managed to get names of the 10 unrealized projects.
Napoleon (Kubrick)
The Merchant of Venice (Welles)
Kaleidoscope (Hitchcock)
Marx Brothers at the U.N. (Wilder)
Nostromus (Lean)
Macbeth (Olivier)
The Aryan Papers (Kubrick)
Fantomas (Lynch)
Heart of Darkness (Welles)
Leningrad: The 900 Days (Leone)
Rank these from most interesting to least itneresting.

Anonymous said...

Luke: *of ten unrealized projects.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I'd rather not say, which is the least interesting, because I like them all but my favourite's obviously Napoleon. Reasons for that is because:
1. I completely love the time period itself
2. Napoleon Bonaparte is such a fascinating figure, as he conquered almost all of Continental Europe.
3. In its time the technical aspects (Just like Barry Lyndon) would've been magnificent.
4. I've seen the 1970 Film Waterloo with Rod Steiger which I found to be quite good, though for an epic it was too short in my opinion. It didn't do well at the box office either and to a degree, was the cause for Kubrick, to abandon the project.
5. From a casting point of view, Steiger's the only one I could think of that closely resembled the man himself.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: With Napoleon though, I'd prefer to see a trilogy of films based on his life.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Napoleon would certainly be my favorite of those 10. However, if it was to be a trilogy, it would have to be like this:
First movie: Napoleon's early years to the French Revolutionary Wars
Second movie: Napoleon's greatest victories to his downfall in Russia
Third movie: The Battle of Waterloo

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I would also add his death in the final film. :)

Each film needs to be 3-4 hours long.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Going back to dream trios:
Cotillard/Signoret/Ullmann
Bogart/Cagney/Robinson
Hackman/Hoffman/Duvall (Longtime friends doing a film, how's that?)
Bogart/Mitchum/Holden
Powell/Grant/Gable


Michael McCarthy said...

COME ON SEGEL. The fact that Louis seems to completely agree with me on Eisenberg makes me think Segel's gonna do really well.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: My favourite's Hackman/Hoffman/Duvall, followed by Cotillard/Signoret/Ullmann.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your thoughts on Kubrick's Napoleon as an Unrealized Project and would you prefer to see a single film, two-parter or a trilogy based on his life.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Some more.
Stewart/Fonda/Cooper/Peck(Western)
Widmark/Mitchum/Ryan/Hayden
Lemmon/Lewis/Matthau/Curtis
Powell/Grant/Gable/McCrea
Loren/Magnani/Cardinale/Mastroianni
Foster/Norton/Hardy/Phoenix

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Widmark/Mitchum/Ryan/Hayden, followed by Foster/Norton/Hardy/Phoenix.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Which actor/director dream collaborations would you like to see?

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I'll come back to you on that one. I'll give you my response later on.

There's a few things I have to do within the next 3 hours.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Very well then.

Anonymous said...

Louis: What potential could you see from these groups?
Bogart/Cagney/Robinson
Widmark/Mitchum/Ryan/Montgomery
Gable/Powell/Lombard/Harlow
Hackman/Hoffman/Duvall
K. Hepburn/Davis/Crawford/Stanwyck
Powell/Bracken/Demarest/McCrea
Stewart/Fonda/Peck/Cooper

Anonymous said...

Louis: Brando/Clift/Dean/Garfield

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous:
Fassbender/Christopher Nolan and Paul Thomas Anderson
Hardy/Paul Thomas Anderson and Martin Scorsese
Cotillard/Nicolas Winding Refn and Quentin Tarantino
Foster/Christopher Nolan
Phoenix/Quentin Tarantino and David Lynch
Mulligan/Lars Von Trier and Mike Leigh
DiCaprio/Paul Thomas Anderson
Isaac/Martin Scorsese
Gyllenhaal/David Lynch
McConaughey/The Coen Brothers

Anonymous said...

R.I.P. Maureen O'Hara

Luke Higham said...

R.I.P. Maureen O'Hara

Anonymous said...

Luke: I think I would have liked to have seen Brando/Kubrick.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I agree with you, though I would have Brando in his prime. :)

Anonymous said...

Luke: Kubrick's Napoleon certainly would be something to see. :) It could have possibly been the best Napoleon film.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: The only competition it would've had was the '27 version with Dieudonne, yet that was the first of a proposed saga, which didn't come to fruition.

Lastly, It wouldn't just be the best film based on Bonaparte, but would've been in my opinion, one of the top ten greatest epics of all-time.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Napoleon was certainly an interesting person and an amazing military commander. Attempted to conquer Russia, which Hitler would attempt to try hundreds of years later. The only ones who managed to conquer Russia were the Mongols.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Not Conquering Russia was his greatest failure, yet the weather and disease annihilated most of his army.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Yes, it was his greatest failure, I know that well. But his forces also failed in conquering Spain and Portugal.

Anonymous said...

Luke: The Spanish and the Portuguese just kept on resisting, with the help of the British.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I'm happy as hell that he didn't conquer Britain, The Royal Navy saw to that. :)

The only other great military commander, that I have as much interest for is Alexander The Great and the film based on his life (As you may already know) was unbelievably bad.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Did he really think that he could conquer Britain by using a fleet of balloons? His plan could not be accomplished from the start. And he pretty much had no chance of even defeating the Navy.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: :) Agreed. With Britain and France, The Former had a far superior navy, whereas the latter had a bigger, if not stronger army.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Have you seen Alexander (2004).

Anonymous said...

Luke: Nope.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Good. That was 3 hours I'll never get back.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Are you seeing Steve Jobs this week.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Louis would have preferred Kubrick's Napoleon to Barry Lyndon.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: The Main Character is more interesting than O'Neal's Redmond Barry, The Cinematography would've been as good, if not better and it wouldn't be as emotionally distant either.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Stamp would have been a better choice.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Louis and I agree with you. :)

Anonymous said...

Luke: So Olivier was to make a movie with Garbo...

Anonymous said...

Luke: *considered

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Olivier wasn't exactly prominent at the time, so I understand why she turned him down.

Anonymous said...

Luke: I don't think that they would have that much of a chemistry either. Olivier admitted that in an interview.

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Rest in Peace, Maureen O'Hara

Anonymous said...

Louis: Who do you think might have been a better choice for Joan D'Arc instead of Bergman? Garbo apparently wanted to play the role but like Bergman, she would have been painfully miscast and was ten years older than her.

Luke Higham said...

Mississippi Grind
Mendelsohn - 4.5
Reynolds - 4

Anonymous said...

Luke: Thoughts on the film.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: It's a fairly intimate film about two gamblers down on their luck, who try to get back what they've lost. I liked the film, due to the very effective chemistry between the two leads and I have to say that Mendelsohn (Who I usually like) gives my favourite performance of his so far and I thought he was great in Animal Kingdom. It's the same with Reynolds, though I haven't seen Buried yet.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Can't think of any more dream groups.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: That's all right. :)

Anonymous said...

Luke:
Brooks/Leachman/Kahn/Bancroft
Bogarde/Caine/Courtenay/Finney
Price/Karloff/Cushing/Lee
Greenstreet/Rains/Donat/Howard
I don't think these four are very interesting to me, but whatever.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: My favourite's probably Bogarde/Caine/Courtenay/Finney.

Anonymous said...

Luke:
McQueen/Eastwood/Garner
Cotillard/Signoret/Deneuve
Loren/Cardinale/Magnani
Cooper/Peck/Heston
Gyllenhaal/Pacino/Cage

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Have the clocks gone back an hour.

My picks are Cotillard/Signoret/Deneuve and Gyllenhaal/Pacino/Cage.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Yes.

Anonymous said...

Luke: I know that every actor/actress has their own detractors, but can you think of actors that aren't hated?

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: This is just a guess now, but it's hard for me to believe that a sole person didn't like Richard Attenborough.

Anonymous said...

Luke: I have yet to meet someone who dislikes Claude Rains.

Anonymous said...

Luke:...on the internet, that is. :)

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: :)

Anonymous said...

Luke: Well, despite being a great actor, Attenborough's more known for his work behind the camera in Gandhi.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Apart from that, Most people remember him only for Jurassic Park and Miracle On 34th Street.

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Louis: What are your top 5 Maureen O'Hara performances, and their ratings if you have not already given them? As for me.

The Quiet Man (1952): 5
Miracle on 34th Street (1947): 4
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939): 4
How Green Was My Valley (1941): 3.5
Rio Grande (1950): 3.5

Anonymous said...

Luke: I know that most people call Stanwyck and Mitchum underrated, but they're mostly liked in the classic film community.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

I could have loved a three parter Napoleon by Kubrick, if he cast Napoleon well. A Barry Lyndon type situation would be disastrous, I think Kubrick I think would have had to allow more emotion in order to create the dramatic thrust through three films, which I do think there is material for with Napoleon's life.

I'll be seeing Steve Jobs some time during the week.

Anonymous:

Bogart/Cagney/Robinson - (Odd that this was never the case. Likely would have been something special as long as all three had a good part)

Widmark/Mitchum/Ryan/Montgomery - (Directed by Montgomery I assume. A potentially interesting film then with perhaps Montgomery as the reserved center, with Mitchum, Ryan and Widmark giving more extroverted performances)

Gable/Powell/Lombard/Harlow - (Something special perhaps in a romantic comedy vein of course)

Hackman/Hoffman/Duvall - (It's odd that the collaboration between the three was fairly limited would have loved to see something where the three really worked on something substantial together.)

K. Hepburn/Davis/Crawford/Stanwyck - (Seems already liked they should have been in an "hag horror" film. I would not have minded seeing that actually)

Powell/Bracken/Demarest/McCrea - (As long as its Sturges, I'm in)

Stewart/Fonda/Peck/Cooper - (A Mann western perhaps, and I think there could be something interesting to mine there. Fonda as the villain though, Peck would have to stay far way from that.)

Brando/Clift/Dean/Garfield - (I've never been two keen on Garfield and I don't think he'd necessarily add much to an already potentially unwieldy trio)

Anonymous:

Although I did not care for Bergman in that film I don't think she's what sinks that film, it's the writing and directing that's really the problem which likely would have hurt any performance.

ruthiehenshallfan99:

1. The Quiet Man
2. Miracle on 34th Street
3. This Land is Mine
4. Sitting Pretty - 3.5
5. How Green Was My Valley



















RIP Maureen O'Hara