Wednesday 7 June 2017

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1968: Klaus Kinski in The Great SIlence

Klaus Kinski did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Loco in The Great Silence.

In this film we are unfortunately not granted the proper Kinski vicious growl in his voice, being overdubbed as per usual for a spaghetti western. Luckily Kinski is not exactly an actor who struggles to speak without his voice. Kinski here plays the lead villain for the film, the evil bounty hunter that stands against Jean-Louis Trintignant's Silent bounty hunter named Silence who only kills in self-defense. Kinski's Loco on the other hand kills without much reservation at all. This is actually a rather interesting performance for Kinski, given it's Kinski and he's playing a character called Loco. Kinski actually takes a pretty low key approach to Loco never delving into his sort of madness found in so many of his performances. Even with the name of the character though Kinski's approach absolutely makes sense for the character given that Silence's greatest challenge in attempting to defeat Loco is that Loco knows Silence's methods, so Loco's plan is to merely avoid ever picking an even handed gunfight with the man.

Kinski makes for a good villain here in that he actually also downplays even the villainy in his performance, as even in his method of killing Kinski portrays this certain ease in Loco's behavior. An ease of a man not of some sort of sociopath indifference but rather that of man just doing his job the easiest way he knows how to. Kinski's portrayal emphasizes the idea almost as a man who has sort of figured out the way to manage the old west, and that is to take things as they come. Kinski's performance actually is a little oddly endearing in a way because of how honestly he presents Loco's behavior as a bounty hunter. When he collects the men he kills, he portrays no sadism in it, in fact his portrayal would actually almost be acceptable as a hero in another western as long as all those he killed were criminals. Kinski never plays Loco as an exact villain in his manner and his facial expressions are always of technically what would just be a cool customer nor more no less. Even in one of his worst actions, where he kills a woman, Kinski does show such earnest emphasis as he clears the killing as self defense since the woman did try to shoot him. Kinski is actually even rather humorous in his interactions with Trintignant's Silence by portraying such curiosity in his reactions, showing Loco's method to analyze rather than get emotional over the man trying to kill him. What Kinski's performance does so effectively is suggest why Loco's should be the one who wins over the day since he offers such a calm and carefully collected man throughout the film. Kinski gives a strong performance that offers a striking presence be presenting one man in the film he seems to be able to take everything in stride. 

33 comments:

Luke Higham said...

1. Curtis
2. Howard
3. Courtneay
4. Holm
5. Kinski

Charles H said...

Once again, i'd go higher for the cast of this film.

1. Howard
2. Curtis
3. Courtenay
4. Holm
5. Kinski

Charles H said...

I also hope you check out his performance in Fitzcarraldo and his second great leading turn in 1979, Woyzeck.

Robert MacFarlane said...

1. Howard
2. Curtis
3. Courtenay
4. Holm
5. Kinski

Michael McCarthy said...

I'm still sticking to my prediction of Kinski placing 4th over Holm.

JackiBoyz said...

1. Curtis
2. Howard
3. Courtneay
4. Holm
5. Kinski

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

1. Curtis
2. Howard
3. Courtneay
4. Kinski
5. Holm

Calvin Law said...

Louis: your thoughts on Danny Devito and Jimmi Simpson/Nate Mooney in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Anonymous said...

Varun Neermul: Louis, your thoughts on the end ingen to 'I Saw The Devil'

RatedRStar said...

I will stick with my predictions.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis and everyone else: From the 30s to the 2010s, which decade do you consider to be the very best for acting?
My own favorite decade for acting switches between the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Luke Higham said...

Tahmeed: In terms of Quantity, 2010s. In terms of Quality, 60s, 70s or 80s.

Charles H said...

Tahmeed: I love each decade equally, but i'll say it's between the 50's and 60's. A lot of my favorite directors and actors were in their prime, such as most of the great Japanese and British actors.

Louis Morgan said...

Calvin:

Devito - (Devito is a bit like Charlie Day in the series as well, but I'd say perhaps a bit more extreme. In that when he works it is pretty amazing as Devito revels in the purity of the madness behind the character though he really plays two separate versions depending on the episode. In one he is sort of the mad evil mastermind schemer Frank which is usually when he is at his funniest as Devito brings this sort ridiculous grandeur to his performance which is particularly entertaining. Then there is the wretched debauched crazy Frank which is a touch more unwieldy. There are times where his uncontrolled energy where he throws himself into every scene that absolutely works and is incredibly funny, other times though he goes in the wrong direction and just keeps going in that direction. There are the occasions where it gets stale or tiresome with the material and Devito can make it worse since his performance is always about excess to begin with. Still he has plenty of great moments throughout the series that mostly make up for his weakest moments.)

Simpson/Mooney - (Simpson is kind of just a great actor who deserves more recognition in general, but here he has a very specific role. In that for me he's making less than stellar material work. In that I actually think the McPoyle material often is the most tired and obvious in the series, a series I like a lot, as they often make the same jokes and hammer them in. To his credit though Simpson actually does manage to work with through his off the wall performance and delivery. To be honest some of Simpson's best material is in the shows bloopers, where he never messes up but causes everyone else to due to his always hilarious yet so random choices. Simpson pretty much does everything he can to make every line funny even when a lot of the material behind him really isn't always the best. Mooney provides essentially a bit of backup to Simpson. Simpson dominates every scene he is to be sure, but Mooney does provide a nice bit of backup in providing the same type of weirdness though in a more modest way that supplements Simpson well.)

Varun:

One of the most powerful endings of the 2010's, and one of the most poignant moments depicting the hollowness of the revenge. It's a stunning scene through Lee's performance and Kim's careful direction that just forces the viewer to soak in the moment of the man's breakdown as he stands alone amidst the bleak sunrise with nothing to show from all that he lost.

Tahmeed:

I'd say it switches as well especially since I'm still discovering more of the great performances the various years have to offer.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Do you intend to check out the following shows-
The Wire
The Sopranos
Community
Band of Brothers

Luke Higham said...

Tahmeed: He intends on seeing The Wire and Band Of Brothers, once he has the time to do so and will probably watch the other two as well.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Luke: I especially hope he checks out Community, which is probably one of my favorite shows of all time. I am, of course, referring to its masterful first three seasons, although seasons 5 and 6 are also pretty good in their own right.

Louis Morgan said...

Tahmeed:

The Wire's one where several times have I started but not finished the first episode so maybe some time down the line I'll make it further. For the Sopranos I have a hard time getting into any series where the general consensus is that the later seasons aren't that good. I've seen a few episodes of Community, it just doesn't seem to be for me. I'll probably get to Band of Brothers sometime in the future.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: 2001 would be the best time to watch it.

Calvin Law said...

Wonder Woman was terrific, thoroughly loved every moment.

Gadot - 4.5
Pine - 4.5
Huston - 2
Anaya - 2.5
Wright - 3
Nielsen - 3
Davis - 3
Taghmaoui - 3.5
Bremner - 3
Rock - 3
Thewlis - 3.5

Calvin Law said...

Louis: I'd suggest both versions of House of Cards

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

I've been meaning to start House of Cards, I've heard a ton of great things about it. I'm supposing that given the current political climate, it'll probably leave even more of an impact.

Luke Higham said...

Louis & Calvin: I've already mentioned War & Peace, Outlander, The Crown and Hannibal. I'd also recommend Homeland, The Americans and maybe even The Walking Dead.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the endings of Bonnie and Clyde and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Charles H said...

Of course the Dekalog series as well.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: I second House Of Cards as well as Smiley's People (Sequel to TTSS).

Finally The Hollow Crown series. (I hope you'll watch them straight after the bonus rounds are over)

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Could I have your thoughts on these episodes-
"Blackwater"-Game of Thrones
"The Watchers on the Wall"-Game of Thrones
"Fly"-Breaking Bad
"The Principal and the Pauper"-The Simpsons

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the City of Steel episode from Transformers.

Álex Marqués said...

Has anyone seen Blue Collar? It's great, I really hope the main actors are reviewed for 1978.

Charles H said...

Alex: Haven't seen it, though i might check it out before louis gets to 78.

Calvin Law said...

Alex: Really want to check it out especially since Richard Pryor in a dramatic role sounds very interesting.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Bonnie and Clyde's ending is a perfect ending for the film in that he carries such a visceral sting in showing such brutality to the pair that we technically did witness them deliver to some of their victims throughout. It's a technical marvel though in terms of editing as in such short order it not only creates such striking imagery, such impact in the violence but also with one final idea of the central relationship through that final look the two give each other.

Butch and Cassidy is less gray in its leads, fully accepting them as just endearing rogues. The ending then is a neat little trick and iconic for a reason. In that it manages to somehow create a triumph through that final freeze frame despite the obvious final result right after it.

Tahmeed:

Blackwater - (The episode itself is a little interesting to look back in hindsight as the battle episodes have come so far from this one, even though when it came out it was certainly epic for a television episode. The episode does manage to work even in technically its narrow perspective in the battle, it grants the major moments, Tyrion's rally, and the ship explosion, covering up the fact that we technically only see small views of each section of the battle. The episode though also shows though he greater complexity of the show at the time in that you have legitimate heroes on both sides. The characters always work with the battle as there are pivotal emotional moments, such as Cersei's final scene, and Hound's retreat, which are so well realized along with the grand spectacle.)

The Watchers on the Wall - (The second battle episode and it properly does increase the intensity of the battle, and still offers the complexity though you are firmly with the Night's Watch. Those emotional moments are plentiful, Grenn's last stand, the tragic reunion, they go so far as to even make you care for Alliser Thorne at least for one episode. It also gives the grandeur of the battle in the top of the wall defense, then the more visceral intensity in the within the castle battle particularly with that rather amazing single shot.)

Fly - (The "bad" episode of Breaking Bad, but really it just happens to be the only filler episode of the series. The only episode where non of the plot is advanced. Well for such an episode though it is a good one because of how strong the characters of Jesse and Walt are and how good Paul's and Cranston's performances are. The two together still make for an engaging episode even in a much more lower fashion.)

The Principal and the Pauper - (The show's dissolution to farce was hinted by this episode but it still had some time before an episode featured troll jockeys. Now the show had farcical moments but they were usually for a quick joke that was always not in the central reality of the show. A reality that the show did have in that you believed the Simpsons even though you laughed at them. This suggested that was to all leave, which it did, since it felt like the writers went with a terrible idea just do something. The worst part really is the indicator of a trend to a worse show. The episode in itself isn't wholly terrible, but its also not that funny. In fact a few of Martin Sheen's real Skinner lines are the only funny things from the episode I can recall offhand, a rarity for early Simpsons.)

Anonymous:

City of Steel - (A hilarious delight from start to finish, though I'm going to say unintentionally so. The episode so enjoyable in just how ridiculous it gets from the central plan itself, the cars using jet skiis to drive on water, the moment two autobots fall into the subway only to immediately be attacked by a Deception driving a subway. It's great just by how random and absurd it all is.)

Robert MacFarlane said...

I saw It Comes At Night. Impressively shot and acted, but it's too bare bones for its own good. Feels like the third act is missing. Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Joel Edgerton are pretty great in it.