While it is not unexpected to know that our perspective of the world changes from childhood to adulthood, the memory of how our younger selves used to perceive something is often lost to time. Often when adults see something they loved as a child, such as a childhood movie, they not only think of it as horrid, but forget exactly why they liked it in the first place. There’s a bit of logic to this, for just as children find it hard to think as adults do, so do adults find it hard to think as they did when they were children. While most adults can act childish, few can truly think as they did when they were a child.
A personal example of this happening is with Ninja Turtles. When I was a child I loved everything Ninja Turtles, particularly the late 80’s cartoon show. Not to long ago I found a website that had old episodes on it and I started watching one. Shockingly I found myself becoming bored and actually thinking “I know it was better then this.” After a few minutes I stopped watching it for fear of tarnishing the childhood memory I had for my once beloved show.
An easier scenario to experience is seeing something, such as a movie or television show, that you disliked as a child and finding out that you like it as an adult. You can rationalize that the reason you disliked it the first time around was that you were not mature enough to appreciate what you were seeing. That either the subject matter you were experiencing went over your head or the way it was presented was unable to hold your attention. But once you’ve grown and experienced life you may discover that what once was not your cup of tea has become an unexpected treat.
Recently I decided to see how seeing a movie I once disliked might feel now that I am older. While there are a number of movies I could have chosen to see, I decided the movie Titanic would be the perfect one to see. I specifically chose it because I clearly remember that I did not like or appreciate it when I first saw it in theaters twelve years ago.
The first time I saw Titanic was at the age of fourteen during an 8th grade field trip. I didn’t really know much about the movie besides the basic plot, nor did I care. In truth there were only two things I had heard about the movie that interested me; the fact that the lead actress was naked at some point, and that Leonardo DiCaprio’s character died before the movie ended.
After a rowdy bus ride and waiting almost two hours for refreshments, I sat down in the theater just as the movie began. By the time it was over I can safely say that it didn’t make a huge impression on me. While it managed to keep my interest for the full three hours I wouldn’t say that I enjoyed or appreciated it. At fourteen I was more interested in seeing movies like Ace Ventura or Anaconda. A sweeping love story set against a terrible disaster was not something I would have made a huge point in seeing. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have seen it at all if not for the class trip.
Flash forward twelve years later. While I had seen it a couple of times after that first viewing, it had still been a number of years since I had last watched the movie. One night as I was watching TV I caught it during the middle. As I watched it I found myself enjoying it more then I had ever previously remembered. The next time I was at my video store I ended up renting it and watching it from beginning to end.
There is a big difference in seeing this movie when one is twenty six as apposed to fourteen. Not only can you enjoy it more but you are able to recognize many aspects that you would have missed the first time around. A perfect example is symbolism in appearance. As one learns more about visual storytelling you begin to notice that select costume choices are meant to reveal insights into characters. When young Rose is first shown on screen she is dressed in a tight black and white dress that seems to invoke the image of a straight jacket. In addition her hair is tightly pulled back and her face is partly obscured by a large hat. Everything about her physical appearance is meant to represent restriction and confinement. As the movie continues, and she spends more time with the free spirited Jack, she begins to physically become more uninhibited and free. Her hair it allowed to fall naturally and her clothing become looser and freer. After she has her portrait drawn she changes into a flowing dress that allows her no restrictions in movement, which she wears for the reminder of her time on screen. I have no problem admitting that this physical transformation was lost on me as a young teenager.
If there is one moment in the movie that I now view with different eyes, it’s the scene when Rose is drawn in the nude by Jack. When I first saw that scene it was my favorite part of the movie, because at that age seeing any female nudity on film was cause to get excited. Now that I’m a bit more mature I’m able to notice certain subtleties that were lost the first time, such as tiny things that made it seem more real. Instead of Kate’s character sliding perfectly into place she lays down and the two of them arrange her until she is in the right position. This is much more real then if she simply arranged herself at once. I also loved that once Jack starts drawing she can’t resist making faces and pointing out the blush that spreads across his face. I actually let out a giggle when he asks her to stop moving and she grins a little just before setting her face. Seeing that scene with new eyes brings a whole different interpretation to it. You realize that while Rose is physically exposed it is actually Jack, the world traveler who has seen it all, who is the more vulnerable one here.
While I enjoyed the portrait scene it is not my favorite moment in the movie. My favorite moment during this viewing is still a Kate Winslet moment, although this time it’s one in which we see very little of her physically. It’s in the scene when Rose is first given a chance to get on a life boat. Rose, after hearing her mother obliviously hope that the life boats will not be too crowded, angrily tells her that half the people on the ship will die because of the lack of enough life boats. Her fiancé Cal then muses that Jack’s drawing will be worth a lot by morning, since between his status as a third class passenger and being arrested for supposedly stealing the diamond necklace he’s guaranteed to go down with the ship. It is in this moment that Rose realizes the true depths of the evil Cal is capable of. This moment of comprehension is exceptionally compelling because the actress uses so little of her physical self to get the message across. Rather then contorting her face in disgust she keeps it a blank slate, and instead lets only her eyes show everything that she is feeling. It shows that sometimes the smallest gestures can reveal the most about a person.
As for the acting I was able to truly appreciate it more now then I did back in 98, particularly in watching Leonardo DiCaprio. I was unable to see much value in his performance back then, mainly because I couldn’t stand him. When all the guys on the trip cheered when his character died I was right up there applauding. It had nothing to do with him as a person or as an actor. My dislike of him stemmed from every teenage girl at the time being madly in love with him. I had a hard enough time competing against guys in my school for the attention of girls. Having to additionally compete with someone who was only seen in movies and magazines was a little to much to handle. This is a fairly common occurrence among teenage boys. In high school I had a teacher point out that while teenage boys now like Elvis and The Beatles, when they first appeared guys were less inclined to like them because of how crazy girls went for the musicians. I’m sure even now there are scores of teenage boys who can’t stand Zac Efron or Robert Pattinson simply because they are beloved by adoring female fans.
I recommend trying to reexperience something you once hated when you were younger. While it is entirely possible you might still hate it, there’s a greater chance you’ll see new value in what you once thought was rubbish. With new eyes, and a different perspective, anything is possible.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Another Golden Girl Passes
On Saturday April 25th Bea Authur, best known for playing “Dorothy Zbornak” on the television show The Golden Girls, passed away. According to her family’s spokesman, she died at her home with her family by her side.
Bea Arthur’s career began in the late 1940s when she became a member of an off Broadway theater group at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York City. Further theatre roles included playing “Yente the Matchmaker" in the 1964 production of Broadway’s Fiddler on the Roof, and "Vera Charles" in 1966’s Mame. Bea Authur would go on to win a Tony for her portrayal in the latter production.
During the run of the television show All in the Family, Bea Authur occasionally appeared as Edith Bunker’s liberal minded cousin Maude. Her feminist free thinking arguments with the bigoted Archie were enjoyed so much that the charter was given her own spin off show, appropriately titled Maude. The series focused on the character living in suburban New York with her fourth husband. While it was a comedy that focused on Authur’s biting wit, the series did also deal with many serious and hot button issues. One of the most controversial episodes focused on Maude becoming pregnant at age 47. After much soul searching, in which the character focused on the many dangers in having a child at her age, Maude decided to abort the pregnancy. The episode was groundbreaking, as in 1972 abortion was not only not talked about on television, but not even nationally legal at the time of its airing (the decision to nationally legalize abortion, from the supreme court case Roe vs. Wade, would be passed two months after the episode’s airing).
In 1985 Bea Authur was cast as Dorothy Zbornak in the television show The Golden Girls. The show focused on four elderly women living together in Miami, Florida. The show became a surprise hit, and allowed young people to see the elderly as real people instead of goofy characters. The show ran until 1992, when it was canceled after Authur decided to leave the show before it fizzled out.
After The Golden Girls Bea Authur continued to act on television, guest staring in numerous shows, such as Futurama and Malcolm in the Middle. In 2002 she returned to Broadway to star in a one woman show, intitled Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends. The show was a collection of stories and songs based on her life and career. In 2008 Bea Arthur was inducted into Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame.
The entertainment world will definably miss this extraordinary talented woman.
Bea Arthur’s career began in the late 1940s when she became a member of an off Broadway theater group at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York City. Further theatre roles included playing “Yente the Matchmaker" in the 1964 production of Broadway’s Fiddler on the Roof, and "Vera Charles" in 1966’s Mame. Bea Authur would go on to win a Tony for her portrayal in the latter production.
During the run of the television show All in the Family, Bea Authur occasionally appeared as Edith Bunker’s liberal minded cousin Maude. Her feminist free thinking arguments with the bigoted Archie were enjoyed so much that the charter was given her own spin off show, appropriately titled Maude. The series focused on the character living in suburban New York with her fourth husband. While it was a comedy that focused on Authur’s biting wit, the series did also deal with many serious and hot button issues. One of the most controversial episodes focused on Maude becoming pregnant at age 47. After much soul searching, in which the character focused on the many dangers in having a child at her age, Maude decided to abort the pregnancy. The episode was groundbreaking, as in 1972 abortion was not only not talked about on television, but not even nationally legal at the time of its airing (the decision to nationally legalize abortion, from the supreme court case Roe vs. Wade, would be passed two months after the episode’s airing).
In 1985 Bea Authur was cast as Dorothy Zbornak in the television show The Golden Girls. The show focused on four elderly women living together in Miami, Florida. The show became a surprise hit, and allowed young people to see the elderly as real people instead of goofy characters. The show ran until 1992, when it was canceled after Authur decided to leave the show before it fizzled out.
After The Golden Girls Bea Authur continued to act on television, guest staring in numerous shows, such as Futurama and Malcolm in the Middle. In 2002 she returned to Broadway to star in a one woman show, intitled Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends. The show was a collection of stories and songs based on her life and career. In 2008 Bea Arthur was inducted into Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame.
The entertainment world will definably miss this extraordinary talented woman.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
A Sad Day For Whedonverse Fans
Actor Andy Harlett, best known for playing the green skinned karaoke demon Lorne on the television show Angel, has passed away after a five year battle with heart disease. According to news sources the 33 year old actor passed away on Sunday March 29th at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. His father Dave Hallett was at his side as he passed on.
After graduating from Assumption College in Worcester, Andy Harlett moved to Los Angeles where he worked various jobs, such as a property manager and personal assistant. But it was his love of music that shot him to fame. When Buffy creator Joss Whedon saw him singing in a Universal City Blues revue, not only did he cast him as the charismatic demon Lorne on the TV show Angel, but the initial conception of the character was based on Andy’s performance. Virtually unrecognizable in green make-up and various prosthetics, the role made great use of Andy’s talents, with many episodes having him sing numerous show stopping numbers. Andy Harlett played Lorne for four of the show’s five seasons, graduating from guest star to full time cast member in the fourth season. After the series ended he continued to pursue his music career and would regularly appear at various sci-fi conventions.
A private funeral service will be held for family and close friends in Cape Cod.
After graduating from Assumption College in Worcester, Andy Harlett moved to Los Angeles where he worked various jobs, such as a property manager and personal assistant. But it was his love of music that shot him to fame. When Buffy creator Joss Whedon saw him singing in a Universal City Blues revue, not only did he cast him as the charismatic demon Lorne on the TV show Angel, but the initial conception of the character was based on Andy’s performance. Virtually unrecognizable in green make-up and various prosthetics, the role made great use of Andy’s talents, with many episodes having him sing numerous show stopping numbers. Andy Harlett played Lorne for four of the show’s five seasons, graduating from guest star to full time cast member in the fourth season. After the series ended he continued to pursue his music career and would regularly appear at various sci-fi conventions.
A private funeral service will be held for family and close friends in Cape Cod.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Death of a Legendary Man
I have just learned that actor Paul Newman has died. He died yesterday at the age of 83 after a long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, five children, two grandsons and his older brother Arthur.
Newman acted in many memorable roles. One of his most memorable performances was pool shark Fast Eddie Felsonin the 1961 movie The Hustler. Years later he would win a competitive Oscar for his reportral of the charecter in the 1986's film The Color of Money. He also played a alcoholic former athlete in 1958's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, a imprisoned confict in 1967's Cool Hand Luke, a cowboy outlaw in 1969's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a remorseful businessman in 1982's Absence of Malice, and a animated 1951 Hudson Hornet in 2006's Cars.
In addition to acting Newman was involved in several charities. His marketed food line Newman's Own, which sold salad dressings, popcorn, and other delicious foods, donated all of it's profits to charity. By 2007 the company had donated more than $175 million to different charitable organizations.
Paul Newman was a man who was a positive role model all could look up to. His fine example will be remembered always.
Newman acted in many memorable roles. One of his most memorable performances was pool shark Fast Eddie Felsonin the 1961 movie The Hustler. Years later he would win a competitive Oscar for his reportral of the charecter in the 1986's film The Color of Money. He also played a alcoholic former athlete in 1958's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, a imprisoned confict in 1967's Cool Hand Luke, a cowboy outlaw in 1969's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a remorseful businessman in 1982's Absence of Malice, and a animated 1951 Hudson Hornet in 2006's Cars.
In addition to acting Newman was involved in several charities. His marketed food line Newman's Own, which sold salad dressings, popcorn, and other delicious foods, donated all of it's profits to charity. By 2007 the company had donated more than $175 million to different charitable organizations.
Paul Newman was a man who was a positive role model all could look up to. His fine example will be remembered always.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The Hidden Danger of Situational Comedy
Many parents try to protect their children from the imagery and situations seen in horror and action films. They feel that seeing relentless bloodshed and sadistic terror will warp a young person’s mind and drive them to pursue violent impulses later on in life. But while most parents are diligent in limiting children’s exposure to violence, they remain largely unaware of another dangerous piece of media that can warp their minds. That media is television sitcoms.
As you read this I’m sure you think what was written has to be a typo. How can sitcoms damage a young person’s mind? They’re shows designed to entertain through comedy. But a closer look into them reveals a hidden danger.
In many sitcoms a typical episode will run like this: the characters get into a troubled situation. Hilarity will ensue and by the episode’s end the problem is neatly solved and everything is more or less back to normal. While it may seem harmless for children to watch this, it can have a damaging effect. It can make children believe that life’s problems can always be solved quickly with a grand plan. If we get into a fight with someone we just need to come up with a hilarious and well meaning scheme and the fight will be over. In sitcoms problems are solved quickly and (with the exception of the grand scheme) neatly. Where in life this is far from how things are resolved.
In real life problems are very rarely quickly and simply solved. They are messy and complicated. An example is a serious fight between friends. By serious I don’t mean a disagreement on what restaurant to have dinner at. I mean an explosion of anger and words that leaves both parties hurt and shattered. A fight of this magnitude isn’t solved quickly by a quirky plan. It takes a long time of attempting to work through the issues that have come up as result of what happened. There are times where the friendship can not be salvaged. And in the event that it is it’s rarely the same again because of the line crossed from the fight. The fear of being hurt again causes the two to not trust each other as openly as they used to.
A perfect example of a resolution to a sitcom fight is in two episodes from the fifth season of the popular show “Will & Grace”. In the first episode, “The Kid Stays Out Of The Picture”, Grace decides to pursue a relationship with a doctor named Leo. Unfortunately this conflicts with her and Will’s plan to have a baby together. Once Will discovers that she wants to back out on their plan the two characters have one of the most intense fights ever seen in sitcoms. Long held resentment is brought up and each person pierces the other by throwing back their most negative character traits as if they were bullets. The episode concludes with Will throwing Grace out of their apartment and out of his life. In the second episode, “Humongous Growth”, Karen and Jack scheme to get their two friends to kiss and make up by tricking them into attending a kid’s birthday party without either knowing the other will be there. Once they find each other they continue to fight and squabble. Finally Karen essentially locks them up together by throwing their keys into a children’s ball pit. While rummaging through the pit Will and Grace talk about what happened and the issues between them. By the episodes end the two of them are friends again.
The fight in the first episode was so powerful and realistic that there needed to be a significant amount of time before it was resolved. While it’s known that they would have eventually forgiven each other (the title of the show is Will AND Grace after all) there should have been a few episodes gap before they made up. Instead it was quickly resolved in a timely manner. If youngsters see this they may think that is how it always is in life. That all of our problems in life, no matter how detrimental they are, can be solved in a quick and efficient manner. This means that impressionable youths can carry this belief into real life and thus be unable to deal with life’s problems once they arise.
In collusion I’m not saying that sitcoms should be outright banned from the family household. They offer entertainment and enjoyment. I’m saying that parents should reinforce to their children that what they are watching isn’t real life and they shouldn’t imitate what they are seeing. It may sound silly, but it could go a long way.
As you read this I’m sure you think what was written has to be a typo. How can sitcoms damage a young person’s mind? They’re shows designed to entertain through comedy. But a closer look into them reveals a hidden danger.
In many sitcoms a typical episode will run like this: the characters get into a troubled situation. Hilarity will ensue and by the episode’s end the problem is neatly solved and everything is more or less back to normal. While it may seem harmless for children to watch this, it can have a damaging effect. It can make children believe that life’s problems can always be solved quickly with a grand plan. If we get into a fight with someone we just need to come up with a hilarious and well meaning scheme and the fight will be over. In sitcoms problems are solved quickly and (with the exception of the grand scheme) neatly. Where in life this is far from how things are resolved.
In real life problems are very rarely quickly and simply solved. They are messy and complicated. An example is a serious fight between friends. By serious I don’t mean a disagreement on what restaurant to have dinner at. I mean an explosion of anger and words that leaves both parties hurt and shattered. A fight of this magnitude isn’t solved quickly by a quirky plan. It takes a long time of attempting to work through the issues that have come up as result of what happened. There are times where the friendship can not be salvaged. And in the event that it is it’s rarely the same again because of the line crossed from the fight. The fear of being hurt again causes the two to not trust each other as openly as they used to.
A perfect example of a resolution to a sitcom fight is in two episodes from the fifth season of the popular show “Will & Grace”. In the first episode, “The Kid Stays Out Of The Picture”, Grace decides to pursue a relationship with a doctor named Leo. Unfortunately this conflicts with her and Will’s plan to have a baby together. Once Will discovers that she wants to back out on their plan the two characters have one of the most intense fights ever seen in sitcoms. Long held resentment is brought up and each person pierces the other by throwing back their most negative character traits as if they were bullets. The episode concludes with Will throwing Grace out of their apartment and out of his life. In the second episode, “Humongous Growth”, Karen and Jack scheme to get their two friends to kiss and make up by tricking them into attending a kid’s birthday party without either knowing the other will be there. Once they find each other they continue to fight and squabble. Finally Karen essentially locks them up together by throwing their keys into a children’s ball pit. While rummaging through the pit Will and Grace talk about what happened and the issues between them. By the episodes end the two of them are friends again.
The fight in the first episode was so powerful and realistic that there needed to be a significant amount of time before it was resolved. While it’s known that they would have eventually forgiven each other (the title of the show is Will AND Grace after all) there should have been a few episodes gap before they made up. Instead it was quickly resolved in a timely manner. If youngsters see this they may think that is how it always is in life. That all of our problems in life, no matter how detrimental they are, can be solved in a quick and efficient manner. This means that impressionable youths can carry this belief into real life and thus be unable to deal with life’s problems once they arise.
In collusion I’m not saying that sitcoms should be outright banned from the family household. They offer entertainment and enjoyment. I’m saying that parents should reinforce to their children that what they are watching isn’t real life and they shouldn’t imitate what they are seeing. It may sound silly, but it could go a long way.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Untypical Roles Being First Viewing
While actors usually try not to become typecast in certain roles, many times it ends up happening. Either from there own volition or by the roles they are offered, actors will many times act in the same genre or play the same type of roles. Meg Ryan is usually cast in romantic comedies. Arnold Schwarzenegger usually plays fearless action heroes. Though after a while typecast actors will break out of their mold and play a role that audiences wouldn’t expect them to play.
An interesting experience is when the first thing someone sees a typecast actor or actress in is a role that is against their type. It changes one’s perspective of them since they never saw them in the roles they are known for. Recently I’ve realized that there are a number of actors and actresses I first saw in roles they were against their type. This article tells of a few of those instances.
AMY ADAMS
Known For: Playing upbeat and likable characters, such as a pregnant wife in Junebug and fairytale princess Giselle in Enchanted
First Seen In: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, playing the nasty cousin to resident witch Tara.
While many know this actress for playing extremely lovable characters, fans of her early work will see her playing a character that was anything but lovable. Amy Adams appeared in the season five episode “Family” of the brilliant show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In the episode Tara, a skilled witch and Willow’s girlfriend, was visited by her family on the eve of her 20th birthday. They informed her that she had to return home with them because she was part demon and would eventually turn evil. By the episode’s end it was revealed that the demon tale was a lie and Tara severed ties with her family.
The episode had Adams play Tara’s Cousin Beth, a nasty and manipulating woman who had successfully been brainwashed to be subservient and devoted to her family. More then the other family members she was the one who came closest to convincing Tara to leave her life in Sunnydale. Aside from being cruel she was also a malicious manipulator, similar to how a cheerleader might pretend to “help” a less popular girl.
NATHAN FILLION
Known For: Playing flawed yet at heart heroic characters, such as the Sherriff in Slither, the protagonist’s doctor in Waitress and Captain Malcolm Reynolds in the television show Firefly and subsequent movie Serenity
First Seen In: “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”, playing the evil and misogynic preacher Caleb in the final season of the show.
Despite seeing this actor play quirky heroic characters, I still have a hard time shaking away the image of the first role I saw him in. In the final season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fillion played a evil priest who acted as the right hand of the Big Bad of the season. In spite of only being in five episodes he had a lasting effect, killing several minor characters and permanently disfiguring one of the main characters. What made him terrifying was the fact that he acted like a cross between a serial killer and a religious fanatic, talking about how humanity was dirty and unworthy of themselves before taking someone’s life. It’s almost like seeing pastor Fred Phelps go on a killing spree.
KURT RUSSELL
Known For: Playing gruff tough guys, such as Snake Plissken in Escape from New York, helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady in John Carpenter’s The Thing, and Stuntman Mike in Death Proof.
First Seen In: Executive Decision, where he played a nerdy terrorist specialist.
In the film Executive Decision, a movie where a group of commandos attempt to stop a group of terrorist who have taken a 747 hostage, Kurt Russell plays a terrorist specialist who joined the commandos because of his knowledge on the main hijacker. His character was very nervous and timid throughout the movie. He was nervous about acting rashly and the commandos would often only listen to him because of the direness of the situation. Even when he eventually took a gun and joined in on the fighting it played out more like an average guy thrust in a dangerous situation then an action hero.
ALAN RICKMAN
Known For: Playing nasty and or villainess characters such as terrorist/thief Hans Gruber in Die Hard, the Sherriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter film series.
First Seen In: Dogma, playing the Metatron and the voice of God.
In the 1999 film Dogma Alan Rickman played the role of the Metatron, the highest level of angels and the voice of God. Naturally the role wasn’t a villainess one at all. His character was portrayed as cranky and very British but also kind hearted. He acted as a guiding force to the characters on earth, giving well meaning advice whenever he could.
After seeing him in this role I found it interesting to see him play much more menacing characters.
KRISTIN KREUK
Known For: Playing angsty and emotionally vulnerable Lana Lang in the show Smallville
First Seen In: Eurotrip, playing the cruel and slutty ex girlfriend of the movie’s main protagonist.
Since I didn’t start watching Smallville until this summer, the first time I saw this actress was in the movie Eurotrip. The character she played was the exact opposite from the role she is most well known for. In the movie her character Fiona dumps her boyfriend Scott in front of his family, callously telling him that he is spineless and that she cheated on him a lot. Later on at a graduation party the band’s lead singer sings a song about all the time’s he slept with Fiona while she dated Scott. Not only does she grind against the singer during the song but she also joins in on the singing, knowing full well her former boyfriend is in the audience watching everything.
An interesting experience is when the first thing someone sees a typecast actor or actress in is a role that is against their type. It changes one’s perspective of them since they never saw them in the roles they are known for. Recently I’ve realized that there are a number of actors and actresses I first saw in roles they were against their type. This article tells of a few of those instances.
AMY ADAMS
Known For: Playing upbeat and likable characters, such as a pregnant wife in Junebug and fairytale princess Giselle in Enchanted
First Seen In: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, playing the nasty cousin to resident witch Tara.
While many know this actress for playing extremely lovable characters, fans of her early work will see her playing a character that was anything but lovable. Amy Adams appeared in the season five episode “Family” of the brilliant show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In the episode Tara, a skilled witch and Willow’s girlfriend, was visited by her family on the eve of her 20th birthday. They informed her that she had to return home with them because she was part demon and would eventually turn evil. By the episode’s end it was revealed that the demon tale was a lie and Tara severed ties with her family.
The episode had Adams play Tara’s Cousin Beth, a nasty and manipulating woman who had successfully been brainwashed to be subservient and devoted to her family. More then the other family members she was the one who came closest to convincing Tara to leave her life in Sunnydale. Aside from being cruel she was also a malicious manipulator, similar to how a cheerleader might pretend to “help” a less popular girl.
NATHAN FILLION
Known For: Playing flawed yet at heart heroic characters, such as the Sherriff in Slither, the protagonist’s doctor in Waitress and Captain Malcolm Reynolds in the television show Firefly and subsequent movie Serenity
First Seen In: “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”, playing the evil and misogynic preacher Caleb in the final season of the show.
Despite seeing this actor play quirky heroic characters, I still have a hard time shaking away the image of the first role I saw him in. In the final season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fillion played a evil priest who acted as the right hand of the Big Bad of the season. In spite of only being in five episodes he had a lasting effect, killing several minor characters and permanently disfiguring one of the main characters. What made him terrifying was the fact that he acted like a cross between a serial killer and a religious fanatic, talking about how humanity was dirty and unworthy of themselves before taking someone’s life. It’s almost like seeing pastor Fred Phelps go on a killing spree.
KURT RUSSELL
Known For: Playing gruff tough guys, such as Snake Plissken in Escape from New York, helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady in John Carpenter’s The Thing, and Stuntman Mike in Death Proof.
First Seen In: Executive Decision, where he played a nerdy terrorist specialist.
In the film Executive Decision, a movie where a group of commandos attempt to stop a group of terrorist who have taken a 747 hostage, Kurt Russell plays a terrorist specialist who joined the commandos because of his knowledge on the main hijacker. His character was very nervous and timid throughout the movie. He was nervous about acting rashly and the commandos would often only listen to him because of the direness of the situation. Even when he eventually took a gun and joined in on the fighting it played out more like an average guy thrust in a dangerous situation then an action hero.
ALAN RICKMAN
Known For: Playing nasty and or villainess characters such as terrorist/thief Hans Gruber in Die Hard, the Sherriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter film series.
First Seen In: Dogma, playing the Metatron and the voice of God.
In the 1999 film Dogma Alan Rickman played the role of the Metatron, the highest level of angels and the voice of God. Naturally the role wasn’t a villainess one at all. His character was portrayed as cranky and very British but also kind hearted. He acted as a guiding force to the characters on earth, giving well meaning advice whenever he could.
After seeing him in this role I found it interesting to see him play much more menacing characters.
KRISTIN KREUK
Known For: Playing angsty and emotionally vulnerable Lana Lang in the show Smallville
First Seen In: Eurotrip, playing the cruel and slutty ex girlfriend of the movie’s main protagonist.
Since I didn’t start watching Smallville until this summer, the first time I saw this actress was in the movie Eurotrip. The character she played was the exact opposite from the role she is most well known for. In the movie her character Fiona dumps her boyfriend Scott in front of his family, callously telling him that he is spineless and that she cheated on him a lot. Later on at a graduation party the band’s lead singer sings a song about all the time’s he slept with Fiona while she dated Scott. Not only does she grind against the singer during the song but she also joins in on the singing, knowing full well her former boyfriend is in the audience watching everything.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The Passing of a Soul King
Isaac Hayes, the musician and actor who wrote the theme to the movie Shaft, has passed away. He was found unresponsive by a family member and was pronounced dead an hour later. He was 65 years old.
Hayes was a musician who specified in jazz, rap, and even disco. In 1971 Isaac Hayes wrote and performed the theme to the movie Shaft. The song became a huge hit, going to Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November of that year and winning best original song at the Academy awards in 1972. Hayes’s performance of the song at the 1972 Academy Awards ceremony would later be named No. 18 in TV Guide’s list of television’s 25 most memorable moments.
In addition to being a musician Isaac Hayes was a actor. He appeared in several films such as It Could Happen to you, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Hustle and Flow. His most famous acting role was voicing the character of Chef in the show South Park. The character, a cafeteria chef who loved the ladies and routinely gave the children of the show advice, was notable as not only one of the few African American characters on the show but also one of the very few level headed adult characters. Hayes voiced the character during the first nine seasons but quit before the start of the tenth season. While several reasons have been given for his departure, such as a stroke Hayes had in January 2006, most believe it was the episode “Trapped in the Closet” that caused Hayes’s departure. The episode poked fun at scientology, which Hayes was a member of.
Hayes is survived by his wife and children. He will be missed.
Hayes was a musician who specified in jazz, rap, and even disco. In 1971 Isaac Hayes wrote and performed the theme to the movie Shaft. The song became a huge hit, going to Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November of that year and winning best original song at the Academy awards in 1972. Hayes’s performance of the song at the 1972 Academy Awards ceremony would later be named No. 18 in TV Guide’s list of television’s 25 most memorable moments.
In addition to being a musician Isaac Hayes was a actor. He appeared in several films such as It Could Happen to you, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Hustle and Flow. His most famous acting role was voicing the character of Chef in the show South Park. The character, a cafeteria chef who loved the ladies and routinely gave the children of the show advice, was notable as not only one of the few African American characters on the show but also one of the very few level headed adult characters. Hayes voiced the character during the first nine seasons but quit before the start of the tenth season. While several reasons have been given for his departure, such as a stroke Hayes had in January 2006, most believe it was the episode “Trapped in the Closet” that caused Hayes’s departure. The episode poked fun at scientology, which Hayes was a member of.
Hayes is survived by his wife and children. He will be missed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)