Random Thoughts

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:03 pm

so lacklustre wrote:They had a top ten british actors of all time show on tv last night (as voted for). Tony Hopkins was no1 Guiness 2 and Olivier 3.

Who were the others, if you recall? Were Peter Sellers or Albert Finney in there?

Ian Holm is one of the more underrated British actors. I always enjoy his performances. I saw him in Harold Pinter's "The Homecoming" a few years ago in London, then had a pint with him and the other cast members around the corner afterwards. I realized a few weeks later than Ian Hart, who played Lenny, was also in the first Harry Potter movie, which had its premiere in Leicester Square that same weekend.

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:09 pm

Charles Laughton
Day Lewis
Gielgud
Sellers
Branagh
McKellen
Cary Grant
Olivier
Guinness
Hopkins

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:14 pm

so lacklustre wrote:Charles Laughton
Day Lewis
Gielgud
Sellers
Branagh
McKellen
Cary Grant
Olivier
Guinness
Hopkins

Good list. Not so sure about Branagh. Grant? Yeah, I guess, but that's stretching it a bit, isn't it?

A few others to consider:

Michael Caine
Ben Kingsley
Gary Oldman

El Vez · Post by **El Vez** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:04 pm

Where the !#@% is Sir Ralph Richardson?!

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:09 pm

BlueChair wrote:In alexv's defense, he did say "of our generation" as it pertained to him and his friends.

I guess I didn't really pick up on that. Actually, my favorite actor of that age group is probably Harvey Keitel. Again, a bit of an underplayer, most of the time.

My favorite British actor "of all time" is tough, but either Guinness or...Tim Roth. (I'm usually not a big fan of Olivier, but I saw him in the film of Shaw's "The Devil's Disciple" over the weekend as Gen. Burgoyne, and he was really, really great in a wonderfuly dry role. Reminded me of my old boss.)

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:12 pm

bobster wrote:I guess I didn't really pick up on that. Actually, my favorite actor of that age group is probably Harvey Keitel. Again, a bit of an underplayer, most of the time.

Like in "Bad Lieutenant".

What a depressing picture that was.

El Vez · Post by **El Vez** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:19 pm

We would have a better appreciate of Olivier if his 1940 performance of Richard III were somehow available to us. Orson Welles commented once about how, as good as the 1956 film version was, it was a shadow compared to its earlier incarnation. I also would have loved to have seen his little cameo as the Buttonmolder in Peer Gynt which was one of Richardson's greatest showcases.

Greatest actor of them all? That is a tough one. John Barrymore certainly deserves serious consideration and Walter Huston was one of those guys who couldn't help but outshine everyone else on screen even as he was being a completely generous actor. I thought Henry Fonda was a perfect actor and then there's Peter O'Toole, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, George C. Scott and Jason Robards and so many others. Always had a soft spot for Jason Robards, his Jamie in Long Day's Journey Into Night stands as the most heartbreaking thing I've ever seen on screen.

Let's not forget the great actresses either! Julianne Moore, Judy Davis, Meryl Streep, Vanessa Redgrave, Liv Ullman, Ellen Burstyn, Patricia Neal, Cicely Tyson, Barbara Stanwyck, Katherine Hepburn and Jessica Tandy kicked just as much ass as the boys ever did.

Goody2Shoes · Post by **Goody2Shoes** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:19 pm

Not bad spelling, but poor grammar. Here's the headline of the medical advice column in my local rag:

Gout makes life miserable for those who gets it

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:47 pm

Well these thing are always subjective. I was surprised Burton didn't make the list. Top ten british actresses next week.

Post by **BlueChair** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:02 pm

Ringo Starr

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:25 pm

I hope Julie Christie and Helen Mirren will make the list of best British actresses.

As for British actors I would definitely add Albert Finney (unforgettable as Tom Jones, or in Under The Volcano), Alan Bates, John Hurt and Ralph Fiennes.
I haven't seen that many films with Ray Winstone but I thought he was superb in Sexy Beast.

selfmademug · Post by **selfmademug** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:32 pm

Why do certain people in my cramped but open-plan work space leave their cell phones lying around with some annoying ringtone turned up to full volume so they can hear it if they're on the other side of the office? That means the person who hears it at that loud volume is the person sitting by their phone. Can they not, as I do, turn their phone to vibrate and keep it in their frikkin pocket?

Signed,

Grouchy

PS re Brit actors: I spose he doesn't merit top ten, but boy did I ever love Nigel Hawthorne.

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 6:50 pm

Who Shot Sam? wrote:
bobster wrote:I guess I didn't really pick up on that. Actually, my favorite actor of that age group is probably Harvey Keitel. Again, a bit of an underplayer, most of the time.
Like in "Bad Lieutenant".

What a depressing picture that was.

Yeah. Not my favorite. I felt the tagline should've been..."He's not the mediocre lieutnant...he's bad...really bad...really, really, bad...we mean like he's the really awful and terrible lieutenant...until the end, when he's the slightly more understandable lieutnanent..."

And since El Vez has opened the door for actress, definitely with him on most of them, particularly Julianne Moore, Kate Hepburn and Judy Davis. And Invisible Pole brought up Helen Mirren, who's freakin' amazing. (I heart "Prime Suspect")

Other faves: Ingrid Bergman, Deborah Kerr, Giuleta Masina, Christina Ricci, Jane "Mama Joad" Darwell and Zasu Pitts (okay, I just like saying her name)

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:57 pm

SMM, I've got another one for you - how about them people who answer your cell phone for you? trust me, mine only rings when school is out, but I accidentally left mine sitting on my desk and my annoying co-worker answered it. And it's not an annoying ringtone - well, at least not to me. Hello moto!

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 1:05 am

El Vez wrote:Where the !#@% is Sir Ralph Richardson?!

The programme had a bit about Sir Ralph, who finished just out of the top ten. A lot of respected names agreed with you El Vez.

I was surprised Richard Burton didn't make it.

Tim(e) · Post by **Tim(e)** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 1:33 am

One of the most chilling performances I can recall seeing was given by Rod Steiger in The Pawnbroker. He also excelled in The Sergeant. Another worth a mention is Robert Mitchum's performance in The Night of the Hunter.

Greatest over-the-top performances would have to be Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet and Robert De Niro in the Cape Fear remake.

ice nine · Post by **ice nine** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 2:13 am

Let me throw in the names of Burt Lancaster and Anthony Quinn.

ReadyToHearTheWorst · Post by **ReadyToHearTheWorst** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:03 am

... and I'll add Jack Lemmon & Al Pacino.

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:51 am

Robert Redford is definitely worth a mention when at the top of his game, as is Peter O'Toole

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 9:44 am

Goody2Shoes wrote

Gout makes life miserable for those who gets it

the mr. gets it, and it makes both of us miserable, but that still won't correct the grammar.

I asked the MLS fantasy board commish how many actual teams were set up (so I could see how being 14,222 stacked up), and I did get an answer: We apologize but we are not at liberty to provide that information; however, we can tell you that the number of players range in the multiple thousands.

Must be a matter of national security. or concerns about identity theft!

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:30 am

Cinema Box Office Revenues have dropped for something like a record 18 weeks in a row. Is NetFlix and the new adaptations to renting policy at Blockbuster and other videostore chains the main reason, or are people simply less interested in film?

We have been using Netflix for well over a year and, frankly, I don't know how they can cntinue to offer the same degree of excellent service and support for the fee that they charge. We still go to the movies, but we spend a significant amount of time at home whatching DVD's from NetFlix. In general, the quality of the service is fantastic...reliable, lots of available titles, and they get them to you likety-split.

miss buenos aires · Post by **miss buenos aires** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:59 am

Mr. Average wrote:We have been using Netflix for well over a year and, frankly, I don't know how they can cntinue to offer the same degree of excellent service and support for the fee that they charge.

You can thank people like me, who spend $20 a month to let 3 DVDs sit on top of the tv for a month and a half.

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:38 am

I think it's largely the fact that mainstream Hollywood has abandoned adults so, oddly enough, adults are abandoning big dumb movies aimed at (not very bright) 13 year olds. Movie theaters are improving in technical quality, but patrons are getting ruder, wandering in at random times during movies, etc.

There are so many fine (and lousy) entertainment choices available now via Netflix, cable, etc, that offer a real choice.

Interestingly, several conservative pundits have simultaneously come to the conclusion that it's Hollywood supposed embrace of liberal values. I think Mr. Average would join me on calling that a head scratcher. With obvious exceptions, people don't go to movies for the politics. Of course, these days, conservative pundits have taken some odd positions, deciding that former GOP Mayor Clint Eastwood is a dangerous leftist and championing the political loose cannon Mel Gibson who's, "Passion" and Frank Rich hatred notwithstanding, has made movies that sometimes feature lefty conspiracy theories and who's company nearly wound up financing "Fahrenheit 9/11."

Goody2Shoes · Post by **Goody2Shoes** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:04 pm

mood swung wrote:
I asked the MLS fantasy board commish how many actual teams were set up (so I could see how being 14,222 stacked up), and I did get an answer: We apologize but we are not at liberty to provide that information; however, we can tell you that the number of players range in the multiple thousands.

Must be a matter of national security. or concerns about identity theft!

Nah, it's a matter of not wanting to hurt your feelings by telling you there are 14,223 teams.

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:07 pm

bobster wrote:I think it's largely the fact that mainstream Hollywood has abandoned adults so, oddly enough, adults are abandoning big dumb movies aimed at (not very bright) 13 year olds. Movie theaters are improving in technical quality, but patrons are getting ruder, wandering in at random times during movies, etc.

The ratio of good: bad movies hasn't changed much over the last ten years. What's changed is ticket prices, and people are refusing to pay $10 or more to see a movie. This is especially true of young people, who seem just as willing to download them off of the internet.

I have a feeling that if movie theatres lowered their ticket prices to $7, suddenly we'd see a box office recovery.