Gary Oldman is amongst the true actors of our day. Since I first watched him in Dracula, I was a fan. He plays diverse roles, and is never a "just play myself and phone it in" type of actor... unfortunately we have too many unseasoned actors who, no matter how many films they star in, will keep that unseasoned energy from either lack of effort or lack of genuine talent.
I felt that his skills in conveying emotion, depth, and character worth, made OotP all that more watchable. In a movie with actors that aren't so superb, he really shined as Sirius Black... a character that you are forced to relate to as a human, because his performance was SO human.
Last edited by Salazar Slytherin on February 11, 2008 4:56 am; edited 1 time in total
He went through a drastic transformation (in appearance, but most of all behavior) to become Sirius. If you didn't know any better, you might mistake them for two different people. That's the mark of a proficient actor. _________________
^ I agree. I get annoyed when actors play the same basic character over and over again and are called "good actor." How good can they be when all they've done is played the same character in every movie. And the kicker is, the character they are playing, is really just them playing themsselves. Truly good actors, like Gary Oldman, really become the characters and embrace that. If you sit there through the whole movie and are distracted by where you have seen the actor before, theen the actor isn't doing a very good job. _________________ Blame it on a simple twist of fate. ~ Bob Dylan
He was also the bad guy in Air force One, with Harrison Ford. I agree that he is one of the few true actors of our time. He's a character actor and I love that. Although I was actually trying to figure out where I'd seen him before when I watched Prisoner of Azkaban, not because his acting, but because I recognized his face. But I agree that there are many actors that are considered great that really are not at all. Gary Oldman is not one of them. _________________ "Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn
Must pay most dearly in their turn."
If Gary Oldman was a little younger, I personally think he'd grow into something like the British version of Robert de Niro. Not neccessarily the attitude, but the talent.
_________________ Yas and Simmy - Putting Luna on catwalks since 2008!
He went through a drastic transformation (in appearance, but most of all behavior) to become Sirius. If you didn't know any better, you might mistake them for two different people. That's the mark of a proficient actor.
I agree too. ^^ I have seen him in some films like Dracula, The scarlet Letter,The Fifth Element Harry Potter, or Batman, and I think that he is a very very very good actor.
I was totally oblivious to the HP movie franchise. I vaguely remembered seeing Chamber of Secrets on a rare visit back to the USA, but I paid no attention to the series.
So three weeks ago, while randomly flipping through channels in a hotel, I see Gary Oldman and -- hey, that's the kid who plays Harry Potter -- what is this? Some Matrix-like scene in the ship's mess hall ...
Oh -- this is a Harry Potter movie -- (it was the dinner scene at Grimmauld Place, after the Order meeting)
So I eventually watched the last 95% of Order of the Phoenix three times -- and never caught the beginning. I thought maybe he fought the dementors at the end of the previous movie
That motivated me to finally buy books 3-6. Then last week-end, I bought a legit copy (honest!) of the Sorcerer's Stone 2-DVD set.
Slowly The Light Goes On: Roughly half-way through the HBP book, I suddenly flash back to the Order movie. Oh! The stocky dude with the broad face, weird eye, and big walking stick, which he stamps on the ground, Madame Giry-style, to send a Death Eater flying -- that's Mad-Eye Moody! Only read all of Goblet and Order without making that connection
I loved the way Oldman used fencing as an allegory for wizard dueling -- possibly a director's decree? What was up with Harry losing his wand when trying to disarm Lucius Malfoy? It suggests that if the target of a spell is stronger than the caster, he reflects your spell back to you ...
Sirius's grand exit was cool, but on hindsight, possibly too flashy. Other characters who die by magic leave tangible corpses behind -- Muggle pathologists even autopsy them. What will DH.2 do for Bellatrix's death?
I liked Neville casting the Petrificus Totalus (in the book, it's Harry). Luna was the proverbial one second away, and she rose up (and so did that Death Eater )
--
Eric / Gilmoy
I just bought the Prisoner of Azkaban 2-DVD set last night. New funny idea:
Cuarón: Gary, in this scene, we want you to face the camera, and scream and rave like a deranged lunatic.
Oldman: 'k ... can do.
Cuarón: This next scene will be a little more challenging, Gary -- we need you to act.
(film crew and extras maintain straight faces for five seconds) (somebody finally cracks, and busts out laughing) (Oldman carefully ponders a fitting retort)
Oldman: RAAARGH! ARRR! YAAAAHH!
various stagehands: Bravo!
(Oldman takes bows)
--
Eric / Gilmoy
Oldman: OK, Helena, this next scene will be a little more challenging --
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