Gwyneth Paltrow ...Jake Gyllenhaal
Posted on 03/07/2006 6:28:34 AM PST by ex-Texan
Movie legend Sir Anthony Hopkins has criticised film bosses for making "condescending" films
"Audiences aren't so mindless as movie-makers think", he told the Radio Times magazine.
The Hollywood star's latest film, The World's Fastest Indian, is a true story about a New Zealander motorcyclist who broke the land speed record.
Sir Anthony said of the movie: "No sex or violence, and that's refreshing.
"I'm also tired of the camera moving all over the place, with car chases so cut and edited you don't know what's happening.
"It's condescending. Audiences aren't so mindless as movie-makers think."
He added: "If you look at The Shining or Fargo, they photograph it and let actors tell a story. That's the old-fashioned way. I hope it comes back."
The Silence of the Lambs star added that he would not put up with "tyrannical" directors any longer, adding: "I don't take this acting business seriously ... I enjoy acting more now than ever because I treat it as an enjoyable hobby.
"I can't get caught up in the self-importance. People bow to your every wish and you forget where you come from and what you're doing," he told the magazine.
"I recently worked with two actors who wouldn't come out of their trailers for some reason.
"Can you figure that out? It's insanity. Or they complain because their trailers aren't big enough.
"Bulls***. It's a job, like any other, so don't make a big deal. Be polite, treat the crew with respect and don't think you're different.
"I've worked with directors who are tyrannical and sadistic - but no longer. I'd rather do something else."
Sir Anthony, who became a US citizen in 2000, said he would never make a stage comeback.
He said: "I won't return to theatre work. It's monotonous, too much like being in prison, standing on stage in tights.
"I admire actors who can do it, and I'm sure they have a great life, but I can't stay in any one place for too long, or settle into that grey, sombre atmosphere of the Waterloo Road on a wet Wednesday afternoon.
"There's something so depressing looming across the muddy Thames from that concrete breeze block, with the smell of stale coffee, and thinking, 'Oh, God I have to do another matinee', and the luvvies and the darlings.
"They're all right, but I have better interests than sitting in Le Caprice talking about the problems of being an actor."
Although I think he should have let a few roles go (sequel to "Silence of The Lambs"),
I've liked him in most roles.
One of my favorites is "Peter and Paul"; he portrayed Paul as best as any actor could:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082900/
"learnt from his improbable marriage to an atheist, Jewish, socialist, New York divorcee. "
She did convert you know and became a Christian!
Wow!! A star with intelligence...has this ever happened before?
I call it the "shiny ball syndrome". We have a culture of ADD kids from all teh video games and tv so they get bored after .78 seconds of anything.
Not too long ago I wa having a discussion regarding my favorite films and it occurred to me that Hopkins was in quite a number of them including, "Lion in Winter,"(with a very young Timothy Dalton), "84 Charring Cross Rd.", and "Legends of the Fall."
They're afraid of the Muslims.
I wish you could too!
Why not just go ahead and write a film script, and pass it on to your children and tell them,
"I wanted to do this, I never gave up no matter what, I did it on my own without funding, let this be an example to you to go ahead and do what matters to you."
Have it bound it a nice cover with your name in gold.
This title has me all tied up in conflicted knots.
V for Vendetta is a comic book actually, but it was written WAY before the War on Terror by the fantastically talented Alan Moore. Who, I have heard (but not confirmed), actually refused to put his seal of approval on the final movie version.
I call is Sesame Street Syndrome. For too long, little ones are plopped in front of Sesame Street where they are fed a new visual image every 45 seconds or so. They develop enough attention by adolescence to watch an entire music video, at 3 minutes. And now, those generations are artistes who bounce like grasshoppers on crack instead of telling a story.
Now, I have to climb down from this soap box I'm on before I fall and get hurt.
duly noted...thanks!
I strongly suspect that the two "stars" who wouldn't "come out of their trailers" are Sean Penn and Kate Winslet.
Hopkins just completed a remake of All The King's Men, in which Penn and Winslet were his costars. Both are actors eaten up with themselves, and condescending.
The greatest acting performance I ever saw was Hopkins in Remains of the Day. How he kept his steely composure at all times, how he portrayed the steady devotion to duty--what a great movie.
I like this guy too. I saw him interviewed some years ago. "inside the actors studio" probably. He was asked how he chooses what roles to take. And he answered "i do this for the money. that's it. nothing deep about". Somewhat paraphrased but he was very blunt about it. No shame about it. No excuses.
A wonderful actor with a huge body of work...all of it worth seeing!
..Sir Anthony's role as John Quincy Adams in "Amistad" was inspirational--so much so, I forgive him for "Nixon"...
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