Actors' politics pollute 'Ring'

USA Today ^ | 1/11/2004 | Michael Medved

[trajanus_red]

"If you want to send a message, call Western Union," said Hollywood pioneer Samuel Goldwyn to filmmakers and stars who sought to use their movie projects to advance some political agenda. Although the telegraph is a largely irrelevant alternative in this Internet age, the thinking behind Goldwyn's advice remains sane and solid: Political preachments, on or off camera, only interfere with the entertainment value of creative work by major Hollywood stars. Recent comments by some of the prime participants in the triumphal box-office hit The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King illustrate the uncomfortable implications of trying to impose timely messages on timeless fantasy.

[4everontheRight]

I saw a 20/20 or 48 hours or some such silly show that had a portion devoted to a "behind the scenes" of TROTK. "Mort" would stop before going onto the set and purchase a bunch of fresh flowers for his dressing room...I wondered about him from then on.
Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[XJarhead]

[redhead]

" He was also very good as General Pushkin in Bond's The Living Daylights and as the pilot in the TV miniseries Shogun."

And at least one of the Indiana Jones movies.

[Mamzelle]

I think the real stars of LOTR are the artists that gave us the set effects, the "stage dressing"--

I have the three "Art of " books for these movies. They are fantastic, particularly the first one.

[RonF]

It's really best to ignore actors completely--although the media seems bent on pushing their private lives and hairbrained opinions on us.

Which I've never been able to figure out: why are there so many people that care about the private lives and opinions of actors, etc., that numerous magazines and TV shows can be supported off of it?

[don-o]

I have a very good mechanic that works on my cars. Do I care about his politics?

No. I care that he fixes my cars.

Why must we concern ourselves with actors and celebrities, holding forth?

Uh, I know the answer to that question, but I want to see what y'all say.

[abner]

Pingy... I saw the movie in spite of Viggo. I went to see Gimli. He was the best!

[Eala]

Make sure you don't read or listen to his poetry either. It is horrendously pretentious drivel.

Oh, when you're on my "Don't Watch" List -- oh crud! I just realised he stars in some movie about a race that crosses a desert in Iran. We wanted to see that. Oh well. Guess we won't.

[don-o]

why are there so many people that care about the private lives and opinions of actors, etc., that numerous magazines and TV shows can be supported off of it?

I know the answer to that question, and will post it if someone else does not supply it.

[boop]

I agree. Politics aside, Viggo is a pretty good actor. I liked him in Crimson Tide.

[lepton]

That's not a poem. That's clumsy prose awkwardly broken up.

[Alouette]

Be still my heart.

[728b]

It is highly doubtful Viggo even understands the theme of Tolkein's books, let alone ever read one.

It is most obvious Viggo did not understand, assuming he read the book, Eowyn’s answer to the peace-nik doctor of Minas Tirith who lamented the ownership of swords as an evil in his world. Eowyn said, ~"Those who do not own swords can still die on them." Or something like that.

I also felt he was the weakest actor in the movie. After reading the books I had hopes Aragorn’s role would have be filled by a man’s man. Not a narrow shouldered actor that looks tuff because everyone around him is made to look shorter. ;O) It reminds me of when I was a kid, I thought Bat-Man was one tuff dude. When I saw one of those old TV series as an adult, it occurred to me Bat-Man was a wimp actor. ;o)

[AmishDude]

That's not a poem. That's clumsy prose awkwardly broken up.

I prefer: "Prose for people with short attention spans."

[pro libertate]

Viggo was good as Moses Hochleitner in Witness and was decent in Perfect Murder with Michael Douglas and Gweneth Paltrow. His paintings have received some good reviews over the years, but it's not my style. I enjoyed him as the reluctant hero.

I enjoyed Sean Astin in Rudy, Goonies, and Memphis Belle.

John Rhys-Davies: I liked him the IJ movies and The Living Daylights and on tv in Shogun, Nobel House, & Sliders.

Sean Bean (Boromir) also was in a Bond Movie (Goldeneye) and I also enjoyed him in Ronin, The Essex Boys, and Patriot Games.

I agree about Liv Tyler and grew up on Christopher Lee.

However, Cate Blanchett is my favorite star from these movies. She is a terrific actress and deserved to win the Oscar for Elizabeth instead of Gweneth Paltrow.

[StoneColdGOP]

That's right, Sean Bean was in Patriot Games, and did a rather good job I'd say.

Now I do recall seeing some of those other films you mention, but can't recall seeing the LOTR actors in them...

[AppyPappy]

Buncha reds. The whole lot of them.

[KneelBeforeZod]

I want a free drink too. thats where they really rip you off

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

I went to see Return of the King last night with my wife. We loved it. Viggo is no king. He accurately portrays a jackass in real life. My favorite in the movie is Rhys-Davies as Gimli. He has the greatest lines and I'm built closer to the sidewalk like the short guy so I felt a bond.

I'll probably buy the DVD and not worry about Viggo.

I liked the older guy who died leading the horsemen into battle. I forgot his name. He spoke to his niece right before he died, pinned under his horse. I thought he had far more qualities of a king than did Viggo.

It's funny. Real spiders don't bother me that much but that big bitch of a spider Samwise fought was really nasty. I think I'd rather take on a dozen Orcs than that spider.

[beckett]

Mortensen is harmless. When given an opportunity to express his views on Charlie Rose earlier this year before hostilities began in Iraq, he mumbled a bunch of anarchist nonsense, brought up the American "war crime" at Dresden in 1945, and generally made an ass of himself. The guy is dumb as a post.