Whisper my name to the stars for I am lost in space

[agentxpndble]

Time grows short - I don't leave for the big FAMILY THING until tomorrow, but there is so much packing and cleaning to do I'm not giving my flist much attention before I go. Internet connection looks pretty non-existent but I will be so desperate for contact with my own world in the next 5 days that I will probably find a way to post here and

Comments

To discuss among ourselves while Agent X is gone.....

[tomsister]

Agent X, dear -- try to endure this ordeal. It's only for a few days. Our thoughts are with you.

While you're gone, let's discuss amongst ourselves why the Brits/Irish/Welsh/Scots are such good actors. These countries produce some of the best actors and actresses in the world. Granted, some are gay which may explain why they can 'let it all hang out' unashamedly. But many are not. They are also the most handsome devils in the world.

Take our idol, John Castle, for example. A hunk when young, aged quite well. My new find is Gerard Butler, The Phantom of the Opera. If only we could see his entire handsome face during 'The Music of the Night.' Then there's Ralph Fiennes, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jude Law, Colin Firth, Alan Bates, Corin Redgrave, Clive Ownen, Gabriel Byrne, Alan Rickman. Even Anthony Hopkins has a quirky, unique look about him. The list goes on and on. Is it the food, the air, that combination of dark hair, light eyes? Whatever it is, they've got the market cornered on handsome, great actors.

The subject is open for discussion.

Re: To discuss among ourselves while Agent X is gone.....

[fenice_fu]

My first impulsive thought is that it is at least partially due to the amount of funding and care they put into their stage training. The US doesn't really have anything like the RADA...there are plenty of little "entertainment industry" schools but none that really cater to that (though I guess one could argue for places like Interlochen or Juliard...but there are not enough spaces and they cater to only the very best actors and don't give others or others who are just trying it for the first time at an older age a chance. They're also incredibly expensive and private). I was even thinking of Canada, they have the Stratford Festival which has been home to some of the most amazing performers (Glenn Gould among others) in North America. And think of it...I mean, Alan Rickman was something like 27 when he went into acting. Here in the States it's all beauty and youth and whatever. John was probably into his early twenties (guessing from bios) when he decided to act and he just...started. It's not that easy here. The system here is set up to make money and to attract eye candy but not to have really skilled actors on the screens. And of course I think the competition is much more intense here due to sheer numbers of people trying to "amke it"...it's just a different atmosphere entirely. Local rep can be a very different thing mind you. And people in the US don't go to the theater as much...our local larger-city theater had to have a restructuring lately because the board was fighting with the director (or producer, don't remember which) and they were very in the red anyhow. They're not a fixed company though (meaning they don't have a set group of actors for everything...they hire as they go) and there has been some speculation that that is not as cost effective.

You can tell the Brits are better at the stage also because so many of our actors are going over there to be in shows. But on the US side...I would say people like Robin Williams (looks aside for whoever doesn't like him) and Dustin Hoffman are high caliber...wouldn't you say? But I gotta say...when people like Leonardo DiCaprio are getting lifetime achievement awards...I mean the guy is what in his thirties? It's a joke. I personally think that the US Hollywood scene is just...too edgy, too "young eye-candy", too flavor of the moment, too tawdry. The US is the one who came up with abominations like Survivor and American Idol (yeah I know Europe's got it's own version..but it's just annoying anyhow. I think we came up with the idea) But when we have a British actor in a lead role...it gets good suddenly (i.e. Hugh Laurie in House. That show would be crrrap (insert Scottish burr) without him in it, period. And he doesn't even use the British accent.)

The only British actor I would say that is too...Hollywood...most of the time for my tastes is Hugh Grant. But some of his lesser known roles (like in Awfully Big Adventure) are actually quite good...he makes a pretty good prick, lol! That is a complement. It's only his usual romantic lead roles that I get tired of. Colin Firth makes a damn good psycho. I wish he'd redo Eraserhead, I could totally see him in that.....

Totally unrelated, I have noticed that a large percentage of British leading men have blue eyes. Robbie Coltrane, the guy in Touch of Frost, John, Martin Shaw, Hugh Grant, on and on. Only ones I can think of that don't are Alan Rickman (I think...not sure) and Colin Firth.

Re: To discuss among ourselves while Agent X is gone.....

[tomsister]

I think you're right about the funding of arts and theatrical training. Whenever budgets are cut here, the first victims are arts programs. Americans only want insipid eye candy; can't act their way out of a paper bag. But we do have Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Rod Steiger, Harvey Keitel, Robert Duvall, Tom Hanks. Superb actors all, but hardly in the same hunk category as our favorite Brits. Leonardo DiCaprio will be worth a lifetime achievement award in about 20 years. He has the ability but needs to age a little like good wine. There are celebrities, and there are 'actors.' There is a big diffence.

Another favorite -- Gary Oldman. The man is a chameleon. He never looks the same in two flicks. Probably a great advantage if you want to go browsing in book shops without being recognized! Maybe some of the great acting comes from having a difficult early life? Many come from broken homes and extremely poor conditions. Could Frank McCourt have made up 'Angela's Ashes' without having suffered through the ordeal personally? I don't think so.

They have the ability to make even great 'little' films with very little fanfare, like "Billy Elliott" and "Waking Ned Devine." I'm reminded of the big hoopla, premieres, weeks of marketing and merchandising that goes on over here for big splashy productions. Cosmetic surgery, boob jobs, Botox can't take the place of acting ability.

Yes, we do have home-grown garbage on our TV sets --not worth turning the damed thing on. I haven't watched network TV in over 11 years. I moved to an area that has very poor broadcast reception and I'm too cheap to get cable! I borrow A&E, PBS and Masterpiece Theatre DVDs from Blockbuster or my library and enjoy really good English stuff whenever I want it. In fact, I had to ask someone who Jessica Simpson and Kim Cattrell are after seeing them on magazine covers so frequently.

Other favorites from the Isles, and we don't have anything to compare: Ian Holm, Emma Thompson, Joan Plowright, Ian McKellen, Derek Jacoby, Kenneth Branagh, Geraldine McEwan, Glenda Jackson, Julie Walters, Liam Neeson, Michael Maloney, Eileen Atkins, Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton, and Hugh Laurie.

Lunch hour is over -- have to get back to work.