Actress Emma Stone is certainly very busy these days. It seems like only yesterday she played the love interest in the nerd-rom-com that was Super Bad. Now, when she is not being wooed by Jim Carrie via YouTube, she seems to be in everything.
My daughter Meg pointed out this film to me. She then rented it from iTunes and pretty much insisted that I watch it. I am glad I did. Set in Mississippi during the civil rights unrest that was the sixties Emma plays Skeeter Phelan. Skeeter has graduated from college and now wants to be a writer. She returns to her home town to re-establish ties with old friends and to check on her mother who has cancer.
The first thing Skeeter does is get a job with the local paper, ghost writing for the Agony Aunt columnist who is having a baby. Viola Davis plays Aibileen Clark one of the many black ladies who work as "the help" to the white members of the community. The whole cast work brilliantly in this ensemble film. I will admit that I was overjoyed to see Cicely Tyson in a big-ish cameo as Skeeter's family maid. Of course I have to mention Sissy Spacek who has the small role of Hilly's long suffering mother. She is delightful to watch.
Now amazingly the film's main plot deals with the issue of toilets. The local white community follows Hilly Holbrook's lead on the "separate but equal" practice which was prevalent in the sixties. Hilly has gotten the local government to pass a law that makes it a criminal act to use the white residents bathroom. The help must instead use an outside one specially made for them. As played by Bryce Dallas Howard, Hilly is a nasty piece of work. A bully who is sly, malicious, and vengeful Hilly rules over her little flock of the Ladies Club with an iron fist. It seems that while the black community might be good enough to clean the white folks's houses, cook their meals and look after their children, it is not okay to use their employers bathroom.
Skeeter is outraged at this new law and decides to write about the 'separate but equal' travesty. She teams up with local housekeeper Aibileen with the idea of writing a book. This book will be filled with all the terrible, funny and sad things that the black workers have encountered . At first the only "help" that will work with Skeeter is the slightly hesitant Aibileen, but as events in the Mississippi town get worse she finds herself inundated with offers of more stories.
Mary Steenburgen has a microscopic role as the editor Elain Stein who encourages Skeeter to write her book and guides her toward publication with her company. It was nice to see Steenburgen on screen again and I do wish they had used her a bit more.
I loved this film. It has the same feeling as Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe and Driving Miss Daisy. This film made me angry, made me laugh and made me cry. I cannot begin to express how well this film was presented. The sets, the location, and the costumes all felt like the south in the sixties. The characters as they were written also felt right. Overall a real gem of a film. It attempts to show that some people were racially aware in the civil rights fraught sixties. I think it does this very well, without resorting to bloodshed or gun play.
And on a closing note, never has the phrase "Eat my Shit." been so appropriate and funny.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Name dropping, pt 4
I got another call from my friend at AFN to tell me that they were casting for the new Van der Valk series that was so popular in England. The crime series followed the Dutch police detective Van der Valk as he solved various crimes. He was played by the late actor Barry Foster. You might know him as the killer in Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy. A brilliant actor he had helped make Van der Valk a hit in the seventies.
So once again I went down to Amsterdam to meet with the assistant director and to my surprise the writer. Of course the most surprising thing was that the writer was none other than Peter Snow. Peter had been a mainstay on British television for years. He was a presenter and he also used to show how the general elections were going. A very nice chap to meet and to talk to.
I was going for a non-speaking roll. The set up was this: A nightclub owner has just had his opening artist murdered. He has had a close relationship with the artist for years. He is desperate to talk to anyone in order to take his mind off his distress. I was to play a beer delivery man who doesn't want to talk at all. We auditioned in pairs. I played the delivery man to my partners nightclub owner. We got given our directions and the camera rolled and we started.
I pushed in my imaginary trolley full of beer. The nightclub owner started talking awkwardly to me. I shot him a glance and ignored him. Cut! "Michael?" This from the director. "Yes." I replied. "You just don't want to talk to him, you don't want to murder him! Can we tone that look down a bit?" Much laughter from everyone in the room including me. "Sorry. I'll try to lose the Homicidal Look." I did my bit again, this time with no interruptions and we were then switched around. I would be the nightclub owner this time.
I was slightly lost. What did a nightclub owner do? I decided that as we were in Holland and that this nightclub served beer, it would sort of be like a pub. If there was one thing I knew about it was pubs and publicans. So we got set up, cameras rolled and... Action! I started wiping down the imaginary bar and polishing imaginary glasses. The delivery man strolls in and I say "Hello mate, you all-right?" Very English old boy. Immediately every head in the room swivelled in my direction. Uh-oh, I thought, I've either done something very good or very wrong. Not sure of whether what I had done was either I continued being the English publican for the rest of the scene. When we had finished, the director asked if I would mind very much doing that for the rest of the actors auditioning for the delivery man. So I did...about twenty more times.
At the end of the day, the folks that had been cast were told what they would be doing. When they got to me the director said, "Sorry Michael we have nothing for you today." Before I could say anything, he finished with,"But Peter liked what you did so much as the nightclub owner, he is writing you a part in the show." I was flabbergasted. I looked dazedly at Peter and he was nodding his head in affirmation. The director then asked if there was any time when I would not be available for shooting. I said yes, we had a NATO tactical evaluation in the first week of June. My new boss had never gone through one before and I needed to show him how things worked. The director nodded and wrote something in his notebook. "Okay, Michael, thank you. We will call you when Peter is finished."
I never heard from the director or Peter again. It turned out much later that the time period I was not available for was right when they would be shooting that episode. I did get to work on Van der Valk eventually but not on that episode and in a part not as big or exciting.
So once again I went down to Amsterdam to meet with the assistant director and to my surprise the writer. Of course the most surprising thing was that the writer was none other than Peter Snow. Peter had been a mainstay on British television for years. He was a presenter and he also used to show how the general elections were going. A very nice chap to meet and to talk to.
I was going for a non-speaking roll. The set up was this: A nightclub owner has just had his opening artist murdered. He has had a close relationship with the artist for years. He is desperate to talk to anyone in order to take his mind off his distress. I was to play a beer delivery man who doesn't want to talk at all. We auditioned in pairs. I played the delivery man to my partners nightclub owner. We got given our directions and the camera rolled and we started.
I pushed in my imaginary trolley full of beer. The nightclub owner started talking awkwardly to me. I shot him a glance and ignored him. Cut! "Michael?" This from the director. "Yes." I replied. "You just don't want to talk to him, you don't want to murder him! Can we tone that look down a bit?" Much laughter from everyone in the room including me. "Sorry. I'll try to lose the Homicidal Look." I did my bit again, this time with no interruptions and we were then switched around. I would be the nightclub owner this time.
I was slightly lost. What did a nightclub owner do? I decided that as we were in Holland and that this nightclub served beer, it would sort of be like a pub. If there was one thing I knew about it was pubs and publicans. So we got set up, cameras rolled and... Action! I started wiping down the imaginary bar and polishing imaginary glasses. The delivery man strolls in and I say "Hello mate, you all-right?" Very English old boy. Immediately every head in the room swivelled in my direction. Uh-oh, I thought, I've either done something very good or very wrong. Not sure of whether what I had done was either I continued being the English publican for the rest of the scene. When we had finished, the director asked if I would mind very much doing that for the rest of the actors auditioning for the delivery man. So I did...about twenty more times.
At the end of the day, the folks that had been cast were told what they would be doing. When they got to me the director said, "Sorry Michael we have nothing for you today." Before I could say anything, he finished with,"But Peter liked what you did so much as the nightclub owner, he is writing you a part in the show." I was flabbergasted. I looked dazedly at Peter and he was nodding his head in affirmation. The director then asked if there was any time when I would not be available for shooting. I said yes, we had a NATO tactical evaluation in the first week of June. My new boss had never gone through one before and I needed to show him how things worked. The director nodded and wrote something in his notebook. "Okay, Michael, thank you. We will call you when Peter is finished."
I never heard from the director or Peter again. It turned out much later that the time period I was not available for was right when they would be shooting that episode. I did get to work on Van der Valk eventually but not on that episode and in a part not as big or exciting.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Final Destination 5...Don't bother
I have been a huge fan of the Final Destination films since the first one. The mix of gory deaths and cheeky humour was able to make me laugh and groan at the same time. I will readily admit that I own all the films on DVD. But I have got to say the quality of the films has depreciated with each new sequel.
Yes I know that is going to happen whenever any film gets turned into a franchise. Although I believe firmly that the Scream films are the exception to this rule and of course the Godfather films. And anything after Terminator 2 is just ______ (fill in with the expletive of your choice).
Now we have Final Destination 5 in 3D yet. When I first watched it, I felt the digital FX really let it down. Then I realised I was watching the blu-ray version and not the 3D one. All right, I thought, we'll give that problem a miss as I'm guessing it looked much better when wearing the glasses. But that was not all that was wrong with the film.
Before I have a moan about the film, I would like to say that the highlight was seeing the cameo by that always impressive actor Tony Todd. I've loved this man's performance's ever since I watched him terrorise Virginia Madsen in Candyman. On a side note, watching that film made me solemnly vow to never look into a mirror and say Candyman three times. *shudder* Unfortunately having Tony Todd in the film (and it is a shame we couldn't have seen more of him) did not help save it from being a huge disappointment.
My big complaint about the film was the loss of the tongue-in-cheek way that fate (or death) checked each character out. All the prior films had a beautiful sort of irony in the way each person died. Unfortunately it appears that the producers just wanted to increase the gore factor. I can imagine them sitting around a big board room table. "Okay guys, we're going to make one more Final Destination." Much groaning from the table members. "I know. I know. We said that the previous Final Destination was going to be the final one. But hey, with the advances made in 3D on Avatar, we can really make this one rock!"
So in my mind, I think they were a bit too much in love with the idea of 3D. Nice idea guys but sloppy execution (get it?). On a final note, this was the only Final Destination I bought in blu-ray and it will be the first blu-ray that I take to trade in for a better film. Well, it is the first one, if you don't count the blu-ray copy of Twilight that I unsuccessfully kept trying to trade in. No one wanted it because it had a "scratch" on it. I think they were lying like a cheap watch. They just did not want a copy of a DVD they couldn't get rid of. Gee, I hope I don't have the same problem with Final Destination 5!
Yes I know that is going to happen whenever any film gets turned into a franchise. Although I believe firmly that the Scream films are the exception to this rule and of course the Godfather films. And anything after Terminator 2 is just ______ (fill in with the expletive of your choice).
Now we have Final Destination 5 in 3D yet. When I first watched it, I felt the digital FX really let it down. Then I realised I was watching the blu-ray version and not the 3D one. All right, I thought, we'll give that problem a miss as I'm guessing it looked much better when wearing the glasses. But that was not all that was wrong with the film.
Before I have a moan about the film, I would like to say that the highlight was seeing the cameo by that always impressive actor Tony Todd. I've loved this man's performance's ever since I watched him terrorise Virginia Madsen in Candyman. On a side note, watching that film made me solemnly vow to never look into a mirror and say Candyman three times. *shudder* Unfortunately having Tony Todd in the film (and it is a shame we couldn't have seen more of him) did not help save it from being a huge disappointment.
My big complaint about the film was the loss of the tongue-in-cheek way that fate (or death) checked each character out. All the prior films had a beautiful sort of irony in the way each person died. Unfortunately it appears that the producers just wanted to increase the gore factor. I can imagine them sitting around a big board room table. "Okay guys, we're going to make one more Final Destination." Much groaning from the table members. "I know. I know. We said that the previous Final Destination was going to be the final one. But hey, with the advances made in 3D on Avatar, we can really make this one rock!"
So in my mind, I think they were a bit too much in love with the idea of 3D. Nice idea guys but sloppy execution (get it?). On a final note, this was the only Final Destination I bought in blu-ray and it will be the first blu-ray that I take to trade in for a better film. Well, it is the first one, if you don't count the blu-ray copy of Twilight that I unsuccessfully kept trying to trade in. No one wanted it because it had a "scratch" on it. I think they were lying like a cheap watch. They just did not want a copy of a DVD they couldn't get rid of. Gee, I hope I don't have the same problem with Final Destination 5!
Name dropping, pt 3
I had been on leave back in England visiting with my in-laws. When I returned to work, a friend from AFN had been by the office looking for me. I called him to find out what he wanted. "While you were gone they were auditioning for another film. Give em a call, you might still get an audition." I thanked him and immediately rang the number.
The number was to a production company in Amsterdam. They had indeed been holding "cattle-call" auditions for a feature film while I was on leave. I couldn't get to Amsterdam quickly enough, so they arranged to come see me at my home. Thus began what is still one of the most surreal experiences that I have had to date.
The camera van pulled up in front of my row house in Leusden. The lady who was going to conduct the "audition" which was really more like a filmed interview, brought all the equipment and crew into my house. As they set everything up I felt as though I had somehow fallen into a Twilight Zone episode. While the interview was being conducted my Dutch and American neighbours kept walking past my house and glancing curiously in the front window. I cannot stress how unreal this whole situation was. I was being treated almost like a celebrity and it was slightly blowing my mind. Even as I look back today on this interview/audition it feels surreal.
While packing up their things the interviewer said that they would be in touch very soon as time for casting the film was running out. As they drove off I said to my wife very matter-of-factly that we would never hear from them again. In this instance, I was wrong. Two weeks to the day they called me. They wanted me to go with the other 'short listed' actors to meet the producer of the film.
Excitedly driving to Amsterdam, I managed to not violate the speed laws as much as possible. I arrived early and was immediately ushered in to meet the producer. I am ashamed to admit that to this day I cannot remember his name. I do remember he was tall, large and despite being jet-lagged full of good humour.
He explained that the film was to be directed by the chap who was assistant director on The Company of Wolves. Another name I cannot for the life of me remember. The part I would be playing would be in the entire film and I would be one of the last cast members to be killed off. My character was to be a "computer geek" who would be shot right between the eyes towards the end of the film. The producer said that as far as he was concerned I had the part. Shooting would begin in a few weeks time in and around Amsterdam. The entire shoot would last for six to eight weeks.He expressed concerns about my having problems getting time away from the USAF and how they would react to the film's theme.
I need to explain here that the film was a little bit anti-military. The plot had to do with a nuclear shelter and some sort of stress test for the military members inside it. It did not put the military in a positive light. I could have cared less. This was the kind of part I had dreamed of. Not only would my character have been critical to the film, but I got killed!!! Shot right between the eyes yet! I was over the moon.
The producer then said I would have a camera test (he stressed repeatedly that this was not a screen test as I had the part already) with the director in a couple of weeks time. This would coincide with make-up tests and costume fittings. He asked me to leave my phone number with him and I would be told where to go and when.
Three weeks went by with no word. I decided to call the company who had come out for my "audition." When I finally got through it was to hear the depressing news that funding for the project had fallen through. The green light had gone red.
The number was to a production company in Amsterdam. They had indeed been holding "cattle-call" auditions for a feature film while I was on leave. I couldn't get to Amsterdam quickly enough, so they arranged to come see me at my home. Thus began what is still one of the most surreal experiences that I have had to date.
The camera van pulled up in front of my row house in Leusden. The lady who was going to conduct the "audition" which was really more like a filmed interview, brought all the equipment and crew into my house. As they set everything up I felt as though I had somehow fallen into a Twilight Zone episode. While the interview was being conducted my Dutch and American neighbours kept walking past my house and glancing curiously in the front window. I cannot stress how unreal this whole situation was. I was being treated almost like a celebrity and it was slightly blowing my mind. Even as I look back today on this interview/audition it feels surreal.
While packing up their things the interviewer said that they would be in touch very soon as time for casting the film was running out. As they drove off I said to my wife very matter-of-factly that we would never hear from them again. In this instance, I was wrong. Two weeks to the day they called me. They wanted me to go with the other 'short listed' actors to meet the producer of the film.
Excitedly driving to Amsterdam, I managed to not violate the speed laws as much as possible. I arrived early and was immediately ushered in to meet the producer. I am ashamed to admit that to this day I cannot remember his name. I do remember he was tall, large and despite being jet-lagged full of good humour.
He explained that the film was to be directed by the chap who was assistant director on The Company of Wolves. Another name I cannot for the life of me remember. The part I would be playing would be in the entire film and I would be one of the last cast members to be killed off. My character was to be a "computer geek" who would be shot right between the eyes towards the end of the film. The producer said that as far as he was concerned I had the part. Shooting would begin in a few weeks time in and around Amsterdam. The entire shoot would last for six to eight weeks.He expressed concerns about my having problems getting time away from the USAF and how they would react to the film's theme.
I need to explain here that the film was a little bit anti-military. The plot had to do with a nuclear shelter and some sort of stress test for the military members inside it. It did not put the military in a positive light. I could have cared less. This was the kind of part I had dreamed of. Not only would my character have been critical to the film, but I got killed!!! Shot right between the eyes yet! I was over the moon.
The producer then said I would have a camera test (he stressed repeatedly that this was not a screen test as I had the part already) with the director in a couple of weeks time. This would coincide with make-up tests and costume fittings. He asked me to leave my phone number with him and I would be told where to go and when.
Three weeks went by with no word. I decided to call the company who had come out for my "audition." When I finally got through it was to hear the depressing news that funding for the project had fallen through. The green light had gone red.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Name dropping, pt 2
While I was stationed in Holland with the USAF I got to work quite a lot. Mostly I did adverts for the Armed Forces Network aka AFN guys downstairs. I have always done "voices" different accents and impressions. My then boss mentioned this to the AFN guys who ran upstairs and begged me to do some spots for them on the radio. It seems that they were all tired of hearing themselves on the airways and were desperate for some kind of change. So for a four year time period I did adverts and the occasional live show. It was fun and kept my diction sharp as well making me work on my stale impressions.
It was through the AFN guys that I got most of the work I did while stationed in The Netherlands. I had a friend from AFN come up and ask me, "Didn't you act some?" I owned up quickly sensing this could mean work. "Well they're making a film and they're looking for American and English actors. Call this number." So I did.
The film was called Murder Story, the Movie it was being produced by Elstree Film Studios. The folks who brought us Eastenders on the telly every week. The film was to feature the master Christopher Lee and an unknown young actor Alexis Denisof. I was beside myself with excitement. The chance to work with Dracula himself! I had been a fan of Mr Lee's since I was a boy and watched the Saturday night Creature Features and seen him in so many Hammer Horror films.
To cut a long story short, I and a friend from AFN got parts in the film. We were to be security policemen from the Air Force base where Alexis's dad worked. We had what seemed like huge parts. We had a little action some dialogue and, unfortunately, we were not going to be working with Christopher Lee.
On the day of our shooting we went to the railway station at Soest. There we got assigned our characters by what ever costume would fit us from wardrobe. Thus I became a Staff Sergeant and my mate became a private. We were introduced to the actor we would be working with Garrick Hagon, a real "jobbing actor" who was lovely to work with. We also met Alexis Denisof way before his Buffy and Angel days. A nice young man who was only there briefly to set up the shot for his stunt double to perform.
Elstree Film Studios had just announced that their feature film section had gone bankrupt. They would still continue to produce Eastenders, but, that was all. Our big scene suddenly shrunk. No longer did we have dialogue or get out of our jeep to confront Garrick. Instead we pulled up to the crash site and just glowered at him from the jeep.
This small scene took more than three quarters of a day to film. The Director Eddie Arno asked if we would mind staying so that Garrick had someone to re-act to for his close ups. We said of course. Afterword Garrick came up to thank us profusely in a mixture of Dutch and English. As we had never spoken, he assumed we were Dutch! We all had a chuckle and our shooting day was finished. I had brought my 'then wife' to the shoot so she could see what actually happened on a film set. She was a bit disenchanted by the whole process. I told her as we drove home that the film would probably collect dust on a shelf somewhere as Elstree had gone bust. I was wrong.
It did release as just Murder Story, straight to video. After many years of searching I finally found a copy so I could see how Phil and I had looked on the day. It was then that I found out why it had been relegated to a straight to video release. It was a shame for Christopher Lee and Garrick and Alexis had performed extremely well. But the overall film lacked something.
Still I was happy. I had one more credit under my belt. Sure I did not get my name on the credits but I had met Tom Reeve a UK producer and of course the other folks mentioned above. I did not get to even see Christopher Lee. But at least, by gosh, I'd been in a film with him!
It was through the AFN guys that I got most of the work I did while stationed in The Netherlands. I had a friend from AFN come up and ask me, "Didn't you act some?" I owned up quickly sensing this could mean work. "Well they're making a film and they're looking for American and English actors. Call this number." So I did.
The film was called Murder Story, the Movie it was being produced by Elstree Film Studios. The folks who brought us Eastenders on the telly every week. The film was to feature the master Christopher Lee and an unknown young actor Alexis Denisof. I was beside myself with excitement. The chance to work with Dracula himself! I had been a fan of Mr Lee's since I was a boy and watched the Saturday night Creature Features and seen him in so many Hammer Horror films.
To cut a long story short, I and a friend from AFN got parts in the film. We were to be security policemen from the Air Force base where Alexis's dad worked. We had what seemed like huge parts. We had a little action some dialogue and, unfortunately, we were not going to be working with Christopher Lee.
On the day of our shooting we went to the railway station at Soest. There we got assigned our characters by what ever costume would fit us from wardrobe. Thus I became a Staff Sergeant and my mate became a private. We were introduced to the actor we would be working with Garrick Hagon, a real "jobbing actor" who was lovely to work with. We also met Alexis Denisof way before his Buffy and Angel days. A nice young man who was only there briefly to set up the shot for his stunt double to perform.
Elstree Film Studios had just announced that their feature film section had gone bankrupt. They would still continue to produce Eastenders, but, that was all. Our big scene suddenly shrunk. No longer did we have dialogue or get out of our jeep to confront Garrick. Instead we pulled up to the crash site and just glowered at him from the jeep.
This small scene took more than three quarters of a day to film. The Director Eddie Arno asked if we would mind staying so that Garrick had someone to re-act to for his close ups. We said of course. Afterword Garrick came up to thank us profusely in a mixture of Dutch and English. As we had never spoken, he assumed we were Dutch! We all had a chuckle and our shooting day was finished. I had brought my 'then wife' to the shoot so she could see what actually happened on a film set. She was a bit disenchanted by the whole process. I told her as we drove home that the film would probably collect dust on a shelf somewhere as Elstree had gone bust. I was wrong.
It did release as just Murder Story, straight to video. After many years of searching I finally found a copy so I could see how Phil and I had looked on the day. It was then that I found out why it had been relegated to a straight to video release. It was a shame for Christopher Lee and Garrick and Alexis had performed extremely well. But the overall film lacked something.
Still I was happy. I had one more credit under my belt. Sure I did not get my name on the credits but I had met Tom Reeve a UK producer and of course the other folks mentioned above. I did not get to even see Christopher Lee. But at least, by gosh, I'd been in a film with him!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Name dropping, really?
Looking over my last blog post I saw that I had stated I had not met anyone of consequence apart from Jonathan Demme. I realised immediately that was not really the case. I have met and interacted with a number of folks some of whom were nice. Others were not so nice and others just plain terrifying.
I met and talked with very briefly a much younger Alfred Molina , aka Doc Ock, on the set of Requiem Apache. This was a Channel Four funded production. They were known as an independent company and I remember my then agent telling me to make sure I brought lunch as independents are notorious for poor catering. This turned out to not be the case at all, so my sausage roll stayed in its wrapper that day.
I was sitting in the "supporting artists" double decker bus on the first floor (that's the top of the bus if you're from the USA). I was doing what I always did when I wasn't watching how the magic was made. I was reading a paperback book. I was thoroughly engrossed in the story when a face appeared at the top of the bus steps. "Excuse me, but have you seen our illustrious director?" I looked up from my book blinking and trying to re-focus my eyes and saw the face and shoulders of a young dark complexioned man. I have to admit that at the time I did not recognise him as the star of the feature we were working on. I gave a shrug and looked around the bus's interior as if to say, here?? Alfred then laughingly said "Oh silly me, whatever was I thinking. Well thanks anyway. Oh and if you happen to see him can you tell him I'm looking for him? Thanks!"
It was only after he left and one of the other supporting artists asked me what Alfred Molina wanted that I realised who I had been conversing with.
It was on this set that I also got to meet the marvellous Kenneth Cranham. I used to watch him on the telly in the long running Shine on Harvey Moon. He also just recently appeared with good effect in Hot Fuzz. He had a witty outlook on seemingly everything and everybody that day and I was in stitches. That was also the day where I found myself frozen silent when I found myself standing right next to the intimidating form of Brian Blessed.
I was watching them film Alfred and Kenneth in a crowd scene. I had just finished "playing" with a portable camera, a very heavy looking piece of equipment with what looked liked one half of a giant Q-tip attached front and back of the camera. I glanced at the chap who was operating it and said, "Rather you than me, mate." He laughed and told me that despite being a bit on the heavy side, it was very non-taxing to operate. He offered to let me "have a go" and I did. He was right. It was so incredibly well balanced you did not notice the weight at all. It was after this that I had a scene with my "wife" strolling and looking in store front windows. We finished our bit, she disappeared and I stood to watch the rest of the film being made while waiting for my next bit.
I glanced out of the corner of my eye a bearded longer haired man standing next to me. I was pushed a bit closer to him and I suddenly realised that this bearded spectacle was none other than Brian Blessed. He of the magnificent voice and bigger than life personality. I instantly became a quivering school aged fan-boy. I looked into his face and started to say all the idiotic fan boy things that sprang immediately into my mind. He turned and looked right into my eyes with a fierce gaze that withered my unspoken words before they had even managed to leave my throat. I wrenched my head forward and didn't even acknowledge his presence, for fear that I would fall under that fierce look again. I have heard from other folks that Mr Blessed is quite a nice chap. I guess that fierce gaze is how he looks at everything.
Writing this has helped me remember some other great folks I've met, auditioned for, and briefly worked for. I'll have to write them down before I forget them again. So I guess I will be name dropping for a little while yet.
I met and talked with very briefly a much younger Alfred Molina , aka Doc Ock, on the set of Requiem Apache. This was a Channel Four funded production. They were known as an independent company and I remember my then agent telling me to make sure I brought lunch as independents are notorious for poor catering. This turned out to not be the case at all, so my sausage roll stayed in its wrapper that day.
I was sitting in the "supporting artists" double decker bus on the first floor (that's the top of the bus if you're from the USA). I was doing what I always did when I wasn't watching how the magic was made. I was reading a paperback book. I was thoroughly engrossed in the story when a face appeared at the top of the bus steps. "Excuse me, but have you seen our illustrious director?" I looked up from my book blinking and trying to re-focus my eyes and saw the face and shoulders of a young dark complexioned man. I have to admit that at the time I did not recognise him as the star of the feature we were working on. I gave a shrug and looked around the bus's interior as if to say, here?? Alfred then laughingly said "Oh silly me, whatever was I thinking. Well thanks anyway. Oh and if you happen to see him can you tell him I'm looking for him? Thanks!"
It was only after he left and one of the other supporting artists asked me what Alfred Molina wanted that I realised who I had been conversing with.
It was on this set that I also got to meet the marvellous Kenneth Cranham. I used to watch him on the telly in the long running Shine on Harvey Moon. He also just recently appeared with good effect in Hot Fuzz. He had a witty outlook on seemingly everything and everybody that day and I was in stitches. That was also the day where I found myself frozen silent when I found myself standing right next to the intimidating form of Brian Blessed.
I was watching them film Alfred and Kenneth in a crowd scene. I had just finished "playing" with a portable camera, a very heavy looking piece of equipment with what looked liked one half of a giant Q-tip attached front and back of the camera. I glanced at the chap who was operating it and said, "Rather you than me, mate." He laughed and told me that despite being a bit on the heavy side, it was very non-taxing to operate. He offered to let me "have a go" and I did. He was right. It was so incredibly well balanced you did not notice the weight at all. It was after this that I had a scene with my "wife" strolling and looking in store front windows. We finished our bit, she disappeared and I stood to watch the rest of the film being made while waiting for my next bit.
I glanced out of the corner of my eye a bearded longer haired man standing next to me. I was pushed a bit closer to him and I suddenly realised that this bearded spectacle was none other than Brian Blessed. He of the magnificent voice and bigger than life personality. I instantly became a quivering school aged fan-boy. I looked into his face and started to say all the idiotic fan boy things that sprang immediately into my mind. He turned and looked right into my eyes with a fierce gaze that withered my unspoken words before they had even managed to leave my throat. I wrenched my head forward and didn't even acknowledge his presence, for fear that I would fall under that fierce look again. I have heard from other folks that Mr Blessed is quite a nice chap. I guess that fierce gaze is how he looks at everything.
Writing this has helped me remember some other great folks I've met, auditioned for, and briefly worked for. I'll have to write them down before I forget them again. So I guess I will be name dropping for a little while yet.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Actors
When I was a boy I had a list of actors about as long as my arm that I wanted to meet. There was also a shorter list of actors I actually would have done anything to work with. I have had a long love affair with Theatre, Film and to a slightly lesser degree television. Ever since I came to the momentous conclusion that I wanted to be an actor, I have been in awe and enamoured of any actor whose performances move me.
Top of the list of "meet-a-bles" was The Duke. John Wayne was, to me anyway, the master of reacting. He also had a knack (one that was enhanced by his "script doctor") of speaking in very natural tones, but with that Duke cadence that will be forever remembered. Dean Martin ran a close second. Again, mainly because of the almost lackadaisical way he had of delivering his dialogue. I am talking about his better films here. His method of delivery was so natural, it was as though he had not memorised dialogue, but made it up as he went along.
Richard Burton, with that beautiful voice, enthralled me literally from the first second I heard him speak. I wanted more than anything to see him in Camelot. When I think of actors his name is always first on the list, closely followed by Lawrence Olivier, Richard Harris, Sean Connery and Michael Caine. All actors I so intensely admired and would have given anything to have worked with.
There was only one actress that fell into both categories and that was Elizabeth Taylor. I was reminded of that when I read 'em's talkery' today - http://emtalkery.blogspot.co.uk . My high school drama teacher had worked with Ms Taylor and always swore that they were the same age until suddenly Ms Taylor started getting younger each year. I don't know about that, but I do know that Pat Collier still thought very highly of Ms Taylor and would sing her praises monthly.
I actually saw Sean Connery in a Holiday Inn restaurant/bar in Alamogordo New Mexico in 1981. He walked within a foot of my and a friends table. Even out of make-up and sans toupee he commanded the room. I was so shocked by his appearance in this out of the way place, that I was practically speechless. I found out later that he was making a film with Katherine Ross and Robert Conrad at the White Sands National Park.
Of course most of the actors I wanted to meet are all gone. They are treading the boards on some other plain of existence or they have "semi" retired. Of course I never really got into the business enough to insure I met anyone. I have met and auditioned for Jonathan Demme. The year was 1976 and the film was Fighting Mad with Peter Fonda. I got the part, after a very patient Jonathan kept making me re-read it. He kept reminding me that I wasn't on a stage so I had to tone down my performance. I left thinking I had blown it. It was a good part too. I was going to be saved by Peter Fonda's character at the beginning of the film. I got the phone call two weeks later and went in to sign the contract with my dad. Alas, I never got to work on that film. Due to money problems, the company (Palo Alto Productions) started cutting costs where they could and got a young stuntman to do my scene - presumably cheaper than if I had done it. I found this out from a friend of mine who was a Gopher on the film.
I have since worked on small things here and there. Life, love and the support of first one family and then another sort of side tracked me from my "artistic pursuit." I am slowly and hesitantly backing into my first love. Writing. Before I had decided in my youth to tread the boards, being a writer was my big dream. Maybe one day, if I actually get my ageing butt in gear and start looking for it, I will get work acting again. But until that time, I'll write my blogs and try to stretch my writing muscles for some real writing.
Top of the list of "meet-a-bles" was The Duke. John Wayne was, to me anyway, the master of reacting. He also had a knack (one that was enhanced by his "script doctor") of speaking in very natural tones, but with that Duke cadence that will be forever remembered. Dean Martin ran a close second. Again, mainly because of the almost lackadaisical way he had of delivering his dialogue. I am talking about his better films here. His method of delivery was so natural, it was as though he had not memorised dialogue, but made it up as he went along.
Richard Burton, with that beautiful voice, enthralled me literally from the first second I heard him speak. I wanted more than anything to see him in Camelot. When I think of actors his name is always first on the list, closely followed by Lawrence Olivier, Richard Harris, Sean Connery and Michael Caine. All actors I so intensely admired and would have given anything to have worked with.
There was only one actress that fell into both categories and that was Elizabeth Taylor. I was reminded of that when I read 'em's talkery' today - http://emtalkery.blogspot.co.uk . My high school drama teacher had worked with Ms Taylor and always swore that they were the same age until suddenly Ms Taylor started getting younger each year. I don't know about that, but I do know that Pat Collier still thought very highly of Ms Taylor and would sing her praises monthly.
I actually saw Sean Connery in a Holiday Inn restaurant/bar in Alamogordo New Mexico in 1981. He walked within a foot of my and a friends table. Even out of make-up and sans toupee he commanded the room. I was so shocked by his appearance in this out of the way place, that I was practically speechless. I found out later that he was making a film with Katherine Ross and Robert Conrad at the White Sands National Park.
Of course most of the actors I wanted to meet are all gone. They are treading the boards on some other plain of existence or they have "semi" retired. Of course I never really got into the business enough to insure I met anyone. I have met and auditioned for Jonathan Demme. The year was 1976 and the film was Fighting Mad with Peter Fonda. I got the part, after a very patient Jonathan kept making me re-read it. He kept reminding me that I wasn't on a stage so I had to tone down my performance. I left thinking I had blown it. It was a good part too. I was going to be saved by Peter Fonda's character at the beginning of the film. I got the phone call two weeks later and went in to sign the contract with my dad. Alas, I never got to work on that film. Due to money problems, the company (Palo Alto Productions) started cutting costs where they could and got a young stuntman to do my scene - presumably cheaper than if I had done it. I found this out from a friend of mine who was a Gopher on the film.
I have since worked on small things here and there. Life, love and the support of first one family and then another sort of side tracked me from my "artistic pursuit." I am slowly and hesitantly backing into my first love. Writing. Before I had decided in my youth to tread the boards, being a writer was my big dream. Maybe one day, if I actually get my ageing butt in gear and start looking for it, I will get work acting again. But until that time, I'll write my blogs and try to stretch my writing muscles for some real writing.
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