Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by jamesgarvin (A) on October 19, 2007 at 13:51:18

In Reply to: RE: One other crucial element... posted by sjb on October 19, 2007 at 10:42:01

Certainly. How many times have we heard stories of actors whose roles were completely eliminated. Heck, in Hollywoodland, a film Tin has praised, we learn that George Reeves' performance was exercised from From Here to Eternity because a test audience regarded him as something of a joke, being the caped crusader on television, and would not take him seriously in a serious film. So the studio axed his performance.

I think the large issue is what they kept in the film. One can certainly express an opinion whether an actress pulled off the role, but cannot argue that the actress lacked something that was intrinsic in the rile without having read the script, and knowing something about the role itself. Because Swinton may have been "one dimensional" means little unless we have some knowledge that the role called for more "dimension."

Her role was not edited out, and so I think it reasonable to presume that the director, who was also the screenwriter, the producers, and the studio were satisfied with her performance in terms of it being consistent with the script. Therefore, we cannot assume her performance was as a result of her skills, interpretations, or that of the director.

I like to avoid casting negative aspersions on someone's work without knowing the necessary facts. Others have no such problems.