In Reply to: Right, but you forgot another of my favorite wooden dolls - Harrison Ford posted by Victor Khomenko on December 6, 2003 at 06:57:12:
Victor,Quite right- an actor that uses a 6' plank of mahogany as a lighting stand-in on the set. For Cruise it is a plank of pine and Costner 4' X 4' of birch veneered plywood.
Ford does have an incredibly small range, but I did think his brand of incredulous blankness and flat affect worked well for the original "Raiders of the Lost Ark"- that kind of cartoon stoicism in the face of anything. How DID he get onto the German submarine?
Regarding "Regarding Henry", I thought the whole premise fell apart as I couldn't tell the brain damaged Ford from the regular one- he was just more tentative about ordering breakfast- temporarily. We know before the movie starts he will triumph over the odds. I would've enjoyed a little twist on this very American theme by having the final scene be Ford coming home to his beautiful wife at their Park Avenue apartment from his job as the beloved janitor of an elementary school.
"Witness". this is so well thought of, but as a kind of reverse Beverly Hillbillies of the sophisicated fellow thrown into a foreign culture. Perhaps his expressions do suit a "fish out of water" story..
"Patriot Games" I just don't care for the typical Tom Clancy-like story and predictable style of ending- 30 minutes confrontation between protagnonist and antagonist in a defined space with temporary apparent victory of the villain.
"The Fugitive" may be the best thing he did, but it was Tommy Lee Jones that gave the film it's crackle.
Ford recently made insighful, thought-provoking comments on his deep love and serious knowedge of the acting craft, "I'd rather be a pilot, but I have this wasy to make a lot of money."
Do you remember the constantly wide-eyed wry villager "Yohei" in "Seven Samurai"? A sympathetic kind of character.
But wry blankness doesn't always work- seeing how Angelina Jolie was converted to a mindless robot in "Tomb Raider"- no humour, really no personality of any kind. All that could be done was to film the entire movie at breast level***, and it is disturbing how very effectively this de-sexed her.
Cheers,
Bam
*** And they never moved!- I checked..
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Follow Ups
- Re: Right, but you forgot another of my favorite wooden dolls - Harrison Ford - Bambi B 08:15:01 12/06/03 (8)
- Re: Right, but you forgot another of my favorite wooden dolls - Harrison Ford - Dmitry 22:05:49 12/06/03 (1)
- Re: Right, but you forgot another of my favorite wooden dolls - Harrison Ford - Bambi B 23:06:34 12/06/03 (0)
- Re: Right, but you forgot another of my favorite wooden dolls - Harrison Ford - patrickU 09:01:13 12/06/03 (5)
- Where Ford is not strong irritant - Victor Khomenko 09:33:15 12/06/03 (2)
- Ford is not that bad in "Frantic"... - vocalion 12:55:47 12/06/03 (0)
- Re: Yes but this film was even MORE boring than......nt - patrickU 10:12:01 12/06/03 (0)
- Henry: "Witness to the Blade", a Fugitive Patriot- Raider's Game - Bambi B 09:25:45 12/06/03 (1)
- Re: Henry: "Witness to the Blade", a Fugitive Patriot- Raider's Game - patrickU 10:22:02 12/06/03 (0)