Wanna get rave reviews? Play a retard!!
06-01-03, 10:24 PM
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Wanna get rave reviews? Play a retard!!
First of all I don't want to bash on mentally challenged people.
But if you want recognition as an actor you gotta play one!!
-Dustin Hoffman in "Rain Man"
-Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump"
-Billy Bob Thornton in "Sling Blade"
-Sean Penn in "I am Sam"
Did I forget anyone?
And please guys, don't mention Rob Schneider or Sly Stallone coz I don't want a retard flame war
But if you want recognition as an actor you gotta play one!!
-Dustin Hoffman in "Rain Man"
-Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump"
-Billy Bob Thornton in "Sling Blade"
-Sean Penn in "I am Sam"
Did I forget anyone?
And please guys, don't mention Rob Schneider or Sly Stallone coz I don't want a retard flame war
06-01-03, 10:42 PM
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There was an article I read several years ago (possibly written by William Goldman?) that claimed, "Playing a retard is easy!" Author went on to declare that Tom Cruise, not Hoffman, should have won the Oscar for Rain Man.
So, which is worse? The fact that playing a "retard" is the surest way for an actor to get recognition, or the fact that playing a hooker is the method of choice when an actress wants to do the same?
So, which is worse? The fact that playing a "retard" is the surest way for an actor to get recognition, or the fact that playing a hooker is the method of choice when an actress wants to do the same?
06-01-03, 10:52 PM
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Originally posted by inVectiVe
There was an article I read several years ago (possibly written by William Goldman?) that claimed, "Playing a retard is easy!" Author went on to declare that Tom Cruise, not Hoffman, should have won the Oscar for Rain Man.
There was an article I read several years ago (possibly written by William Goldman?) that claimed, "Playing a retard is easy!" Author went on to declare that Tom Cruise, not Hoffman, should have won the Oscar for Rain Man.
What I find so disturbing is that the acting jobs done by some of those mentioned were horrible. Dustin Hoffman's portrayal of an autistic was the worst I have seen yet he won an oscar for it
. In that film I did not think I was watching an autistic person for one second. It looked exactly like what it was - Dustin Hoffman trying to act autistic (and badly). I could go on and on about his portrayal but no matter. He has the statue...
06-01-03, 10:53 PM
#8
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The Other Sister has some excellent acting by Juliette Lewis and Giovanni Ribisi as mentally-handicapped people. It is also one of the most unintentionally funny movies I have ever seen. This should be in the comedy section, not the drama section.
06-01-03, 11:11 PM
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Hmmmmmm....I thought Hoffman was excellent in Rain Man. Then again, I have pretty much zero concept of what an autistic person really acts like, so I'm in no position to judge whether he was "believable" [sp?].
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06-02-03, 09:45 AM
#22
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Of course, this could actually fall under the topic of "disabled person shining in the face of adversity" and then you get the real story: Hollywood's a sucker for people playing cripples and madmen.
Limiting the list to only Best Actor and Actress Oscar Winners:
Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets
Geoffry Rush in Shine
Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump
Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs
Daniel-Day Lewis in My Left Foot
Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man
Kathy Bates in Misery
Marlee Matlin in Children of a Lesser God
etc., etc. So it's not just "retards" -- it could be any portrayal of anyone with a disability, whether it's being crippled and in a wheelchair (Gary Sinese, Tom Cruise), or dealing with Alzheimers (Judi Dench, John Houseman) or just insanity (Russell Crowe, Angelina Jolie).
Limiting the list to only Best Actor and Actress Oscar Winners:
Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets
Geoffry Rush in Shine
Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump
Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs
Daniel-Day Lewis in My Left Foot
Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man
Kathy Bates in Misery
Marlee Matlin in Children of a Lesser God
etc., etc. So it's not just "retards" -- it could be any portrayal of anyone with a disability, whether it's being crippled and in a wheelchair (Gary Sinese, Tom Cruise), or dealing with Alzheimers (Judi Dench, John Houseman) or just insanity (Russell Crowe, Angelina Jolie).
06-02-03, 10:27 AM
#23
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You forgot the worse portral of all, Miko Hughs as Simon Lynch in Mercury Rising.
06-02-03, 05:58 PM
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Originally posted by inVectiVe
Hmmmmmm....I thought Hoffman was excellent in Rain Man. Then again, I have pretty much zero concept of what an autistic person really acts like, so I'm in no position to judge whether he was "believable" [sp?]
Hmmmmmm....I thought Hoffman was excellent in Rain Man. Then again, I have pretty much zero concept of what an autistic person really acts like, so I'm in no position to judge whether he was "believable" [sp?]
My main problem is that it seemed so unnatural and very apparent that he was acting (to me at least). In a good performance even by a well known actor, I am so lost in the character that I totally forget about the actor. In Rain Man, it just looked like Dustin Hoffman acting very weird (again MHO). I think Penn did a better job in I Am Sam. In Rain Man, Tom Cruise was excellent and I agree that he deserved the Oscar.