Real "Manly Man"/Poor Actor syndrome in 70s/80s fantasy films?
03-28-08, 10:23 AM
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Real "Manly Man"/Poor Actor syndrome in 70s/80s fantasy films?
I'm trying to figure out why "manly man" (say that in a Borat voice) poor actors were consistently cast in the lead roles of the fantasy/sword & sorcery-type films of the 70s/80s? Were there no "pretty boy" good actors in Hollywood this time? Or maybe all the good ones would never do such a type of film (such as Redford, Newman, Eastwood). I'm assuming also that there just weren't any buff actors that were good actors as well? Such as the case today, these types of movies could have decent actors in the roles and be buff like Conan, such as Will Smith or Matt Damon. At the time, I'm assuming movie producers thought that these types of men were the stereotype of female fantasy, but I actually think that these types of men were cast due to men's idea of female fantasy.
Nowadays, I can't imagine anyone wanting to watch an ogre in the lead role (except for Stallone or Arnold) in an action movie - not that it's gay, but guys do want to see Will Smith, Keanu, Mark Mark, Matt Damon, Jamie Foxx, The Rock in action movies because they are pretty boys with buff bods and they are good actors.
Jeff Cooper as the leading man in CIRCLE OF IRON:
Sam J. Jones as the leading man in FLASH GORDON:
Nowadays, I can't imagine anyone wanting to watch an ogre in the lead role (except for Stallone or Arnold) in an action movie - not that it's gay, but guys do want to see Will Smith, Keanu, Mark Mark, Matt Damon, Jamie Foxx, The Rock in action movies because they are pretty boys with buff bods and they are good actors.
Jeff Cooper as the leading man in CIRCLE OF IRON:
Sam J. Jones as the leading man in FLASH GORDON:
03-28-08, 10:57 AM
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Originally Posted by toddly6666
Nowadays, I can't imagine anyone wanting to watch an ogre in the lead role (except for Stallone or Arnold) in an action movie - not that it's gay, but guys do want to see Will Smith, Keanu, Mark Mark, Matt Damon, Jamie Foxx, The Rock in action movies because they are pretty boys with buff bods and they are good actors.
03-28-08, 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted by toddly6666
but guys do want to see Will Smith, Keanu, Mark Mark, Matt Damon, Jamie Foxx, The Rock in action movies because they are pretty boys with buff bods and they are good actors.
*edit* Well, I do think Matt Damon is pretty good, as is Jamie Foxx, but I'm not a very big fan of most of the movies Foxx is in.
03-28-08, 02:04 PM
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Originally Posted by toddly6666
pretty boys with buff bods and they are good actors.
03-28-08, 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted by wm lopez
What about BEAST MASTER?
But admit it...you were checkin out John Amos' manliness in that black outfit. You wanted his butzeckz!
03-28-08, 08:22 PM
#10
Originally Posted by KillerCannibal
You just contradicted your thread title. I want to see men in my manly man films, not pretty boys. I don't care how ripped they are. Arnold, Stallone, Charles Bronson, Chuck Norris, Lee Marvin. Those guys are men. They don't need to look pretty because they kick fucking ass.
Could not have said it better.
I was trying to think of someone else maybe Eastwood as well, but you summed it up great! I am so glad you mentioned Bronson he is my favorite actor of all time.
03-28-08, 09:36 PM
#11
I was never really a fan of the "manly man"
Cary Grant is my all time favorite actor. I like it better that those big buff brainless dudes aren't starring in all the action films. I like seeing people like Matt Damon or Will Smith (though Will Smith is pretty ripped) starring in films. I really like Christian Bale, Edward Bana, Daniel Craig, Brad Pitt and Colin Farrell. They aren't supermen but they can still pass as alpha males.
Cary Grant is my all time favorite actor. I like it better that those big buff brainless dudes aren't starring in all the action films. I like seeing people like Matt Damon or Will Smith (though Will Smith is pretty ripped) starring in films. I really like Christian Bale, Edward Bana, Daniel Craig, Brad Pitt and Colin Farrell. They aren't supermen but they can still pass as alpha males.
03-29-08, 12:02 AM
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Originally Posted by PopcornTreeCt
Cary Grant is my all time favorite actor. I like it better that those big buff brainless dudes aren't starring in all the action films. I like seeing people like Matt Damon or Will Smith (though Will Smith is pretty ripped) starring in films. I really like Christian Bale, Edward Bana, Daniel Craig, Brad Pitt and Colin Farrell. They aren't supermen but they can still pass as alpha males.
03-29-08, 01:39 AM
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not the gayest thread...this is the most "confident in one's own straight sexuality" thread in which one can even mentioning wanting to see pretty boys with buff bods. 
KillerCannibal, I was mainly trying to focus on the actors in the lead roles of fantasy flicks, not just any action flick. I think Tom Cruise might have been the first pretty boy lead when Legend came out.
KillerCannibal, I was mainly trying to focus on the actors in the lead roles of fantasy flicks, not just any action flick. I think Tom Cruise might have been the first pretty boy lead when Legend came out.
03-29-08, 02:19 AM
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E HONDA, it's too bad that BARBARIANS DVD is Full Screen, that flick looks like it needs a widescreened special edition - it looks familiar, maybe playing on tv late at night, but i'd see it.
This thread could actually break off into another controversial topic. That's why I'm looking forward to the Sasha Baron Cohen movie BRUNO, who's gonna be dealing with this topic on his adventures making straight American men feel awkward/embarrased about their sexuality.
Calling this thread gay is the equivalent of saying "I only watch lesbian porn, not boy-girl porn, because it's gay to see dick."
This thread could actually break off into another controversial topic.
That's why I'm looking forward to the Sasha Baron Cohen movie BRUNO, who's gonna be dealing with this topic on his adventures making straight American men feel awkward/embarrased about their sexuality.Calling this thread gay is the equivalent of saying "I only watch lesbian porn, not boy-girl porn, because it's gay to see dick."
Last edited by toddly6666; 03-29-08 at 02:22 AM.
03-29-08, 02:31 AM
#19
lol. but I think most guys who watch porn pretend to be the dude. just like I subconsciously pretend I'm the guy who kicks ass in the action movie. it doesn't really matter to me if the guy is good looking or not, just that I buy the performance. I have nothing against saying so-and-so is good looking or whatever, but to expect them in my movies, eh, that's something else.
03-30-08, 09:56 PM
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Originally Posted by mndtrp
Jeez, how much more manly in a 70s fantasy film can you get?
Still, I think the answer to horrible manly men in horrible sci-fi/fantasy movies is clearly Reb Brown as Yor: The Hunter from the Future.
P.S.: I've only seen one Barbarian Brothers movie, D.C. Cab (and it's an ensemble cast), but that movie looks all sorts of horrific.
