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Best British Actor or Actress?

Kaka Tim said:
Larry, Hopkins and Ian Makellen are all classic britsh theatrical hams. Lots of technique, beautiful declamation - no soul.

And watch wuthering hieghts - Olivier is just so shit as heathcliff. Too posh - too actorly.
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sentence one is bollocks, but sentence two quite right.

that is the problem with much of Larrys supposedly 'greatest' works - his Shakesperian stuff is just pretty shit these days, too much attention to getting the pentameter right, but all but ignoring the meaning (okay, thats a tad harsh, but only a tad). He is, however great in 49th Parallel, This happy Breed, Spartacus, Sleuth, Nicholas & Alexander, and just fucking brilliant in The Entertainer.

You are, sir, quite wrong. Well, except for the bits where you are right.
 
Ewen Bremner Is pretty up there. They wanted him to play Renton in Trainspotting but the producers opted for McGregor. He's great in Naked too and Julian donkey boy.

(I think it's him in that...)
 
goldenecitrone said:
Richard Burton, Alec Guinness and John Hurt
Maggie Smith and Judi Dench. Oh, and Julie Christie. :)
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At last, someone mentions the great and legendary Richard Burton.

Have you seen the film version of '1984?' It's got Burton in his last film role before he died and John Hurt as well. Although it's a lot more enjoyable (and easily understood) if you've read the book as well.
 
Bakunin said:
At last, someone mentions the great and legendary Richard Burton.

Have you seen the film version of '1984?' It's got Burton in his last film role before he died and John Hurt as well. Although it's a lot more enjoyable (and easily understood) if you've read the book as well.
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Yes, I have. What about 'Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?' Another great role for The Voice.
 
belboid said:
that is the problem with much of Larrys supposedly 'greatest' works - his Shakesperian stuff is just pretty shit these days, too much attention to getting the pentameter right, but all but ignoring the meaning (okay, thats a tad harsh, but only a tad). He is, however great in 49th Parallel, This happy Breed, Spartacus, Sleuth, Nicholas & Alexander, and just fucking brilliant in The Entertainer.
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I do think he's one of the least conflicted Hamlets I've ever seen. The only film of his that I love is The Prince and the Showgirl.
 
Bakunin said:
At last, someone mentions the great and legendary Richard Burton.

Have you seen the film version of '1984?' It's got Burton in his last film role before he died and John Hurt as well. Although it's a lot more enjoyable (and easily understood) if you've read the book as well.
Click to expand...

How could I forget Richard Burton :( He could duel with Alan Rickman and I wouldn't be able to predict the result (except that RB's dead which is a fekkin major loss)
 
Bakunin said:
At last, someone mentions the great and legendary Richard Burton.

Have you seen the film version of '1984?' It's got Burton in his last film role before he died and John Hurt as well. Although it's a lot more enjoyable (and easily understood) if you've read the book as well.
Click to expand...

I didn't think that book would be possible to do justice in a film adaptation, but they managed, and it was partly because of those two actors. Must have been pretty intense on set.
 
Paddy Considine (superb in Dead Man's Shoes), Christopher Eccleston (brilliant in that new messiah thing... the Second Coming?), Ewan McGregor (terrific in Trainspotting), Sir Ian McKellan (very versatile). I also think John Simm and James McAvoy are quite promising so far. Whatever happened to Jamie Bell who was so good as the ballet dancing boy?

Samantha Morton, Helen Mirren, Emily Watson, Kate Winslet.
 
AnnO'Neemus said:
Paddy Considine (superb in Dead Man's Shoes), Christopher Eccleston (brilliant in that new messiah thing... the Second Coming?), Ewan McGregor (terrific in Trainspotting), Sir Ian McKellan (very versatile). I also think John Simm and James McAvoy are quite promising so far. Whatever happened to Jamie Bell who was so good as the ballet dancing boy?

Samantha Morton, Helen Mirren, Emily Watson, Kate Winslet.
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Good suggestions, even including some young ones! Though I've only ever heard of Paddy Considine on here.
 
belboid said:
sentence one is bollocks, but sentence two quite right.

that is the problem with much of Larrys supposedly 'greatest' works - his Shakesperian stuff is just pretty shit these days, too much attention to getting the pentameter right, but all but ignoring the meaning (okay, thats a tad harsh, but only a tad). He is, however great in 49th Parallel, This happy Breed, Spartacus, Sleuth, Nicholas & Alexander, and just fucking brilliant in The Entertainer.

You are, sir, quite wrong. Well, except for the bits where you are right.
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Yes he is very good in spartacus. Not seen the entertainer.

LO is a very good actor - but I just get annoyed with his sacred cow status cos I really cant stand his shakespere stuff and far too much of the british acting profession was in thrall to Olivers clipped archery for far too long - especaily in the theatre.

Oliver trivia - Whilst filming 'Marathon Man' dustin hoffman, in true method stlye, went on gruelling runs just prior to filming the relevant scenes. apparently Olivier was somewhat bemused at this and said 'Dear Boy, have you tried acting? Its so much easier'.
 
Kaka Tim said:
He's fine in that - but its nothing special. He's being arch and evil with an RP accent- hardly streching him is it?

Larry, Hopkins and Ian Makellen are all classic britsh theatrical hams. Lots of technique, beautiful declamation - no soul.

And watch wuthering hieghts - Olivier is just so shit as heathcliff. Too posh - too actorly.


Another nomination for favourite actors - Oliver Reed
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Did you see Ian McKellan on stage in "Richard III" - fantastic. One of the few productions where you actually want Richard to lose in the end. He makes him charming, attractive but very, very dangerous.

He was also exceptional in "Uncle Vanya" - made the character achingly impotent.

Plus one of the best Macbeths of recent years - matched by Judi Dench as Lady Macbeth - again he captured the ambition and weakness of the character

He certainly does not lack soul as an actor and neither is he declamatory. He makes the text alive in performance, especially Shakespeare, so that it is accessible to a modern audience while retaining the poetry of the writing. Not an easy feat to do. And, like all the best actors, he makes it seem effortless which is as it should be.
 
scifisam said:
Good suggestions, even including some young ones! Though I've only ever heard of Paddy Considine on here.
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He played a journalist in the most recent Bourne installment, the Bourne Ultimatum.

He was bloody good in Dead Man's Shoes though, really recommend it.

Oh, yeah, he was in Hot Fuzz too, totally didn't realise it was him until afterwards, the character was sooooooooooooo different.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0175916/
 
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