[lbo-talk] Why the best actors are British

joanna 123hop at comcast.net
Fri Feb 23 09:37:23 PST 2007


Chuck Grimes wrote:


>Well, let's not forget the English, Walsh, Irish, and Russians (and the
>French, Germans, and Italians) have better writers, so when you look
>meaningfully out the window at the fog, the rain or the snow and start
>talking, it sounds better.
>
Yeah, it's too bad American actors are taking the rap. I've spent the last month watching The Wire and I can't see too much wrong with that acting. Of course, that show does have good writers.

And then of course there was Marlon Brando in Julius Caesar who made all the surrounding Brits look like sclerotic wind bags.

But, mostly, the guy had a point:

Theatrical training means you learn how to do the WHOLE job through body and voice and projection, and don't rely on everything being created in the cutting room.

Writing means the actor has something to work with and that something has meaning.

He left out directing. Most of the American directors of the last generation were either one-trick ponies (Tarrantino) or formula-driven (Scorsese, Spielberg).

Directors matter too.

Joanna



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