Do Our A-list Actor's Measure Up ?

It seems that some people, and I include myself, , look at what we term our so called A-list Actors that are on the Movie screens today, and compare them with those, who are no longer alive.
 I know that this is wrong, as in the early years, studios were limited in what they could show, with the Hayes Commission restricting  content, as far as Language, Violence and Nudity. So firstly writers were restricted on the scripts content, and the Actors by their talent, there was nothing in the way of Special effects, and CGI, was a long way off being invented.
  I think about the actors that I admired from that era, the likes of James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall & Bette Davis, amongst others. Despite the regulations, they succeeded in pushing their acting skills to the threshold of eternal brilliance.

  Today's Actors have a greater range of subject matter to use as the censorship laws compared to the years up to the 60's, have been released, some would say by too much. The directors such as the late Ken Russell and Stanley Kubrick who both in their time helmed controversial movies such as Kubrick's 'A Clockwork Orange', dealt with I think was totally offensive subject matter.

 It is with some pleasure that now the actors I admire such as Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro & Anthony Hopkins although older are achieving high standards regularly, and the mantle I think will be passed on to the likes of George Clooney.

My Favourite Actors: 1. Sir Michael Caine.

Michael Caine was born, Maurice Joseph Micklewhite. on the 14th March 1933. He was the son of Michael Joseph Micklewhite who bestowed his son with his name, his mother was named Ellen Francis Marie Burchall. Both his parents worked, his father worked at the local Fish Market as a Porter and his mother was a Cook and part time Housecleaner.
  Michael was brought up as a Protestant, and lead an uneventful childhood, although it was during the Second World War. In 1952-54, he joined the British Armies Royal Fusilier's to first be stationed in Germany, and then active duty in Korea.
 In 1953 aged 20, he got his first job in amateur theatre, with a small part in Emily Brontes 'Wuthering Height's. It was quite by chance after he was told he would stand a better chance of getting work if he changed his name to something shorter, he saw a poster advertising the 1954 movie "The Caine Mutiny", thus the legend was born.
 
 Over the years, I've watched and enjoyed may of Sir Michael's films, but most of all the 1969, original "The Italian Job", it was during his role as Charlie Croker, that I formed the belief, that I've had since then. That belief being that he made the Cockney accent cool. This was made clearer by his  titular role in the 1966 movie "Alfie" with Shelly Winters. There was a famous  quote from the 'Italian Job' which is pure Caine. The context is that  one of Croker's mates Arthur, is trying to get into a locked car, by using an explosive. Using way too much, he succeeds in blowing the car up, causing Croker to remark, " You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off".
  Caine won 2 Supporting Actor Oscars, the first for his role as Elliot in the 1987 movie, 'Hannah and her Sister's. The second was playing Wilbur Larch in 'The Cider House Rules'.
  Fast forward to 2005, when Caine plays Alfred, Bruce Wayne's (Batman) Butler. He repeated the role in 2007's 'The Dark Knight', then in 2012 ' The Dark Knight Rises'.
  It will be a sad day when he retires, the history of Movies owes him so much.

My Favourite Movies: 4. Alien

The advertisement for this Movie warned "In space no one can hear you scream", set the scene for this truly scary Science fiction movie.
  This movie directed by Sir Ridley Scott, was released in N.Z in 1980, and it was the first time I saw a Science fiction drama I really enjoyed, as I was up until then, not a fan of that genre.
  The movie deals with the crew of the Spaceship 'Nostromo',sent to find the origins of a call from an as yet undiscovered planet.
 On board the ship, were Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, as dominant a character, as any in recent movie history. John Hurt( Elephant Man )and other notable actors.
 Upon landing on the planet they find egg shaped objects, and they take one on board the ship, only to find they have unleashed havoc when it transforms into a hideous alien life form, with the ability to latch on to its unsuspecting human target. As people start being disposed of, panic erupts.
 Swiss set designer H.R. Giger created all of the alien forms and figures, including the infamous 'facehugger', that literally fed on humans and overtook their bodies.
  This movie would rate along side 'The Exorcist, as the most scary movie I've seen.

My Favourite Movies: 3. Pulp Fiction

The early 90's was a boom time for great movies, and Quentin Tarantino's  ' Pulp Fiction, was no exception.
 From the moment that Amanda Plummer & Tim Roth, robbed a Diner, and we hear the raunchy guitar riffs of Dick Dale's 'Miserlou, we know only too well, we're in for a great ride.
  With a Tarantino movie, the unexpected usually happens, so that keeps you on the edge of your seat, whilst you concentrating on not choking on your Popcorn.
  The cast which is made up of some of the best actors of that era, from Brit Tim Roth, who is usually a villain is well cast as Ringo, along with his partner Yolanda (Amanda Plummer), who pull of the Diner heist.
  John Travolta in one of his finest performances to date, plays Vincent Vega, is seen with his partner in crime Jules ( Samuel L. Jackson ), and they have some memorable discussions on topics such as McDonald's, when they're not killing someone.
  One thing that is typical of all of Tarantino's movies, is the fantastic Soundtracks, usually compiled from his own collection. The music selections are a gift to the movie, as they fit like a glove to whatever scene there in. My favourite song is a remake of  Neil Diamond's 'Girl You'll Be A Women Soon' by Urge Overkill, This to me is the best remake of any modern classic.
 My favourite scene in the movie is when Vincent and his girl Mia Wallace ( Uma Thurman ),  compete in  Twist contest, held in the local Nightclub 'Jackrabbit Slims ', the host looks and sounds like Ed Sullivan. The song they dance to is Chuck Berry's 'You Never Can Tell.' I also liked Jackson's Fire & Brimstone rendition of Ezekiel  25 verse 17, it would send chills through a heathen.

Favourite Movies: 2. Speed

This was the movie that accentuated to me, what Action movies were all about. Filmed in 1994, and directed by Jan De Bont, who is usually a Director Of Photography or DOP, in most of the movies he was involved in.
  The movie starred, Keanu Reeves, who is probably the only A list actor in the US, was born in Lebanon. He plays Officer Jack Traven, who has to deal with a deranged terrorist, Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) , who frustrated by the failure of his earlier attempts at mayhem, plants a bomb, on a School bus, and rigs it in such a manner, that if the bus goes below 50mph, it will detonate. Now the usual driver of that particular bus, is Anne Porter (Sandra Bullock), who through the years she has more then earned her place in movie history particularly in recent times with movies such as 'Blindside' and the superb Sci-fi  movie 'Gravity' with George Clooney. With her role in 'Speed', she is called upon to be  courageous, and drive the bus, whilst chaos surrounds her.
  Amongst the many action sequences, is when Jack, drives his car as if his life depends on it....and it does.
  This to me is one of the late Dennis Hopper's greatest roles. all menacing and maniacal.

My 10 Favourite Movies : 1. Forrest Gump

In my more recent years watching Movies, I began to rate my most favourite films up to or should I say down to my least favourite. Top spot goes to Forrest Gump, for It's time one of the cleverest films of all time.
  Now as I've said in a previous post, I said that Tom Hank's is my favourite actor, and in this movie, delivers an Oscar worthy role from start to finish. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, with an amazing cast including Robyn Wright, and Gary Sinise, an actor who I had never seen before, were all part of movie history that seemed to span a generation or more. Starting with Forrest as a small boy, whose Mother ran a Boarding house, there was just the two of them. Forrest was a special boy, who had Physical difficulties, which he miraculously recovered from, to join the US Army in Vietnam, and receive a Medal, for bravery,  which is presented to him by President Johnson.
  We see Forrest, playing Table Tennis, a sport which he possessed an uncanny ability. During these amazing events, he meets a young lady, Jenny, who he becomes more then friendly with. In his lack of understanding, he doesn't realise she is sick, as it turns out she has acquired AIDS.
   Through the time span of this movie, we have a splendid Soundtrack that  parallels the era, and this helps to make this movie  a Masterpiece for all times.

'Monument's Men.......a review.

During the final years of World War 2, the Allied forces, were encircling Berlin, and getting prepared for the endgame. U.S President Rooseveldt,  set up a group of men all in the Military, but in their previous occupations Museum Curators, Art History lecturers & Antique dealers, were assembled to travel to Europe, and in particular Germany to retrieve stolen works of art by some of the greatest Artists and Sculptors known to man.

  This amazing story was portrayed in a book called 'Monument's Men by Robert M. Edsel, and in 2014, made into a movie, Directed by and starring George Clooney. In the film, he plays Frank Stokes, who is to take command of this multinational unit. This movie had an amazing cast including Matt Damon, John Goodman and the brilliant Cate Blanchett, whom I consider the best Actress along side Meryl Streep. A surprise inclusion was Hugh Bonneville, in a sabbatical from playing Lord Grantham in TV's 'Downton Abbey. His character, Donald Jeffries, main mission it seemed was to find  a sculpture known as the ' Bruge Madonna & Child by Michaelangelo, which was and now is found in the 'Church Of Our Lady' in Bruge, Belgium. Donald had an almost emotional attachment to the Sculpture, and he was going to retrieve it no matter what. The movie progressed at a steady pace, and the caricatures of the Germans was amusing, either hideous and maniacal or grotesquely obese as in Hermann Goering, who was attempting to create the single largest private art collection in history.
  These group of Men should forever be commended for their work, as for the generations since the end of the war, people have been able to view most of the works that could very well have been lost.