| Subject: Re: Another new Blackbeard |
Author:
Susan
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Date Posted: 02:56:28 06/29/06 Thu
In reply to:
Susan
's message, "Another new Blackbeard" on 23:15:17 06/04/06 Sun
Whew, glad to hear I went too *easy* on something for a change! I could have been a bit harsher on the NG Blackbeard, but it was so boring I barely remember it, in spite of the great sets and costumes, and they even seemed to have gotten his look right, judging from all the illustrations we have. Still, it seemed to me like the actors were all on quaaludes or something; I think it actually put me to sleep a few times; I found it real hard to pay attention to! But it least it was only two hours. It did strike me as a feature-length version of one of those "dramatizations" or re-enactments they always include in modern documentaries. The persistent narration just added to the feeling. ("Inert." That's a perfect description.)
And, yeah, again, I was trying to be nice (oh no, now you got me started!), but I agree with you about the Macfadyen portrayal. (As I mentioned above, I really don't think it was the actor's fault, judging by what I saw him do in Spartacus; he really could have given his Blackbeard a fearsome presence along with some sympathetic traits.)
Physique-wise he definitely seemed miscast, although there are certainly things they could have done about that! For example, in terms of costuming, the breastplate he wore in Spartacus was more slimming and made him look commanding. Also, not casting a 6'2" romantic lead to play opposite the 5'10" star (he actually looked shorter than that, but that's what his IMDb profile says) would have helped a bit too. (Or, if not, they could have used the Monty Python's "Scott of the Antarctic" technique of having the other actors stand on a box while he acts in a trench ... oops, I mean ...) Alas, the script and directing seem to have restricted him to playing a two-dimensional hooligan, so Bryan Brown might not have been able to rise very far above the material either. Though he would be a good choice to play a pirate in a better production! (I haven't seen him in a movie in a long time, but I remember he was great in FX.)
And yeah, what was with that "muscle shirt" thing he was wearing? Although I was grateful at that point that he'd at least covered up that giant beer gut he was inexplicably parading around! (That's what made me wonder if he'd gained weight just for the role.)
Arr, POTC 2 ho! (I'm going to miss Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa though. He was awrrsome in the first movie!)
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