Some actors you viscerally dislike
Some actors you can take or leave
Some actors you scorn, due to their lack of: talent/sensitivity/imagination
And some you just love.
Whatever they do, whereever they go, you love their mistakes, their embarrassments, their successes. You’re in it for the long haul. I could give seminars on how to be a proper fan, how to keep the love alive even when their star has fallen a bit, and their movies become ridiculous, tedious, terrible.
This feeling goes beyond admiration. It is not intellectual. It’s from the heart.
It can’t be explained rationally.
All of this is to say, I saw some photos from an upcoming film, and felt a burst of excitement.
And also love. Like: Yay, look at him go. I love you, dude! No matter what you do, where you go, I’ll be there. He always – ALWAYS – gives me SOMEthing good – (well, maybe not always – there are a couple of films there … but MOST of the time – and you can’t say that about a lot of actors.)
But like I said: the feelings I have for this actor transcend other concerns, which come into play when I “admire” other actors, as opposed to flat-out love them (i.e. Is the movie about something that interests me? Have I seen this actor do this type of role before? Who is the director?)
With this particular actor, I don’t give a crap.
I love the guy. Whatever he does, I’ll be there. He’s led me down some pretty awful pathways, it’s true, but that’s the thing about being a fan. That’s the thing about love. When you’re in, you’re in.
For me its Robert Downing Jr. Wow what a turnaround for him, right?!
I’ve got so many of these. Stallone is one of them.
Sharon,
Same here. I have so much Robert Downey Jr. love. Honestly, his work in Ally McBeal was out of this world. People scorn it like it was beneath him but wow, he brought me to tears.
Love him.
Everything I see for this movie leaves me with a dumb grin on my face for minutes after.
Well, I feel very, hmmm, narrow minded. Will broaden my horizons starting now.
Tommy – yeah, me too.
My love goes so deep that I count Demolition Man as one of my ultimate guilty pleasures. I can’t go all the way there with him, every time, but I love what he brings to every role. I think his humor is extremely under-rated as well. Watch him in interviews and you see an articulate intelligent and FUNNY person.
I also love his story in general. How it happened for him. An iconic crazy American story. You can’t believe it even went down that way.
Kate – Open that narrow mind. Stallone is a major talent.
I know a couple of different successful screenwriters who consider the Rocky screenplay (his original) one of the best screenplays they’ve ever read. They look at it and think, “THAT is how it’s done.”
It’s a great read – it’s online, free, if you’re interested.
Love everything that man represents.
I haven’t seen Paradise Alley, but I did see Staying Alive. Stallone understood better than some other filmmakers how to film dance. I also recall reading somewhere that he would have preferred to have released a version that virtually jettisoned the narrative.
Side note: Through my mother, who interviewed him, I once had a 45 rpm record autographed by Frank Stallone.
Peter – Oh, yes, you must see Paradise Alley. I think he was working on it long before he wrote Rocky – which I believe he wrote in 3 days. shaking my head in amazement at that one. So it’s really a similar plot to Rocky (no surprise) but it’s about wrestling – and it’s a period piece, takes place in the 20s I think.
The script just shimmers with gems of language – it’s actually almost distracting.
And I like what you said about Staying Alive – that movie is a trainwreck in many ways, but I’d be interested to take a look to see your point. I can’t stand the way modern film-makers approach dance – everything’s a music video, quick cuts, so you can’t even see the damn dancers doing their thing.
And nice about Frank Stallone!!!
STALLLONE!!!!!!!
SLY!!!!!!!!
‘Nuff said. : )