| Author |
Message |
|
| lshap |
 Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:59 pm |
 |
|
Site Admin
Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 4248
Location: Montreal
|
The question isn't who has the best body of work. Not much contest there. Penn's been an A-list talent for decades while Rourke's career has a giant crevice in between Flavour-of-the-week 30 years ago and Comeback Kid last year.
But in a one-time death match between The Milk-Man versus Randy The Ram, I agree with Marc that The Wrestler is one for the ages while Milk will be another really good one in Penn's impressive career.
Of course, very VERY few performances transcend the film they're in. Charlize Theron was unbelievably good in Monster, but the film has gotten lost in history and taken Theron with it. |
|
|
| Back to top |
   
|
| Befade |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:06 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 3784
Location: AZ
|
Why is that? Naomi Watts was dazzling in Mulholland Drive........but not in anything since. Same as Thandie Newton in Besieged......David Thewlis was good in this.......I haven't forgotten him.
What will Mickey's next role be? |
_________________
Lost in my own private I dunno. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| Marc |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:27 pm |
|
|
Joined: 19 May 2004
Posts: 8424
|
| Rumor has it that Sean Penn is going to play Larry in the Three Stooges movie directed by the Farrelly Brothers. Johnny Depp is going to play Moe. I kid you not. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| marantzo |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:27 pm |
|
|
|
Guest
|
Marc wrote: Quote: Who says? Sorry, but you guys would be much more convincing saying you found it more indelible/iconic than pretending the general consensus does/will agree with you. I've heard almost no one mention Rourke's performance outside of this forum. Not at all sure it is more likely to go down in cinema history than Penn's.
Time will will prove me right. You can bet on it Joe.
Penn's performance in MILK is not even among his best. I thought he did better work in AT CLOSE RANGE, BAD BOYS, THE FALCON AND THE SNOWMAN, FAST TIMES, Hurlyburly.
What about Carlito's Way? He was fantastic in that, even better than Bill Weedon. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| marantzo |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:29 pm |
|
|
|
Guest
|
Marc wrote: Rumor has it that Sean Penn is going to play Larry in the Three Stooges movie directed by the Farrelly Brothers. Johnny Depp is going to play Moe. I kid you not.
Wow, now get Downey Jr. for Curly and we've got a classic. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:21 pm |
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
|
I think among Penn's performances, his Harvey Milk is one of the most fulfilled. Penn has a tendency, like Meryl Streep, to do a lot of outer work in the creation of a role while leaving the inner person a blank. His Milk had a genuine inner life, a soul, and that raised his performance over much of his work.
I see no need to compare his performance with Rourke's, nor do I think that one performance has to "vanish" while another goes on to "immortality." My guess is that as long as both films exists, the performances in them will appeal to people interested in good acting. If you want to look at things practically, Milk is probably much more likely to survive because a larger demograpic will want to see his story rather than that of The Wrestler. The only hope The Wrestler has of a long life is if it's taken up by the wrestling community with the same intensity Scarface was taken up by gangstas. But if Milk does survive longer, that won't mean it's better than The Wrestler or that Penn gave a better performance. It will mean the luck of the draw. And if the reverse happens, that will be the luck of the draw, too.
For whatever it matters:
The Wrestler's domestic gross as this point is $24,753,000, foreign gross $10,285,898.
Milk's domestic gross at this point is $31,154,000, foreign gross $11,837,722. |
_________________
You've got a great brain. You should keep it in your head.
-Topher |
|
| Back to top |
|
| Befade |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:23 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 3784
Location: AZ
|
Quote: Wow, now get Downey Jr. for Curly and we've got a classic.
I think you're right if the writing is great..........Could Joaquin Phoenix have a part? |
_________________
Lost in my own private I dunno. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:24 pm |
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
|
| Actually, I happen to agree with most of Joe's last post. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:25 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
|
 |
_________________
You've got a great brain. You should keep it in your head.
-Topher |
|
| Back to top |
|
| marantzo |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:29 pm |
|
|
|
Guest
|
| And It's A Wonderful Life was pretty well ignored when it was current, as were many films that ending up being must viewing down the road. Box office is not a reliable indicator of longevity. I'm not saying that Milk won't be popular down the road, but your comparison of box office means nothing, |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| lshap |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:45 pm |
|
|
|
Site Admin
Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 4248
Location: Montreal
|
| Comparisons of box office always means nothing. As ticket prices rise, so do the odds that each new year will boast "The biggest opening weekend ever!". Measuring films by ever-increasing revenues is about as stupid a statistic as a film boasting, "The most living actors in film history!". |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| lissa |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:04 pm |
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 2148
Location: my computer
|
I think this year, my birthday will be "the most popular birthday date in history."
(It's when they finally release Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) |
_________________
Statistically, 6 out of 7 dwarfs aren't happy. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| Marj |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:08 pm |
|
|
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 10497
Location: Manhattan
|
And I agree with all of you. I think Joe's points were well made until he posted the box office figures.
In fairness to him, however, I'm assuming he did so to say something about the interest of the theater going public in both films. Please correct me if I'm wrong, Joe.
The problem is that either film could or could not achieve longevity on DVD. I believe that Milk has a built in audience and an audience that will do more than rent. They'll buy. I don't know about The Wrestler. Of course I could easily be wrong. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Marj |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:10 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 10497
Location: Manhattan
|
| Oops. Sorry, lissa. Once again her speedy fingers got ahead of me. LOL. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Marc |
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:46 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 19 May 2004
Posts: 8424
|
Quote: The only hope The Wrestler has of a long life is if it's taken up by the wrestling community with the same intensity Scarface was taken up by gangstas.
Joe, comeon. That's like saying TAXI DRIVER 's only hope of a long life is if it's "taken up" by cab driver's, THE MALTESE FALCON by private investigators or THE GODFATHER by members of the Mafia. THE WRESTLER will have a long life as long as there are people who like good movies and great actors. One of my favorite films is PSYCHO and I've never dressed in drag or run a motel.
THE WRESTLER could have as easily been about a washed-up rock star, actor, radio deejay, writer....I doubt THE WRESTLER did well with the wrestling community. Wrestling fans want heroes not lost souls. Those that worship at the altar of the WWA (World Wrestling Association) will not have the patience for a dark brooding film film in which a wrestler grapples with his mortality, drug problem, estranged daughter and love for a stripper. Keep in mind that most wrestling fans are a bunch of narrow minded rednecks with the attention span of a gnat. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
