Philip Seymour Hoffman dies

[AZOffaly]

I actually have no clue who this lad is. I'm obviously film illiterate.

[Main Street]

I actually have no clue who this lad is. I'm obviously film illiterate.

You most likely have seen him in a string of films over the past 20 years, but just didn't tag him.
I think his oscar role for Capote was his only lead role.

Like, how could you forget a scene like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ_4m2ocxhI

[Syferus]

I actually have no clue who this lad is. I'm obviously film illiterate.

You most likely have seen him in a string of films over the past 20 years, but just didn't tag him.
I think his oscar role for Capote was his only lead role.

Like, how could you forget a scene like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ_4m2ocxhI

He's had loads of lead roles - Synecdoche, New York, Doubt and The Master being some of the recent ones.

[easytiger95]

From a film perspective, Hoffman has left his mark in modern cinema with more than a few outstanding characterisations.
Not many actors can have a bit part in a film, like Scent of a Woman, and leave you with an indelible image of his character, that sleazy, spineless, spoilt, snitch. There was another character he played  in his early days,  a lecherous loner who preyed on a female living in his block. I was looking for it the other day and can't find any hint what the name of the film was. Could have been a tv film.

Main Street, I think it was "Happiness", directed by a guy called Todd Solondz. Very depressing and disturbing film, but amazingly enough, for a character whose main deal was as you said above, Hoffman made him into one of the most sympathetic characters in the film. He was a genius.

[Milltown Row2]

Had a small part in the Dirt Diggler movie too

[Main Street]

I actually have no clue who this lad is. I'm obviously film illiterate.

You most likely have seen him in a string of films over the past 20 years, but just didn't tag him.
I think his oscar role for Capote was his only lead role.

Like, how could you forget a scene like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ_4m2ocxhI

He's had loads of lead roles - Synecdoche, New York, Doubt and The Master being some of the recent ones.

I suppose I understand 'lead' to be the leading role. And in Doubt I'd consider Meryl Streep to be the lead
The Master  - Joaquin Phoenix,  I don't know Synendoche.

In Capote he was the lead, he was the centre of attraction, everything revolved around his character.

[Main Street]

From a film perspective, Hoffman has left his mark in modern cinema with more than a few outstanding characterisations.
Not many actors can have a bit part in a film, like Scent of a Woman, and leave you with an indelible image of his character, that sleazy, spineless, spoilt, snitch. There was another character he played  in his early days,  a lecherous loner who preyed on a female living in his block. I was looking for it the other day and can't find any hint what the name of the film was. Could have been a tv film.

Main Street, I think it was "Happiness", directed by a guy called Todd Solondz. Very depressing and disturbing film, but amazingly enough, for a character whose main deal was as you said above, Hoffman made him into one of the most sympathetic characters in the film. He was a genius.

Thanks ET, it's one I'll revisit,  now that I know which one it is.

[Jell 0 Biafra]

Also was lead in Owning Mahony, which, while not a commercial success, was a pretty good movie.

For those wondering who he was, if you've seen The Big Lebowski (and if not, why not?), he was the lackey to the rich guy in it.

[North Longford]

Very good in the boat that rocks and mission possible as well. Just a very talented actor. I don't know but sometimes think the pressure of being in the public limelight is a bigger problem than any flawed genius. I had an old teacher who constantly pronounced that we all put on a face to meet a face. I think in the situation where everybody is watching your face and you are expected to never let it slip than it can be very tough. The mind can take us over and in that case maybe its worse to have money. You can try cures that patently are not a solution.

[Asal Mor]

I'd question whether anyone can be a "great actor". I don't think acting is a difficult enough skill for anyone to be great at it. Singing, dancing, playing a musical instrument, hurling, darts,cooking and even accountancy are all things you can be great at. But in acting, it just comes down to whether or not someone is believable enough in the role they're playing to make you forget you're watching an actor at all.

The squillions of terrible Hollywood blockbusters, starring the highest-paid and most vaunted actors in the world, versus the numerous, brilliant, low-budget movies starring bunches of nobodies testify to the fact that almost anyone can act.

This is nothing against Philip Seymour Hoffman who does as good a job as anyone. This post would have been more appropriate in a thread about, say Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise or Daniel Day-Lewis who seem to be paid inversely to how believable they are.

[HiMucker]

I'd question whether anyone can be a "great actor". I don't think acting is a difficult enough skill for anyone to be great at it. Singing, dancing, playing a musical instrument, hurling, darts,cooking and even accountancy are all things you can be great at. But in acting, it just comes down to whether or not someone is believable enough in the role they're playing to make you forget you're watching an actor at all.

The squillions of terrible Hollywood blockbusters, starring the highest-paid and most vaunted actors in the world, versus the numerous, brilliant, low-budget movies starring bunches of nobodies testify to the fact that almost anyone can act.

This is nothing against Philip Seymour Hoffman who does as good a job as anyone. This post would have been more appropriate in a thread about, say Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise or Daniel Day-Lewis who seem to be paid inversely to how believable they are.

Asol Mor, your entitled to your opinion, but its shite! 

[Milltown Row2]

Very good in the boat that rocks and mission possible as well. Just a very talented actor. I don't know but sometimes think the pressure of being in the public limelight is a bigger problem than any flawed genius. I had an old teacher who constantly pronounced that we all put on a face to meet a face. I think in the situation where everybody is watching your face and you are expected to never let it slip than it can be very tough. The mind can take us over and in that case maybe its worse to have money. You can try cures that patently are not a solution.

I've heard my wife say this about teaching years ago, constantly standing in front of 30 odd students and teaching maths, having to not slip up all the time, I have never found this a problem, classes are smaller where I teach and the kids find it challenging enough to do basic engineering lessons.

People in the public eye are constantly (I'd imagine) striving for publicity and when they get too much they complain and when they don't get any the complain. Fcuk that, the strain of that alone will put you over the edge, Meatloaf was on the radio the other day say all the stars take or have taken large amount of drugs over the years and will continue to do so, comes with the territory

[Cold tea]

It has already been established addiction and creativity are often intertwined!

[Syferus]

I'd question whether anyone can be a "great actor". I don't think acting is a difficult enough skill for anyone to be great at it. Singing, dancing, playing a musical instrument, hurling, darts,cooking and even accountancy are all things you can be great at. But in acting, it just comes down to whether or not someone is believable enough in the role they're playing to make you forget you're watching an actor at all.

The squillions of terrible Hollywood blockbusters, starring the highest-paid and most vaunted actors in the world, versus the numerous, brilliant, low-budget movies starring bunches of nobodies testify to the fact that almost anyone can act.

This is nothing against Philip Seymour Hoffman who does as good a job as anyone. This post would have been more appropriate in a thread about, say Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise or Daniel Day-Lewis who seem to be paid inversely to how believable they are.

[Hound]

It has already been established addiction and creativity are often intertwined!

Or maybe that's just creative people coming up with a creative cop out.

There are so many creative people who aren't addicts and so many non-creative people who are addicts, that my opinion anyway is that its BS.

Plus the definition of "creative" is wide open to interpretation. There are plenty of media celebrities out there who haven't a creative bone in their body and just follow scripts written by others.