Going Off Center

I have recently developed an interesting fascination with the actor Gary Oldman. This happens to me from time to time. I see an actor that sparks my interest and I end up wanting to watch all of his works, look up his biography, etc. Gary Oldman sparked my interest as Sirius Black in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I did know him previously as Zorg in The Fifth Element, but when that movie came out, I didn't appreciate the actor's talent; I merely hated the character, like I was supposed to.

Now, I can appreciate this artist's unique technique (how fun, that rhymed) and unusual presence. He's not the leading man type, but he certainly steals a scene with the unbridled passion that emitts from his performances. I haven't seen many of Gary Oldman's works yet, mainly because Movie Gallery is the worst rental store on the planet, but I'm working on it. Dracula was on the Sci Fi channel today and I was pretty enthralled in his portrayal of the title character. Such torment and contradiction of feelings. He did so well in all of the physically different aspects of the role, I nearly forgot about how terrible Keanu Reeves was in the film. Nearly. The next Gary Oldman film I want to see is Immortal Beloved in which he plays Beethoven. I may have seen this movie in school, but I'm not sure.

I love discovering new favorites. I know film and television are often looked upon as shallow means of entertainment, but I see it differently. I've learned so much from the two and I don't think I would have the emotional maturity or even the vocabulary I have today had I not been exposed to the movies and programs that I was at a young age. But that's just my result, of course. Anyway, it's fun to find a slightly more obscure artist and come to appreciate their work. The reward for stepping away from the Meg Ryans and the Brad Pitts and moving off center to the Vincent D'Onofrios and...yeah, sorry I can't think of a female...is appreciating a completely different body of work and set of roles. I never would have watched the wonderful little gem of a movie called Happy Accidents if I hadn't come to appreciate D'Onofrio in The Thirteenth Floor. I never would have looked at Dracula the way I did today if Gary's interpretation Sirius Black wasn't so outstanding. I love the art and I love the quirks. That's the kind of actor I'd be if I went into the profession; off center. It's alot more interesting that way.

Not a lot of people really appreciate the talent of the supporting or antagonistic characters in a film and there's such talent there. Take a closer look at Gary Oldman's Zorg in The Fifth Element, or Vincent D'Onofrio's Cark Stargher in The Cell and you'll see a real method there and a truly believable performance. After all, it takes a gifted actor to get an audience to feel a passionate emotion for their character...like hate.

I stayed up too late again. Have a good week, everyone.