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Post by henryrocks on Dec 31, 2007 15:07:20 GMT -4
I spent a moment trying to think of a bit meatier topic, for those who miss them - and realized this might be a good question to muse on. Part of being a good actor/actress is making "choices" in your role that are surprising, ie, not cliche. I know when I read the transcript of the "chess" mobisode that I imagined him saying the lines a certain way, and actually seeing how he played them out was so cool.  He's quite creative - but the editing/director folk likely helped as well. I'm not as familiar with his other roles, but I'm sure you guys know of more examples... where Michael did something unconventional in his acting and impressed you. I wanna hear about it |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2008 13:48:04 GMT -4
I don't understand what Jack Bender, the director, was trying to say about Michael on the 'Lost Season 2 DVD,': "...because they've written these brilliant speaches for Henry Gale there are times that I've found when working with him that because he has the facility as an actor of language, you need to activate it because it can get a little speachy." I'm confused what he meant by "activate it." Did he mean that he told Michael he wanted him to speak more deliberately? I took that to mean that you have to be careful with that ability. I thought that maybe in the hands of a less capable director, he would more or less allow the actor to go on and pull out all the stops and end up overdoing it for what was needed in that particular scene. Any well-trained Shakespearean actor will be able to roll out the lines and make them sound good per se, but if it doesn't "fit" it can be just as bad as if it was said by a lesser talented person. The director needs to make sure it all works. A good actor will pick up on that from a good director. But a bad director will just let things get balled up. Just as it would be easy to allow a violin virtuoso go at it, but sometimes that's not what's needed, so the conductor needs to know when to rein-in the musician. In my experience, really gifted people aren't offended by such direction, and in fact welcome it. |
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Post by GL-12 on Jan 4, 2008 22:15:54 GMT -4
Reading the script before you see the scene played would be interesting, because, as you said henryrocks, different inflections can give lines completely opposite meanings or subtext.
One of my very FAVORITE Ben moments is the scene in "The Cost of Living," where Ben goes to see Jack to ask him to do the surgery (after Jack has figured out Ben has a tumor). I love the whole interchange, and I think it took an actor of Michael's caliber to really make it work, because it is such a change of mood for Ben, from being in control and manipulating to basically pleading for his life. The skill came in making it seem plausible for the character, and I think it totally is. Getting back to your question, my favorite line from that is, "All I ask is that you think about it." There is just something about the way he delivers that line that blows me away. He seems so vulnerable, yet not whiney or grovelling.
It would be really interesting to see the "dailies" (I think I am using that term correctly) to see the different ways the scenes get played. From interviews Michael has given, it seems like they do multiple takes with certain lines being delivered different ways and then the director makes the decision of which to use. I think directors appreciate having that range of choices to be able to tell the story they want to.
Interesting question.
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bones
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Post by bones on Jan 6, 2008 21:55:58 GMT -4
I think for me, and I'm coming from the other side, seeing him as a stage actor, his hollywood roles have been wow. I've seen him do Vicomte de Valmont on stage; that was the first time I saw him act. I've also seen him play a man returning home to visit his family with his roommate, who was really his gay lover. His character spent the whole time stressing over whether or not he would come out to his parents. So I've seen him do the bad guy and the good, but highly stressed guy. His film and TV work has been wow to me because I've never seen him play such...disturbed characters before. The role in the Practice tops it off. Zep was an interesting mix as well. Mike conveys a humble and perhaps simple minded orderly perfect...yet there is something lurking under that, something dark.
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Post by jmellissa on Jan 18, 2008 4:40:28 GMT -4
When I was in college. I took crative writing and my teacher was a big fan of Michael. For our finals we had to watch a play and tell what was going on and how the actor was protrating his character. I don't know what movie we seen, but Michael was in it. I think it was 2003. Anyway, I'v said all that to say... I can see ME's theater backgrond when he plays Ben. I love how he use's his voice to bring across that little somthing that his body languagea isn't giving. (I hope I'm saying this right) Anyway, This is one of the reason's I just love Michael. Right now it seems like I can't get enugh of Michael, I'm driving my family nuts. ;D
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Post by Edith S. Baker on Jan 18, 2008 9:11:23 GMT -4
When I was in college. I took crative writing and my teacher was a big fan of Michael. For our finals we had to watch a play and tell what was going on and how the actor was protrating his character. I don't know what movie we seen, but Michael was in it. I think it was 2003. Anyway, I'v said all that to say... I can see ME's theater backgrond when he plays Ben. I love how he use's his voice to bring across that little somthing that his body languagea isn't giving. (I hope I'm saying this right) Anyway, This is one of the reason's I just love Michael. Right now it seems like I can't get enugh of Michael, I'm driving my family nuts. ;D Are you sure that you saw Michael in a movie that was made in 2003? Here are the list of all the movies he was in and when they were made: - The Journey (as Michael), 1997
- The Impostors (as Burtom's assistant), 1998 (a nonspeaking role)
- Playing by Heart (as Bosco), 1998 (extremely small role, just few lines)
- For Love of the Game (as Gallery Doorman), 1999 (a nonspeaking role; could have been considered a cameo if he were famous; you blink and you miss him)
- The Laramie Project (as Reverend), 2002 (small role)
- The Unfaithful (as Josh), 2002 (a one-line role; another case of your blinking and missing him)
- Saw (as Zep Hindle), 2004
- Straight Jacket (Victor), 2004
- 29th and Gay (Gorilla Man), 2005 (small role inside a gorilla outfit; first half, you can see him, second part, he is under the gorilla mask)
- The Legend of Zorro (as Harrigan), 2005 (extremely small role)
- Jumping Off Bridges (as Frank Nelson), 2006 (a nice part)
- Ready? OK! (Charlie New), 2008 (preproduction) (I have not yet seen it)
Source: michaelemerson.net/pa.htmlMichael has had nothing but very small roles in most of his movies, including Saw (for which he became somewhat famous for his ability to milk a relatively small part). He had a good supporting role in Straight-Jacket and a major role in Jumping Off Bridges. I have not seen The Journey, which is an independent movie that is not on DVD. Hence, I can't tell you how big his role was. I am assuming from the description that IMDB.com gives that he had a minor role, whereas Carrie, who is also in it has a big role. The Journey—Carrie played Laura, Michael played Michael: PS.: I edited the quote to read better Unedited source: imdb.com/title/tt0119422/plotsummaryAll his small parts can be seen on YouTube under my account (Spicedogs). I don't have any vids for The Journey and Ready? OK!, as they are not available in DVD, as well as for his larger roles ( Saw, Straight-Jacket, and Jumping Off Bridges). I believe we should purchase those to see him. uk.youtube.com/profile?user=spicedogs |
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Post by jmellissa on Jan 18, 2008 13:30:28 GMT -4
I will go and look at my papper that I wrote and see what year it was. I don't know why the year is not coming to me. I guess when you spend almost 4 year doing what you should have in 2 things get a little lost. I also might not have seen him at all for that matter. I hope I did, all this time i've thought it was him. Julie.
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Post by jmellissa on Jan 19, 2008 8:26:55 GMT -4
When I was in college. I took crative writing and my teacher was a big fan of Michael. For our finals we had to watch a play and tell what was going on and how the actor was protrating his character. I don't know what movie we seen, but Michael was in it. I think it was 2003. Anyway, I'v said all that to say... I can see ME's theater backgrond when he plays Ben. I love how he use's his voice to bring across that little somthing that his body languagea isn't giving. (I hope I'm saying this right) Anyway, This is one of the reason's I just love Michael. Right now it seems like I can't get enugh of Michael, I'm driving my family nuts. ;D Are you sure that you saw Michael in a movie that was made in 2003? Here are the list of all the movies he was in and when they were made: - The Journey (as Michael), 1997
- The Impostors (as Burtom's assistant), 1998 (a nonspeaking role)
- Playing by Heart (as Bosco), 1998 (extremely small role, just few lines)
- For Love of the Game (as Gallery Doorman), 1999 (a nonspeaking role; could have been considered a cameo if he were famous; you blink and you miss him)
- The Laramie Project (as Reverend), 2002 (small role)
- The Unfaithful (as Josh), 2002 (a one-line role; another case of your blinking and missing him)
- Saw (as Zep Hindle), 2004
- Straight Jacket (Victor), 2004
- 29th and Gay (Gorilla Man), 2005 (small role inside a gorilla outfit; first half, you can see him, second part, he is under the gorilla mask)
- The Legend of Zorro (as Harrigan), 2005 (extremely small role)
- Jumping Off Bridges (as Frank Nelson), 2006 (a nice part)
- Ready? OK! (Charlie New), 2008 (preproduction) (I have not yet seen it)
Source: michaelemerson.net/pa.htmlMichael has had nothing but very small roles in most of his movies, including Saw (for which he became somewhat famous for his ability to milk a relatively small part). He had a good supporting role in Straight-Jacket and a major role in Jumping Off Bridges. I have not seen The Journey, which is an independent movie that is not on DVD. Hence, I can't tell you how big his role was. I am assuming from the description that IMDB.com gives that he had a minor role, whereas Carrie, who is also in it has a big role. The Journey—Carrie played Laura, Michael played Michael: PS.: I edited the quote to read better Unedited source: imdb.com/title/tt0119422/plotsummaryAll his small parts can be seen on YouTube under my account (Spicedogs). I don't have any vids for The Journey and Ready? OK!, as they are not available in DVD, as well as for his larger roles ( Saw, Straight-Jacket, and Jumping Off Bridges). I believe we should purchase those to see him. uk.youtube.com/profile?user=spicedogs Ok... I did find the paper I was looking for. It has 11/03 on it but it doesn't have what moive and the old email I had for my teacher no longer works. Soooooo I will say that I didn't see a moive with ME in it just to be safe. I just know that my teacher was really into plays (live) and he and his wife travled for about 7 years so he might have seen him in a play who know's. Gosh this was almost 5 years ago. I am very sorry for the miss up. Julie. |
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Post by Maeve on Jan 19, 2008 15:58:06 GMT -4
I don't understand what Jack Bender, the director, was trying to say about Michael on the 'Lost Season 2 DVD,': "...because they've written these brilliant speaches for Henry Gale there are times that I've found when working with him that because he has the facility as an actor of language, you need to activate it because it can get a little speachy." I'm confused what he meant by "activate it." Did he mean that he told Michael he wanted him to speak more deliberately? I think he meant that the writers gave Henry these long speeches and to keep it interesting you have to be able to activate them-put some action into the scenes. Otherwise you just have a guy reciting a speech and that's boring. So when Henry is giving his breakfast speech he eats the whole time. Watch how Michael does this in a lot of scenes. On the DVD Jack compared Michael to a Stratevarious. Quite a compliment. |
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He's quite creative - but the editing/director folk likely helped as well.
