Anthony Hopkins says 'Im not a great actor, Im a fluke.' What do you think?

rfonzorfonzo Posts: 11,771
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A strong majority would believe that Sir Anthony Hopkins is one of Britain's greatest modern actors. nevertheless, he states that he is not a 'great' or one of the most talented actors.

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/hopkins---i-m-not-a-great-actor--140040751.html

Comments

  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    I agree with him. Most times, he's such a ham actor. In some early roles, he acted like a neurotic drunk.
  • kippehkippeh Posts: 6,655
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    I loved his turn as Captain Bligh in "The Bounty"
  • LMLM Posts: 63,326
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    I think he is fantastic

    Give me Anthony anyday over the likes of Michael Caine, Colin firth etc
  • revolver44revolver44 Posts: 22,766
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    He's one of the greats, no doubt about it. Watch him as William Bligh in The Bounty & then as Harvey Kellogg in The Road To Wellville then tell me he's not a superlative talent.
  • Trsvis_BickleTrsvis_Bickle Posts: 9,202
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    I challenge anyone to see him in The Remains of the Day and then come back and say he's not a great actor.
  • bluewomble88bluewomble88 Posts: 2,860
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    Thought he was superb in Legends of the Fall.
  • woot_whoowoot_whoo Posts: 18,030
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    I think he is fantastic

    Give me Anthony anyday over the likes of Michael Caine, Colin firth etc

    Now Michael Caine really is a fluke. What's strange is that he's only started being considered a 'great' since he's reached his dotage. No one took him seriously when he was hamming it up in 'The Swarm' or 'Beyond the Poseidon Adventure'.
    I challenge anyone to see him in The Remains of the Day and then come back and say he's not a great actor.

    Completely. I actually think his perfomance (and Emma Thompson's) made the film in some ways better than the book.
  • kjhskj75kjhskj75 Posts: 2,973
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    I challenge anyone to see him in The Remains of the Day and then come back and say he's not a great actor.

    I seem to remember Hopkins saying he was amazed at his Oscar nomination for that film, in which he was required to show no emotion at all, in other words he got the nomination for NOT acting !!
  • GulftasticGulftastic Posts: 127,187
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    He is a good actor, but it's a shame he will probably be best remembered for one of his worst performances in the wildly over-praised Silence Off The Lambs.
  • MidsblueMidsblue Posts: 233
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    Gulftastic wrote: »
    He is a good actor, but it's a shame he will probably be best remembered for one of his worst performances in the wildly over-praised Silence Off The Lambs.

    Too true. Hammed up Lecter compared to Brian Cox who delivered a very understated performance
  • Johnny ClayJohnny Clay Posts: 5,315
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    woot_whoo wrote: »
    Now Michael Caine really is a fluke. What's strange is that he's only started being considered a 'great' since he's reached his dotage. No one took him seriously when he was hamming it up in 'The Swarm' or 'Beyond the Poseidon Adventure'.
    Maybe he's considered a great by way of the terrific performances that have littered his career since Zulu?

    The Ipcress File, Alfie, Play Dirty, The Italian Job, Get Carter, Sleuth ('72), The Man Who Would be King, Dressed to Kill, Deathtrap, Educating Rita, Hannah and her Sisters, Mona Lisa, Blood and Wine, Little Voice, The Cider House Rules, The Quiet American...

    Sure, the dross piles up as the years progress. But fluke? Far from it.
  • Johnny ClayJohnny Clay Posts: 5,315
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    Midsblue wrote: »
    Too true. Hammed up Lecter compared to Brian Cox who delivered a very understated performance
    Indeed. With Cox you could believe Lector used to be a doctor. Hopkins overdid the pantomime sinister, and you got the impression that was all he was ever like.
  • GulftasticGulftastic Posts: 127,187
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    Maybe he's considered a great by way of the terrific performances that have littered his career since Zulu?

    The Ipcress File, Alfie, Play Dirty, The Italian Job, Get Carter, Sleuth ('72), The Man Who Would be King, Dressed to Kill, Deathtrap, Educating Rita, Hannah and her Sisters, Mona Lisa, Blood and Wine, Little Voice, The Cider House Rules, The Quiet American...

    Sure, the dross piles up as the years progress. But fluke? Far from it.

    Thanks for sticking up for Caine. As you say, amongst all the dross he's done to earn money, he has turned in some fantastic performances. When he wants to, and when he has a decent script, he's an amazing actor.

    Although I would have taken 'The Italian Job' (fun film, but not great) from your list and included 'Children Of Men' instead.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 496
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    Indeed. With Cox you could believe Lector used to be a doctor. Hopkins overdid the pantomime sinister, and you got the impression that was all he was ever like.

    This old chestnut again.
    IN SOTL Hopkins was brilliant, and far superior to Cox.
    The two others he did , were pantomime stuff yes.
  • JusticarJusticar Posts: 1,620
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    False modesty.
  • DRAGON LANCEDRAGON LANCE Posts: 1,424
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    Agreed I think he was just being rather too modest, as great men always are.

    Also don't agree with the tired old Brain Cox was better in Manhunter line as well. Sick of hearing it; its just a twaddle line originally invented by stuck up critics trying to pretend they were clever by having seen the 1st attempt at filming the books. Hopkins totally outclassed him and made Lecter an iconic character. Speaking as someone who has read the books I always felt Hopkins is closer to the book's version of Hannibal than anyone else. He just really gets under your skin...quite erm literally!:eek::D;)
  • Trsvis_BickleTrsvis_Bickle Posts: 9,202
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    Gulftastic wrote: »
    Thanks for sticking up for Caine. As you say, amongst all the dross he's done to earn money, he has turned in some fantastic performances. When he wants to, and when he has a decent script, he's an amazing actor.

    Although I would have taken 'The Italian Job' (fun film, but not great) from your list and included 'Children Of Men' instead.

    Ha ha! I was trying to post a similar list last night but bloody Safari kept crashing. I left off The Italian Job as well - he was just playing around in that. I'd include Harry Brown in the list - practically a masterclass in film acting by Caine. It's a shame everyone else in it was shite.:cry:

    All great actors have done their share of Hollywood whoring. De Niro's been in those ghastly Fokkers 'comedies' so no-one's immune.
  • Trsvis_BickleTrsvis_Bickle Posts: 9,202
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    Agreed I think he was just being rather too modest, as great men always are.

    Also don't agree with the tired old Brain Cox was better in Manhunter line as well. Sick of hearing it; its just a twaddle line originally invented by stuck up critics trying to pretend they were clever by having seen the 1st attempt at filming the books. Hopkins totally outclassed him and made Lecter an iconic character. Speaking as someone who has read the books I always felt Hopkins is closer to the book's version of Hannibal than anyone else. He just really gets under your skin...quite erm literally!:eek::D;)

    :D I'm inclined to agree with you. It's now fashionable to slag off Silence of the Lambs as populist trash but it remains an excellent film and not just for Hopkins' performance.
  • HarrisonMarksHarrisonMarks Posts: 4,360
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    Until you've lived in a sheep's liver for 6 months, you've no right to call yourself a fluke.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 472
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    hes a great actor , he just does not blow his own trumpet like many of the hollywood fodder do .
  • GulftasticGulftastic Posts: 127,187
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    :D I'm inclined to agree with you. It's now fashionable to slag off Silence of the Lambs as populist trash but it remains an excellent film and not just for Hopkins' performance.

    Nowt to do with being fashionable, I've disliked it since the moment I saw it.
  • performingmonkperformingmonk Posts: 20,086
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    Hopkins has been in a few clunkers for sure, but you can't deny his turns in Remains of the Day, The Elephant Man, Silence of the Lambs, Shadowlands, all his Shakespeare work, both in film and TV.
  • rfonzorfonzo Posts: 11,771
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    shades1 wrote: »
    hes a great actor , he just does not blow his own trumpet like many of the hollywood fodder do .

    Who in particular?
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    :D I'm inclined to agree with you. It's now fashionable to slag off Silence of the Lambs as populist trash but it remains an excellent film and not just for Hopkins' performance.

    Fashionable? Pfft. I never liked it because of Hopkins. :D

    Seriously though, I had problems with the film as a whole, but accepted that it may be popular because of the performances from Hopkins and Jodie Foster. I'm not that keen on both, even though I have a soft spot for Foster, in a sense of growing up with her existence as a 'big sister'. Weird, but you know what I mean. Well, I hope so, anyway. :o
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