Richard Attenborough Dies

Ethel_FredEthel_Fred Posts: 34,127
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Just on BBC news

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  • HildaonplutoHildaonpluto Posts: 37,697
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    Very sad news.RIP A very gifted soul:(
  • AbominationAbomination Posts: 6,483
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    Such sad news. I thought Robin Williams was bad enough last week, but for me personally this one is far more hard-hitting. It wasn't that I knew him for as vast a number of films and roles, but he was such an endearing character in two movies of my childhood.

    Jurassic Park was one of my favourite movies as a kid, and went on to become my favourite film of all time. I've got myself an original copy of the novel and a beautiful cast photo from the original film as well. John Hammond was so brilliantly played by Attenborough...a zany, wonderful grandfather character who I felt so sorry for. He was one of the only characters not put in genuine peril at all, and he watched his dreams come crashing down around him.

    He was also brilliant in Miracle on 34th Street... another film of my childhood, which introduced me to the original as well. Again, he played an incredibly endearing character I felt sorry for but did it so brilliantly.

    He will be so missed.
  • Walter NeffWalter Neff Posts: 9,193
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    One of his greatest performances was as the loud mouthed Regimental Sergeant Major in Guns at Batasi, it won him a well deserved BAFTA for Best Actor of 1964.
  • necromancer20necromancer20 Posts: 2,548
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    I will remember him most for Jurassic Park, Miracle on 34th Street and of course Gandhi.
  • John DoughJohn Dough Posts: 146,571
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    Reading through the list of his work makes me realise how few of them I've seen but he's mesmerising in 'Brighton Rock' and very uncomfortable to watch/convincing in 'Ten Rillington Place".
    RIP 'Dickie'.:(
  • Ancient IDTVAncient IDTV Posts: 10,174
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    A sad loss.

    My favourites:-

    The Angry SIlence
    The Flight of the Phoenix
    The Great Escape
    Sea of Sand
    Dunkirk

    and directing A Bridge Too Far
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    The first film I saw him was The Magic Box (1951).

    RIP.
  • Muttley76Muttley76 Posts: 97,888
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    He was a genuine legend of the British film industry. He has endured a difficult few years health wise sadly. RIP to a great man. My own personal favourite performance of his was in Flight of the Phoenix, which I also rate as an excellent ensemble piece.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYOXAMuRZms
  • Ben_Fisher1Ben_Fisher1 Posts: 2,973
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    a very good actor. My favorite film of his was 'Seance on a wet afternoon' with Kim Stanley. The acting between those two was exceptional. Kim plays a disturbed medium who embroils her husband (Attenborough) into her plot to kidnap a child in order to boost her fame. He is weak, she is strong, but mad. It's a great, but underrated movie.

    I also love '10 Rillington Place' slow moving, yet so creepy, and Dicky's Christie is far more scary than Hopkins Hannibal Lecter.
  • Ethel_FredEthel_Fred Posts: 34,127
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    Like Robin Williams he was at his best when playing 'normal' people
  • Kenny MacleanKenny Maclean Posts: 1,318
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    Four words I will always associate with him....

    "Welcome to Jurassic Park"

    R.I.P. x
  • rufus oculusrufus oculus Posts: 236
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    He certainly had range. He was fine in "cuddly" mode in Miracle on 34th Street and Jurassic Park but I preferred him as the nasty Pinky in Brighton Rock a performance that ranks along anything Richard Widmark or Paul Muni served up in gangster roles. And he was superb in creepy roles in Seance on a Wet Afternoon and 10 Rillington Place. Also a competent film producer and director. A fine career. RIP.
  • td1983td1983 Posts: 2,679
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    It's been a bad month for poor Mara Wilson, that's for sure. I absolutely loved him in the remake of Miracle on 34th Street when it came out, he was the perfect gentleman in that film. I remember thinking, I just wish he was my granddad. I watch it every Christmas when it's on, it's my favourite Christmas film, such a classic. I also liked him in 10 Rillington Place. That scene at the end when the dead body falls out of the wall when it's uncovered still haunts me! R.I.P. Lord Richard Attenborough.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 60
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    Melvyn Bragg looks like a right **** in his Reservoir Dogs style suit on Channel 4 news right now ... embarrassing.
  • muggins14muggins14 Posts: 61,844
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    Absolutely compelling in 10 Rillington Place, cuddly as Santa :) The Angry Silence is also another film that really stands out for me. An amazing man with a fantastic career as both actor and director - Cry Freedom, Shadowlands and Gandhi among so many terrific films.

    RIP Dickie
  • td1983td1983 Posts: 2,679
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    Tribute on BBC 1 at the moment.
  • dodradedodrade Posts: 23,845
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    Surely now there is no excuse for the BBC not to show "oh what a lovely war" again.
  • mr mugglesmr muggles Posts: 4,601
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    John Dough wrote: »
    Reading through the list of his work makes me realise how few of them I've seen but he's mesmerising in 'Brighton Rock' and very uncomfortable to watch/convincing in 'Ten Rillington Place".
    RIP 'Dickie'.:(

    He still scares me! The reason:

    10 Rillington Place Is a very unsettling film experience. That film gave me nightmares for months when I saw it on tv back in the mid 80s. He's totally chilling. That ominous look he gives his wife when she goes to bed... You just know:(

    His rape & murder of Judy Geeson was horrible and the subsequent framing of her innocent husband was harrowing (John Hurt was amazing in this film & won a Bafta). Its a well made film, but not one I would want to buy. The art direction added to the claustrophobia and made everything look wretched and dreary. Forget your modern cgi flicks, you want to be chilled to the core, watch this.
  • rufus oculusrufus oculus Posts: 236
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    Morrissey shares his thoughts on Richard Attenborough, Lauren Bacall and Dora Bryan (all of whom he met) on his True to You website.
  • LMLM Posts: 63,499
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    I love A chorus line. Fantastically directed.
  • rufus oculusrufus oculus Posts: 236
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    10 Rillington Place is on BBC4 this Thursday.
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