I love Kathy Bates and James Caan! Put me down as a yes!
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Woodyanders — 4 years ago(September 27, 2021 01:07 PM)
The fact that Kathy Bates played it deadly serious is precisely why Annie seems like a real crazy person instead of a campy caricature of a crazy person.
You've seen Guy Standeven in something because the man was in everything. -
phantomparticle — 4 years ago(September 27, 2021 10:36 PM)
Essentially a two-person tour de force with actors who can hold the screen and ramp up the tension to the breaking point between those moments when the audience is allowed to breathe.
James Caan, a forceful actor, submerges his macho image to great effect and delivers a performance of subtle intensity that perfectly balances Kathy Bates's barely controlled insanity.
A special mention of Richard Farnsworth, one of my favorite character actors, who plays the sheriff (all too briefly) before he is dispatched.
Certainly among the better King adaptations.
And This, Too, Shall Pass Away -
ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(September 27, 2021 11:13 PM)
I do not really get the nuances of Wilkes insanity in her calmer moments. She was this or just then that. She was mimicking Reiner’s direction on how to play the part. It is like she was shouting out at an audience, rather than being with her characters disordered mood swings.
Her stage training at that time was how she appeared to be playing her role. Anjelica Huston was better that year in The Grifters.
Norman! What did you put in my tea? -
Donna Acacia — 4 years ago(September 27, 2021 11:54 PM)
It is like she was shouting out at an audience, rather than with her characters disordered mood swings.
cuz of where his camera angled. It's the affect of that moment in the scene. That's what made his direction brilliant. It's sort of from Paul's point of view lying in that bed injured and helpless. That's what he sort of sees but it's large screen. Annie had the same fits in the novel as well. It's accurate. -
ToastedCheese — 4 years ago(September 28, 2021 08:29 AM)
cuz of where his camera angled. It's the affect of that moment in the scene.
I'm talking about her acting of the crack pot Annie Wilkes and projection of her line readings, not the camera angels. Pay attention please!
Annie had the same fits in the novel as well. It's accurate.
Mimicry is not in-depth. Don't get me wrong about Bates, as I think she is an excellent actress and its not a rotten performance by any measure, its just not as layered as later ones. She was superior in
Dolores Claiborne
. I could read her face and what was behind it in that one.
Reiner went for a very black humour approach with Bates's interpretation of Wilkes than the novel. She wasn't even sympathetic.
Compare her psycho to Glenn Closes' in
Fatal Attraction
a few years earlier and Close was spot on with her interpretation and the layers she brought to her role.
Norman! What did you put in my tea? -
Donna Acacia — 4 years ago(September 28, 2021 11:40 AM)
Oh now I remember you. We had the same stupid ****ing argument at a different message forum about Misery and Kathy Bates performance. It was imdbV2.
I basically told you to **** off because you wouldn't stop arguing with me. You just don't like Kathy Bates, so you will find any reason to put her down even when she gave one of the best performances in history. She's a legend because of that movie. No other project Kathy has worked on was as noticeable.