39 replies to this topic

[TGO]

'The Godfather' Actor Brando Dead at 80



LOS ANGELES - Marlon Brando (news), who revolutionized American acting with his Method performances in "Streetcar Named Desire" and "On the Waterfront" and went on to create the iconic characterization of Don Vito Corleone in "The Godfather," has died. He was 80.

Brando died at an undisclosed Los Angeles hospital Thursday, attorney David J. Seeley said Friday. The cause of death was being withheld, Seeley said, noting the actor "was a very private man."

Brando, whose unpredictable behavior made him equally fascinating off the screen, was acclaimed the greatest actor of his generation, a two-time winner of the Academy Award who influenced some of the best actors of the generation that followed, among them Al Pacino, Robert De Niro (news) and Jack Nicholson.

He was the unforgettable embodiment of the brutish Stanley Kowalski of "A Streetcar Named Desire," the mixed up Terry Malloy of "On the Waterfront" (which won him his first Oscar) and the wily Corleone of "The Godfather."

Edited by TGO, 02 July 2004 - 03:47 PM.

[IndyB007]

Don't forget his performance as Col. Kurtz....

[Double-Oh-Zero]

Sad news indeed. He will be missed.

[solitaire]

He was one of the truly great actors of the 20th century. His work will live on forever as long as people love the movies.

[Bryce (003)]

Rest well Vito and thanks for all the entertainment.



*grabs Godfather DVD boxed set*

[Jeff007]

A wonderful actor. It's a shame.

[Moore Not Less]

Screen legend Marlon Brando dies at 80

Screen legend Marlon Brando, famous for his roles in On the Waterfront and The Godfather, has died aged 80 in a Los Angeles hospital, his lawyer has said.

Brando, who had been ill for some time, was regarded as one of the pivotal actors of the post-war period.

He starred in more than 40 films, including Apocalypse Now, and won two best actor Oscars.

He is perhaps best known for his role as mafia leader Don Corleone in the 1972 classic The Godfather.

Brando's lawyer, David J Seeley, said the cause of death was being withheld and added that the actor "was a very private man".

Actor Robert Duvall, who starred with Brando in The Godfather, paid tribute, saying: "His memory will live forever."

Long-time friend and Godfather co-star James Caan said on Friday, via his publicist: "He influenced more young actors of my generation than any other actor. Anyone who denies this, never understood what it was all about."

For the full article click on the link below.
http://news.bbc.co.u...ilm/3860723.stm

[Brian Flagg]

Brando was fantastic and fascinating. He will live forever to one generation as Terry Milloy in ON THE WATERFRONT and to several more as Vito Corleone in THE GODFATHER. Too bad he retreated from the spotlight and didnt do more films, but he was the actor in Hollywood for much of the 1950s and proved he still had it when he copped another Oscar for THE GODFATHER. R.I.P.

Edited by Brian Flagg, 02 July 2004 - 06:49 PM.

[License To Kill]

Rest well Vito and thanks for all the entertainment.



*grabs Godfather DVD boxed set*

*Not leaving his home for days, watching Godfather I and II non-stop.*

Thanks Don Vito

[SPECTRE ASSASSIN]

He's one of the century's greatest actors. His roles in "A Street Car Named Desire", "On the Waterfront" and of course his coveted role, "The Godfather" will be surely missed by everyone.

"I've could have been a contender, instead of some bum"
--On the Waterfront

You weren't a bum, Marlon. You were a legend.

[Qwerty]

An actor of one of the best kinds. A shame.

[Seannery]

Just brillant and wonderfully eccentric.

[Moore Not Less]

Here is Marlon Brando's filmography from the imdb.

The Score (2001)...Max
Free Money (1998)...The Swede
The Brave (1997)...McCarthy
The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)...Dr. Moreau
Don Juan DeMarco (1995)...Dr. Jack Mickler
The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 (1992) (V)...Don Vito Corleone
Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992)...Tomas de Torquemada
The Freshman (1990)...Carmine Sabatini aka Jimmy The Tucan
A Dry White Season (1989)...Ian McKenzie
The Formula (1980)...Adam Steiffel
Apocalypse Now (1979)...Colonel Walter E. Kurtz
"Roots: The Next Generations" (1979) (Mini) TV Series...George Lincoln Rockwell
Superman (1978)...Jor El
The Missouri Breaks (1976)...Robert E. Lee Clayton
Last Tango in Paris (1972)...Paul
The Godfather (1972)...Don Vito Corleone
The Nightcomers (1972)...Peter Quint
Queimada (1969)...Sir William Walker
The Night of the Following Day (1968)...Bud
Candy (1968)...Grindl
Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967)...Maj Weldon Penderton
A Countess from Hong Kong (1967)...Ogden Mears
The Appaloosa (1966)...Matt Fletcher
The Chase (1966)...Sheriff Calder
Morituri (1965)...Robert Crain/Hans Kyle
Bedtime Story (1964)...Freddy Benson
The Ugly American (1963)...Ambassador Harrison Carter MacWhite
Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)... 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian
One-Eyed Jacks (1961)...Rio
The Fugitive Kind (1959)...Val Xavier
The Young Lions (1958)...Lt. Christian Diestl
Sayonara (1957)...Maj. Lloyd Gruver, USAF
The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956)...Sakini
Guys and Dolls (1955)...Sky Masterson
Desiree (1954)...Napoleon Bonaparte
On the Waterfront (1954)...Terry Malloy
The Wild One (1953)...Johnny Strabler/Narrator
Julius Caesar (1953)...Marc Anthony
Viva Zapata! (1952)...Emiliano Zapata
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)...Stanley Kowalski
The Men (1950)...Ken Wilcheck

The first thing that struck me about this list is that there are at least a dozen of Marlon Brando's films that I have yet to see. Brando will always be rightly remembered for his memorable performances in wonderful films like The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, On the Waterfront etc.

For me, there are other memorable performances from Brando in wonderful films that I highly recommend. The first, is the western One-Eyed Jacks in which Brando's character Rio looks for revenge after being left behind and captured while his ex partner Dad Longworth (Karl Malden) escapes with stolen gold. The second, is The Chase in which Brando's character is the Sheriff of a southern town who's aim is to arrest and detain the local baddie Bubba Reeves (Robert Redford) who has escaped from prison. Apart from Brando (who is terrific as Sheriff Calder) and Robert Redford, the cast includes Jane Fonda, Angie Dickinson, Robert Duvall and James Fox.

[Agent 76]

Was a great actor and forever a Legend!

Rest in Peace Mr Brando!

[Seannery]

Thanks for the list Moore Not Less. The two I found underrated on that list and would recommend to anyone would be Free Money and the Missouri Breaks.

Both have Marlon at his eccentric best. Free money is an adsurdist farce that goes way over the top and seems to have energized Marlon--lovers of the offbeat should enjoy it.

The Missouri Breaks is an epic western with satiric undertones and a great acting duo of Brando and Jack Nicholson and some dandy supporting characters including Randy Quaid and Harry Dean Stanton. It's a wonderful looking film that has humor and intensity. Brando plays a partially mad hitman with long blonde hair and he looks remarkably like Richard Harris and he speaks in an irish brogue which adds to the Harris effect. He is great and a hoot in this.

[Loomis]

Overrated beyond belief.

To put it more politely, I don't really see what the fuss was all about. As Stanley Kauffmann put it (quoted in Halliwell's Film Guide and referring to his turn in THE GODFATHER): "They have put padding in Brando's cheeks and dirtied his teeth, he speaks hoarsely and moves stiffly, and these combined mechanics are hailed as great acting." And wasn't his performance in APOCALYPSE NOW similarly a triumph of makeup effects (and basically making him invisible half the time)? Look at him in SUPERMAN: nothing special, not that I can see, anyway.

Now, I'm aware that he did more than THE GODFATHER, SUPERMAN and APOCALYPSE NOW, but, really, was he honestly "the greatest"? Look at the filmography provided by Moore Not Less - a few fine performances, to be sure, but boy oh boy oh boy what a lot of dross as well.

And the reason he didn't do much over the past 25 years is that he basically priced himself out of the market. Even for small roles, he wanted such a ridiculous amount of money that no one could afford to use him.

[Seannery]

Overrated beyond belief.

To put it more politely, I don't really see what the fuss was all about. As Stanley Kauffmann put it (quoted in Halliwell's Film Guide and referring to his turn in THE GODFATHER): "They have put padding in Brando's cheeks and dirtied his teeth, he speaks hoarsely and moves stiffly, and these combined mechanics are hailed as great acting." And wasn't his performance in APOCALYPSE NOW similarly a triumph of makeup effects (and basically making him invisible half the time)? Look at him in SUPERMAN: nothing special, not that I can see, anyway.

Now, I'm aware that he did more than THE GODFATHER, SUPERMAN and APOCALYPSE NOW, but, really, was he honestly "the greatest"? Look at the filmography provided by Moore Not Less - a few fine performances, to be sure, but boy oh boy oh boy what a lot of dross as well.

And the reason he didn't do much over the past 25 years is that he basically priced himself out of the market. Even for small roles, he wanted such a ridiculous amount of money that no one could afford to use him.

Boy Loomis we disagree on a lot! I appreciate the passion and style even while I disagree with the content. Brando was a great actor--his peak performances are among the best in cinema. Is he the "best"? May be not, but among the best--in a word, yes. He did waste a lot of his talent but when he was on he was great. Those who know acting best admire him greatly--other actors.

[DLibrasnow]

My favorite Brando movie is the highly underrated Morituri (1965) in which he played alongside Yul Brynner and Trevor Howard (who had an extended cameo close to the beginning).

[Brian Flagg]

Okay, time to defend my fellow American!

Brando (along with Montgomery Clift) was the first to show men as sensitive and emotional people. They were worlds apart in terms of approach to stars like John Wayne, Gary Cooper and Clark Gable. Brando did receive a lot of hype when he entered the scene, but nobody and nothing lives up to hype. How many of you routinely trash Bond films that are regarded among the series' best? Brando brought emotionalism, smouldering sensuality and overt sexuality to film acting. At least for men, as the dames were always ahead of the fellas in that regard. He changed the face of acting. Look at how many actors who followed him and how they owe an enormous debt to the Method style, (Robert DeNiro, James Caan, Paul Newman, James Dean, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen among MANY others) Brando was the personification of that form and he did it best. His 1950s work alone will make him a great actor and his "dross" is a helluva a lot better than some other guys' "best." We younger folks didn't have the honor to see him as he was happening and changing forever the art of screen acting, but we have seen his legacy, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.

BTW, next time you watch the GODFATHER films, especially part II-- and you will sense Brando throughout the film, even though he is played by DeNiro, the scenes without the Vito character still seem like he could appear at any moment. That's because Brando left an indelible mark on that first film. Coppola himself said that Brando haunted the second film and he didn't even need him for a cameo because the man's presence was that powerful.

Don't put yourselves on the wrong side of history, boys and girls. Brando will still be great long after our grandchildren have passed on.

[CommanderBond]

One and a million actor...such a sad loss for the industry .RIP.

[Loomis]

Brando brought emotionalism, smouldering sensuality and overt sexuality to film acting. At least for men, as the dames were always ahead of the fellas in that regard. He changed the face of acting. Look at how many actors who followed him and how they owe an enormous debt to the Method style, (Robert DeNiro, James Caan, Paul Newman, James Dean, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen among MANY others) Brando was the personification of that form and he did it best. His 1950s work alone will make him a great actor and his "dross" is a helluva a lot better than some other guys' "best." We younger folks didn't have the honor to see him as he was happening and changing forever the art of screen acting, but we have seen his legacy, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.

BTW, next time you watch the GODFATHER films, especially part II-- and you will sense Brando throughout the film, even though he is played by DeNiro, the scenes without the Vito character still seem like he could appear at any moment. That's because Brando left an indelible mark on that first film. Coppola himself said that Brando haunted the second film and he didn't even need him for a cameo because the man's presence was that powerful.

Don't put yourselves on the wrong side of history, boys and girls. Brando will still be great long after our grandchildren have passed on.

Well put. Still, I feel that many of Brando's "pupils" have on many occasions outstripped their "master": De Niro, Hoffman, Pacino, Stallone (whose performance in the original ROCKY is as good as anything Brando ever did), Penn.... Brando was very good, certainly, but I can't help feeling he was and is overpraised.

[Seannery]

You made some arguable points, but Stallone! Come on! He was very good in Rocky, but it was no acting masterpiece.

[Loomis]

Stallone wasn't always just the one-dimensional action star we know him as today. At the time of ROCKY (for which, let's not forget, he received a Best Actor nomination) he was very much viewed as one of the new Brando types (Travolta received similar acclaim after SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER). Stallone was spoken of in the same breath as the likes of De Niro and Pacino, as a brilliant young working class Italian-American method actor. Even in something like NIGHTHAWKS you can see traces of his early promise, which unfortunately didn't really flicker into life again until COP LAND, in which he gave another remarkable, ROCKY-quality performance.

Watch ROCKY or COP LAND, and then watch what's now regarded as typical Stallone fare, like the RAMBO sequels, COBRA or LOCK UP, and it's hard to believe it's the same guy.

[Seannery]

Stallone wasn't always just the one-dimensional action star we know him as today. At the time of ROCKY (for which, let's not forget, he received a Best Actor nomination) he was very much viewed as one of the new Brando types (Travolta received similar acclaim after SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER). Stallone was spoken of in the same breath as the likes of De Niro and Pacino, as a brilliant young working class Italian-American method actor. Even in something like NIGHTHAWKS you can see traces of his early promise, which unfortunately didn't really flicker into life again until COP LAND, in which he gave another remarkable, ROCKY-quality performance.

He gave some good but never great performances early in his career, but he was never ever thought to be on the level of Pacino and Deniro--and for good reason. A sometimes good actor but nothing more. And Copland he was merely decent in. Nighthawks very good but not great. The first couple of Rocky movies he was very good to fine but not close to great.

[Loomis]

[quote]
He gave some good but never great performances early in his career, but he was never ever thought to be on the level of Pacino and Deniro--and for good reason.

[Seannery]

To sum up this Stallone business I disagree with ALL your points of your last post especially about Copland--NO WAY!! Overall he can be good but never great. With actors it can all be very subjective.

Edited by Seannery, 02 July 2004 - 11:03 PM.

[Loomis]

There's even an argument to be made that Stallone was better than Brando, and had a much wider range. Stallone could play Brando-type parts (the first ROCKY, PARADISE ALLEY, COP LAND), but could Brando have played the lead in RAMBO III? Could Brando have pulled off Marion Cobretti?

[Agent 76]

[Seannery]

There's even an argument to be made that Stallone was better than Brando, and had a much wider range. Stallone could play Brando-type parts (the first ROCKY, PARADISE ALLEY, COP LAND), but could Brando have played the lead in RAMBO III? Could Brando have pulled off Marion Cobretti?

I think you need to lie down and rest now!

[Brian Flagg]

Could Brando have pulled off Marion Cobretti?

LOL!!! No one, I mean no one could cut cold pizza with a pair of scissors while a Toys "R" Us commercial drones uninterrupted in the background like Stallone!

Edited by Brian Flagg, 02 July 2004 - 11:27 PM.