The following video comes courtesy of “The New York Times” from their “Fourteen Actors Acting: A Video Gallery of Classic Screen Types” project scored by Owen Pallett and directed by Solve Sundsbo. This came online yesterday, but as I looked through the various silent performances I couldn’t make out just what “classic” screen types each was mimicking. So, as everyone and their mother posted the videos yesterday I was hoping someone would shed some light on each so I could pass the information on to you, but alas, no one that I’ve found has mentioned a single film in relation to each performance. I didn’t even notice anyone mentioning how Tilda Swinton is obviously channeling Maria Falconetti’s performance from The Passion of Joan of Arc or Jennifer Lawrence’s obvious Janet Leigh in Psycho impression.
I can’t help but be reminded of North by Northwest from Anthony Mackie’s video, perhaps Sunset Boulevard from Lesley Manville and is it Reservoir Dogs from Jesse Eisenberg? Is Matt Damon portraying Dave Moss from Glengarry Glen Ross? Vincent Cassell is certainly channeling Fred Astaire and is Michael Douglas Vito Corleone or is he Max Schreck in Nosferatu as a commenter at “The New York Times” suggests? (He could just as easily be David Cronenberg sitting in a chair for all I can tell.)
After a bit of searching, I found one commenter mentioning how James Franco’s performance is an interpretation of Marlon Brando as Weldon Penderton in John Huston’s Reflections in a Golden Eye, a film I have not seen, so forgive me for not recognizing it. People across the web seem enamored with Franco nonetheless, along with Natalie Portman’s take on what I’ve seen one commenter referring to Anita Ekberg in La Dolce Vita… I haven’t watched that movie in a while, but if Portman stripping is what’s going to bring me back to it then so be it.
I’m not above admitting I am obviously lost on several of these, though I do have a few theories and have tried to get as many answers as I could to start a discussion. Watch all 14 videos in the player below and help me out where you can.
