.jpg "Tears of a Clown Blogathon")
On Wednesday, I reviewed Foxcatcher. It includes a wonderfully creepy performance by Steve Carell. He's an actor most of us know from his many comedic roles, a clown, if you will. He's the forty year-old virgin and the boss on The Office and that not-so-bright guy from Anchorman. When you think of Steve Carrell, you don't think drama. Yet, here he is providing us with one of 2014's best villains. And not some over-the-top maniacally cackling bad guy, but a real person with serious issues, making him all the more unsettling.
This got me to thinking about other comedic actors, other clowns, who knocked our socks off in a film in which they were NOT playing for laughs. My first instinct was to just do a post of my own on the subject and be done with it, but I think this is something you can help me with. That's why I'm opening this up to my fellow bloggers.
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The rules are simple:
1. Create a post about a comedic actor in a non-comedic role. Tell us what are your favorite comedic roles of this performer. More importantly, tell us why you like the dramatic role in question. Be as thorough as you feel you need to be. Convince us it's a great performance.
2. Use one of the banners I have in this post.
3. Include a link back to this post.
4. Leave a link to your post in the comments section below or tweet it to me @w_ott3
Multiple posts on the same performance are allowed, so don't worry about who picked what. You're all pretty creative so I'm sure we'll get a nice variety.
The deadline for this is two weeks from today - Friday, May 29, 2015.
I look forward to seeing what you guys come up with!
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Great idea, definitely gonna participate in this one! Holy hell are those banners creepy!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Lol on the banners. I forget how creepy clowns can be.
DeleteOh, what a brilliant idea! I already know the role I want to talk about :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad it's not nearly bedtime because those banners scared the crap outta me!
- Allie
Thanks. Can't wait to read your entry. Try not to dream of clowns tonight.
DeleteThese banners scare me. lol I love this idea though.
ReplyDeleteDidn't realize how much reaction the banners would get. Love it! Waiting patiently for your entry.
DeleteOh, this is an interesting idea. I'm really going to have to think about this one.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'm sure you'll come up with something awesome.
DeleteGreat idea! Will try to participate!
ReplyDeleteCool. I really hope you can.
DeleteI like the idea and actually thought of one that relates to the clown theme but I don't have a blog so I'll polish mine up and post it here if that's okay with you.
ReplyDeleteI think it's that second banner picture that's giving people the heebie jeebies, it's deeply creepy. I have a friend who is petrified of clowns. No matter how innocuous their make-up he becomes a quaking mess around them or has to change the channel it they appear on TV.
That's more than okay. In fact, I'll do you one better. After you post it here. I'll give it another spit shine and create a post for you as a guest writer. If that's okay with you.
DeleteFor anyone else reading, this offer is only for Joel!
Sounds like your friend has it rough. I feel for the guy.
That would be great Dell and I appreciate it! Thank you.
DeleteI'll have to get my thinking cap on if I'm to participate. Not normally a blogathon kinda guy but this sounds intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can. I think you'll come up with something great.
DeleteNice idea for a blogathon! This will be an easy choice for me. Looking forward to participating
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm intrigued as to what choice might be. Can't wait to find out.
DeleteGreat idea! And those images are fabulously disturbing.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Hope you'll be joining in. Got a lot of that about the pics.
DeleteI'm in. Let's do this.
ReplyDeleteYes!!! That's what what I'm talking 'bout!
DeleteLOVE this idea. And so many good ones to choose from!
ReplyDeleteHope you'll be able to join us!
DeleteDude you really have a knack for coming up with creative blogathons!! I want to do one for my site's first birthday but I have no idea where to start!!
ReplyDeleteI have a few in mind for this one.... I like it! I think I'll go with Robin Williams in The Fisher King.
Thanks. Go for it because someone just has to do a Robin Williams performance.
DeleteOh PS - another chapter of my story about my time in rehab is up if you are interested in reading it. Would love to hear your thoughts mate :)
ReplyDeletepeace
Cool. I'll check it out tonight when I have more time to really absorb it.
DeleteOk, shamed that I missed this post, but I'll get on this (in my defense, I was at the beach and away from internet).
ReplyDeleteFigured you were. No worries.
DeleteMine is up http://ramblingfilm.blogspot.com/2015/05/tears-of-clown-blogathon.html
ReplyDeleteCool. On my way to read it now!
DeleteMine is up too: http://moviesandsongs365.blogspot.com/2015/05/tears-of-clown-blogathon-robin-williams.html
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'm about to check it out.
DeleteDick Van Dyke in “The Comic” (1969)
ReplyDeleteIn between his runaway success with his first self-titled TV show and his return to television in lesser but successful vehicles Dick Van Dyke made a stab at film stardom. Starting out extremely well, despite his questionable accent, with Mary Poppins he unfortunately followed that with several comedies of variable quality all of which flopped at the box office, except for the kiddie musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which made money but performed beneath expectations.
However he was still considered a premier comedian when he teamed with Carl Reiner for The Comic which looks at the rise and fall of silent film comic Billy Bright, heavily influenced by the life story of Buster Keaton. For Van Dyke, a huge fan of the silent clowns in particular Stan Laurel, it was a dream project that he committed to fully. Always a pleaser as a performer he subsumes his innate likeability except when performing his skits to reveal a naked ambition and ruthlessness to Billy Bright that was necessary to climb out of vaudeville to the top of his profession but which becomes unbridled ego when he gets there and proceeds to cause his downfall. Throughout the film Van Dyke never shies away from the unpleasant aspects of his character, willing to be a jerk while hinting at the desperate need to be loved and admired but helpless to stop himself.
While he’s a trifle long in the tooth to be completely convincing at the start of the film where he really shines is in the final portion after Billy Bright’s fall. Ill and alone his entire physicality changes and he becomes a shuffling old man living on memories. The final scene is heartbreaking in the extreme. The film is not perfect by any means, it has that terrible look seemingly all period films made in the 60’s had with the characters outfitted in contemporary fashions rather than the proper period, the old age makeup on most everyone, except Van Dyke, is weak and Reiner’s direction is not always assured. However the supporting cast is very fine with Michele Lee, who through no fault of her own was taken to task for resembling Mary Tyler Moore-her character is even named Mary, quite touching as Van Dyke’s put upon spouse and Mickey Rooney, a particular standout, as Billy Bright’s one reliable friend. Its Van Dyke though who is the revelation showing a side to his talent that he was rarely was given a chance to display again. Unfortunately the film tanked at the box office and vanished from public view for years though it is now available on DVD.
Hi Dell,
Well here it is, don’t know how you were planning on formatting this and if you were going to attach one of the headers to it but I wanted to mention that the first banner reminded me of Van Dyke and the film immediately when you first announced the blogathon. Thanks again!
Thanks so much. I'll get this posted on Wednesday!
DeleteFinally got mine done!!! Hope you enjoy!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fernbyfilms.com/2015/05/26/blog-a-thon-tears-of-a-clown-adam-sandler-in-punch-drunk-love/
Thanks! I'll give it a read as soon as possible.
Deletehttps://sarahblogger94.wordpress.com/2015/05/29/tears-of-a-clown-blogathon-steve-carell-in-foxcatcher/ Here's mine... I did "Foxcatcher" too :P
ReplyDeleteCool! So nice to "meet" you. I'll check this out right away. Thanks!
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