I decided to move some discussion from this post up to the top level here. Specifically, Watoosh wrote: "Well, if violence is defined as initiation of force (which, of course, presupposes certain property rights), then I think Rockwell is correct..." Well, if we define cats as elephants, then many people keep elephants in their house. More seriously, firstly, violence is not usually defined that way. It's defined as, you know, violence, so that, say, someone may respond violently or non-violently to someone who aggresses against them. Otherwise, it would make no sense to say, for instance, "He punched me, but I did not stoop to violence in response." And, secondly, the libertarian usage of "initiation of force" is very offbeat. If I wander onto someone's meadow, most people would not say I had "initiated force" -- I mean, sure, I used "force" against the earth to push off walking, but that's not force directed against...
He is often given the indifferent person style performance for many scenes.
ReplyDeleteIn Nicholas Roeg's Don't Look Now, he is studying church architecture while completely butt naked. An Italian housekeeper arrives into his room, and he swings towards her, shocked.
He moves to cover his crotch, but seeing that the lady has already seen his junk, he doesn't bother and goes back to his relaxed pose and turns back to his studies.
Like I said, quite indifferent sort of person he plays.
"That's acting?! To appear as the exact same person every time you get on screen?"
ReplyDeleteThis describes most of the big name American actors, I think. Jack Nicholson always plays himself. Ditto De Niro. Pachino, same thing. Maybe that wasn't true before they got big (then again, maybe not).
Honestly someone like Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCaprio has a lot more range.
Edward, at first I was offended and was going to point you to Dog Day Afternoon, Scent of a Woman, And Justice for All, and Sea of Love, and then ask you to tell me Pacino plays the same guy in all of them.
ReplyDeleteBut then I realized you were referring to "Pachino," with whom I am unfamiliar.
You're blaspheming again. I don't have to work with a blasphemer.
ReplyDelete