| Author | Message | ||
     Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 193.109.254.19 |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8362367.stm * - yes, I know he wasn't actually the wicker man in the film... | ||
| Kate (Kathleen) Username: Kathleen Registered: 09-2009 Posted From: 93.96.181.75 |
 But what an interesting choice for a tribute clip! "Awake ye heathens and howl! . . . And ye shall all die... accursed!" Wonder what they'll show when Chris Lee dies? There's a bottomless supply of death scenes to choose from in his oeuvre. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
I wish they'd shown the clip from Incense for the Damned where Mr Woodward goes on about sado-masochism. When Mr Lee dies they're bound to show something entirely inappropriate, like a 1970s laxative commercial he did for Korean TV he hoped would never be seen again | ||
| Stephen Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
Very sad news... A favourite actor of mine from early memories of 'Callan' (still his finest role) through 'The Wicker Man', 'Breaker Morant, 'The Equalizer', etc. You could always rely on Edward Woodward to inject a bit of gravitas into any project. | ||
| Steve Jensen (Stevej) Username: Stevej Registered: 07-2009 Posted From: 82.0.77.233 |
Very sad news. In the hands of a lesser actor, that famous climax of The Wicker Man might have been laughable, particularly in such a godless age; Woodward, thankfully, was so accomplished that the film's ending is unforgettable. | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 218.168.188.223 |
Very sad indeed. Edward Woodward was a favourite of mine. He was good in just about everything he did, but I especially liked him in Breaker Morant. R.I.P., Mr. Woodward. | ||
| Stu (Stu) Username: Stu Registered: 04-2008 Posted From: 86.29.182.89 |
Sorry to hear about this. | ||
| Craig (Craig) Username: Craig Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 75.4.247.142 |
Yes, "The Equalizer," how I most remember him... an iconic 80's TV show opening/theme that's still seared into my brain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g87nDBIyqeU | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.219.8.243 |
RIP. A superb and subtle actor who leaves behind a handful of genuine classics (The Wicker Man, Breaker Morant and Callan among them). | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 213.158.199.77 |
RIP. Great actor. Will be much missed. | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 218.168.190.92 |
There's a nice tribute by Edgar Wright (of Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, etc.) here:http://www.edgarwrighthere.com/2009/11/edward-woodward-1930-2009/ | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 80.47.89.2 |
Watched the director's cut of The Wickerman - last night. | ||
| Paul_finch (Paul_finch) Username: Paul_finch Registered: 11-2009 Posted From: 195.93.21.74 |
THE WICKER MAN is one of the greats for me, Ally. Amazing to hear the bizarre shenanigans that accompanied its completion. Apparently everyone from the local villagers in Galloway (where the finale was filmed) to the movie's own executive producer wanted it burying rather than releasing. It's hardly an evil picture, though it was a bit of a shocker in the early 70s. But compare it to the execrable remake - in which Hollywood yet again proves that chucking loads of money at a project is no substitute for actually sitting down and thinking about it, and Nicolas Cage again proves that even the simplest role is beyond his ability to turn into something believable and/or sympathetic - and it's a minor masterpiece. Edward Woodward made a hero we could empathise with out of a character who is priggish and intolerant. Shaffer's script evoked a society which, while on the outside seems decadent and diabolical, is actually a functioning community in which every member (excepting the ever-villainous Mr. Lee) thinks he or she is doing the right thing, and which as a viewer you don't want to see destroyed. For me, it's a very adult and sophisticated film, much of its horror stemming from an unstoppable clash of worlds, which is so often a source of misery in real life. It was a rare accomplishment, and Edward Woodward was the towering force at the heart of it. Very sad to see a great actor make his final exit. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.131.109.157 |
I thought he could be OTT sometimes, crying at everything he said, almost operatically. I liked him very much though, despite that. It was when he was in that excellent series about bin men I noticed he did it. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.131.109.157 |
And hey, there's a joyous coincidence in the Edgar Wright thing; 'Needless to say, my plan for more anecdote time paid off and I got to hear many of Edward’s amazing stories. This includes the one where while filming in Australia for Breaker Morant, a man walks up to him during a hike in the outback and introduces himself. As ‘Edward Woodward.’ He met his Australian namesake in the middle of the desert.' | ||
| Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
Bad news that. I disagree with Paul about Nicolas Cage though. He was excellent in Bring out thr Dead and Leaving Las Vegas, and his action movies are better than most, mostly because of his performances. | ||
| Stephen Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
Nicolas Cage is one of the most baffling actors of modern times. Most of his movies and his performances are excruciatingly bad but every now and again the guy plays a blinder: 'Birdy', 'Raising Arizona', 'Wild At Heart', 'Leaving Las Vegas', 'Bringing Out The Dead', 'Adaptation'... so it's about time he was due another one. | ||
| Protodroid (Protodroid) Username: Protodroid Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 147.252.230.126 |
play.com has THE EQUALISER on its website as a "DVD hot pick". Vermin. | ||
| Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
I think I saw it there as a hot pick last week as well. Just coincidence. | ||
| Protodroid (Protodroid) Username: Protodroid Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 147.252.233.55 |
play.com has THE EQUALISER on its website as a "DVD hot pick". Clairvoyants. | ||
| Simon Bestwick (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 212.121.214.114 |
There was a series back in the 80s called 'In My Defence'- never released or repeated sadly- which was done in the style of Talking Heads, except that the characters were all real-life personages who'd taken some drastic action or made a major stand, and who were now defending what they'd done. The first was Emile Zola, played by Derek Jacobi. The last was a guy called Gourgen Yanikian, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide who assassinated two Turkish diplomats. I'd never heard of him, or indeed of the Armenian Genocide, before that day. He was played by Edward Woodward, who I'd only previously seen in The Equaliser. His performance was a revelation- incredible, impassioned and moving. He was an amazing talent. RIP. | ||
| Protodroid (Protodroid) Username: Protodroid Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 78.152.221.154 |
Sounds like a great series, Simon. | ||
| Simon Bestwick (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 212.121.214.114 |
The two episodes I saw certainly were, Proto- the Jacobi and the Woodward ones. He was bloody good in 'Common As Muck', as well, come to think of it. And 'Hot Fuzz' was pretty cool as well... I'll get me coat. |