Two totally different takes on Hayden

Darth Goofy
With peoples complaints about stilted dialouge, I always thought that Hayden was not having a difficult time portraying Anakin, but Anakin was having a difficult time portraying a Jedi.

I got the same impression.

 

Were the people who said his acting was wooden referring to his vocal tone and delivery of lines? Well Hayden was speaking in a monotone on purpose because that is the personality of the future Darth Vader. He even said that he watched the movies and tried to get into Vader's speech patterns and mannerisms. So the people who said his acting was wooden just don't know or don't get how the character was portrayed.

 

My ex-roomate used to say that Hayden's acting was wooden because he had a stone-face the whole movie. He thought Hayden always had the same expression. No matter how hard I tried to convince him, he just wouldn't listen to reason. He also thought Hayden sucked as an actor because he was "so whinny", but he didn't understand that the character of Anakin is the one to blame for that. But my old roomate is also the same guy who thought Yoda blocked Dooku's lightning with a lighsaber, even though he had seen the movie twice and owns the AOTC soundtrack with Yoda absorbing force lightning on the cover. Some people just don't devote their full attention to the movie when they watch it.

 

"The OT was a swashbuckler series. The PT is not. The acting style in the PT harkins back to the first half of the century. Look at the way the lines are delivered in The Wizard Of Oz, War Of The Worlds, and Lawrence Of Arabia. Then compare it to the PT so far, its the same."

I echo the other compliments on your observation. Darth Karma a few months back had a signature about the similiarities between Lawrence of Arabia and AOTC.

Anakin is not supposed to be a Luke clone by the time of AOTC.

The desperate rescue attempt through the Confession is the best acting in film in recent memory. This is why I was a repeat AOTC viewer.

 

True MobartZmuda, often people don't pay enough attention, over generalize, and otherwise make an uninformed jump on a bandwagon that is full of itself.

Then there's people who nitpick when it proves their points but suddenly revert to over generalizations when it goes against what they are trying to argue.

Not cool.

 

To quote Anakin_Girl - Hayden bashers can bite me!

Hayden did a magnificient job of portraying Anakin. No, SW dialogue isn't stellar but he worked wonderfully with what he was given.

The problem with critics is they don't have a clue what they're reviewing. Half the time they don't pay attention to what they're watching. I'd never see half the movies I've seen if I listened to the critics.

The first time I saw Shmi's death scene, I got the biggest lump in my throat - the raw, intense emotion in that scene made me choke up. The intense looks Hayden's eyes reflect are so incredible.

Besides, if it was such a terrible movie why did millions of fans all over the globe flock to see it multiple times? Answer that ONE critics? And no, you can't blame it on the fans who have followed the SW saga for these 20+ years. There were plenty of "newbies" in those theaters too.

<end rant>

 

The first time I saw Shmi's death scene, I got the biggest lump in my throat - the raw, intense emotion in that scene made me choke up. The intense looks Hayden's eyes reflect are so incredible.



Me too. The part that really touches me in that scene is when he kisses the palm of her hand when she caresses his cheek. (I wonder if that was scripted?) He really is an incredible actor. I sure felt all his emotions!

 

Three words:

Hayden IS Anakin

 

"True MobartZmuda, often people don't pay enough attention, over generalize, and otherwise make an uninformed jump on a bandwagon that is full of itself.

Then there's people who nitpick when it proves their points but suddenly revert to over generalizations when it goes against what they are trying to argue."


JenX reads through this thread.

Yep, bjbrickm, you got that right.


I thought that Hayden acting was patchy, at best, and he wasn't helped by the terrible dialogue he was given, but if his high schoool teachers reckon he is "the next James Dean" then who am I to disagree?

 

IMO, both Hayden and Jake did fantastic jobs. I have never been able to understand why people bash Jake for his acting, and I am bewildered as to why they bash Hayden. Now Natalie was wooden at times, but not Hayden. To prove the point on critics (they don't know how to critisize properly) I was looking a t a movie reviwe site and they gave LOTR a 6 out of 10!! They were going on and on about wooden acting, and fake-looking sets....give me a break!! I think we should jsut ignore the critics from now on-if they don't have a movie to smush under their thumb, they arent happy.

 

Yes, yes, yes. Critics are stupid and ignorant, except the ones that agree with what we are saying. Those ones are clever and wise and wonderful. In fact we can bash critics and at the very same time quote the good things critics have said to bash other critics!!!!

 

I'm not sure what point you're trying to prove, JenX, but let me ask you this--have you ever seen Hayden act in anything other than AOTC? No one can complain about wooden dialogue in any other movie. The dialogue was quite obviously a combination of Hayden doing an emulation of the man who would be Vader and writing/directing by Lucas.

And yes, I think his high school teachers, who have seen him act up close and personal, are more knowledgable about the subject than you are.

 

JenX you dont help things by making sarcastic childish comments

Peronally I dislike every critic, whether they like SW or not. They don't know anything.

Anyway I thought Hayden was superb. He played Anakin well.
I don't think I will ever forget the confession scene, the amount of complex emotions he portrayed was amazing. He conveyed exactly how messed up Anakin is and thats the talent of his acting.

 

Hayden do a great job. He can act. I have seen him on higherground, and Life as a House.

He did a good job in thoes and in AOTC.

 

Maybe those that criticize Hayden's acting abilities should watch Life As A House or Higher Ground. You'll see for yourself he's no ordinary "wooden" actor.

Not by a long shot.

The critics? May they rest in peace...I don't need them

 

I'm not sure what point you're trying to prove, JenX, but let me ask you this--have you ever seen Hayden act in anything other than AOTC? No one can complain about wooden dialogue in any other movie. The dialogue was quite obviously a combination of Hayden doing an emulation of the man who would be Vader and writing/directing by Lucas.

Well, firstly, I'm not trying to prove anything. I'm giving my opinion, I'm not trying to get others to agree with me. Secondly, I'm not sure what your point is. I think the majority of the dialogue Hayden was given was pretty bad, and being saddled with bad dialogue didn't do him any favours. I don't think Hayden is a great actor, and I don't think he did a particularly good job in AOTC. You disagree. Good for you!


And yes, I think his high school teachers, who have seen him act up close and personal, are more knowledgable about the subject than you are.

Well, obviously Hayden's high school teachers also taught James Dean, and are thus qualified to make such comparisions.

No offence, but I'm not going to give much weight to a comment made by some unnamed teacher whose opinions run counter to what I have seen with my own eyes. I think the James Dean comment is a piece of hyperbole, totally at odds with the comparative achievements of both actors. But, hey, let's see if time proves me wrong, shall we?

Editted to add:

"JenX you dont help things by making sarcastic childish comments"

So, you find time to criticise my comments, yet somehow failed to spot the following comments made on this very thread:

"Critics suck, nuff said"

"The Hayden-bashers can bite me."

"I should write an article bashing every critic in the history of film."

"I want to go in without hearing some whiny bitch complain about the movie.."

"The critics don't know S@#$."

None of which are in any way sarcastic or childish.



So DarthTerrious, I would think long and hard before you make remarks about my tone again.

 

No offence, but I'm not going to give much weight to a comment made by some unnamed teacher whose opinions run counter to what I have seen with my own eyes.

Why is your opinion considered superior to his teachers, who are probably older than you and who, I'm sure, have known him longer and seen him act in a lot more plays, etc.? Hayden went to a performing arts high school with a strong drama program, and he excelled in that drama program. His teachers had plenty of other aspiring actors to rate his skill against. I somehow don't think what you've seen with your "own eyes" is considered a more informed or intelligent opinion than what they've seen and judged with years of experience to back them up.

I'm a lot older than Hayden, and I've watched a lot of movies in my lifetime--and I personally have never been as impressed with acting talent in someone so young. The first time I saw an episode of Higher Ground, my jaw was on the floor and I had tears in my eyes. In Higher Ground, Life as a House, and AOTC, he was forced to play very difficult and emotional roles--and he did so while making the audience feel what his character was feeling, especially in HG and LAAH.

DarthTerrious is right. You're being childish. Sarcasm is not a way to argue. If you don't like Hayden, that's your business--but, except for a bunch of jealous fanboys, I think you're in the minority, dear. Three words for you: Golden Globe nomination. 'Nuff said.

 

*sigh* I knew it wouldn't take long before this became yet another US vs. THEM thead.

 

anakin_girl, could you be slightly more civil? I'm trying to figure out what exactly I have done to warrant the kind of insults being flung at me here.

Why is your opinion considered superior to his teachers, who are probably older than you and who, I'm sure, have known him longer and seen him act in a lot more plays, etc.?

I don't believe that my opinion is superior. I never said that! What I said was that my opinion was different! I'm sorry that you have completely misunderstood my posts, I'll try to be clearer from now on.

DarthTerrious is right. You're being childish. Sarcasm is not a way to argue. If you don't like Hayden, that's your business--but, except for a bunch of jealous fanboys, I think you're in the minority, dear. Three words for you: Golden Globe nomination. 'Nuff said.

Ok, where to begin? I'm sorry, but I take exception to being lectured on childish posts by someone who starts their posts with the phrase "The Hayden-bashers can bite me." Also, I have absolutely nothing against Hayden. From interviews I have seen he seems like a nice guy. I just don't think he is that good as an actor. Also I find your classification of people who don't find Hayden to be a compelling actor as a "bunch of jealous fanboys" to be both inaccurate and ironic consider you feel qualified to lecture me on childish posts.

We have a different opinion. That's nothing to get upset about, is it?

 

I'm sorry JenX but those comments are hardly as childish and sarcastic as your comments.

I have seen worse than you comments though I have to admit, but that doesn't excuse it.

 

Hayden's acting was great. Given some of the awful dialogue he had and having to work alongside Natalie Portman, whose acting was atrocious, I think he did a really good job.

 

Ok DarthKarde this is not a flam but if you don't line Natalie Portman then you can make a thread or I think there are threads out there that bash her.

This thread is about Haydan.

Me both Hayden and Natalie did a very good job.

Pleae let's leave Natalie Portman out of there that talk about Hayden.

 

Just so we are all on the same level here, would somebody, actual would several somebodys explain just what "wooden" means in the terms it is being used here.

I mean just what is "wooden"? Let's get some definitions on this. What do you define as "wooden"? Because right now it seems to me like people are using this as a cop out term in an attempt to explain something they can't explain. It's the scapegoat or something. It's like saying, "I don't know what's wrong with the acting in AOTC, but I think I'll call it wooden, whatever the hell that means. At least I'll sound like I know what I'm talking about, and hey we got to blame something don't we?"



This is what I mean by jumping on the bandwagon. You start saying things and using the same cop out terms and you don't even really know what they mean or what your true position is on the whole matter.

You don't invest enought time and thought into what you actually think so you go with what the critics say.

That's just the impression I get, IMHO.

 

Errr, has anyone on this thread described Hayden's acting as wooden???

Just wondering...

 

Ok look there are people out there that thought Hayden and yes even Natalie(this is the last time I will talk about her here) did a very good job.

Then there are others who thought they did not. What needs to happen here is that we need to remember it is just your opinion.

Know one is right or wrong. If someone did not liek his acting oh well that is your opinion. It's not fact. The same coudl be said for the other side to. We all see things in a different way.

Where JenX saw not so good acting. I saw good acting.