When you look at movie greats, such as The Godfather and Chinatown, you can;t help but ask about what got them there. You can't resist from asking yourself the question of, "What force was it that drove them to success?" The answer: acting. Acting is the base of all great movies. It becomes the heart and soul of a film, with the capabilities to turn a "just okay film" into a "I'm speechless" remark. And this theory holds true for one of movie's best (or shall I say trilogy) Lord of the Rings.
The main actor in this film is Elijah Wood. Before landing the role of Frodo Baggins in the blockbuster hit, Elijah had a lot of former experience in the film industry. From his big screen debue as "the kid playing the gameboy" in 1989's Back to the Future, to his own leading roles in movies like Forever Young (1992) and Deep Impact (1998), Elijah has been able to capture audiences and truly display each character. Which is why it is no surprise when New Line Productions desperately seeked him out for the role of Frodo. Since the release of LOTR, Wood's career continues to flourish as he stared in 2005's Sin City and the yet to be releases 9.
Another key actor in the film was Viggo Mortensen, who played the role of Arogan, the King of Men. His supporting acting in this film not only helped the movie be as successful as it was, but also won Viggo a Oscar (Best Supporting). Before he received the call for the job, Viggo had been seen in such films as Carlito's Way (1993) and Crimson Tide (1995). New Line Productions saw his ability to portray a darker side of man, but still with emotion, which is what drove them so hard to get him for the role. Since then Mortensen has stared in such hits as The History of Violence (2005) and Eastern Promises (2007).
Yes, acting is the backbone of every great film ever created. It can ether cause a movie to flop, or rise to be proclaimed as one of the greatest movies of all time. This was the case in Lord of the Rings, as the acting from Elijah Wood and Viggo Mortensen pioneered for greatness, which the film truly achieved.
1 comment:
I cannot help but wholeheartedly agree with you that a thorough acting performance can be exactly what makes or breaks a film or play, for that matter. When so many avenues (writing, directing) can let a good story down, some actors will never let an audience know it. Unfortunately, though, Viggo Mortensen did not win an Oscar for his performance in "Lord of the Rings", although he should have. Many predicted the Academy would nominate him for his film "A History of Violence" some years ago, but indeed this year's Oscars was the first to nominate him for such a distinction (Best Actor for "Eastern Promises" - which he deserved but lost to Daniel Day-Lewis), a nomination which, in many fan's opinions was at least seventeen years late (his portrayals in films such as "The Indian Runner" and "The Passion of Darkly Noon" being fine but too often overlooked examples.)
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