Marlon Brando - Obituary
0 Comments Published by Prasad Venkat on Thursday, July 08, 2004 at 11:18 AM.
Marlon Brando was already a screen legend when uttered "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" in a grating voice with a piercing look in a dark room. This line has been infinitely imitated and and has ever since attained the heights of Everest, like his "I coulda been a contender.." and many others. If imitation is a very sincere form of flattery (as we do with Kamal and Rajini), then, Brando is a god.
His social graces were rusty. His spending habits were poor. There is almost nothing accomodative about him. But, he mastered the toughest ingredient of acting...naturalism... and nailed it hard. Hard enough that his performaces have inspired new techniques and new actors all over the world. He had character, great character. To don the role of Col.Kurtz in 'Apocalypse Now', a simple personality wasn't enough. The screenplay demanded someone with an unbeatable screen presence. The whole story pulls the audience to the final act, and to see Brando in action, for the epilogue was like divine intervention. He fulfills the expectation of every listener. He knew how to enliven every word that he spoke.
Genius is hand-in-glove with eccentricity. So true it is with Brando, and his co-artistes, directors and producers found him increasingly difficult to work with as he gained stature. He sort of socially outcasted himself from time to time. Donned very cheap roles for money. At the time of his death due to lung failure, he was deep in debts and was living on social security. It is unfortunate that the Indian media, amidst the clamour of budget and BJP, hasn't given much attention to his departure.
These facts aside, he tattooed the art of method acting on every sincere learner to come later. Now, to me that is no fall and he stands tall.
His social graces were rusty. His spending habits were poor. There is almost nothing accomodative about him. But, he mastered the toughest ingredient of acting...naturalism... and nailed it hard. Hard enough that his performaces have inspired new techniques and new actors all over the world. He had character, great character. To don the role of Col.Kurtz in 'Apocalypse Now', a simple personality wasn't enough. The screenplay demanded someone with an unbeatable screen presence. The whole story pulls the audience to the final act, and to see Brando in action, for the epilogue was like divine intervention. He fulfills the expectation of every listener. He knew how to enliven every word that he spoke.
Genius is hand-in-glove with eccentricity. So true it is with Brando, and his co-artistes, directors and producers found him increasingly difficult to work with as he gained stature. He sort of socially outcasted himself from time to time. Donned very cheap roles for money. At the time of his death due to lung failure, he was deep in debts and was living on social security. It is unfortunate that the Indian media, amidst the clamour of budget and BJP, hasn't given much attention to his departure.
These facts aside, he tattooed the art of method acting on every sincere learner to come later. Now, to me that is no fall and he stands tall.
