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Post by petrolino on Feb 21, 2021 1:33:06 GMT
When actor Charles Bronson was shooting 'Hard Times' (1975) with director Walter Hill, he filmed some of the most tense and exciting fight sequences ever committed to celluloid. Yet according to Hill, Bronson couldn't breathe after takes. Truth is, he came from a mining family in Pennsylvania and started smoking at the age of 9. He served in the U.S. Army and took on any odd job going, such was his desire to escape the mines, much like his character the reluctant tunneler in 'The Great Escape' (1963). Back home, he got ribbed for being a lightweight, a "Hollywood pansy" looking for an easy way out, but he took it all in his stride and with good humour.
'There was nothing Charles Bronson liked better than a nice glass of wine before he kicked the everloving sh*t out of everybody.'
- Super 70s Sports
His roommate Jack Klugman recalled Bronson as being clean, meticulous and neat, even to the point of being fastidious, yet a good man nonetheless. His foibles followed him around and they made an odd couple, for sure, but Bronson loved his Jacks - Palance of Pennsylvania was a friend and kindred spirit of similar stock.
Charles Bronson didn't talk much, much like renegade student disc jockey Hard Harry in 'Pump Up The Volume' (1990). He famously said to Roger Ebert, "It's just that I don't like to talk very much ...", yet according to Jacqueline Bisset, when he spoke it carried weight. As to moviemaking, filmmaker Sergio Leone described Bronson as "the best actor in the world", and I can kinda see why.
Charles Bronson
'The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This' - Love
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Post by Geddy on Feb 21, 2021 1:47:09 GMT
A hell of a guy, but he could have done so much better work if he wanted to.
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Post by petrolino on Feb 21, 2021 1:49:33 GMT
A hell of a guy, but he could have done so much better work if he wanted to.
Well, it's swings and roundabouts. At least he has some all-time classics to his name, not to mention a good deal of popular and influential films. I think his career was ultimately a high. If I compare him to an actor I like like Clint Walker for example, who I do feel could have chosen better projects when the iron was red hot.
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Post by Geddy on Feb 21, 2021 1:52:04 GMT
A hell of a guy, but he could have done so much better work if he wanted to.
Well, it's swings and roundabouts. At least he has some all-time classics to his name, not to mention a good deal of popular and influential films. I think his career was ultimately a high. If I compare him to an actor I like like Clint Walker for example, who I do feel could have chosen better projects when the iron was red hot.
Story I heard is that Scorcese had an open contract for him but he never took him up on it. |
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Post by petrolino on Feb 21, 2021 1:55:44 GMT
Well, it's swings and roundabouts. At least he has some all-time classics to his name, not to mention a good deal of popular and influential films. I think his career was ultimately a high. If I compare him to an actor I like like Clint Walker for example, who I do feel could have chosen better projects when the iron was red hot.
Story I heard is that Scorcese had an open contract for him but he never took him up on it. I believe it. Martin Scorsese would have walked hell over high water to get to Charles Bronson.
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Post by Geddy on Feb 21, 2021 1:59:03 GMT
Story I heard is that Scorcese had an open contract for him but he never took him up on it. I believe it. Martin Scorsese would have walked hell over high water to get to Charles Bronson. Charles settled for too much Death Wish garbage late in his career. |
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Post by petrolino on Feb 21, 2021 2:02:40 GMT
I believe it. Martin Scorsese would have walked hell over high water to get to Charles Bronson. Charles settled for too much Death Wish garbage late in his career.
I disagree strongly. Like Jack Palance, he was sick of being cast as Indian #3 or Thug #2 in Hollywood and then Europe opened up doors to him. Whether it was Michael Winner or J. Lee Thompson, Sergio Leone or Rene Clement, European filmmakers recognised his worth as an artist, just as Roger Corman once had in America.
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Post by Geddy on Feb 21, 2021 2:08:47 GMT
Charles settled for too much Death Wish garbage late in his career.
I disagree strongly. Like Jack Palance, he was sick of being cast as Indian #3 or Thug #2 in Hollywood and then Europe opened up doors to him. Whether it was Michael Winner or J. Lee Thompson, Sergio Leone or Rene Clement, European filmmakers recognised his worth as an artist, just as Roger Corman once had in America. Speaking of Jack, apparently Charles turned down his part in City Slickers which of course won him an Oscar. Jack was no dummy. |
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Post by petrolino on Feb 21, 2021 2:13:44 GMT
I disagree strongly. Like Jack Palance, he was sick of being cast as Indian #3 or Thug #2 in Hollywood and then Europe opened up doors to him. Whether it was Michael Winner or J. Lee Thompson, Sergio Leone or Rene Clement, European filmmakers recognised his worth as an artist, just as Roger Corman once had in America. Speaking of Jack, apparently Charles turned down his part in City Slickers which of course won him an Oscar. Jack was no dummy. Jack Palance was certainly no dummy, yet I don't recall he ever called Charles Bronson one either. Even in Bronson's early days, it took a director like the one-eyed Hungarian Andre De Toth to elevate him in terms of juicy character roles. Now, controversial progressive Robert Aldrich was certainly a great American director who loved both Palance and Bronson, but they all fell victim to the contract studio system and its rabid support of "family values" and conservative censorship back in those days.
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Post by bravomailer on Feb 21, 2021 5:27:37 GMT
Great face and presence  |
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