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Post by pacinoyes on Dec 2, 2018 15:21:23 GMT
I recently watched Fry on Graham Norton (Nicole Kidman was on the show, duly fascinated by him). He was talking about his new book and he was rather extraordinary - in the last 6 months I've seen him interview Pacino on Salome (a great, penetrating discussion), debate exceedingly well on political correctness (with Jordan Peterson no less) against a clearly overmatched Michael Dyson in the Munk debates.
What are your thoughts on him - he seems to occupy a very odd position nowadays - sometime actor, great intellect, wide ranging high brow author, sort of general bon vivant. I can't for the life of me recall having seen him in much aside from Gosford Park and Wilde though I'm sure that can't be right.
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Post by stephen on Dec 2, 2018 15:26:52 GMT
He's a brilliant comic actor with some excellent dramatic chops, but I mostly regard and respect Fry for his raconteur style and for being the longtime (and now departed) host of QI. As a British panel show junkie, he was always a favorite of mine, and even though I adore Sandi Toksvig as his replacement, Fry really was one-of-a-kind in that role. I also think he's the underrated MVP of V for Vendetta, and really should've had the entire movie based around his character.
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Post by finniussnrub on Dec 2, 2018 16:13:02 GMT
Theoretically should be the heir apparent to Peter Ustinov, in terms of his multi-faceted output as a creative force and storyteller, however he has never achieved that level as Ustinov did particularly in terms of acting and directing.
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Post by pupdurcs on Dec 2, 2018 16:19:45 GMT
His best character is Stephen Fry.
He's got a natural wit and timing that lends to a specific type of comedy, and he can do well in very specific drama if cast carefully, but his range is so generally limited to that Oxbridge intellectual person he so clearly is himself, that I wouldnt exactly rate him as a great actor (compared to his former Jeeves and Wooster co-star Hugh Laurie, who is a brilliant actor in the truest sense). I put him in a similar category to someone like Nigel Havers.
I think he'll be best remembered as a witty man of words and intellect, TV game show panellist and frequent BAFTA host. Peter Ustinov without the Oscars.
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Post by pupdurcs on Dec 2, 2018 16:22:19 GMT
Theoretically should be the heir apparent to Peter Ustinov, in terms of his multi-faceted output as a creative force and storyteller, however he has never achieved that level as Ustinov did particularly in terms of acting and directing. Yes...glad I wasn't the only one to notice the obvious Ustinov similarties. Also have to agree that Fry comes nowhere close to Ustinov in the sphere of acting/directing.
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Post by stephen on Dec 2, 2018 16:27:01 GMT
Theoretically should be the heir apparent to Peter Ustinov, in terms of his multi-faceted output as a creative force and storyteller, however he has never achieved that level as Ustinov did particularly in terms of acting and directing. Yeah, the Ustinov comparisons are pretty well staring me right in the face and I don't know why I didn't mention them, considering my adulation of the late great Sir Peter. I can even see Fry playing all three of Ustinov's Oscar-nominated roles with varying degrees of success (he'd be a fine Nero and a really great Arthur Simon Simpson, would probably make a better Gracchus than Batiatus though).
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2018 19:02:30 GMT
He contributed to the recent documentary Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood. I maybe believed 10% of its contents. His participation in that feature doesn't necessarily lessen my overall opinion of him, but it was... odd.
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Post by ibbi on Dec 2, 2018 23:23:38 GMT
He and Hugh Laurie were one of the great comic duos of my childhood. Glad to see them both doing so well all these years later. The man is hilarious, and when he gets serious he can go toe to toe with just about anyone. His BAFTA hosting gigs are getting less and less good, so I do hope he moves on from that.
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