Favorite Cinema Moments: Part 48
Forrest Gump.
So, in a movie full of cram-jam-great-classic moments...this acting performance is set apart, stands out, and breaks the heart. I remember having very mixed feelings about Jenny. You are happy because Forrest is happy to see Jenny again. He runs over to her house, they are talking, and then all of a sudden a woman knocks and we discover Jenny has a son. Hmm...Forrest is very sweet and innocent the whole time, asking what his name is, upon learning it, "He's got a daddy named Forrest too?" We laugh, which to me is a wonderful secret to opening up an audiences heart to "feel". You laugh, and welcome your heart to feelings, which makes the next moment much more powerful! "You're his daddy Forrest." There are some amazing actors out there that can give story points, allow audiences into their thoughts, and be crystal clear through very subtle performances. Hanks uses very little, but you feel it. Nora Ephron commented on this in her commentary for Youve Got Mail, about how Hanks can sell an idea with so little! Just a look! Just a small gesture, a gaze, a nod, a crick of a smile...and it's all very CLEAR. That's how valuable good acting can be and it peeves me when director's don't take advantage of it because they don't trust an actor/animator to pull it off...they're missing out on magic.
So, in a movie full of cram-jam-great-classic moments...this acting performance is set apart, stands out, and breaks the heart. I remember having very mixed feelings about Jenny. You are happy because Forrest is happy to see Jenny again. He runs over to her house, they are talking, and then all of a sudden a woman knocks and we discover Jenny has a son. Hmm...Forrest is very sweet and innocent the whole time, asking what his name is, upon learning it, "He's got a daddy named Forrest too?" We laugh, which to me is a wonderful secret to opening up an audiences heart to "feel". You laugh, and welcome your heart to feelings, which makes the next moment much more powerful! "You're his daddy Forrest." There are some amazing actors out there that can give story points, allow audiences into their thoughts, and be crystal clear through very subtle performances. Hanks uses very little, but you feel it. Nora Ephron commented on this in her commentary for Youve Got Mail, about how Hanks can sell an idea with so little! Just a look! Just a small gesture, a gaze, a nod, a crick of a smile...and it's all very CLEAR. That's how valuable good acting can be and it peeves me when director's don't take advantage of it because they don't trust an actor/animator to pull it off...they're missing out on magic.
Labels: liveaction, stills
posted by THE samacleod around 1:55 PM
3 Comments:
I showed this EXACT shot at CalArts when i was teaching. So often that they got sick of it-- It's an incredible performance. Holy Moly man!
Yeah, it's used quite a bit, which made me reluctant to use it as my favorite, but I can't deny it...the moment works on many other levels besides just the acting! And the minimal acting like his is rare to find. I do recall a scene in Braveheart, the robert of the bruce betrayal scene, when gibson just gives up and sits on the ground and stares at him then falls back. Great stuff man.
It's trippin' me out. Finally had to comment - amazing how many of your favorite cinema moments are mine too. That scene with Mel tore my heart out.
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