Sci-Fi/Fantasy - Middle Earth Appreciation #2 - Will we ever get our Hobbit? - Page 2

sum1 · 06-21-2010, 09:37 AM

The funny thing about Keanu Reeves is he's actually one of the best Jonathan Harkers (Bram Stoker's Dracula, 1992). This is because the part is usually acted dreadfully. We have David Manners in the 1931 film, absolutely pathetic performance, Fred Williams in Count Dracula (1970), totally two-dimensional performance, Bruno Ganz in Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979), useless performance almost totally without emotion, and Rafe Spall in the 2006 British tv adaption, zero character in his performance. So Keanu actually comes out looking good by comparison.

Cryostar · 06-22-2010, 05:57 AM

I though the character was meant to be dry and two dimensional, thus strengthening the appeal to dracula.

sum1 · 06-22-2010, 06:20 AM

That's making excuses for bad performances. No character should acted without personality. A weak performance as Harker does not strengthen the appeal of Dracula. It weakens the appeal of the whole film.

Samwise Gamgee · 06-22-2010, 08:39 AM

I just read Guillermo Del Toro dropped The Hobbit.

So... The Hobbit has no director so far.

PermanentCatcher · 06-22-2010, 10:49 AM

Really?

that's bittersweet for me. I didn't really like the direction he was taking the movie based on what I've read, but the movie needs a director!

I want it already

Cryostar · 06-24-2010, 08:08 AM

yes, unfortunately, since they can't get budget in line fast enough, Del Toro's schedule is going to preclude him from participating.

Peter's currently trying to find someone else

sum1 · 06-24-2010, 01:45 PM

Why doesn't Jackson direct it himself?

More Harkers: The guy in Dan Curtis's Dracula (1973). Kind of nondescript. Kind of old to be Harker. The guy in Nosferatu (1922, not actually called Harker (because of copyright issues) -the actor was a German commie who went to Russia and denounced people to the authorities, people who ended up getting executed or dying in the gulag. His acting in Nosferatu wasn't much use. Then there's Bosco Hogan, Irish actor, who played Harker in the 1977 BBC tv adaption, one of the best Harkers. Not a brilliant performance by any means, but quite functional. The adaption is one of the best Dracula films. The guy who acted Harker in the 1958 Hammer film Horror of Dracula was quite tolerable.

Cryostar · 06-25-2010, 07:48 AM

He says he doesn't have it in him to direct again. Doing the last three "took too much out".

I can honestly say I don't remember the guy from Nosferatu and I've never seen the 1977 bbc tv adapt.

sum1 · 06-25-2010, 11:14 AM

The BBC adaption is available on US Amazon under the title "Count Dracula (BBC Mini-Series)". It gets in more of the story than other adaptions, because it's two and a half hours long. While it makes some changes, it's more faithful to the book than most adaptions. Frank Finlay is good as Van Helsing, Jourdan is very good as Dracula and Harker is played by an Irishman.