Film vs. Theatre

[D'Snowth]

That's why it's often easy to spot a stage actor in a movie or TV show, they're using a different style.

It's a lot like when Tony Randall and Jack Klugman insisted THE ODD COUPLE switch from single-camera with just a laugh track to multi-camera in front of a live audience: both of their performances certainly have a lot more life, enthusiam, and charisma when the show had a live audience as opposed to their more reserved their performances were during their single-camera season. Tony as Felix, in particular, can be really hammy and animated at times, but that just further adds to the neurotic personality the character was supposed to have anyway.

It's ironic, because I usually have a stronger preference for the more cinematic approach that single-camera sitcoms had back in those days, but switching to multi-camera in front of an audience really brought THE ODD COUPLE to life; I'm not saying the first single-camera season was bad, but it felt pretty generic and bland compared to ensuing seasons.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Uhh . . . wait a minute . . . how did this thread go from being about the comparison of film and theater to grade school hijinx?

I that's my fault. When you mentioned sneaking out, it reminded me of when I'd snek out to go to the bathroom and destroy the walls.

 

[fuzzygobo]

I'm tempted to prefer theater, for some of the reasons mentioned by Snowthy. In a live performance, the actors can pick up on the audience's vibes and make the play sizzle. The spontaneity can carry the performance to new highs.

In films, you might do take after take to get the scene perfect. But once the film is wrapped and marked, that's how it will always be. If the acting's good, it's a classic. If it's bad...it becomes fodder for MST3K.

The thing with so many films in the last 30 years, especially with the blockbusters, is (sometimes) over reliance on CGI fx and such.
Take away the techno razzle dazzle, sometimes there's very little plot or character development to hang onto.
But some theater productions can be reduced to a one-man show and be brilliant.
Case in point- Bryan Cranston (Mr. Breaking Bad) portraying LBJ in 2014's "All The Way".

 

[LittleJerry92]

Ironically, a German TV play of Hamlet from 1961 ended up on the last season of the original MST series.

Not many people are fond of the episode, though.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

There was an entire episode of Doctor Who where The Doctor was the only character in the entire thing. It had sort of a Shakespearean feel to it, a bit like the Hamlet soliloquy, only longer and with more action.

 

[Froggy Fool]

There was an entire episode of Doctor Who where The Doctor was the only character in the entire thing. It had sort of a Shakespearean feel to it, a bit like the Hamlet soliloquy, only longer and with more action.

Oh, you mean Heaven Sent? I never liked that one, for some reason. Overall I thought it was super boring.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Oh, you mean Heaven Sent? I never liked that one, for some reason. Overall I thought it was super boring.

I'm actually not sure how I feel about it, I only watched it once when it first came out.

 

[Froggy Fool]

I'm actually not sure how I feel about it, I only watched it once when it first came out.

I've only watched one time as well, when I watched all of Doctor Who summer of 2016. (That's when I got into it).

 

[D'Snowth]

There was an entire episode of Doctor Who where The Doctor was the only character in the entire thing. It had sort of a Shakespearean feel to it, a bit like the Hamlet soliloquy, only longer and with more action.

M*A*S*H did a similar episode where Hawkeye was the only main character in it, seeking shelter with a Korean family that didn't speak any English while the children went for help - it was basically just a half-hour of Hawkeye monologuing.

 

[fuzzygobo]

M*A*S*H did a similar episode where Hawkeye was the only main character in it, seeking shelter with a Korean family that didn't speak any English while the children went for help - it was basically just a half-hour of Hawkeye monologuing.

While juggling, singing the praises of the human hand, and to amuse the kiddies, blowing a rubber glove into a balloon.