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"�but we're talking iconic stars, world-wide, aren't we?"

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David Aiken

In Reply to: RE: Thanks for your perspective. But I think, depending on your generation, that you're out of posted by tinear on January 22, 2011 at 13:02:40

If you're in a non-English speaking country with a strong cinema industry of its own, you're going to see far more of those films than you are going to see Hollywood films. Are your icons really going to be the same as those of someone living in the US?

Are you going to get the full impact of Bogie or Davis, to name 2 actors with very good vocal delivery, if you're listening to a dubbed soundtrack, or even if you're listening to the english soundtrack and relying on the subtitles because you don't understand english?

Can native english speakers who don't understand French or Italian, for example, ever get the full impact of great French or Italian actors if they need to rely on dubbed soundtracks or subtitles? I don't think so, and I do think that will adversely affect their judgement of the greatness of those actors.

I don't believe you can expect everyone to agree to your proposition. Linguistic and cultural differences are unavoidable and will inevitably affect people's assessment of who qualifies as a great iconic actor. There are as many, or probably more, such actors outside Hollywood as there are inside it given the size of the many strong national cinema industries around the world and the proportion of Hollywood films included in anyone's total film watching record is going to vary around the world depending on location.

Given that more people live outside the US than inside it, and that the total population of those countries outside the US with strong cinema industries exceeds the total population of the US, then I believe that on a world wide basis more people will disagree with your proposition that Hollywood has a stranglehold on iconic actors than will agree with it.

David Aiken

Follow Ups:

I meant in the past. After the heyday of Pacino/DeNiro/Nicholson, - tinear 16:08:06 01/22/11 (3)
the American star factory died.
From experience, I can tell you that in S. America, the American film industry stars, even though Brazil and Argentina had many of their own, shone far brighter.
At any time during the 20th century, you could go to an Italian city and mention a number of American actors and they would be known and beloved. Outside of a few sex bombs, Lolabrigida and Loren, the same wouldn't happen here. Same in France. England would be a bit different because of the cross-pollenation.
Now that I think of it, however, American blockbuster films still outperform most native films in most countries. Ahnie Terminator films; the Batmans; Spidermans. I don't know if the actors, outside of the Gov, are very well known, but the films are. The Rambo films also were world-wide sensations as were the Die Hard ones.
- But...those actors are all post-studio era stars. - Harmonia 14:16:00 01/24/11 (2)
  Nicholson, Pacino and DeNiro were not honed and polished by the studio system but became stars during the "second golden age" of Hollywood when the young lions - Scorsese, Cappola et al - were breaking out using studio financing but in essence and style were "independent" filmmakers.
  
  These directors were influenced by the Europeans (ahem), especially French new wave and Italian neo- realists, as well as classic American films.
  
  The above actors were very much in the anti-hero mode.
  - I just don't see Depardieu quite making those guys' level. Or any other actor. Heck, I'll throw in - tinear 19:10:17 01/24/11 (1)
    Dustin and Beatty, too....
    And I'm sure you know the French and Italian auteurs heavily were influenced by American directors and films.
    - Making al Pachino's level? You must mean dropping to his level. - Victor Khomenko 09:48:56 01/25/11 (0)
      I just don't know how could anyone consider that one-trick pony a good actor. Depardieu, OTOH, has not been just super-prolific, he gave us some truly fine acting.

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