Acting Without the Drama

December 30, 2008.  So, around the time my daughter was trying to turn her stomach inside out, my boys were experiencing a marathon viewing of The Lord of the Rings films with their granddad.  That’s seriously like twelve hours of movie watching.  I love those films and would sit and watch a few minutes here and there between editing and sitting with my little girl in the bathroom.

The filmmaking involved in those films is pretty stunning.  Jackson managed to make the films epic and intimate at the same time.  Some of the joyful moments in the series are the ones that I remember the most.  There are so many it seems almost unfair to single out one, but I’m going to anyway. 

There is a moment when Aragorn and Gandalf are worrying about Frodo and the progress of the ring toward Mordor.  Gandalf asks Aragorn if he thinks that Frodo is still alive.  Aragorn responds that his heart tells him that he is.  Gandalf stops and…listens.  You can see him listening to his heart.  He then gets this soft, secret, almost shy smile on his face and agrees that yes, Frodo is still safe.  It was beautiful.

Part of this is the genius of Ian McKellen, who is one of the greatest actors alive right now.  Part of this is the artistry of Peter Jackson, who encouraged his actors and gave them the space to find those stunning moments.  Because that wasn’t the only one in the films.  Not by a long shot.

Artistry never ceases to amaze me.  When I see the creativity that comes out of people’s minds…even sometimes my own…I am overwhelmed.

So, if for some reason you live under a rock and have never seen those films…SEE THEM!  If you already have, maybe take some time and revisit an old friend.  If you watched them and didn’t respond well to them the first time, try them again and look for the moments I’m talking about.  I promise you they’re there, even if fantasy isn’t your cup of tea. 

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