Only a day after the BAFTAs, featuring the traditional montage of those cinematic people who have died in the past year (Brad Renfro, when did THAT happen?), comes the sad news that Roy Scheider has died from cancer. While I can't say I'm aware of much of his work, and most of what I am were ropey projects (Blue Thunder, SeaQuest DSV, etc), the man was superb as Chief Martin Brody in the first two Jaws films.
Despite that rubbery dopey shark (one of the few times I think CG touchups would not be entirely unreasonable), Jaws still stands as one of the best movies ever made. It has a reality to it that is rarely seen in cinema today and stands as one of those flicks that works for me under my own classification of Movie (ie, fun entertainment) and Film (well produced intelligent fare). Scheider's portrayal of Brody is one of the greatest everyman performances on the big screen: flawed and heroic in equal measures.
So long, Mr Scheider...
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1 comment:
Which will explain why five were showing a film of his when I got in from the pub. But why oh why was it one with Dolph Lungren? Some fucking tribute
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