Bogie56 Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I couldn't find a thread specifically devoted to Philip Seymour Hoffman other than one that said 'Found Dead.' For me, PS Hoffman was the best male film actor of his generation. And by that I guess I mean the late 1990's through to his untimely death in 2014. He just seemed to elevate every project that he was associated with. I understand that he was a very good stage actor too. Did anyone here get the chance to see him on the stage? Perhaps we could hear from fans of his work as to their favourite PSH performances? One of my favourites was one of his last, A Most Wanted Man (2014) directed by Anton Corbijn. It is based on a John le Carre novel and is in the same tradition as The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. PSH plays a rather droll, seen-it-all intelligence officer in Germany and he adopts a local accent for it. I thought he was terrific in this and disappointed that it didn't get the attention it deserved. During an Actors Studio Interview Sean Penn was asked who he thought were some of the best actors currently working and he replied, "Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Philip Seymour Hoffman." He would be another choice of mine if I were programming Summer Stars. Not that I have been following the series, but PSH has another Hunger Games movie due out this year. Was that in mid-production when he passed away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoldenIsHere Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Philip Seymour Hoffman was definitely a huge talent. I'll admit that I didn't seek out his movies that much because he reminds me of someone from my personal life that I dislike. Having said that, his versatility and range as an actor is undeniable. Acting is about behavior and Philip Seymour Hoffman knew what behavior to bring to his roles. His early role in SCENT OF WOMAN was one that most actors would have played as a "personality" part, but Hoffman used a combination of technical and emotional acting skills to create a fasicinating human being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misswonderly3 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Doubt , 2008. Based on the play by the same name, which was written by John Patrick Shanley. Shanley also directed the film version of his play. A great movie, and Philip Seymour Hoffman is perfect in it as the enigmatic priest. The rest of the cast (namely Meryl Streep and Amy Adams) are also very good. I recommend Doubt as both a movie and an example of PSH's great acting for anyone who wants to explore his work. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mockingbird66 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 He was wonderful in Almost Famous as editor of Creem magazine, Lester Bangs. It's my favorite. Based on a semi-autobiography of Cameron Crowe. Plus it has Frances McDormand and she is fantastic as the "overbearing mother" to William. Doubt was very good, as misswonderly said. Saw that for the first time on Tcm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primosprimos Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 He was wonderful in Almost Famous as editor of Creem magazine, Lester Bangs. It's my favorite. Based on a semi-autobiography of Cameron Crowe. Plus it has Frances McDormand and she is fantastic as the "overbearing mother" to William. Doubt was very good, as misswonderly said. Saw that for the first time on Tcm. Yup. PSH was never not good in any of his movies. I'm still POed at him for ending a career that could have only gotten more magnificent. He had miles and miles to go before he slept. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogie56 Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 Philip Seymour Hoffman was definitely a huge talent. I'll admit that I didn't seek out his movies that much because he reminds me of someone from my personal life that I dislike. Having said that, his versatility and range as an actor is undeniable. Acting is about behavior and Philip Seymour Hoffman knew what behavior to bring to his roles. His early role in SCENT OF WOMAN was one that most actors would have played as a "personality" part, but Hoffman used a combination of technical and emotional acting skills to create a fasicinating human being. And wasn't it a relatively tiny part? Impressive beginnings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dabb Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Fine actor. My first awareness came via the films Twister and Patch Adams - his frustrated, and later helpful, Mitch Roman character really impressed me. I identified with him. I'm also a big fan of Helen Hunt, so Twister is a favorite of mine - I like the storyline and characters. Patch Adams.. well.. I really enjoy Robin Williams' serious works, and this one is really good, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogie56 Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 Perhaps his 'breakout' film performance was in Paul Thomas Anderson's 1997, Boogie Nights. His turn as Scotty, a gay production assistant in the prone film industry could have been played just for comic relief. But Hoffman took that role and infused an enormous amount of angst and other complexities and made it into something engrossing. Something he would do with all the smart parts he was getting at the start of his film career. Burt Reynolds got a lot of attention for his support in role in Boogie Nights, but I think PSH stole the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoldenIsHere Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 And wasn't it a relatively tiny part? Impressive beginnings. Yes, Phillip Seymour Hoffman's part in SCENT OF WOMAN was not a large role, but he had a lot of screen time in the first part of the movie. He was essentrially the villain of the story in the sense that his actions put Chris O'Donnell's character in the difficult position that leads the school inquiry at the end of the movie Hoffnan didn't have any scenes with Al Pacino. No dialogue exchange, I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogie56 Posted May 21, 2015 Author Share Posted May 21, 2015 I caught Charlie Wilson's War for a second time just a few weeks ago. There is some really well written dialogue in it from Aaron Sorkin, he who also gave us Moneyball and The Social Network. PSH has an amazing introductory scene in Charlie Wilson's War. One that is normally reserved for the tail end of a movie. We are introduced to him in his boss' office. He ferociously denounces his boss as an incompetent and shows his utter disdain by putting a chair through his window - just as a handyman is finishing repairing it from the last time he had broken it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoldenIsHere Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I caught Charlie Wilson's War for a second time just a few weeks ago. There is some really well written dialogue in it from Aaron Sorkin, he who also gave us Moneyball and The Social Network. PSH has an amazing introductory scene in Charlie Wilson's War. One that is normally reserved for the tail end of a movie. We are introduced to him in his boss' office. He ferociously denounces his boss as an incompetent and shows his utter disdain by putting a chair through his window - just as a handyman is finishing repairing it from the last time he had broken it. I could never bring myself to watch CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR because of clips I saw with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts talking with bad Southern accents. Julia Roberts is actually from the South, but hers was especially bad. I saw a documentary that included interviews with the real woman that Julia Roberts played in the movie. I don't know what possessed Julia Roberts to create that accent for the character in the movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogie56 Posted May 23, 2015 Author Share Posted May 23, 2015 Another terrific PSH performance was in George Clooney's The Ides of March (2011). He play's Clooney's campaign manager and Paul Giamatti another terrific character actor plays his opponents manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoldenIsHere Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 As has been noted before, Philip Seymour Hoffman's breakout role was probably Scotty J in BOOGIE NIGHTS, the porn set boom operator with a crush on Dirk Diggler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogie56 Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 The Savages (2007) has extraordinary work by both PSH and Laura Linney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoldenIsHere Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Does anyone have any thoughts on SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK, the Charlie Kaufman film that starred Philip Seymour Hoffman? For me, it was one movie that I was glad when it was over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogie56 Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Does anyone have any thoughts on SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK, the Charlie Kaufman film that starred Philip Seymour Hoffman? For me, it was one movie that I was glad when it was over. Absolutely, I was sooooo disappointed with that film. Too self-indulgent and heck, just not that interesting either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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