The Entity (1981)

[BurnetRhoades]

Originally Posted by Caustic Coffee

I agree with all this. Silver played the exact same role in Silent Fury and a few others as well, to the point where I think he was a go-to character actor of this type in the 80's. He does a damn fine job in my estimation.

That's the movie I was trying to think of! Yeah. He has this quality about him in these two movies in particular where I just wanna tell him,"look, I know you mean well, in your way, but you really are an asshole."

Something about his speech is also really good for technical, medical jargon. All the consonants maybe, the way they play off the resonance in his nose and the clicking of his teeth.

I'm not good with placing accents but something about the Northeastern feel of the way he talks gives his words extra credibility. I hear education and culture in a way few actors come across anymore. Christopher Plummer is another that comes to mind, regardless of what sort of accent he's affecting for a particular role.

[Caustic Coffee]

Originally Posted by BurnetRhoades

That's the movie I was trying to think of! Yeah. He has this quality about him in these two movies in particular where I just wanna tell him,"look, I know you mean well, in your way, but you really are an asshole."

Something about his speech is also really good for technical, medical jargon. All the consonants maybe, the way they play off the resonance in his nose and the clicking of his teeth.

I'm not good with placing accents but something about the Northeastern feel of the way he talks gives his words extra credibility. I hear education and culture in a way few actors come across anymore. Christopher Plummer is another that comes to mind, regardless of what sort of accent he's affecting for a particular role.

Absolutely. The same way well spoken English actors like Anthony Hopkins can exude the impression of learnedness through over-accentuation of every syllable and letter, he seems to imbue his monologues with an air of impatient arrogance that give his characters the organic feeling of professionalism. Few actors can offer this quality in their work.

Christopher Lee used to manage this consistently, but he used it to craft himself hundreds of dickish villain roles (which I respect greatly). It's too bad Silver never really got his recognition.

[HorrorMovieFan]

Originally Posted by BurnetRhoades

What???

He's playing a clinical psychologist/psychiatrist, resolved in his strictly intellectual view of his patient's problems, unable to frame her experiences outside the box he's been trained to see things in while conflicted over his own taboo feelings of attraction for her.

He does these kinds of roles, the intellectually detached, narcissistic, sometimes sociopathic, professional man, very well.

He was just "alright" for me. Didnt care too much about his performance.

[BurnetRhoades]

Originally Posted by HorrorMovieFan

He was just "alright" for me. Didnt care too much about his performance.

For me, that's his strength, that you don't really see him "perform". Ron Silver just is. There's no wink-and-a-nudge, handshake agreement between thespian and audience.

He's certainly limited in what I can see him doing though, and don't know that I'd ever buy a purely sympathetic or heroic role for him. Some actors just aren't meant to play likable people.

[RomeroCarpenter Fan]

anyone have the bluray? how is the transfer?

[yoxodo]

Originally Posted by RomeroCarpenter Fan

anyone have the bluray? how is the transfer?

Got it a couple weeks ago but haven't watched it yet. Will post a review here when l do...

[Caustic Coffee]

Originally Posted by yoxodo

Got it a couple weeks ago but haven't watched it yet. Will post a review here when l do...

I'm kind of anxious to hear as well, although even a moderate transfer will earn a purchase from me.

[The Geek]

Ron Silver was great in the role of the skeptic. I'm not a fan of those type of characters but he did a great job regardless.

[HorrorMovieFan]

Originally Posted by Caustic Coffee

I'm kind of anxious to hear as well, although even a moderate transfer will earn a purchase from me.

True. I think Anchorbay released the bluray too...so I am sure it will be great..just like the dvd.

[yoxodo]

Well, the news is good and bad. While the picture quality is at least a slight upgrade over the DVD, this thing is totally bare bones when it comes to special features. l read somewhere that Anchor Bay tried to get Barbara Herschey to do an interview for this release but she declined, having completely disavowed this movie...which is ridiculous because she gives a stellar performance, not to mention shes absolutely gorgeous in it.

There isn't even a menu on the disc. As soon as you put the blu-ray in the movie starts, and thats where the real problem begins. Like l said, the picture isn't bad, but Anchor Bay certainly didn't give this the Evil Dead treatment. There is a lot of grain, especially in dark scenes, of which there are quite a few in this movie. l know some people don't mind grain, but l find myself distracted by it constantly. Also- and this probably goes without saying since its an older movie- don't expect to see a whole lot of detail, like pores in skin, individual leaves in shrubbery, or hairs on Ron Silver's beard. You get about as much detail as you would on the DVD.

All that being said, this is such a damn good movie. lts one of those that l always forget how good it is when l haven't watched it in a while. l totally forgot about the very end: Spoiler Below

"Welcome home cunt!"