BBC movie series recommendations please :) (SPOILERS for TSTAMD)

[sistermagpie]

> Alla:
> 
> OH YES. With this I totally agree that stardom encourages playing types and does not equal great actors necessarily. Now I do not feel qualified to form an opinion as to american stars v british stars ( did not watch nearly enough british big screen movies for that), but I would certainly say that american talented stars get mixed into wider pool of ... not.
> 
> For example I am not sure why Kianu Reeves ever became famous if the acting talent is any indication.
> 
> I know Robert De Niro can play a type, I am not sure what else can he play, etc, etc.
> 
> When I saw Richard Chamberlain on Broadway in the Sound of Music several years ago, I was so so so dissapointed.
> 
> 
> However, when I see Kevin Spacey, I think he is extremely talented for example and I like that he plays different types. And I was so smitten with him in the "Moon for misbigotten(sp?)" on Broadway.

Magpie:
Yeah, it's a really interesting balance to hit. I remember one British actor, I forget who (I think Jennifer Saunders?), but they actually felt like it was a skill that US TV could put together comedies full of pretty people like Friends. It wasn't just that they thought the UK was sort of above that or more focused on character types, it was something she didn't think it did well when it tried.

But I agree on preferring more character types--which is something I think is just getting worse in the US and didn't always exist. Character actors are great and brings more interesting faces to the screen that you can look at. 

Though that does lead to typecasting in itself. Bob Hoskins looks one way--he can cross over from US back to the UK, but he's usually the working class guy. It's always cool, though, when an actor turns out to find some other dimension to their type. Like where somebody's known as a type and then it turns out they also lend themselves to another type of part too. 

Oh, also, have you seen The Singing Detective? Starring a young current Dumbledore.:-)

-m