Ö÷²¥´óÐã

Gary Oldman is the greatest british actor of his generation. I agree totally about Sid and Nancy, no matter how engrossing a character he creates there is still an absolute terror of what he might do next lurking in every minute of the film. For me though, Dracula is his most beautiful performance - barring his cameo as the 'white boy' in True Romance - further cultivating that same dynamic of empathy and reprehensibleness in pitch perfect theatricality while never slipping into artifice... but perhaps there is no better indication of his understanding of acting than the performances elicited from his cast in Nil by Mouth!

I completely agree Mark, Gary Oldman is my favourite actor (alongside Jimmy Stuart) in that, when I watch him in a film, I don't see him; I only see the character. That to me is the embodiment of what an actor should be, an absolute chameleon. It's been far too long to see him back in the spotlight in a leading role - for this reason, I'm ridiculously excited about Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, too.

Easily My favourite actor, however you didn't mention half of my favourite roles, Leon, JFK, both the Harry Potters, and of course Backwoods.
Every role he plays he seems to slip into their skin and give each character their own voice and inflections.
Without a doubt one of the finest actors of his or any generation.

I thought that Oldman's best performance was in Luc Bessons's Leon, torrificly over the top (but thats how it was intended).

I can't wait for Friday. Gary Oldman is the best thing about several otherwise mediocre films - he almost manages to redeem Coppola's ill-judged Dracula, and whatever your feelings about The Dark Knight (yawn), his Gordon is an oasis of humanity amidst the histrionics. He anchors the film with something real and honest.

I hope Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy gives him the showcase he deserves, because it feels like he's been on the margins for too long now.

Oh yeah, and talk about sexy. Phwoar.

Many people have called Gary Oldman has been called "the greatest actor never to have won an Oscar", you cant help but think reason being is that people don't realise he's even on screen. He just has to wear a moustache or a pair of glasses and he disappears. I remember seeing 'The Contender' and thinking wheres Gary Oldman in this picture same thing with 'The Dark Knight'. The Academy tend to acknowledge actors who give performances rather than those who blend seamlessly into the ensemble.

I am really looking foward to seeing Gary Oldman in his new film, but in my opinion his best work was in True Romance. Although it wasn't a huge role, he owned the screen every second he was present. A really wonderful and underated performance

Oldman is a genius. One of my most favourite performances of his has to be from The Fifth Element. Great fun to watch. Can't wait to see Tinker Tailor.

I really loved him in Romeo is Bleeding. This was an excellent thriller, which has the greatest female nutter (Lena Olin) in the history of cinema.

You say that you're excited Dr.K?

I'm ecstatic!

As I've said many times in this blog - Gary Oldman is the best screen actor ever!

Why? well he's one of the few who actually can say that he is playing different people. He has no signature acting style and he exists in a class of his own.

Better than Brando, better than De Niro and perhaps only matched by Daniel Day Lewis.

Every actor worth his salt tips his hat to Gary Oldman and so they should - bring on TTSS!

Sir Gary Oldman (it's inevitable he'll get a well-deserved knighthood) is one of our greats, a true cameleon. He's brilliant in everything, from true acting roles like Sid & Nancy, Immortal Beloved, JFK, Basquiat etc and Money gigs like Fifth Element, Lost in Space, Air Force One etc Top 3 roles of his are:

3. Jim Gordon in Christopher Nolan's Batman movies. Christian Bale embodies the superhero Gary brings most of the humanity in the movie where he battles being one of the rare good people, a family man in a cesspit of greed, insanity and corruption

2. Carnegle in The Book of Eli. An underrated gem, where Gary plays the anthesis of Dezel Washington's zen-like traveller, the big boss, king of kings in the rubble of a post-apocalyptic word.

1. Corrupt, drug addicted cop Stansfield in Leon. Simply put ' ALL OF THEM!!!!'.

at #11 SiJ

Shouldn't that be 'EVERYONE!!!!' ?

I share you admiration for Gary Oldman Mark, but completely disagree that his best role was as Sid Vicious. I have enjoyed many of his performances far more than that one. He's played some great villains none more sociopathic than the one he played in Leon. He made Jim Gordon a character that I would have liked to see even outside of a Batman's Gotham City. But for me, the first 10 minutes of the little talked about film "Chattahoochee" is what I always think of when I think of Gary Oldman as a great actor. I don't remember him saying much in those first few minutes (if not the entire film), but he says everything you need to know without dialogue. I wonder what you thought about that one.

For the last two Academy Awards, the Best Actor award appears to have been given to an actor whom it seems only right finally got the award (Jeff Bridges and Colin Firth). Who knows, maybe its finally Gary Oldman's "turn" to win. All the signs seem to be there; a 'starring' role based on a well respected source made by a director of genuine beauty like Alfredson. Perhaps after all these years Gary Oldman will get the award he rightly deserves. Here's hoping.

*seemed. Damn me and my incorrect use of the present tense :)

Can't wait for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. My appetite for this movie version of the long loved Le Carre novel has long been whetted by the trailers.

Oldman is a brilliant, vastly underrated actor. A true chameleon who loses himself in every character he plays. Always a pleasant surprise when you see him on film (and even more so, when you don't recognise him at first).

I do love his work. He's wonderful in Immortal Beloved and Dracula, superb in Leon and the backbone of the Batman movies.

Let's hope that George Smiley is as good to him as it was for Sir Alec Guinness.

Great actor, even his Hollywood villains throughout the nineties were good. He can play something with real subtlety (JFK springs to mind) and can also play larger than life (True Romance). I agree about Sid and Nancy and it's one of his best performances but for me his most underrated performance is in State of Grace from 1990. Underrated film released at the same time as Goodfellas where he played a psychopathic gang member opposite Sean Penn and Ed Harris and managed to steal every seen he was in. Well worth watching although a little dated (excellent Ennio Morricone score as well) this is one of his earliest American roles and probably helped him get recognised in Hollywood.
Can't wait for TTSP.

Gary Oldman is brilliant. My favourite actor. From films like Sid & Nancy & Leon through to playing Gordon for Christopher Nolan's Gotham City he inhabits the characters perfectly and yes chameleon like. You watch him on screen and forget its Gary Oldman..you see Lee Harvey Oswald, Stainsfield, Jim Gordon.

People might say that some of the films he has been in are not always on par BUT his performances in them are always OUTSTANDING. He can steal the show in a film even if he's only in it for 10 minutes (classic example of this would be Drexel Spivey in True Romance)

A brilliant actor who I'm sure will bring George Smiley brilliantly to screen.

How can anyone forget Tiptoes (if you have never heard of it, please Youtube the trailer, you will be in for a genuine surprise)!

Gary Oldman playing a dwarf! Pretty impressive!

Another great role: Drexel in True Romance


Also, Tim Roth and Gary Oldman in 'Rosencratz & Guildenstern are Dead' are the perfect combo

In the Oxford English Dictionary, under Actor it should simply read - Gary Oldman. Talented; Intelligent; One who has ability for utterly believable characterisation; Convincing; Absorbing.

And you'd properly still have to grab a ballpoint and scribble in the margins -"also a none too shabby a directing talent. I would suggest that if you can get him in your movie, get him in your movie. Always a class act from the opening frames to the final fade to black."

Alex Cox managed to strike the perfect tone for Sid and Nancy and I have absolutely no problem with the film being fairy tale like. That's what makes Cox's best work so good. Repo Man isn't exactly realistic either. Had Cox gone for documentary style realism the film would have probably been dreary to the point of being unwatchable. And let's face it, the Sex Pistols were run by McLaren as a fairy tale anyway. Despite what Lydon thinks, the fairy tale element was the biggest element of the band's charm.

Check him out in mike Leigh's 'meantime'. Brilliant!

Agree with Craig S #8. I love Gary Oldman in just about every role I've seen him play, but his outrageous performance in The Fifth Element is by far my favourite.

Sid Nancy is a good film even though I think Alex Cox did better films before and after (Repo Man, Walker and to a extent Straight to Hell), the reason the film is good is simply Gary Oldman gives a brilliant performance even John Lydon has praised her performance, the 2 things that drive me crazy is....

A. John Lydon is portrayed as a fat, beer-slurping, baked bean eating idiot which isn't John Lydon at all, he is a extremely intelligent man who a fantastic wit

B. There a a band who is suppose to be the wonderful X-Ray Spex and the singer Poly Styrene is like a blonde white bimbo.... in reality Poly was a mixed race Somalian/Scots Irish 20 year old with dental braces and homemade day glo clothes

Those 2 things drive me insane and wouldn't have taken anytime to change, the film is good with a fantastic performance from Oldman oh and Courtney Love should have played Nancy.... it was a role she was born to play.

I think he should have the oscar for JFK as Oswald, uncanny.

I agree Gary Oldman is tremendous and far more versatile than he is sometimes given credit for. Yes some of his performances have been as he say high octane (leon, true romance etc) but he is often also understated (batman) and accomplished at any role you can throw at him. I am a huge fan of the 1979 TV series of Tinker and man what a task to follow to take on Alec Guinness, but I have no doubts not only that Gary will be brilliant in it but also that he will make the part his own. A role of his and film that is sadly much overlooked is state of grace for his and all performances and the stonking soundtrack and cinematography. I hope the new film is a great success and the same team take on Smiley's People. I'll be at Tinker on Friday and awaiting interview on Dr's K & S podcast. Cheers.

Dr K,

Let me remind you the soviet hammer & sickle is in no way less (or, for that matter, more) offensive then the nazi swastika. Okay? Just so we're clear on that. Both symbols represent equally hideous and sick totalitarian regimes.

(By the way, Gary or Sid could have worn either on their shirt, I don't care.)

State Of Grace is Oldmans finest performance....plus he looks even cooler than he usually does.
I know it's a crap question but why don't you ask him yourself what he thinks is best performance is..

What with his penchant for tinkering, I hope George Lucas one day manoeuvres the brilliant Oldman into finally voicing Revenge Of The Sith's General Grievous as was originally intended. Oldman dropped out first-time around as the production employed non-union talent, I believe.

He was good in Sid & Nancy, even if the mythologizing of Sid Vicious was a tad unpalatable. But that's probably my personal anti-Sex Pistols bias.
My favourite performance of his is in the underrated State of Grace.
But I like every one of his performances, EVERY ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What about 'Prick Up Your Ears'? Another great performance by Oldman based on a real person. Molina is amazing in this one too, they compliment each other perfectly.

True Romance, Leon & Fifth Element. All awesome

Oh dear. Am I the only one who didn't like the dreadful interpretation of Tinker Tailor?

Gary Oldman is woefully miscast. He tries to impersonate Alec Guinness and fails. The final denouement involves Smiley eating an extra strong mint....wow! And there are more bad haircuts than I've had Gregg's pasties.

I advise all the critics who have given this 5 stars to read the book and watch the DVD of the TV version. And then watch the DVD of Smiley's People, which is even better.

This film is as over-rated as The King's Speech and will be forgotten in a year. If that's possible.

I agree with all of my learned friends and Dr. K that Oldman is a singularly brilliant actor. Moreover, all of the film roles cited show is staggering range (esp. JFK and Dracula). However, no performance quite embodies the darkness and sheer visceral terror he is able to conjure up like that of Bex Bissell in Alan Clarke's The Firm. Check out the scene where he fool's a new recruit into having a DIY tattoo with a Stanley knife in order to join their their "firm" of football hooligans. It's like Joe Pesci's "are you laughing at me" scene in Goodfellas BUT MUCH SCARIER.