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When did Depp become the poster child for playing dress-up?

posted 9 years ago by moviefool09
25 replies | jump to latest

I can understand Depp, a good actor, whoring himself constantly in fantasy dress-up for his good friend Tim Burton, but he also seems to mostly play dress-up in his other recent films (Into the Woods, The Lone Ranger, Doctor Parnassus, Any Pirates film since the original).

Maybe it's because most of his recent normal roles are dreadful (The Tourist, Mortedcai, Transcendence, Public Enemies). Black Mass is the ONE exception.

Depp is a very good actor who now seems to be taking the easy payday for the fantasy dress-up instead of going back to the gritty, riskier, hard-earned roles he played in the past (Blow, Donnie Brasco, Secret Window, The 9th Gate, Dead Man).

These days, if you see Depp in a film, it's likely to be in a role caked with makeup and crazy hats and goofy costumes.

Surely there's more to this guy, eh? He needs a new agent.

"This is dead air, Barry....dead air."

[–] diverdave333 9 years ago

What I'm seeing here is that your entire argument is based more on personal preference for Depp's less "elaborate" roles than recognizing any talent on the part of the actor.

I'd like to think that his vast array of colorful characters--Captain Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands, the Mad Hatter, and yes, even Willy Wonka and Tanto--demonstrate that Depp actually prefers playing those characters rather than simply because they're profitable.

If you want to see movies with the gritty characters, I'm sure I can recommend a number of Bruce Willis shoot-em-ups that might be more to your liking.

[–] HATheLaughingManHA 9 years ago

Personally, I liked Public Enemies and as far as dress up goes Lon Chaney was the man of 1000 faces would you say he played dress up? Their actors FFS dress up and acting is what they do

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lockon_stratos 9 years ago

The tourist was good

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

Maybe because dress-up roles don't require any subtlety, which Depp seems unsure of and not confident in. You just cake a bunch of make-up, wear funny costumes, and shriek constantly.

I'll give you this- Depp is very good at these mindless roles.

And honestly, even "Black Mass", he was hidden behind some excellent makeup/hair work.

Depp prefers hiding behind masks.

But come on, face it....he's become a bit of a joke.

"This is dead air, Barry....dead air."

[–] C-Younkin 9 years ago

Like most people I get a thrill out of seeing him playing dress up, he's created some really great characters that way- Edward Scissorhands, Jack Sparrow

but I also believe that becoming an actor known mainly for doing this is starting to wear thin for him and I particularly think that replaying the character in sequel upon sequel is killing him too. Unfortunately the dress-up roles are the ones that made big money and somehow he keeps getting drawn back into them.

I really don't think he's just trying to take these roles though. Black Mass for example was a great example of him stretching himself and whole Transcedance was a missed opportunity, it sounded like it might be a cool film. This is an actor who has always tried to be different, that's been his main appeal, and I hope he never loses that.

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[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

but I also believe that becoming an actor known mainly for doing this is starting to wear thin for him and I particularly think that replaying the character in sequel upon sequel is killing him too. Unfortunately the dress-up roles are the ones that made big money and somehow he keeps getting drawn back into them.

Yes, this is precisely the point I'm trying to make...which you have expressed more eloquently than me.

I think Depp is a terrific actor but at some point, he has let himself become typecast for these dress-up roles. Why? Because he seems to do them almost to the exclusion of all other roles. It's kind of fascinating, in a way. What in his psychological make-up (no pun intended) leads him again and again to these kinds of roles? Others here have said Depp is no different than Lon Chaney or the classic actors of the past who kept playing horror roles or fantasy roles. I disagree...Depp is FAR more versatile and deeper than those actors were. And yet....this is who he has now chosen to be. It's a bit mind-boggling.

This is why it seems like he's become a bit of a joke. "Got a crazy costumed, dress-up fantasy role?" "Get Depp....that's all he does."

I mean, ask yourself....if Depp stopped making films today, what would he be remembered for? And the answer is....all the fantasy roles he has played (Ed Scissors, Pirates, Sweeney Todd, Alice, etc).

Do you really think he wants that to be his legacy?

Somehow, I think not.

I can understand doing a few of these roles from time to time. They're fun roles and he obviously enjoys them. But he risks becoming seen as just a puppet, not a real actor.

Which is what has happened.

"This is dead air, Barry....dead air."

[–] cristjams 9 years ago

Or maybe it's just a whole lot more fun to play characters that are whimsical and dressed up. I would think it would make his "job" more exciting that playing a dull ordinary serious character.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

Yes, that may be true. Plus, those roles pay a lot and don't require much depth so it's an easy payday for him. Perhaps he got tired of taking risks in "normal" roles that lately have been panned by critics. "Black Mass" was an exception and even there, he's heavily made-up.

"This is dead air, Barry....dead air."

[–] jeffer23 9 years ago

I don't get your argument at all. Your point equals the same bias that many in the Academy have on their biases against Science Fiction and Fantasy movies where the acting may be superb, but the story can't be comprehended as "normal" so it is automatically a bad movie.

[–] Wombstar 9 years ago

Well he takes on crazy role that most other actors wouldn't dream of doing, if you want someone to be edgy and gritty there are plenty out there would have fill those shoes. Not every actor or best suited for every role.

If i was a actor and had the choice of crazy, fun, make up characters or dull, boring lifeless ones i know what id be up for all the time.

I don't ask my local butcher to bake me a cake after all.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

I don't get your argument at all. Your point equals the same bias that many in the Academy have on their biases against Science Fiction and Fantasy movies where the acting may be superb, but the story can't be comprehended as "normal" so it is automatically a bad movie.

You have totally missed my point.

I'm saying, Depp has serious acting chops and it seems a waste for him to focus on these dress-up roles, almost to the exclusion of everything else. There are lesser actors who focus solely on dress-up roles, probably because they're not equipped to do much else. Depp is NOT that way. Quite a waste of talent and frustrating to those who'd like to see him take on the edgier roles he USED to.

Well he takes on crazy role that most other actors wouldn't dream of doing, if you want someone to be edgy and gritty there are plenty out there would have fill those shoes. Not every actor or best suited for every role.

Agree with the first part of your argument but not the rest. Depp is better than pure dress-up roles. He's proven it in the past. Now? His career has become a parade of consecutive silly costume dress-up. He's become a bit of a joke.

"This is dead air, Barry....dead air."

[–] sunchick116-872-583383 9 years ago

his best work, IMO, was 'finding neverland'. he doesn't need to continue playing these, for lack of a better word, creeps. i wish he'd take himself more seriously as an actor.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

he doesn't need to continue playing these, for lack of a better word, creeps. i wish he'd take himself more seriously as an actor.

Couldn't have said it better myself! They *are* creepy roles and they don't do him any favors as an actor, that's for sure.

"This is dead air, Barry....dead air."

[–] Wombstar 9 years ago

Now? His career has become a parade of consecutive silly costume dress-up. He's become a bit of a joke

I doubt he cares, and he's fortunate enough to be in a position where he can pick and choose whatever he wants to do, he clearly loves playing 'dress up' he is an actor after all. But many actors can't do the 'dress up' thing.

Another reason is perhaps he doesn't get many offers or opportunities to do straight roles anymore. People liked Vincent Price and Peter Cushing tend to play similar characters in all their films.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

Right.....someone made that point earlier. I tended to think of Depp as more versatile than a Vincent Price or a Lon Chaney but....maybe he isn't.

"This is dead air, Barry....dead air."

[–] Wombstar 9 years ago

Maybe he isn't, but i can't think of many current a list male actors who are versatile, they all tend to either play themselves or the same performance.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

Maybe he isn't, but i can't think of many current a list male actors who are versatile

Versatility is one thing, but just doing dress-up roles is pretty specific. Even the most un-versatile actors don't quite do the same thing as Depp does, again and again.

"This is dead air, Barry....dead air."

[–] magentamarzipane 9 years ago

If I was an actor and had a choice of crazy, fun, make up characters and boring lifeless ones I what I'd be up for

This is a false dichotomy because silly make up roles and boring lifeless roles are not the only options an actor has. Many of Depp's contemporaries are finding roles that are neither one of these extremes and are giving terrific performances. These whimsical man-child-in -white-face characters do not fit as well on a man in his fifties as they do on a man in his twenties or thirties. He's always been a pretty mannered performer but these days his performances are almost nothing but mannerisms. These mannerisms are often entertaining enough if taken individually but taken together, one after another, they become cloying and you end up feeling sort of like you did the first time you had enough money to buy your own candy and eat as much as you wanted: you realise there is such a thing as too many sweets. It used to kind of frustrate me that he kept taking these kind of roles because I thought he was too good an actor to limit himself but now it's dawning on me that he's actually a pretty limited actor and he does these Jack Sparrow variations because it's all he's capable of. Between Edward Scissorhands and the Mad Hatter 2.0, it's hard to see that he's grown much as a performer.

[–] magentamarzipane 9 years ago

About 10 years ago.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

Hehe....exactly.

"This is dead air, Barry....dead air."

[–] damnablyugly123 9 years ago

to be fair:

depp kinda did look goofy in black mass.

the bald cap and annoying blue contact lenses took me out of the movie

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

Exactly. Seems the guy is not comfortable unless he "transforms" himself in some way on film.

You can kind of tell he's a bit of a nutter....the cinematic equivalent of Michael Jackson.

"This is dead air, Barry....dead air."

[–] flo116 9 years ago

His Captain Jack Sparrow role is my favorite of all times. And yes I think he does want to be remembered for that role, if I remember right he did it for his kiddies. I never heard of JD until he played Captain Jack.
Seems to me every since Joel Harlow has been doing his makeup it is over done.
Especially The Lone Ranger and The Hatter. I didn't see Black Mass but it looked over done there as well.

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[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

Indeed....'overdone' is exactly right.

I would just be intrigued to see this guy really get back to the hardcore and realistic acting he used to do, with the kind of gritty roles he chose in the past (Donnie Brasco, Blow, etc).

"This is dead air, Barry....dead air."