Very few artists have perfect careers. John Cazale is the exception to the rule. His filmography is brief, but important. "The Conversation", "Dog Day Afternoon", "The Godfather", "The Godfather Part 2", and "The Deer Hunter" are seminal works of not only their time, but of the early, developing careers of some of the greatest filmmakers of the last half century. They're also what would become Cazale's varied, dimensional, and faultless career on screen. Lanky with a recessed hairline that stopped to reveal a prominently carved out forehead and brow, Cazale was not leading man material. However, his performances were never lost in the shadows of his big name co-stars.
It's hard to say which one of his performances is my favorite, but I love how diametrically opposed his singular portrayals of the turncoat brother in "The Godfather" and the blue collar Average Joe effected by his friend's war traumas in "The Deer Hunter." I wish the New York Magazine article on Cazale's legacy was a little more fleshed out, but it does make me excited about the documentary short on Cazale's life to be released this year.
"The Godfather Part 2"
1974
directed by Francis Ford Coppola
"The Deer Hunter"
1978
directed by Michael Cimino
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
the greatest
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1 comment:
I really enjoyed this post. I didn't know anything about this guy. His body of work does appear to be flawless. Who knows what he would have accomplished if he would have lived longer? (Apparently, he would have married his female career-doppelganger) I know you'll probably judge me, but I've never seen Deer Hunter. I should check that out immediately. Thanks for the insight, Whit!
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