Marcel Marceau

[caddyman]

I see that Marcel Marceau has died. The man who revived mime as an art form - or rather the man who is to blame for the revival of it was 84 years old.

I must admit that though he was pretty much a household name, I have never seen him perform on TV or anywhere else. He may have been better than street mimes, but it's his fault they are there. He made 12 films including Barbarella with Hanoi Jane. I don't recall seeing him in that, but I have watched the movie, so I guess I can say I've seen him perform.


Sinister, not funny.

I have never understood the appeal of mime. I appreciate that it is very clever - or at least that it can be, but to my mind it is also rather boring and inherently too creepy to be fun. Very much like clowns in a circus, there is something generally too deranged about it for me to find mime entertaining.

Comments

[pauln.livejournal.com]

There is a lovely letter in the Gnudiara today, suggesting that in his memory there should be a minute's noise.

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

Haha! Brilliant!

[snorkel-maiden.livejournal.com]

Reminds me of the Patrician of Ankh Morpork who would tolerate almost anything in his city apart from mime artists, who would very soon find themselves suspended upside down over a scorpion pit, on the walls of which was written 'LEARN THE WORDS'.

[failing-angel.livejournal.com]

I can never figure out who he was in Barbarella either.

However, he did have a role (amusingly, the only speaking one) in Mel Brooks's Silent Movie. He may have been the epitome of mime, but very little of that role showed itself as being outstanding.

Alternatively there's Kenny Everett's mime...

[davidt3001.livejournal.com]

He was the president of Earth, wasn't he? About the only character that La Fonda doesn't knock off, if memory serves ...

[failing-angel.livejournal.com]

Actually he was the doctor (photo here) - it was mentioned on the Beeb's obit.

[kathbad]

I am sure it is clever, but to me it just looks like ballet without the amazing moves and magical music.